I think I can vaguely recall having to bite my own way out. I don’t really have any memory of my pupa stage, I really only became aware of myself after I emerged.
At any rate, I cheerfully help the new member of our colony, my sibling no less, break out of the casing by carefully chomping at the outside, removing sections of threads at a time and clearing the way for the hatchling to emerge.
Gradually a little ant face pokes out of the gaps, and after a few minutes, the brand-new worker stands proudly atop its own casing!
…Small!
Why the heck is this worker so small? She looks smaller than a normal hatchling by about a third, which makes her very tiny indeed. There’s something else odd about her. I’m not sure exactly what it is. As a worker she seems a little… energetic? She’s practically bouncing around and she only just hatched!
I remember as a grub this one had a lot of pep, but this seems ridiculous.
Before I’m even finished internally complaining about this high energy hatchling, she starts waggling her antennae around before locking onto me and rushing in my direction. In a few short moments she’s raced across the chamber and scrambled up onto my back before triumphantly positioning herself between my antennae and thwacking them insistently with her own.
This…
I hate thiiiiis.
Why the hell is this ant so attached to me? Why is it so different than the others?
I honestly don’t know what to make of this behaviour.
This worker is just so odd. Out of sheer curiosity I flip on my Mana Sense and extend my mind out of my body. There’s a faint concentration of Mana in a place I did not expect. Right on top of my head.
Are you kidding me, Gandalf? This little midget was born with a core? Tell me it isn’t true!
I struggled for that core, I worked hard for that rock! Now you’re telling me a monster ant can just flat out be born with a core? Tell me, swear on your pointy hat and rad staff with the shiny crystal, that it isn’t so!
Despite my protests my new passenger remains stubbornly clung to my head, core on board.
Sigh.
I will have to investigate this later.
For now, I poke Tiny awake and make my way out of the nest, tiny hatchling excitedly riding on my scalp the entire way.
Trying to put the distraction out of my mind I turn my mind back to the most pressing issue.
Cores!
Damn worker on my head—No! Don’t get distracted!
From what I know, a monster can form a core when they are sufficiently saturated with Mana and then sacrifice an evolution in order to form it. How the freeloader on my scalp managed to get enough Mana before she was even born, not to mention the evolutionary energy acquired by amassing Levels—I’ll have to put this exception to the rules to the side. Focus on what you know, Anthony!
I myself increased my Mana concentration by drinking Mana infused water, which judging by how the monsters were addicted to that stuff, isn’t an unusual way for monsters to get Mana.
Soooo… if I can introduce a source of Mana water to the farm, it might have an effect in increasing the number of monsters able to form a core?
Worth a shot!
Fortunately, I created the farm right next to a source of Mana water! So convenient.
When we return to the pond, there are a few Branchies standing in small groups, but they scatter and hide. I swear there are a few new young trees growing near the edge of the pond. Have they been planting baby Branchies here?
Hmm. I’ll have to be careful not to disturb their local environment. For all I know, the Branchies require this pond to sustain their lives. Better to be cautious.
In the end, I excavate a shallow channel that leads to the farm tunnel, and get Tiny to line the bottom with stones he smashes flat. We then head down into the farm and disable all of the monsters before hollowing out a small pool directly under the tunnel entrance.
Hopefully this works!
16. Transform and Roll Out
After digging our narrow channel to the farm tunnel, I get Tiny to place two large stones to act as the dam before we dig out the last of the soil and the water begins to flow. I notice a few Branchies have poked their heads out of their trees, watching our activities. I think perhaps they may be worried about us interfering with the pond.
I try to give a reassuring wave of my antennae, though I’m not sure that will be enough to allay their fears. Guess we can only show we mean no harm by executing the plan and letting them see how harmless it is.
Workers have started coming over to the pond in the last few days in order to drink the Mana water. With the farm nearby, it isn’t surprising the scouts managed to forage their way over here. Naturally, once one ant finds something good the rest will soon know about it. I was a little concerned there might be conflict, but for the most part the ants have simply ignored any Branchie they’ve found, probably not seeing much, if any Biomass, in them.
I’m quite excited though. This will help more workers form cores, which will in turn cause them to grow even stronger when they evolve.
When everything is in place, Tiny picks up our damming rock and the Mana infused water flows down our channel before falling into our pre-dug basin within the farm. After a minute or so, Tiny drops the rock back into position with a splash and the water ceases to flow.
The Branchies, who seemed a little alarmed when the water was flowing out of their pond, relaxed and moved back to their trees, melding out of sight.
I head straight to the farm to see how the monsters within have reacted. Sure enough, those who’ve just spawned are immediately attracted to the water source. However, there’s no water truce to be seen. They rabidly fight over it, shovelling the water into their mouths as quickly as they can.
Retreating back up the tunnel, I decide to lead the workers down to collect the Biomass later. Antennae crossed we’ll have a core or two to show for our efforts.
With this job done, it’s time to turn my attention back to my new skill and its applications. After maxing out Mana Shaping, I gained Mana Transformation, the much anticipated and eagerly awaited skill!
After reading the description and slowly digesting the dump truck of knowledge and instincts the skill dropped in my brain, I’ve gradually built an understanding of it.
This skill will finally allow me to change the raw Mana stored in my core into other, useful types, without relying on the short cut of having an organ do the job for me. Only issue is, changing the Mana into a specific type is painfully complicated!
I’m still nibbling at the edges. This skill is by far the biggest information overload I’ve received from a single purchase.
If I were to use a metaphor, transforming Mana into a specific type is like learning an instrument so intricate, it requires the use of both hands, both feet, and your face to play it. From what I understand, you need to be shifting the Mana in complex patters through multiple dimensions in order for it to change.
Dimensions!
And it only gets worse. If you manage to master that obscenely complex instrument well enough you can efficiently transform the Mana into the required type, and then use that Mana to shape and fuel a spell, that is only for one type.
If you want to transform your Mana into another type, there is an entirely new fiendish instrument to learn, and this one requires you to also play it with your butt cheeks!
Not to mention, I’ve only been looking at the techniques required for relatively simple Mana forms, like water or fire. When I tried to just think about what it would take for space magic, I nearly passed out.