RinoZ
patreon
Chapter 1682 - Awakening
🕑 Added 2025-09-24 02:00:03 +0000 UTCComing out of an evolution is always a bit of a weird feeling. I mean, if a human went to sleep and woke up in an entirely new body, they’d feel pretty weird.
For me, it’s even stranger than that. Not only do I change size and shape, but my insides get reorganised as well! New things get stuffed in there, existing things get moved. I would’ve thought I couldn’t tell what was going on in there, but when it’s changed, I notice!
Sheesh. My legs feel like they’ve been welded in place. What the heck is going on here? Sloooowly stretching, I’m able to eventually get some movement in my stiff joints. Get that ichor flowing, dammit! I’ve got places to be.
I think. I don’t really remember all that well. There’s definitely a sense that someone needs a good thwacking, but who?
My eyes, nothing but a blur at first, start to focus, and the compound view of the world around me becomes clear. My antennae twitch, and I wonder just what the heck has been going on around here?
The reinforced ceiling and walls, with thick bars of enchanted steel? Sure, that’s fine. The protection circle drawn underneath me, engraved in the floor with some sort of liquid silver? Alright? I guess? Maybe going a bit overboard now.
But the statues and engravings are way out of line!
Who in their right mind let that stone-hacking chisel monger, Michaelangelant, in here? I know it’s her, it has to be her. No one else in the entire Colony would create these ridiculous poses and absurd, flowery murals! Every spare inch of this place is covered in artwork—just how much spare time does that slacker have?!
“Eldest, you’re awake!”
Wha? It’s taking me a while to catch my bearings this time. How long was I out? This feels a lot different than the last time I evolved.
“Who’s that? Coolant? What are you doing here?”
Isn’t it a waste to have a powerful member of the Council babysitting me? Surely they have better things to be doing?
“We’ve been watching to see when you would awaken. It’s my turn this week.”
That initial burst of excitement is gone and now the cool-as-ice Coolant has returned. I finally focus on her and see that she’s as blue and chilled as ever. The air around her is so cold she’s got bits of frost on her carapace. Always taking it to the extreme.
“Wait a second. This week? How long have I been evolving?”
“Six months.”
“WHAT?!”
Six months?! That’s absurd! Wha… What happened? There must have been a wave. More than one! Is everyone alright? Did the family do well while I was asleep?
Oh no!
What if the family did super well while I was asleep? Have they realised they don’t need me around? Am I unneeded? Have I been abandoned here, left to rot alone and sad in this vault?
Is it happening again? How could it happen again?
“Uh, Eldest? Are you alright?” Coolant asks me, sounding concerned.
“Of course! Of course, why wouldn’t I be?” I try to stand up, but my legs don’t want to work properly. “I’ll be, uh, right to help in a moment, not to worry.”
Coolant extends a leg and places it on my carapace.
“Eldest, take your time. You’ve been asleep for months, and your body has gone through a lot of changes. There’s no rush. The Council will come to see you as soon as they realise you’ve woken up, but it will take them some time to arrive. You can take a few days to get used to your new self.”
“A few days? I’m sure they’re too busy to come and see me. There must be a ton of things going on.”
“Of course they’re busy, but everyone has been waiting for you to wake up. They’ll be so excited to learn that you’re awake.”
“They will? Well… of course they will. Why wouldn’t they be? Has everything been alright while I was out?”
Coolant waves a dismissive antenna.
“Nothing but trouble. The fifth is an ongoing struggle. Every day is another disaster. There’s trouble on the border, delving teams sneaking into our territory. The Church of the Path is making noise, trying to drum up anti-Colony sentiment… the list goes on.”
“Really!? Ahem… I mean… uh… oh no. That’s terrible. Well, I can’t wait to get out there and help out. I’ll be right as rain in an hour or so.”
It’s good to feel needed. For a moment there, I’d been worried about… well, never mind.
“Granin wanted us to remind you that you should mutate your tendons to Toughened Fibrous Tendons +15 as soon as you wake up. Moving around without doing so could lead to internal damage in your body if you push yourself too far. I’ll arrange to have some Biomass brought in for you.”
“Oh. Thanks, Coolant. I appreciate it.”
“It’s the least we can do.”
The icy mage skitters off, leaving me alone in the fortified bunker that is my evolution chamber. I can only vaguely remember the whole mess that happened leading up to my evolution. Things were sketchy there for a while, and I ended up having to take a goopy, stinky species in order to not die, which was a pain.
Irritated, I open up my menu and get ready to mutate. I don’t particularly want to injure myself just walking around, so I’ll take Granin’s advice.
I find the necessary mutations and select them, then reluctantly take a look at the rest of my status. I don’t really want to see what the corruption has done to me, but I may as well get it over with.
Except… I can’t find it. There’s new organs all over the place, but there aren’t any that scream ‘icky toxic mess’ to me. Where the heck are they?
Comments
MUXIBA azarado
Arise!
יותם רוזנטל
I need moreeeee
giann flroesca
While I do see your point, I'm not sure it goes that deep. Maybe it does, subconsciously but IMO it's more Anthony getting bored again. Remember the arc, I forget which one, when he was basically bored out of his mind because the colony was so productive and in such a stable state that he didn't really have anything to do so he went around bugging ALL of the council and any random person ant or not just to talk because he was going crazy from not doing anything? Again, it may subconsciously stem from him being lonely w/c is why he might be so dismissive of his super sad backstory as a human b4 reincarnating and it's his coping mechanism BUT it has been super light so far so it's prob not that deep. Or this might be some Oda level breadcrumb sprinkling for clues of him slowly descending into madness w/o him realizing sort of thing and we've just been missing the signs IDK
chump1999
In my opinion, the most important part of the chapter is easy to miss. Everyone gets caught up on the cliff. Everyone wants to finally find out more about his evolution. We're so busy focused on those that we don't see the character building parts. Even now. After Anthony created their species. After he fell off a precipice and then was dragged into a toxin-laden primordial heart for them. The list is endless for how many sacrifices he's made for them... After all of that, he's still worried they might leave them like his family did. He's worried they might not need him anymore. He's built a psycho spiritual link with them for heavens sake, just so he can feel their thoughts and feelings... As much as it's fantasy writing, this is so true for someone who goes through that kind of trauma. Constantly worried. Acting like his past trauma was no big deal while doing everything in his power to keep his new family from wanting to leave him. That little window between torpor and being awake clues us as readers into the things most important to a character. And Anthony's motives are remarkably consistent and true. I look forward to the day that he will actually feel safe with the Colony.
giann flroesca
I need to evolve my legs and my tendons for this cliff
CentaureHeart
"There’s definitely a sense that someone needs a good thwacking, but who?" - Merchant getting chills
TheLostGolem
Can't wait to see how the first mega black hole bomb Anthony launches with this Evolution will turn out. I can already imagine it. Chapter prior to launching the black hole->Entire chapter that's just HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWL->Chapter after launching the black hole describing the effect it had.
RinoZ
I mean, the chapters have always been like this. When read as a chunk, they fly by, but I can see how day by day it would be frustrating.
Brady Mueller
Idk why folks say they hate the cliff, it’s by design haha. Can’t do much more than smile and move on and get excited for tomorrow, since we get another chapter.
RinoZ
what a compliment
Roombot
I’m so hyped to see what his evo was
Soren
This is the highest tier of cliff hangers.
Rishain
I really love this story but I really regret getting caught up to it or at least I should have taken my time getting caught up by like a year or so The short chapters are very tedious especially when nothing really happens it makes me angry on the inside
TheLostGolem
Hmm... that is a great question. Maybe defensive mutations? I'd imagine Anthony could fend off the attacks of any t5 and below monster indefinitely with his Gravity compressed diamond carapace. Also, with the Ability of strong monsters to dominate weaker ones like Garralosh and her hoard for example, they might just conscript an army or monsters to defend them.
Jon Wolfman
A GRUB!?!? What kind of horrifying thought are you having! Begone dark Turnip! We cast you back into the shadows of torpor.
Dany boi
This story, boc and Chaotic Craftsman Worships a cube are the only stories ive never stopped subbing too, theyre all the best but Chrysalis is best
ImmortalTurnip
It would be juicy if they kidnapped one of the council members or a grub.
Sparaten
Im just curious but does any other person have any theories on how other monster evolve safely I mean a whole six months I can buy hiding for maybe like a few days but how do other monster evolve when they don’t have other to guard them
Shaitan
The cliff is mean lol
Tyler Poole
Still love the series! I enjoy all the characters, just expressing a grievance.
mason benett
Why the cliff
Tyler Poole
I hate saying this because it feels like complaining but I can't be the only one thinking that chapters coming out less often but being longer would be better right?
alt31415
'dangles off the cliff' noooooooooooooo
Codered999
No, remember the thing he woke up to was the information that no one has been antnapped, though they've had close calls.
fair3238
moreeee dont leave me hanging!!! TYFTC @Rinoz and always stay healthy
Curtis Cairns
the cliff! show us that juicy status!
ImmortalTurnip
Surely someone has been kidnapped by now.
No_Creative_Name
Stone hacking chiselmongers a new one haha
Psychonaut_CEA
I can't say enough how much I love your series 😭
