Antelligent Design

77. Crinis Evolves

With the main bulk of the planning done, it’s time to get my group rested and ready to head back out into the fray. Not long after the council breaks up, Tiny stumbles into our chamber, only to flop onto the floor and return to sleep, absorbing the Mana of the Dungeon to restore his exhausted core.

Speaking of cores, it’s time to help Crinis evolve! Only her second evolution since she’s been reforged as my loyal pet, and unlike the last evolution, this one will be less of my design. I hadn’t had the Skill to affect her evolutions to such a deep extent at the time, so there’s an opportunity for Crinis to take a more direct hand in her own evolution without my guiding influence.

Naturally, this means the System will weave the general shape of her choices, and there’s a chance some of them will be hot garbage. Fortunately, if that were to happen, Crinis could ask me to dive into her core and sort out some options for her.

[Are you ready for this, Crinis?]

The little ball wiggles indecisively on the floor, small tentacles extending this way and that until eventually her form solidifies.

[I-I think so, Master.]

I pass her a freshly made special core to absorb.

[You’re doing great. Remember, if the evolution options are terrible, let me know and we can work on developing something a little more concrete that suits what you want.]

The little blob-like ball nods somehow and firms up further as Crinis gains confidence.

[I know. I feel it’ll go well,] she declares.

My loyal and ever diligent sphere of endless murder and torment has come a long way in being able to take responsibility for making her own choices. It wasn’t that long ago she’d been paralysed by fear just thinking of spending her Skill Points. Now here she is, preparing to make her own decisions in her evolution.

I’m happy she’s shown such growth. She’s been working hard to improve herself.

[Wait a second. You aren’t trying so hard because you think that’s what I want, are you?] Again, with the still as stone silence… [Oi! Don’t pretend you’re already in the evolution menu!]

[Can’t hear you, Master. Evolving,] Crinis’ voice echoes faintly in my mind.

Such a dirty trick!

At least she’s working on being independent, even if it’s for the wrong reasons. Personal growth! The journey we’re all on as we slaughter monsters together! As I leave Crinis to sort through her menu, my eyes fall onto Tiny.

A little personal growth would be nice for the big guy. He was a battle hungry nut case when I reconstituted his core, and he’s still that same battle hungry nut case. At least he knows what it is that he wants from life, I suppose.

For now, some rest is in order. After everything that’s gone on since my last snooze, I think I’ve earned it.

As I fall into the dark fuzz that is torpor, the ever-nearing threat that is Garralosh, her lizard handler and the horde that accompanies them weighs on my awareness. I have to believe that the family I’ve found in this new world will be able to weather the storm. I’ll do everything in my power to get us all through it…

HAGGAH!

I’m up!

Ahh! Feels so nice to have had a good rest in my own little chamber. It may not have been home for long, but it’s more home than anywhere else on this world.

Tiny is still asleep, and Crinis appears to be deep in her Meditation. I can already see her little spherical body beginning to change in subtle ways. I’ll be interested to see what the final result is!

First things first! Sitting in one corner of the chamber is a pile of Biomass, and when I approach it, I find a pheromone message from the most hyperactive ant of them all.

“Hi-Hi, senior. Long-time no see! Hope things have been well with you. It’s been busy here! This is the second load of food I brought in, since Tiny woke up and ate the first lot. Enjoy! ^_^”

Figures that Tiny would chow down on my food. Thank goodness Vibrant was able to rustle up a second serving. This may not be enough to give me all of the Biomass I need. In fact, I’m sure it won’t. The quality isn’t enough for me to be able to get those kinds of numbers before I fill up my two stomachs.

Without waiting any longer, I begin stuffing my face.

Om. Nom. Nom!

By the time I finish another forty points of Biomass is accredited to my name, I notice Crinis shifting in the corner. I abandon my meal and leap over to her resting position, bringing my antennae forward to poke and prod at her in concern.

[Crinis! You awake? Everything ok?]

The changes to her outer physical form are fairly minimal. She’s grown slightly larger, for starters, from a softball size to a… slightly larger softball. She’s grown ten small, permanent tentacles that curve downward from her body to the floor, lifting it up and allowing her to walk around without having to will any limbs into existence by manipulating her shadow flesh.

I gradually feel her awareness come to me.

[Master?] she queries sleepily. [I’ve done it. Check and see.]

What a cute little pet she is, so dedicated.

Eagerly, I bring my antennae forward and activate my Core Surgery Skill. The information from her core floods into my mind, and after parsing it, I put together her status:

Name: Crinis

Level: 1 (core)(III)

Might: 78

Toughness: 65

Cunning: 34

Will: 32

HP: 130/130

MP: 70/70

Skills: Expert Shadow Flesh Manipulation Level 4 (III); Expert Grappling Level 6 (III); Expert Shredding Level 8 (III); Enhanced Tremor Sensing Level 8 (II); Brutal Dismembering Level 5 (II); Greater Fear Inspiration Level 4 (II); Mana Transformation Level 2 (III); Smooth Tentacle Walking Level 7 (II); Tentacle Fu Level 3 (I); External Mana Manipulation Level 3 (I); Shadow Magic Affinity Level 1 (I); Stealth Level 3 (I)

Mutations: Dense Durable Shadow Flesh +10; Rapid Disintegrating Void Maw +10; Vast Bottomless Dimensional Stomach +10; Empowered Dividing Tentacles +10; Sharpened Ripping Spines +10; Pointed Macabre Teeth +10; Wide Fine Mana Sensory Gland +10; Rapid Deep Shadow Magic Gland +10; Extra Swift Shadow Flesh Generator +10; Shadow Eye; Tentacle Conductor

Species: Shadow Murder Orb

Skill Points: 17

Biomass: 210

Oho! There’s some good stuff here! In the Skills department, she’s clearly been making great strides. Already reaching Mana Transformation. She must have been practising diligently whilst riding on my back to achieve the tier three Skill so quickly. And she got Shadow Magic Affinity right off the bat! I’m so jealous. Not to mention she’s reached a solid level of Cunning already… and the rest of her stats are so high as well. Dammit! I feel so inadequate… This is mainly due to her having far higher base stats before her first evolution. Poor ants. We have it so rough in the that department.

I can only hope my next evolution will be able to push me over the edge and I can start reaping some high stat gain.

Also seems as if Crinis has gone for a balanced approach, improving in every stat. Her mental stats being concentrated in one mind means that her brain must be incredibly powerful. Far stronger than my own since my efforts are distributed across three brains. With her Shadow Magic Affinity, the full potential of her Shadow Magic Gland has been unlocked and her high mental stats mean she has the grunt to get the job done.

Her might stat is still decent without being overwhelming. She’ll continue to be able to battle multiple smaller foes with impunity and will be stronger against the heavier hitters. I think that’s why I see an emphasis on Stealth. Crinis seems to have been thinking about her own method of contribution to fighting tougher monsters, and she’s reached her answer with her new organs.

The Shadow Eye… I’m curious about this one.