MP: 0/140
Skills:
Advanced Digging (II) Level 8; Improved Acid Shot (II) Level 2; Expert Grip (III) Level 7; Crushing Bite (II) Level 5; Rapid Dash (II) Level 7; Exo-Skeleton Defence (I) Level 2; Advanced Stamina (II) Level 7; Mana Moulding (IV) Level 12; Finer External Mana Manipulation (IV) Level 2
Mutations:
Energy Reactive Exo-skeleton +15; Vampiric Mandibles +15; Potent Gripping Legs +15; Mana Weave Eyes +15; Mana Discerning Antennae +15; Melting Acid Gland +15; Gluttonous Stomach +15; Diverse Pheromone Language Gland +15; Heightened Mana Core Lattice +15; Penetrating Dungeon Oracle +15; Dimensional Eye; Energy Stone
Species: Omni - Seer (Formica)
Skill Points: 15
Biomass: 24
The heck is this?!
“Did you spend all of your energy on sensory organs? The dimensional eye and energy stone?”
“I did! I also increased my mental stats. The things I can see right now are incredible! My sensitivity to mana is unbelievable!”
For an ant that always wanted to see everything for herself, I shouldn’t be too surprised she decided to go in this direction. She’ll never be content until she’s ferreted out every piece of information, every hidden secret for herself. Not satisfied with her current level of sensory information, despite having access to some level of information from the Dungeon itself, she’s broadened her options. The dimensional eye in particular is a rather potent organ and likely the main benefit of her current species. Combined with the energy stone, she is now able to detect fluctuations of energy across dimensional boundaries! Nothing will remain hidden from her sight!
“In fact, I can sense energy flowing toward you, senior. And it’s coming from me!”
What?!
“Don’t worry about that!” I cut her off. “As long as you are happy with your choices, I’m satisfied. I can see you’ve been diligently practicing the foundational Skills of magic as well. Great work!”
Despite only having the one brain, Brilliant has shown incredible growth with her handling of internal and external mana. This further confirms my suspicion that she has a powerful natural predilection for these Skills.
“You’ll need to start working on an elemental Skill before too long in order to work your way up the tiers,” I instruct her. “Try a few different choices and see which ones you like. I wouldn’t stress too much about which ones you pick, play with all if you want, but be wary of how you spend your Skill Points.”
I take a few minutes to instruct her on the upgrades and fusions available at the entry level of magic before bringing everyone else into the conversation.
[Alright then, with Brilliant finished with her evolution, it’s time to move to the next phase. Are you ready to go on the offensive?]
Tiny nods and flexes eagerly.
[Good! Time to head over to Orpule and see what the next addition to the Colony’s territory is going to look like!]
I’m no good sitting around here on my backside! The Colony is more than capable of fortifying and defending the city without me. Vibrant should already be out there causing chaos, and it’s time for me to make my approach as well! Our main strategy has never been to sit back and wait for the enemy to come to us. Since the ‘rules’ of demon combat allow us to attack during this time window, we shall! Of course, we can’t assault the city itself until the set date, but we can do a lot of other things. When they see what we have planned, the demons of Orpule won’t dare put a toe out of their homes.
After declaring as much to my pets and the hatchling, we zoom off! The Colony has already been kind enough to establish a lift from the city to the ground, mainly to shift materials in and out of the city without having to climb the pillar holding them in a pair of mandibles, but it serves equally well in order to send a group of heavy monsters down. And I do mean heavy, since Sarah is joining us on this outing.
With myself, the massive bear, and Tiny standing on the platform, we are surely putting the thing through its paces. It does creak rather worryingly, but we make it to the bottom just fine in the end.
[Let’s go, everyone! Time to cause some ruckus.]
I love it when I get permission for this.
16. Movement
There was a time that Titus had thought his daughter would never return to the Legion, that the untimely death of his son had robbed him of both his children. Now that he’d been reunited with Morrelia and she had integrated into the Legionem Abyssi, a part of him that had long been dead was once again full of life. Not that anyone could tell looking at his face, of course. To the world at large, he appeared as stone-faced and duty-bound as always.
Ever since Morrelia had been selected for accelerated development, his pride had almost been ready to burst out of his chest. It would seem odd to most people, but watching her earnestly work herself to the bone in order to achieve her ambitions filled him with powerful emotions. He dearly wished his son had survived his initiation so he could have seen both of his children rise to the challenge presented to them.
With a slow release of breath, he pushed out the grief that rose within him as his thoughts dwelt on what had been lost. It’d grown easier to bear over the years, but only a little. His acute awareness of how fleeting joy could be only made his current appreciation for his daughter all the more potent.
With a wrench of will, Titus dragged his mind away from Morrelia and back to the numerous papers scattered across his desk. Administrative work was the backbone of the Legion, and though he would rather charge into a horde of demons without armour on, the commander would do his duty and defeat the enemy that rested on the flat surface before him. Once more focused on his task, Titus took hold of his pen, dipped it in the waiting ink and returned to battle.
Resupplying his new Legion after the members had been recalled from their postings during the wave was a monumental task. Thousands of soldiers and thousands more auxiliaries needed to be accounted for, equipped, fed, billeted, and kept happy. Promotions, training, Skill development, Class upgrades, managing morale, all of it demanded the careful attention of the commander in charge, and Titus knew just how important each of these were to the successful running of a military force. This was the sort of discipline the Legion drummed into their officers! It was also something Morrelia would need to learn…
“Dammit!” Titus crashed his fist down on the table as his thoughts strayed once more.