The Antventure Begins

40. Check out my New Ride!

Do monsters dream when they evolve?

I can’t even close my eyes, let alone properly sleep. When evolving, there’s no concept of time or sensation. I can remember confirming my choices and then… nothing. All of my thoughts vanished. Almost like my brain had been completely switched off and on again.

Whoa! What the heck? I feel… different.

Um… this is weird. My core is gradually cooling, as if it had been on fire just moments ago. What is that about?

It’s really strange. It isn’t like as a human you could go to sleep and wake up in a different body. Like, I can already tell I’m significantly larger than I was before…

Forget this, check the status!

Name: Anthony

Level: 1 (II)

Might: 31

Toughness: 22

Cunning: 25

Will: 18

HP: 50/50

MP: 0/20

Skills: Excavation Level 1 (II); Improved Acid Shot Level 3 (II); Grip Level 4 (I); Crushing Bite Level 2 (II); Advanced Stealth Level 3 (II); Chomp Level 3 (I); Tunnel Sense Level 4 (I); Mana Manipulation Level 3 (I)

Mutations: Focused Eyes +5; Antennae +2; Restrictive Acid Gland +5; Legs +1; Mandibles +4; Carapace +1; Regenerative Healing Gland; Pheromone Gland

Species: Mature Ant Worker (Formica): Skill Points: 1

Biomass: 0

Hmmm… Hmmmmmm.

Huhaha… Hahaha… HAHAHAHAHAAAA!

Behold! Witness my power!

My strength has grown by leaps and bounds. I managed to more than double my Might stat and also increase my Toughness significantly. Evolution is clearly incredibly important to a monster’s growth in this place. After just a single evolution I’ve been able to make such a huge difference to my stats.

This is also due to my extremely wise decision to condense my core, as well as the good luck I had to reinforce it to the maximum before evolving. The bonus provided by the core was no joke and my evolution would not have been nearly so powerful without it.

I have to make sure I max my core out before I evolve the next time as well.

Ha! I haven’t even had a look at my new self yet and I’m already thinking about the next evolution.

Out of the chamber!

Chortling with glee, I dig myself out of my seemingly much smaller chamber and rush into the forest.

The evolution has done a lot. I’m significantly larger and probably twice as tall. Maybe the same for length? Which would make me roughly eighty centimetres tall and a bit less than two metres long.

Holy mackerel! If you’d seen an ant that size on Earth, you would absolutely lose your mind.

The size change has impacted me in other ways as well. My mandibles are significantly larger than before, with a little more edge to them, which should assist me in getting through enemy defences. I can also feel that my acid gland has increased in size along with the rest of me. Perhaps enough to store five or six shots at once.

I can also assume my stomach capacity has increased, allowing me to take in more Biomass in one sitting.

Ho boy, so exciting!

I jump about a little bit and turn on the spot, trying to get used to the feeling of my new body. I really feel much stronger than before and can’t wait to test it out.

Being excited is good but I need to chill out a moment. Checking my status again I notice that my Mana is empty, so I join the monsters around the lake for a quick drink. The titan-croc appears to have gone out while I was evolving. I’ll have to be extra careful since I don’t want to run into him away from this neutral territory. I take about half an hour to drink five times, taking it slowly and feeling out my new body.

What should I do first?

Considering how important it is to improve my monster core during an evolution, it’s even more important to secure monster cores.

The first mission is to go collect my buried stash.

It doesn’t take long to move around the lake and head towards the camp again. I try to stay hidden and not move on the path they took directly from their camp to the lake. Eventually I arrive at the tree where I buried the cores without incident.

Thankfully Gandalf doesn’t have an issue with me absorbing all four of them and my max MP goes up to twenty-eight.

Last time it took five cores to max me out. For this stage of evolution can I expect it to take ten or perhaps twenty?

No matter what, I have to get all of them before I evolve. The bonus is just too juicy.

With my first job done, the next logical step is to test my new body in combat. Although I hate to do it, I think targeting the centipede nest makes a lot of sense. I was able to defeat them before without evolving and the risk is low. Let’s go see what I’m able to do.

It takes about an hour to make my way back to the centipede mound and up into my scout tree. I’m significantly heavier, so climbing trees is a bit more difficult, but not much more since my weight increase is balanced with an increase in strength.

I’m not even sure how many centipedes I should take on at once. I was able to do three before my upgrade, four with a bit of trouble. Five was a nightmare from which I’d had to turn tail and hide.

Let’s start with four.

Despite me picking on these centipedes quite a bit, their numbers don’t seem much diminished, if anything there’s more activity here than there was before. Large groups of up to ten are leaving and returning with a higher frequency. What is going on with these guys? Population explosion?

I have to wait a fair while before a group of four heads out into the forest for hunting.

Once I spot my target number, I don’t miss the opportunity and immediately climb down to follow. I can move quite a bit faster now, with my longer legs and more powerful frame. I’m able to overtake the convoy easily.

For some reason I just don’t feel the same sort of tension I did before. I’m so much larger than these centipedes now. Where once they almost looked me in the eye, I’m now able to comfortably look down on them. Almost like I’m bullying the tiny little things.

Bah! No sympathy for centipedes.

Once I get in front, I don’t waste any time and place myself directly in front of them.

Welcome to your doom!

POW!

The first blast of Restrictive Acid is launched with superb accuracy, covering the lead centipede across its back and down one side.

Without studying the result too carefully I line up and fire again.

POW!

Take that! The second centipede is directly struck as it moves forward to assess the threat to its ally.

Come get me you glorified worms!

However, the uninjured centipedes don’t charge like they did before. Seeing the large, evolved ant before them they hesitate and remain with their wounded allies, clacking their claws threateningly.

Fine then. If you guys won’t come to me, I’ll go to you!

There are probably three more shots of acid left in the tank, but it’s time to get up close and personal. I won’t learn anything about my limits if I just shoot them down from range anyway.

The two centipedes I’ve already struck are struggling to recover their feet, the hardening, sticky acid is locking some of their legs and gumming up their body sections even as it continues to burn them. They won’t be able to fight for some time yet.

I charge and build up furious momentum. The fear in their beady, red eyes is almost tangible as I rush at them like an insect tank. Nothing fancy, just barrelling directly into the closest centipede, not giving it time to defend itself. The claws try to rip at my carapace but are simply not strong enough to do much to me.

I dart forward, my larger and deadlier mandibles glowing brightly. Crushing Bite!

[You have defeated a Level 2 Claw Centipede.]

[You have gained XP.]

One hit KO.

I didn’t even target the head. My mandibles simply shattered the defensive carapace and tore the centipede clean in half.

Holy moly!

The remaining unharmed centipede has approached with its tail high in the air, ready to strike. Instead of backing away I launch and catch the tail out of the air as it begins to descend and sever it with one more ferocious Chomp!

Then another to finish the monster off.

[You have defeated a Level 1 Claw Centipede.]

[You have gained XP.]

The two Acid Shot centipedes are still writhing on the ground, unable to even stand properly. My Restrictive Acid is super effective against these centipedes. Considering how many legs and segments they have it must be a nightmare for them if they get gummed up and can’t move half of their body.

I finish off the other two with one Bite each.

That was a demolition!

They couldn’t threaten me at all. A group of five, even six might be a sinch to take on!

This is the difference a single evolution can make. The massive adult centipede may even be within my grasp.

Though I said I’d never eat another centipede, I won’t let good Biomass go to waste.

I suspect my ability to gain Biomass from these guys will have at least halved. This is the penalty for being an evolved creature attacking those weaker than them. I’ll save any points I get until I can build up to five and upgrade my mandibles. Now that I’ve become this strong, I feel a bit more confident now.

At least, confident enough to follow the pheromone trail. Time to find my family!