Antelligent Design

62. Spending and Patrol

I’ve managed to amass a ton of Biomass since my last big spend. With this, I’ll be able to finally achieve a full +15 form. The dream is alive! The hype is real! If I’d been more patient and chewed my way through more Biomass at the early evolutions, I wouldn’t have had to stuff my face so much during this one!

Lessons have been learned. I won’t be evolving until my mutations are complete!

As Morrelia sat down to keep watch over us, my pets and I settled in to spend our Biomass. Crinis is already close to the perfect +10 all around. She must be nearly ready to evolve as well. Still only tier two, she can get much stronger! Tiny is in the same boat as me, battling to get enough food into him to get his body fully upgraded.

Alright then. I still have to upgrade my acid gland and Pheromone Gland. After this round of mutations, I’ll have begun the journey to +20! Believe in yourself, Anthony. Believe in your stomach!

Ok, which to start with?

[Would you like to upgrade your Mana Eating Restrictive Acid to +15? This will cost 65 Biomass.]

Yeah, boi!

[At this level, you may choose to combine your mutations or emphasise one. Which will you select?]

Ahh, the acid gland. A key feature of the Formica variant of the ant species. My ol’ trusty business district and its jets of burning acid have served me well. Particularly in the early days. The restrictive property of the acid was such a key thing for me back then, and to be honest, I still think it’s a valuable property. I haven’t had much chance to use the magic eating mutation lately, but I have high hopes it will be extremely relevant in the days to come.

This seems like a slam dunk. Combine them!

Pheromone Gland time!

My faithful Pheromone Gland. Where would I be without you? Enabler of communication. Bringer of wisdom and light. Truly, the greatest thing I gave to the Formica Sapiens, in my opinion, is the ability to properly speak with each other. With it, the beginning of the great ant civilisation, the unstoppable empire of the ant, has begun!

I hastily engage the menu and ponder my options for mutating my Pheromone Gland.

Language is great, obviously, and persuasive was a bit of a tack-on, to be honest. I’d hoped it would make it a little easier to get the colony on board with some of my wilder ideas. Such as not getting themselves killed. The issue I have with this mutation is that it’s hard to determine if it’s being effective. Were the ants persuaded because of my unique persuasive pheromones or was it my unique charm?

Probably the pheromones… let’s be real.

If I have no strong feelings one way or the other, I’ll embrace the beige alert and fuse!

With those choices locked in, I’ve finally done it. Full +15. Glorious, just glorious. I had to eat a whole lot of disgusting Biomass to get here, but persevered. From this point onward, we march to +20! And the first cab off the rank is obviously the stomach! The more I mutate it, the faster I’ll accrue the points I need!

[Would you like to upgrade Gluttonous Stomach to +20? This will cost 90 Biomass.]

Holy Gandalf! Ninety? I barely have enough. To think I need to do my entire body like this. No! Don’t get discouraged. With the power of my upgraded stomach, I’ll make it happen. Believe!

So far, I’ve upgraded the capacity of the stomach and reduced the evolution penalty, then fused them. Generally speaking, I think it makes sense to continue along that line of thought. More room for food, more points from the food I eat. It’s a winning combo.

I scroll through the list and select the option to reduce the tier penalty yet again. I’ll be able to get a reasonable return even from monsters two evolutions behind me with this. I’m going to need it!

[Would you like to improve:

Mana Eating Restrictive Acid +10 to Mana Binding Acid +15?

Persuasive Pheromone Language Gland +10 to Loquacious Pheromone Gland +15?

Gluttonous Stomach +15 to Selective Gluttonous Stomach +20?]

Yeesh. That’s a cool two hundred and twenty Biomass spent right there. I’m now almost completely tapped out. Five left.

Alright then! Those choices are all locked in, suppose I’d better confirm them and—

Wait!

I nearly forgot about the itch! Shifting my head, I can see Morrelia is leaning against the wall, almost appearing to be dozing, but I can tell her senses are attuned to possible threats here in this small Dungeon chamber.

If she sees me wiggling and rolling around on the ground, then all of my dignity as the leader of the ants will be lost! In fact, one could almost say my dignity is the dignity of the colony itself. That may be a little bit of a stretch, but still! I need to get her out of the room. Some sort of diversion is necessary.

[Hey, Morrelia. Any chance you could have a quick look up on the surface? I think I heard something moving around. Through vibrations, you know. We ants are very sensitive to vibrations moving through the dirt. It’s the antennae, fantastic wiggly things they are. You know what they say, they ain’t this long for nothing! Ha! Ha! Haaaaaaa.]

Smooth.

Morrelia lifted one eyebrow at my persuasive diatribe before she nodded. [Sure, I’ll take a look.]

She climbed her way up and out of our little chamber.

Quick as a flash, I dove behind Tiny. Not content with this level of coverage, I began to dig furiously, my mandibles sending dirt flying into the air, covering Tiny who groaned in irritation, but thankfully didn’t move.

Aha! Now I have secured a small trough in the ground, am screened behind Tiny, and Morrelia has left the chamber. I must seize this moment!

Confirm those mutations!

ACK!

So quic? Holy mackerel!

STAGRA-BALLI-GANUFFIN!

It doesn’t take long before I’ve assumed the now traditional position. On my back and flailing wildly at the air with my legs as the overpowering itch of mutation rips through me without mercy. I can only take some small measure of comfort in the knowledge that I have, for once, managed to not be observed.

Victory!

A few minutes later, Tiny, Crinis and I emerged from the chamber to find Morrelia resting on the surface. I take a moment to re-establish our mental communication that I’d let lapse during my… er… episode.

[Where do you think we should go next?] I asked, keeping it cool.

[There are a few smaller settlements I know of in the area that I’d like to visit. There’s a chance we’ll find some survivors. Other than that, I want to move toward the capital and get a good look at it.]

[Sounds reasonable. All of that is quite valuable for the colony as well. Let’s make a start.]

And so, we’re off!