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Chapter 1686 - Transformation
🕑 Added 2025-09-30 02:00:03 +0000 UTCThe more Granin investigated, the less he could believe how it had all shaken out. When the once-krath had sung to Anthony and cleansed him, he had no idea what effect it would have on his organs, but he had feared the worst.
Perhaps they would be twisted and ruined by the mangling of the mana going into them, different alignments clashing and turning expensive evolutionary purchases into useless lumps of meat without purpose. Or perhaps they would be able to serve their intended function, but weaker than before, a loss of evolutionary potential that would cost Anthony dearly now and in the future.
Studying Anthony throughout his long slumber had assured Granin that at least all of the new components were well-formed within Anthony’s body, with no obvious flaws. Yet, they were such complex, high-tier organs and materials, he had no idea if they would still function as intended.
[So you’ve tested your healing organ?] Granin demanded. [How?]
The now truly giant ant turned to glare at Tiny, who was busy shadow boxing in the side of the chamber.
[It’s his fault,] Anthony declared.
Granin was confused.
[Tiny attacked you?] he asked.
[What? No. Well… sort of? Let’s go with yes.]
Granin pinched his brow. Why couldn’t it just be simple? It was never simple with this ant.
[Can you explain it to me? Because this makes no sense at all.]
[Look, Tiny is… enthusiastic about punching stuff. Very enthusiastic. He shoots out fists of intent at everything he sees. Rocks, trees, ants, himself a few times when he caught his reflection, food, water, cups of tea… everything. I’m no exception.]
As a shaper, Granin was no expert on intent, he was a mage and that sort of thing was the realm of the warriors, but he understood the gist of it.
[So… Tiny threw out his intention to hit you… and your organ triggered as a result?]
[Did it ever,] Anthony snorted. [I had so much regeneration fluid running through me I thought I’d pop! That… that isn’t possible is it?]
[It shouldn’t be,] Corun frowned. [Excess regeneration fluid is usually reabsorbed by the muscles and then collected back in the organ it came from.]
[It seems as though the propagating effect of the original organ design hasn’t been affected at all,] Torrina remarked. [That’s surprising.]
It certainly was. The main feature of the Ancient’s toxin, and what made it so deadly, was its ability to consume other forms of energy and make more of itself. Anthony’s new regeneration network functioned along the same lines, producing an exponentially increasing amount of healing fluid, gathering speed and power like a boulder rolling down a mountain.
They had all expected this property to be lost in the cleansing, but apparently not.
[And how was your fatigue afterwards?] Granin asked.
[Uh… what fatigue?] Anthony replied.
Granin frowned. He was always frowning around this damned insect.
[Producing that sort of quantity of healing fluid in such a short span should have been exhausting. How tired did you get?]
Monster organs were quite literally magical things, but they still were made of cells that needed energy.
[Granin? Hello? I’m pretty sure I’ve explained this to you before, I don’t get tired.]
Granin turned to look at Torrina and Corun, who both looked back with raised brows.
[You… weren’t tired in the least?]
[Granin, I’m surrounded by like… two million ants. Tiny could have thrown ghost fists at me all day long, I’m not going to get tired.]
The shaper nodded slowly, containing himself.
[Well… I think that new regeneration organ is going to work out… just fine.]
That was one way of phrasing it. Among the cultists, they would probably call it completely broken. Corun and Torrina certainly realised it as well. They glanced at each other a few times, eyes slightly wide, not blinking. Neither said anything, thank goodness.
If Anthony realised what this meant, he might get carried away. Better for him to learn the limits of it for himself.
[What about the Well of Corruption? How did that turn out?] Granin asked, moving the conversation along.
[Oh, that. Apparently it spits out liquid mana now? Pretty handy.]
[It… it does what?]
[I guess it… does that propagating thing you talked about? It takes in mana, then… makes more of the stuff. If I push in mana, it spits out liquid mana. I haven’t tried it yet, thought I should figure out how to walk properly before… you know… creating liquified arcane power.]
Granin gave a jerking nod.
[Seems smart,] he said, his thoughts slightly strangled.
Liquid mana? Just how strong was this propagation effect? And with that sort of mana available within himself… the organ hadn’t even been mutated yet. Could he make his own special brand of mana with it?
If so… the results could be very, very dangerous indeed.
Granin had a ball of excitement in his stomach, bouncing and rolling about while Anthony continued to complain about this and that. Despite everything that had happened, he’d come out of this evolution just fine. In fact, he was better than fine. Rather than bring him down and ruin his future, Theorazzn might have given Anthony an unexpected boost.
[And this weird core…] Anthony went on.
[Who cares about the core?] Granin laughed, still thinking about everything else.
Anthony looked at him, a little hurt.
[Well… I thought it was neat.]
[Ah… sorry about that,] the Shaper coughed. [I was… distracted. Please, continue.]
[I was just thinking that it might enable me to wander around the fifth a lot longer than I could before.]
[I suppose that’s… a good thing?]
[Not for the Krath, it isn’t,] the ant said darkly, clacking his enormous mandibles together.
Comments
WRN
hahahahahahaha
alt31415
They already have a permanent safe zone; now that the Heart isn't actively making more toxic mana its beating is sweeping up existing toxic mana, leaving only holdout pockets that the ants are guerilla-warring.
jaime gonzales
I wonder if now that he could produce his own mana he can place it where the heart is, so it could create a permanent save, zone for everyone in the fifth. Maybe these leads to Anthony coming to an agreement with one of the ancients where he could take like one or two hearts without getting attacked
alt31415
Not THAT core, the Pure Core.
David Harshman
Isn't that what now produces liquid mana? Or, am I misunderstanding?
David Harshman
"Who cares about the core?" Feels a tad out of character for Granin. Isn't this literally his favorite thing?
Gonvas
Well Spring consumes mana to produce even more mana in liquid state. But there comes a point where it can't keep up with body mana consumption VS environmental mana. Tbh, I don't expect much change in how far Anthony can sustain himself. His T7 core's mana was already denser than the liquid purification mana the Colony produced.
Icharris
Here hoping Anthony can use his well to go up dungeon layers, using it to sustain his own mana levels. Wonder if it costs anything? Stamina? If so anywhere in the colony would be fair game for him now.
Nico
I am just hoping Anthony’s acid will have boosted its toxicity/acidity/propagating properties, so it’s less obsolete. Would be a shame if he evolved with all that nastiness if it didn’t stick around where he needs it.
ZaneofBane
I have a feeling the eyes are going to end up blowing everyone's minds.
Paul S.
I love Anthony's interactions with everybody. He's got to be my favorite character of any novel.
Roombot
I love Anthony’s interactions with granin
TheLostGolem
No. The toxins still mean something to him. The meaning has just been changed from, "this stuff is highly toxic and dangerous" to "Delicious lunch"
TheLostGolem
The Orginal name was Toxic Spring Colony Bulwark. So maybe the new one would be something like, (Sanctified/Purified) Spring Colony Bulwark
Nachotoad
She’s fine she dodged the net at the last moment and was safe. It was her thoughts after her escape about how none of the ants had been caught “yet” that snapped Anthony awake
TheLostGolem
We still don't know the conversion speed. It would be really funny if the colony's new strategy for purifying corrupted hearts was to throw Anthony into them though.
Shaitan
Really want to know his new species designation
Huy Ngo
What happen to the ant the was about to be capture ? 😰
Gabus Deux
"WE SHOVED HIM INTO GOD DEVOURING ACID AND HE A T E IT, NOW THE TOXINS OF THE FIFTH MEAN NOTHING TO HIM!!!"
JulesBeHere
Can't wait until he gets out into the slimy field!!
Marisa González Martínez
Omggggg I’m so excited for the next chaptersssss!!!!!!
Codered999
No it was, it literally activated in response to his intent, what he didn't do was make the fluid so strong and spawn in the vast quantities it did, that was all the organ itself.
Codered999
Anthony, so long as you mutate the core to speed up the intake and efficiency of conversion, you can spend as long as you bloody feel like out in the fifth. You will purify all of the mana that comes to you.
S10NN4CH
Tyftc! I know others have asked, and you're probably getting to it (or leaving it deliberately obscure until Anthony does something completely broken)- but I'd appreciate a good gander at his status page when you have a moment? 👉👈. I'm incredibly curious 😁
Hughes Andrew
I knew the regeneration wasn’t caused by Tiny’s intent!
Napalm078
DEATH TO THE KRATH! Thank you for the chapter :D
shawn B
Chapter 1699: The Revenge of the Ant-hony!
Koala Man
More! :)
