Chrysalis - Chapter 197

Chapter 197: 197






wwwwWWWACHA!

I'm up!

Snapping alert after my nap I immediately leap into more work . Got stuff to do, no point slacking off like a dumb croc! (yeah I said it!)

First thing on the menu is expanding the farm chambers . I originally thought that two would be fine but now I'm not so sure . I need to be more ambitious if I want to grow the colony to the sort of size it needs to be in order to support itself in a never ending expansion of the glorious ant empire . Everyone wants what's best for their family right? I'm no different . What's best for the colony is obviously Dungeon domination . This is the conclusion I've come to .

To that end I make the existing two chambers larger and dig out another two the same size, relying on my pets and the workers to deal with the dirt issue . The first two chambers have already begun to incubate monsters, I can detect their heat easily . I'm not worried about the monsters taking over the nest either . There is literally two hundred workers and the Queen chilling just above where these farm chambers are . The odds of them overflowing with enough numbers to take out the colony are basically non-existent .

Not to mention the farm chambers connect through narrow passages to my resting place, where Crinis and Tiny will be on guard duty anytime we aren't away from the nest .

The digging also pays off with a level . Taking my excavation to level 8! Every extra level increases my digging efficiency that little bit more and I can't help but be happy to see that happening . After all, digging is the way of ant zen!





Refreshed from my labours I prepare myself for the next task I've set myself for the day . This is one I'm not really looking forward to . I feel nervous about what we experienced in the Marsh Expanse, that formless pressure, those waves of monsters . We can handle the waves ok for now, but what if they get larger? What if more powerful monsters come? I'm getting worried that my current rate of growth isn't enough . Even without laying eyes on the beast in the marsh I'm certain it's going to be a tough cookie to crunch .

I'm feeling some anxiety . There isn't any real direct threat to my family right now but if something were to happen and I couldn't save them…

I refuse to let that happen . I lost my family in the last world but I refuse to let it happen in this one too .

I'll do whatever it takes to make sure this family stays together!

With a surging feeling of determination I unearth my core collection and begin fusing together a special core . I'm so focused that the mental strain barely registers in my conscious, all that occupies my mind is visions of workers marching themselves down the gullet of a brutal crocodile beast the size of a house .

[Compatible special core detected . Would you like to reinforce your core or reconstitute the monster?]

Reinforce!

The painfully familiar process begins once more as the oversized core gradually dissipates into pure energy that is drawn into my own core, enlarging and condensing it within my body . It doesn't take long for the pinch to come, the awkward feeling of being a little too full on the inside that grows more unbearable over time until it becomes an acute pain .

I will endure! This isn't enough! Not nearly enough!

I grit my mandibles and hold on until the entire process is finished . It feels… . Not good! But I can take it! For the colony, I can take it!

Painfully but not less determined than before I move out to take on my next task . Hopefully over time I'll be able to become accustomed to this size core and the pain will fade much like it did the first time I took in a special core early .

Then I'll see about what else I can do …

For now, I wander over to the Queen's chamber and check in with her . It turns out, the masses of food we sent up had in fact been enough to tip her over the edge and allow her to upgrade her egg laying organ to +10 . Eagerly I activate the Core Surgery skill and inspect her choices . Ready to behold the future of the ant race on Pangera .

And it is beautiful .

[Enhanced Boosting egg production gland +10; Gives a bonus +4 to all stats for each egg produced]





DAAAAAYMM!

It's really here!

I immediately retract the skill and perform an excited six legged tap dance in front of the bewildered Queen .

"Yahooo!" I cheer .

"You seem happy child" the Queen laughs .

I refuse to stop the dance . This music must be expressed!

"This is going to make all the difference Mother!" I cry whilst my feet keep tippity-tapping, "the next generation are going to be something very special, just you wait!"

"I have already begun to stockpile Biomass . When I have enough for the first twenty I'll let you know" the Queen assures me .

"Fantastic! If I get a chance I'll head down into the Dungeon and try to rustle up some grub . The sooner we can get this rolling the better!"

The Queen seems quite pleased by my enthusiasm even if she has no idea how to take my celebratory dance . I swear I saw her shuffle her own feet a little before growing still once more .

I don't want to make any more changes to the new generation, they'll be fine the way they are . With all the upgrades in place the egg production will be quicker and produce more powerful hatchlings than I had originally planned for, everything is coming up Biomass .

Full of enthusiasm I waddle my way back down into my chamber and settle in for a little bit of planning . There are a few things I want to look into before we move out again . The challenges are getting a little real right now and I want to make sure that we are in tip top fighting shape, myself and my pets .

For me, this means a little skill point spending . For my pets, it means a little core surgery so I can take a look at their skills and mutations . I need to be able to better understand what I'm dealing with .

There is a skill that allows me to directly take a look at their status but since I can use core surgery I don't really think it's necessary . I mean, I could just ask them for the information and I'm sure Crinis would be happy to provide it but Tiny… . Well, he has communication issues… .

If he gets any dumber I'm going to have to shift some energy into beefing up his brain . I'm almost afraid to look at how low his Cunning has gotten…