Antelligent Design

104. Dignity of the Eldest

My core still hurts and it’s starting to worry me. After gaining some Levels and exercising, the pain has diminished to the point where I don’t notice it so much on a conscious level. It just stings. Sitting in the small Dungeon chamber and feeling the Mana flow in, I’m starting to worry about pushing to absorb the full rare core. Will I actually be able to take it? I know I’m technically pushing my core beyond what the System mandates is the ‘maximum safe limit,’ but that’s probably just a guideline, right?

It’ll be fine! I’m sure of it. What’s the worst that can happen? My core detonates and tears me apart from the inside…?

Well, that would suck. Actually, that would be pretty damn bad. I’ll keep my claws crossed.

Since I’m here in the Dungeon, soaking up some Mana and getting a rest, I may as well tick off all of the boxes I can. I get the feeling I’m not going to get much of a chance to rest over the next two days. Things are going to get intense the closer we get to the nest.

First cab off the rank is my mutations. This is a momentous moment for me. Due to impetuousness, impatience, and a general inability to focus, I’ve never reached maximum mutations before evolving, but this time it’s going to be close. I’m excited! If I get there, I won’t have to struggle as hard to cover the Biomass gap after I’ve evolved!

Gwehehehehehe!

Wait, don’t get so ahead of yourself, Anthony! You have to survive the horrific death army of zombie monsters marching toward the family while you sit here soaking your stock portfolio in Mana. No to mention, you aren’t fully mutated yet!

Ok, let’s do this.

I’ve got a huge store of Biomass tucked away at the moment, enough for five +20 mutations, which will cost a whopping four hundred and fifty Biomass. Such wealth! Such largesse! I’m like a dragon sitting on a horde of precious gold! Muahahahaha! Those stomach upgrades are really paying dividends, I can’t believe how much faster I’ve been able to rack up the points when compared to a non-mutable stomach. Viva the Formica Sapiens!

Five mutations, and I still have eight body parts to go. No time to worry about that, though, I need to work out what I want to pick this time around.

I need to consider what’s going to be most useful for my battle against Garralosh. I mean, I’d rather not have to think about fronting up to that freaking dinosaur, but I don’t really have much choice. These mutations need to count!

The best choices, I believe, are my Coordination Cortex, Inner Plating, Regeneration Gland, Antennae and Legs. These give me a good balance of offensive and defensive upgrades that will hopefully be enough to keep me alive and put the hurt on the damn croc.

Alright, time to dive into those menus.

First, let’s deal with the cortex. I’m a big fan of this little brain connector, and the mutations I’ve picked for it so far are working a treat. It helps boost my brains when they’re working independently or together, so whether I’m trying to pump out weaker spells or one big one, my brains always get some extra oomph!

For now, though, I’m not sure that I want to keep going down that path. I could just keep mutating them along those lines, but what I’m really struggling with in the brain department is mental fatigue. If I can get a mutation that can help when my brains are under high amounts of strain for longer periods of time, that would be for the best. The Coordination Cortex is basically like a traffic controller, a mutation that helps it direct traffic when everything is jammed is pretty much what I want.

Poking around the lists, I eventually find what I’m looking for. The Indomitable mutation. It effectively helps to spread the load across my brains when they’re strained. Perfect! I can imagine my neurons are going to get completely cooked in upcoming battles, so this will help a ton!

Next is the plating! This has been such a good addition. Covering for the weaknesses of my Diamond Carapace by helping to disperse shocks and impacts to prevent cracking has been huge. With this inner layer of support, my outer shell has been able to shine all the brighter! The question is, what do I want it to do now?

The inner plating is doing a great job currently of absorbing punishment, and repairing my carapace, but I can always use a bit more oomph out of the latter.

The issue with my Diamond Carapace is that it can take quite a long time to heal, especially when compared to muscular or organ damage. Maybe the blood flow to the exo-skeleton is poor or something? If I enhance the healing mutation, the plating will be able to release more potent healing fluid directly into the carapace itself from underneath, speeding up the repair of cracks or slashes significantly. I like it!

We’re on a roll here, people! Making awesome improvements to yourself can be quite addicting, I have to say. And there’s no downside. On to the next!

The Regeneration Gland. Unfortunately, I can’t see this thing not getting a workout over the next while. I’m going to have to put my shiny body on the line for my siblings and I won’t come out unscathed, so it makes sense to power up this gland as much as I possibly can. I mean, this one is pretty straightforward. I’ve made it so the gland is better at regenerating my limbs, which is important since they’re by far my weakest points, but I don’t think I need to carry that further. What I really want is more healing with each blast of the gland. Make that precious healing juice go a bit further every time I use it!

The option isn’t that hard to find. Potency. Lock that baby in.

Now, the antennae. The feelers. The ol’ back scratchers. So far, we’ve had heat detection added, which is nice, then future detection, which is freakin’ cool as heck, and I’ve been pretty much feeling the Future Sight ever since then, emphasising it at my last mutation at +15. If I’m going to fight something like Garralosh, then I’d very much like to get the heck out of the way if at all possible, so improving that ability seems prudent to say the least.

Lock it in! Next!

Lucky last, it’s the legs. This is an important one. It’s three times more important for me than it would be for a human, for obvious reasons. Being able to soak up Mana through my legs has been great, but right now I’m not really running short on Mana. More to the point, the mutation works a heck of a lot better in the Dungeon than it does up here on the surface. There’s not much point doubling down on it right now. No, what I need is for my legs to be a bit more durable, so I don’t lose them as often!

Six legs is the best and correct number of legs. I’m sick of monsters trying to reduce the number I have to something inferior. Scrolling through the lists, I find a nice option to thicken up the carapace layer over the legs and protect my joints. Lock that in, then punch it with a whoo!

[Would you like to improve:

Networked Coordination Cortex +15 to Indomitable Coordination Cortex +20?

Supportive Inner Carapace Plating +15 to Supportive Healing Inner Carapace Plating +20?

Regrowth Regeneration Gland +15 to Potent Regrowth Regeneration Gland +20?

Future Sight Infrared Antennae +15 to Oracle Antennae +20?

Rapid Osmotic Legs +15 to Tough Rapid Osmotic Legs +20?]

Let’s go!

HAGGAK!

Did I really think to myself that there’s no downside? What sort of moron forgets about the downside! It’s you, Anthony! You’re the moron—Holy FAZZAGIGAP!

The itch erupted instantly all over my body as five separate body parts undergo the mutation process. This never gets better. It only gets worse!

Five minutes later and I’m still on the floor twitching like an idiot. Don’t look at me like that, Tiny!

Preserve my dignity!

GAH!

Fortunately, it comes to a merciful end and I’m able to collect myself from the ground. Nobody appears to be looking too closely. Good.

Alright, I think it’s time to go through the status. I haven’t checked it for a while, what with the constant fighting and eating.

Name: Anthony

Level: 38 (Special core)

Might: 41

Toughness: 29

Cunning: 44

Will: 35

HP: 58/58

MP: 240/240

Skills: Expert Excavation Level 5 (III); Deadly Acid Shot Level 5 (III); Enhanced Grip Level 5 (II); Advanced Shattering Bite Level 15 (IV); Advanced Stealth Level 7 (II); Splintering Chomp Level 2 (IV); Tunnel Map Level 7 (II); Mana Transformation Level 12 (III); Advanced Condensed Mana Level 5 (III); Finer External Mana Manipulation Level 5 (III); Empowered Mana Sensing Level 6 (II); Core Surgery Level 6 (III); Expert Exo-Skeleton Defence Level 11 (III); Distant Pet Communication Level 4 (II); Rapid Dash Level 9 (II); Expert Water Magic Affinity Level 2 (III); Expert Stamina Level 3 (III); Pet Growth Speed Level 1 (I); Mana Scrooge Level 9 (II); Expert Cerebral Endurance Level 14 (III); Profound Meditation Level 7 (III); Advanced Precise Shooting Level 7 (II); Severing Bite Level 15 (III); Advanced Mind Magic Affinity Level 6 (II)

Mutations: Heightened Perimeter Eyes +20; Oracle Antennae +20; Mana Binding Acid +15; Tough Rapid Osmotic Legs +20; Bright Empowered Mandibles +20; Hardened True Diamond Carapace +20; Potent Regrowth Regeneration Gland +20; Loquacious Pheromone Gland +15; Expansive Gravity Magic Gland +15; Indomitable Coordination Cortex +20; Supportive Healing Inner Carapace Plating +20; Selective Gluttonous Stomach +20

Species: Dispersed Mind Ant (Formica Sapiens)

Skill Points: 14

Biomass: 5

Holy mackerel, that’s a lot of Skill ups! I didn’t even remember that Splintering Chomp had reached rank four! Nice! Only one Bite Skill to go before the fusion shall begin! I managed to gain a lot of Levels in the Mana-related Skills as well. Always a good thing in my mind.

And finally! Level 38! I’m actually a bit concerned… I need two more Levels in two days if I’m going to evolve before they reach the nest. Actually, not even two days. If the Lizard Wizard is going to keep hurling lightning storms at me whenever I get close, that’s going to be a serious problem! Not to mention the three mutations I still need to complete…

I might need to consult with the council on this one…