This only reinforces my confidence that the Deep Gravity Magic Gland was a good choice. Not only is the complicated process of transformation handled for me, it’s done well before any spell casting takes place. This also goes a long way to explaining why the magic organs are priced so highly. Getting a free choice just goes to show how potent the special evolutions really are!
This all leads to the unfortunate reality of what must come next. It’s quite obvious what I have to focus my transformation learning on—Mind Magic! I need to be able to communicate just like Formo and the Sophos do. This will bridge the final hurdle in being able to universally speak to anything I come across if I’m able to pass my intentions on directly from mind to mind.
Only problem is, Mind Magic is a fiendishly complex transformation. At least three or four times harder than accomplishing something like fire.
But it must be done! I have my gravity magic and a reasonably powerful physical body. At least, powerful enough for the time being. Once I’ve achieved mastery of Mind Magic, I’ll be able to focus my efforts unilaterally on pumping up my firepower!
The other thing on my list is spending some time on manipulating my cores and grinding Levels in Core Engineering. An ant’s work is never done.
I’m excited though. Even if I’m not gaining Levels, my strength is improving and I’m able to spend time on critical skills that I wasn’t able to before. This will prepare me for when Tiny and I descend into the Dungeon once more to fight!
We return to the nest, my impatient passenger included, and I laboriously start shifting values in my cores until I cannot force further changes before tossing them to Tiny to absorb.
He’s finally learned enough that I don’t have to beat his head in for him to know what he needs to do. Progress! After I’ve finished with one core and slump forward with mental exhaustion, the little hatchling on my head excitedly leaps forward to touch the core with her antennae. With a brief flash and a pop, the core vanishes into thin air.
Oi!
Who said that was yours? I use my antennae to give the worker a gentle thwack on the head. She seems non-fussed, happily wiggling back and forth as she enjoys the sensation of her reinforced core. After a few moments, she happily climbs back up onto my head.
I guess it doesn’t matter that much. Since she was born with a core already, this one is probably worth spending the resources on to raise up strong. In fact, wouldn’t she be able to perform a special evolution for her very first change? That’s something even I wasn’t able to do! Hardly my fault since I didn’t know about it, but still, this little worker could end up being very strong if I invest some energy.
Although, this just increases the need for cores even further.
Dammit!
Since I’m exhausted anyway, I take Tiny back to the farm and we disable all of the monsters in there. I make sure to practice using my magic and fire off a number of Gravity Bolts, trying to increase my familiarity with the spell.
This time, instead of taking our food and leaving, I tap the little ant on my head with an antenna to get her attention.
“Climb down off there and go finish some of them off.”
The workers seem to be able to understand the pheromone speak even if they can’t speak it, so I’m assuming this one can too. Sure enough, after hopping back and forth indecisively the little worker jumps off my head and savagely attacks with her tiny mandibles.
Despite her enemy being a completely crippled blade tailed mouse, it takes almost a minute of biting before the poor creature finally falls still and the little ant poses victoriously atop her victim.
“Yes, yes, very impressive. Now onto the next one.”
All in all, she is able to finish three monsters before tiring out. That much should be fine for a start. Her Bite skill should have increased by at least one Level, maybe two, with that much experience.
Next, I flick on my Mana Sense and I am pleased to see there are two creatures with cores. Two!
Compared to before, this is a massive increase. If I can get two cores a day, I’ll be dancing with joy! The basin of Mana water has decreased by about a quarter, so I may need to refill it in a few more days. Hopefully that won’t strain the pond supply up there. If it does, we’ll have to pull back on the operation, but for now, cores ahoy!
Filled with delight, I crunch those two monsters and dig out their cores before Tiny, the worker and I retreat above ground to enjoy our feast as a team of workers advances into the farm to claim their experience and Biomass.
These few days have been so productive and peaceful, I’ll have to enjoy it whilst I can. If my experience in this world has taught me anything, it’s that the good times don’t last.
17. Whispers in the Dark
After spending time eating and attempting to train Mana Transformation, my small crew have a snooze and awake to work once more. Since we began napping in the afternoon, it’s now solidly night time. The forest is beautiful and ethereal in the moonlight, only made slightly less so by the trails of monster ants wandering about.
After assisting the colony farm and returning with another core, I decide it’s time to pay a visit to the town in which we rather spectacularly made our entrance to the surface world. I hope that guy whose arm I accidentally separated from his torso is doing well. Life goes on, even with a single arm.
Although we won’t be able to see that much in the dark, I don’t want to risk showing up in the day and potentially being spotted. It’ll be best to minimise the potential for future limb removal type misunderstandings.
As we travel, to ensure no time is wasted, I practice my gravity spells. I might not be able to grind shaping Levels anymore, but familiarity still counts, and casting on the move is so much harder than casting standing still.
My magical skills grow with every passing day!
Eventually we come to the edge of the forest and I ask Tiny to remain in the trees. His hulking form isn’t suitable for slinking through the wheat fields and staying unnoticed. With my little passenger on board, I utilise my vaunted stealth techniques to creep through the farm fields and up to the buildings in the distance.
When we arrive, darkness has fallen over the land like a blanket. As we draw nearer to the town however, I’m gratified to notice it’s surprisingly well lit. Actually, it’s strangely well lit.
As in, what the hell is with this enormous fire!
In front of the church, a massive bon fire is blazing, surrounded by what appears to be a lively crowd. They’re all holding crude weapons and even at this distance I can tell they seem possessed of a fierce energy.
Relying on my impressive stealth, I creep closer until I’m less than thirty metres away from the edge of the buildings. Then I hunker down to maximise the passive stealth bonus. In the dark, with my skills and nearly black carapace, I’m going to be almost impossible to spot, surely. I’ll just have to keep my claws crossed they don’t have monster detecting gems here.
Actually, with their faces illuminated by the red glow of the crackling flames, pitchforks and rusty spears clutched tightly in their hands, they look a little demonic. A voice begins rising above the background noise, filled with conviction and energy.
Just in front of the church, I spot my old pal, the priest. At this distance it’s a little hard to tell, but I think he’s still wearing the same bloodied robes he was wearing when I first… met him. He’s standing in front of the church’s main double doors, one good arm flung to the sky as he exhorts the people below. Every now and again his voice rises to a soaring crescendo, and the people shout and roar in response, shaking their weapons and pumping their fists in the air.