Chrysalis
chapter-94

The Croca-Beast doesn't last much longer than the Lion Ogre, with the sheer number of ants swarming over the top of the hill, any individual monster is going to get chomped apart without any chance to retaliate.

I almost feel sorry for these guys, covered in much smaller monsters that bite them and spray acid on them from point blank range. The Croca-Beast had six hatchling workers pulling on just one leg, ensuring it couldn't move, before I looked away.

It's a tough Dungeon! Don't look at me like that Croca-Beast!

Clearly I don't feel too badly for the monster, since I'm already searching for my next target.

There, that Adult Centipede!

YOINK!

Aha! Another ripped deer!

YOINK!

Yet more victims are pulled to the top of the ant hill, only to be summarily devoured by the hungry swarm of hatchlings.

It doesn't take long before I start to see workers transporting the Biomass down into the nest, already industriously dispensing that food throughout the colony. At this point the gravy train is over however. As fun as it's been pulling monsters out of the battle to their immediate doom, the drain on my gravitational magic gland has been severe, I'm already down to twenty percent!

Reluctantly I shut off the infused mandibles and the mana gradually fades out of them. At least the advantage of the gravity gland shows itself inn my still fully charged core. If push comes to shove I can still activate my regular infused mandibles to give myself some added cutting power.

Somewhat at a loss for what to do next I turn about to survey the situation.

A scene of chaos meets my eyes.

All around the base of the ant hill a wild free for all is taking place. Larger monsters stand tall amidst a veritable sea of smaller beasts. Titan Crocs, Bear Tyrants, Death Rabbits are all battling against each other whilst around their feet, spark chimps, centipedes, blade tailed rats and others crash into each other like angry waves.

What a catastrophic scene! This is the last thing I wanted to happen leading into the wave! I should be talking to the Queen and trying to work out a strategy to ensure the colony can survive, we don't have time for this stupid free for all!

Glancing quickly at the workers around me I can see that their blood is up. There is Biomass to be had for the colony and by golly they are going to go and get it! I don't think I could possibly dissuade them from doing something so fundamental to their identity.

Thankfully they are at the very least cautious enough to continue launching acid into the crowd of monsters swirling around the base of the hill. With the combatants so thick on the ground it is impossible to miss! Hundreds of individual shots are launched into the sky, literally making it rain acid on the crowded creatures down below.

Holy moly!

With five hundred ants firing their acid out at once, it makes for a fairly impressive sight! Hopefully Tiny managed to avoid getting hit…

Thinking I may as well join in on the action I present my commercial zone towards the enemies and begin to pick out some of the larger targets in the fray to hit.

POW!

Take that Titan-Croc!

POW!

Actually, take a second shot Titan-Croc, I hate you guys!

POW!

Stupid bear! Feel the burn of my acidic law!

Since my evolution my acid gland has expanded its capacity once more, allowing me to fire ten shots at a time. I continue to pick out the largest and most threatening targets in the crowd to inflict my adhesive acid upon, hopefully weakening them for any battle to come.

Even as the acid burns away at dozens of monsters in the melee I'm still concerned for these workers advancing into that maelstrom of battle. Several hundred of these workers were only just hatched! If they die now they won't be able to protect the colony during the true disaster to come!

I'm so annoyed at myself! I tried so hard to avoid bringing harm down on the colony and now, because I was rushing and in a hurry I brought the very disaster I was hoping to avoid at the moment I could least afford to do it!

Dammit Anthony! You've got to fix this somehow!

At this moment I can feel the anthill shudder beneath my feet. The dirt is shifting, as if something in the ground beneath my feet were pushing upwards.

My heart sinks as I think I realise what is about to happen.

Sure enough, from the top of the ant hill emerges two long antennae, followed by a massive ant head. In a familiar scene, the peak of the ant hill collapses as the Queen drags herself out the top and onto the field of battle.

Dammit! Not this again!

What if something happens to her?!

I run up to the Queen, I'm not even sure why, perhaps to try and reason with her so she goes back down into the nest?

"Queen! What are you doing up here?! Shouldn't you go back down into the colony?!" I yell.

It's kind of strange, I actually 'shout' in the sense that I 'speak' loudly with my pheromones due to the sheer amount of noise around us, but it is completely unnecessary since we are actually communicating using smell rather than sound. I could whisper, barely releasing any scent at all and she would still be able to understand me perfectly well.

"The colony is threatened" she replies, "we must defend it".

"Do you need to be here though?!" I plead. If the Queen ends up dead because of this I'll be giving myself a right kicking.

"I will protect my children!" the Queen replies in her deep, matronly voice.

Without any delay she immediately begins to race down the anthill, charging forward with unstoppable momentum. The workers eyes are literally on fire, blazing with a feverish energy so intense it may well scorch their foes to death before any bite is applied.

I can't stop them now…

All around the ant hill the workers are rushing into battle, eagerly, joyfully even. With the Queen by their side I can see that they are implacable. I feel as though I need to keep reminding myself that these are ants, not people. A person would hesitate whereas these workers will gladly die for the colony.

The only way to protect them now is to fight!

If I destroy every monster here then there won't be any left to kill my fellow ants!

Let's do this Anthony!

Chaaaaarge!

I hurtle down the ant hill with such speed I feel I'm in constant danger of tripping with each step. I'm going so fast I pass the Queen and find myself in front of my fellow ants!

In the brawl below I can see Tiny, mighty fists swinging, hooting in Triumph as he moves from opponent to opponent, destroying his enemies with electrified punches.

As the combatants at the base of the hill grow rapidly larger in my sight I begin infusing my mandibles with mana from my core, causing them to glow brighter and brighter.

Closer! Faster!

Out of the melee I pick one target, a mighty Bear Tyrant, mottled green streaks through his fur glowing with fierce energy as the wounds and cuts in his body regenerate at a tremendous pace.

I rush closer! Closer!

Mandibles wide, here we go!