The Antventure Begins

35. On the Hunt for XP

Now I have even more reason to try and Level up quickly so I can evolve. Once I’ve been able to do that, I can reclaim those monster cores and use them to reinforce my own.

The longer they stay buried the more nervous I’ll be that they’ll get discovered, either by the humans using some magical means I’m not aware of or perhaps another monster will sniff them out.

I have to evolve. I have to do it now!

First, I have to find something I can hunt. Too many creatures are still beyond my means to fight, even though I’ve come a long way in many areas, I still haven’t gained much combat strength. My heavy Biomass investment in my vision doesn’t directly make me a better fighter, nor do a lot of my skills, or even my reinforced monster core that now stores 20 MP.

I can feel the monster core within, burning away with more intensity than ever before. It’s also definitely increased in size. It was almost like having a burning stone in your gut, but in a nice way.

Kinda…

It doesn’t really matter though since I can’t use my MP to do anything useful at the moment. Hopefully once my Mana Manipulation skill has reached Level five I might be able to purchase new skills to unleash my magic potential.

For now, I’ll have to make do with my acid and mandibles.

I do have a target in mind, at the very least. I can probably fight them and they should be somewhere nearby.

It will be difficult though. They never fight fair.

Centipedes…

Back at the lake I saw a large tangle of the basic Claw Centipedes. If I can find a small group of two, possibly three, I may be able to take them on my own. I’ll have to be careful that none of the larger, evolved centipedes are anywhere around, I’m certain those could easily crush me.

Having decided on a course of action I make my way back to the lake in a wide circle. I do not want to run into those hunters, even though I wish I could see their faces when they get back to camp… Hehehehe.

I manage to sneak back and appear essentially on the opposite side to where the hunters had been fighting, close to where the titan-croc is still chilling.

What’s with this guy? Doesn’t he need to go out and hunt? It’s possible he already has, I suppose, while I was away. Regardless, this guy seems to spend a massive amount of time relaxing.

Luckily for me there is another pile of centipedes at the lake. Seriously, I hate the way these creatures pile on top of each other, constantly twisting and turning. They look like they’re trying to tie themselves into a knot.

Moving around the gigantic croc I get a few sips in from the water, filling my Mana back up to full and waiting for the centipedes to move.

After perhaps an hour the pile almost spontaneously disentangles itself and the centipedes streak away from the lake at full speed, all headed in the same direction.

Caught by surprise I almost lose sight of the horrible things before I start running after them.

These guys are seriously moving!

At least I don’t have to stay quite as close to keep a good eye on them as I did before. I’m a bit nervous though, moving at this pace it’s basically impossible to stay hidden from anything nearby. Those damn centipedes may be moving in a big pack but I’m not!

Thankfully we don’t travel far before we come to a raised mound in the forest. The mound is about two metres high and there are several holes around the outside. Almost without slowing down the bustling caravan of centipedes I’ve been following dive into the mound and disappear, leaving behind an eerie silence.

Oookay.

I guess I’ve found their nest?

Keeping a safe distance I circle around the nest, specifically watching the holes. There’s none that seem particularly large, so there may not be any of the massive, evolved centipedes here. I’ll have to stay careful, just in case one shows up.

Remaining cautious, I try to keep an eye on the nest and the forest at the same time. It’s possible a hunting party could return to the nest from behind me at any moment.

After doing a full circle, the mound is likely five metres in diameter, but the nest itself probably extends underground. At least eight centipedes are in there already and I’m guessing there are many more than that.

Just imagining the vile tangle of legs and claws inside there gives me the heaves. I hate these things.

Which is exactly why I’m going to hunt them.

The next step is to wait. Definitely not going to dive in and trash the joint, getting myself immediately eaten. I’ll bide my time until a smaller group leaves, either to visit the lake or to hunt. The odds will be against me, but I’m hoping that in a two on one or a three on one situation I’ll still be able to take them out, thanks to my human intellect and superior mutations.

I find a vantage point up a tree where I can remain perfectly still, maximising my Stealth bonus and keeping an eye on the nest. When my target number of centipedes leave, I’ll be ready.

Yep.

Any minute now…

Do something you stupid bugs!

After a few hours of waiting there has been absolutely no action from this mound. What the heck are they doing in there? Actually, don’t answer that.

Ten minutes later excitement fills me when a noise breaks the silence. At least until I realise it’s a group of six centipedes returning to the nest from the forest. Dammit!

After that a group of five head out towards the lake, and a group of seven head out to hunt. Then nothing. Those two groups come back and then nothing.

Are you teasing me you idiot centipedes! How scared are you?

Just when I’m about to burst with frustration a group of four clamber out of the mound, claws clacking, before they group up and move into the forest in single file.

Chance!

I’m too impatient to sit in this tree for days, waiting for the perfect opportunity. It doesn’t seem like these guys are going to move in anything smaller than a group of four, so I’ll have to take this fight, even if it’s a worse situation than I’d planned for.

I carefully make my way down the tree and give chase. Thankfully the targets aren’t running at their full speed. They’re moving carefully, scanning for prey and trying not to attract too much attention.

I’ll have to wait until they get farther from the nest before I make a move. The last thing I want is to get swarmed by reinforcements.

The other thing I worry about as I tail along behind the convoy of disgusting legs, is whether I should attack before they find their prey or wait and hope to battle a weakened enemy as they make their way back to their nest.

Normally you’d think waiting would be the best course of action. My concern with that is if I wait, this group of centipedes might be finished off by a stronger monster, one I won’t be able to tangle with. If that were to happen then I would get absolutely nothing.

No. I have to take the more difficult path and fight the four of them before they encounter any other monsters.

Having made my decision, I start to execute my strategy.

Accelerating, I move to a flanking position. The four centipedes are moving together in a line on my left. Remaining hidden from them I hurry forward, trying to get a little in front of them.

Ok. I’m in position. Take careful aim…

POW!

Acid flies through the air in a powerful burst, launched directly from my business district.

It isn’t easy to hit a moving target at this range, but my skills have stood me in good stead and the first shot connects nicely on the leading centipede.

The creature screeches to a halt and begins writhing on the ground while those following behind cluster around and fiercely clack their claws at the surrounding forest.

POW!

A second shot is launched directly from my commercial enterprise and connects with another centipede who joins his ally rolling about on the ground, trying to minimise the damage from the sizzling liquid.

At this point I turn to face my opponents and start viciously clacking my mandibles, stepping into the open to reveal my position.

Come at me!