Antelligent Design

4. Hey Big Spender

This is a big moment for me. I’ve upgraded every body part to +10, and now I’m advancing a large step towards full +15. My mutations have been lagging behind my evolution tier for way too long, it’s nice to finally be able to boost up this side of the power equation.

Ensuring that my core is fully upgraded and evolving has certainly helped. But the neglect of my Skills and mutations from a lack of patience and dedication stops now! From here on in, it’s going to be Skills and Biomass number one! Evolution is for chumps and Anthony’s who’ve fully mutated themselves.

Let’s get on with sorting out this mutation bonanza.

Right then! Time to confirm the purchase.

*[Would you like to improve: Expanded Deep Gravity Magic Gland +10 to Expansive Gravity Magic Gland +15?]*

*Combined Divergent Coordination Cortex +10 to Networked Coordination Cortex +15?*

*Rapid Absorption Legs +10 to Rapid Osmotic Legs +15?]*

This is one hell of a purchase.

At sixty-five each, upgrading five body parts is going to set me back a cool three hundred twenty-five! I’ll have thirty-one left. Thirty-four shy of upgrading something else to +15.

Confirm that purchase!

This is so exciting, I—wait…

How do I always forget the IIIIIITCH!

Oh no, I can feel it, it’s coming! Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no—NOOOOOOOOOO! AAAAARRRRRRR!

FLABBA-DABBA-FLAZZZZZZ!

Worse than ever before, the mutation creeps over my body: my legs, my glands, gah! An itch I can’t scratch, so intense, I can’t stand it! This is agony!

Unable to support my body, I roll onto my back and twitch there like an electrocuted spider.

FLAZZA!

KRAZZA!

FTAGN!

And on. And on. And onnnnn.

Make it STAHP!

Thankfully, it fades away. My body has finished performing whatever magic it does when the pure essence of Biomass floods my system, rebuilding my body and reshaping my cells at a stupidly rapid pace.

When you think about it, mutating feeling as intense as it does makes a certain kind of sense. The body itself is being restructured in a pretty serious way, after all. I just don’t get why it doesn’t seem to bother anyone other than me!

I’ve spent a massive amount of Biomass—three hundred and twenty-five points—and endured the worst itching of my ant life, but I’ve done it. A major step has been taken in the pursuit of the pre-evolution, fully upgraded ant.

With that out of the way, there is so much to do it makes me dizzy. Hunting needs to happen, obviously, grinding Skills along the patterns that Beyn and I discussed as well as helping the humans out a bit. Oh, can’t forget preparations for the new generation. Too busy!

First, I decide to check in with the twenty larvae playing about in the chambers toward the top of the nest. When I get there, the little grubs are still rolling about, stuffing themselves full of food provided by the battle above. Some of the little things are so stuffed they look like pale basketballs. I can’t stop rolling them around and giving them a tickle with my antennae until they wiggle about trying to escape my clutches. Awww!

Enough with the larvae teasing. Time to check in on the queen.

Let’s see if I can utilise my new Persuasive Pheromone Gland to change her mind about the rare core. Surely, she can see the value in improving her own strength.

THWACK!

Nope!

Rubbing my head with my antennae, I retreat from a clearly irritated Mother into my chamber. The new carapace upgrade is showing its worth here. That blow hurt less than usual thanks to my potent shell. Nice to see the plan coming together!

Gwehehehehe.

I don’t know what I’m going to do with that rare core… I may have to try and absorb it in chunks. Is that even possible? Guess we’ll find out…