The Antventure Begins

109. Something Weighing on your Mind?

When the construct is finally charged with a ridiculous amount of Mana, almost 30% of my total gravitational energy capacity, it activates.

The sphere of intricately formed shapes and patterns begins to move, gradually at first, gaining speed like a locomotive, spinning, and rotating in a breathtakingly elaborate dance. What’s alarming is that the pattern continues to draw on my Mana even though it’s completed.

What’s going on!

In the next moment, my question is answered. The outer layer of the sphere rapidly expands outwards, exiting my body and encompassing an area within a five-metre radius around me in a flash. The core of the construct remains rotating inside me, pulsing with energy and continuing to soak up Mana at a dizzying speed.

I don’t even know what’s happening! This Mana field has expanded around me? What on Pangera does it do!

Now that the construct has been completed and powered, for the first time since activating it, I return my awareness to the outside world, leaving the task of supplying the energy to power this spell to my sub-brain, which is more than up to the task.

Ouch! I’ve been beaten and knocked around a fair bit. There’s a few cracks and dings in my carapace, the Diamond Carapace proving its worth against these more mundane strikes from weaker creatures.

The battle continues to swirl around me, monsters throwing themselves into every fight in a wild frenzy. Yet more creatures are starting to emerge from the walls and the cycle of monster spawning continues without slowing. Like more meat thrown into the grinder!

The actions of the monsters close to me change the moment the sphere of Mana expands. As soon as my spell is activated, the creatures, moments ago engaged in furious combat, instantly slump to the ground as if smashed in the head with a brick.

What is this?

There isn’t any visible difference to the environment around me. I feel perfectly fine. Whatever the spell is doing doesn’t seem to affect me in any way. Five metres around me, the spherical barrier of Mana slowly rotates, a mystical pattern drawn with dark purple gravitational Mana.

The creatures within the zone are definitely acting strangely. I stare at them, baffled. There is no force at all that I can feel. Maybe it only has an effect on others?

A monster nearby is aggressively swinging a claw close to the edge of my sphere. When the arm passes inside the edge of my spell, it’s immediately dragged down, pulling the monster’s shoulder until it’s slumped forward, trying to withdraw its arm to outside of my range.

Could it be? Is this what I think it is! The legendary Gravity Domain?

The nearest monsters are painfully trying to push themselves back onto their feet. No doubt about it. They appear to be weighed down with a ton of invisible bricks.

Inside the sphere, the enemy monsters are affected by a powerful gravity field that pulls them to the ground. Incredible!

This also explains why the drain on my energy is still ongoing at such a fast pace. To maintain such a strong effect over a large area, you would expect to have to pay a heavy price in energy. At the current rate of consumption, I’m probably going to run dry of gravitational Mana in just a few minutes.

That doesn’t matter though, this is great! I almost can’t believe my eyes as I take in the pitiful sight of these horrific monsters who, moments ago, were savagely fighting and tearing each other apart, now struggling to get their feet under them.

The Gravity Domain. So powerful!

I can’t waste this chance.

Tentatively I approach the closest monster. I intend to be cautious until I know a little more about how this new spell works.

The creature sees me and snarls, using all its strength to push its upper body up to attempt to swing. Once all the body weight has been placed on that one arm though, the creature collapses back to the earth.

Fearsome! I guess I’ll just dart forward and chomp down with a bit of a bite then, shall I?

Crushing Bite! Crushing Bite! Crushing Bite!

[You have defeated a Level 2 Morsus Yog.]

[You have gained XP.]

It may sound cruel and inhumane, but biting down on that horrific mouth monster while it couldn’t lift a finger to defend itself was… just so invigorating!

Muahahahaha! It’s time for the feast!

Fully aware that this ability won’t last for long, I leap into action. Every monster caught in my field becomes weighed down by the irresistible force of gravity. Some can cope better than others. But even the hardiest monster in the room, suddenly finding its combat ability cut in half, is no match for me when I’m totally unencumbered.

Bite. Bite. Bite. Bite. Bite!

Every bite is a Crushing one. Don’t stop, just keep on biting!

[You have defeated a…]

[You have defeated a…]

[You have defeated a…]

Bite and Bite some more! MUAHAHAHA! Crushing Bite! Crushing Bite!

[Crushing Bite (II) has reached Level 10. Advancement available.]

So delirious with battle am I, that I hardly notice the message at first.

What is this? Crushing Bite has reached the Level cap? Fantastic! Let’s advance it immediately.

[Crushing Bite (II) 🡪 Shattering Bite (III): This advanced skill allows the user to manifest their bite as energy to extend the range of the attack beyond their physical body. Of course, attacking with the physical body will cause significantly more damage.]

BUY IT!

Is this the type of skill used by those soldiers to fire blades of light from their swords and so on? I can extend a metaphysical set of mandibles to bite stuff? Unreal!

I have to test it immediately.

Gleefully I approach another monster burdened by the crushing pressure of my Gravity Domain.

Activate Shattering Bite!

An immense drain on my stamina and a weariness seeps deep into my already tired body. Holy heck the cost is high.

Vigour returns to me immediately as my mandibles begin to shine with a brilliant light. Slowly the light becomes more intense and then expands beyond the limits of my mandibles, creating a ghostly set of jaws three times larger than my own that hover in the air, mimicking every movement of my actual mandibles.

This is sweet!

Shattering Bite!

With one savage lunge, my ghostly mandibles are brought down on my struggling foe. They crunch with vicious force, puncturing the monster’s head and popping it like a melon.

Gross… But also, amazing. So powerful! Not to mention, for the first time, I’m able to bite something a slight distance away from myself. Which means when the beast was defeated and exploded everywhere, I didn’t get all the goop on me!

I hate having to clean monster guts off my antennae. This skill is the best!

My Gravity Magic Gland is starting to run low. I can’t afford to waste any more time. Unleashing my inner beast, I rampage, smashing my way through the queen’s chamber and crunching every monster I can see.

I leap on another monster only to find it’s the beast Tiny is fighting. Now on the back of this nightmare creature, I’m staring face to face with my faithful ape companion.

Tiny is looking fairly beat up, but the savage gleam in his eyes and fearful snarl on his face tells me he’s enjoying the opening stanza of the wave. His electricity seems to have run out. Only a few small sparks zap off him here and there, but his lethal fists are still plenty weapon enough.

It takes a moment for me to realise it, but there is something else strange about him.

[Tiny, do you feel heavy?]

The giant ape is standing smack in the middle of my Gravity Domain and appears to be completely unaffected. I know he’s strong, but I don’t think he’s so strong that he could stand there without any visible sign of difficulty under the burden of this potent gravity.

Tiny just stares at me confused for a moment before looking down at himself and patting his stomach. Looking a little hurt, he raises his head and firmly shakes his head.

I wasn’t calling you fat, you ape!