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Chapter 1639 - Precious Secrets
🕑 Added 2025-07-22 19:56:37 +0000 UTCGot this done while waiting for my plane. More Chrysalis next week! Evolution time babyyyyyy!
It isn’t uncommon for members of the various Cults to debate the merits and strengths of the Ancients as monsters, though with an obvious and significant bias towards their own deity. When debating who is the physically strongest of the Ancients, Rigorite and Yarrum are usually the two names that are first raised.
Although Rigorite, formed of living metal, is not thought to nearly approach the size of the Eternal Worm, the Ancient is nonetheless massive, a breaker of mountains whose charge is as irresistible as the turning of Pangera.
Steel Cultists tell tales of Rigorite’s gleaming presence, and the deadly blade formed from the Ancient’s head and running up its back. Despite their massive size, the blade of Rigorite is said to be so sharp it can cut air.
- Excerpt from ‘Collective Wisdom of the Cults’ by Granin Lazus
Satisfied with their work so far, the triad moved onto the final mutation: the mandibles.
Anthony’s mandibles were critically important, his primary weapon and literally the first thing his opponents had to face when they approached him. More importantly, he needed to ensure he remained physically capable of battle. There were many ways to get around mana based attacks, and according to legends some of the most powerful monsters in the Dungeon were close to fully immune. If he couldn’t deal strong physical damage to his opponents then Anthony would find himself face to face with enemies he could never hope to defeat.
Fortunately he had cultivated powerful pets who would be able to help in, but that wasn’t always enough. Crinis, Tiny and Invidia would never be stronger than Anthony himself, and helping them to progress was going to become prohibitively more expensive over the upcoming tiers. He had to be able to do it himself.
Which meant his mandible mutation was all the more important. So far, he had taken the savage mutation three times, which increased the size of the mandibles and changed their shape, making them sharper, with longer ‘teeth’ giving them more penetrating and gripping power. For his next three mutations, Anthony had chosen to explore the ability to inject his opponents with gravity mana. An interesting power that he hadn’t been able to explore much in the fifth. Getting up close and personal with fifth stratum monsters was seldom the best approach, after all, and for the mutation to work he had to physically bite something, not just hit it with his chomping Skill.
Once he actually got to grips with his opponent, injecting them with gravity mana should allow Anthony to overcome many foes, allowing him to manipulate them from within. Even a monster immune to external mana attacks wasn’t safe from energy inside of them.
The triad consulted and decided that the best way for Anthony to improve his combat proficiency was to further enable his mandibles to deal strong physical damage. They had to be sharper and deadlier, which would have the benefit of enabling them to crack through defences, facilitating mana injection.
They searched through the long list until they narrowed down their options, debating and discussing the merits and drawbacks of each.
Ultimately, they settled on one.
Vorpal. This mutation sharpens and hardens all edges and cutting surfaces to only a few microns. Further iterations on this mutation have the potential to create mono-filmament edges.
Such a powerful enhancement would also have a dramatic effect on the strength of the Skills he used with his mandibles, which would be something to behold. Although the triad hadn’t seen the Starcrusher at work, they had spoken to many who had. A potent weapon indeed. It would be their responsibility to ensure that the giant ant could properly utilise it, and the rank eight version, after his next evolution.
[Alright, I think we are done,] they said to Anthony, speaking as a collective.
[Huh? What about my pheromone gland?]
The triad had made the pheromones produce a pleasant smell in the area which calmed and soothed those who smelled it. They figured anyone around Anthony could do with a little help staying calm.
[We took care of it,] they told him.
[Alright then, go ahead. Seriously though, I can’t help but feel like I’m forgetting something…]
[No matter. These mutations will significantly aid your cognitive power which will help you hold off the toxin inside you. We should proceed immediately.]
[I get it, I get it. Go on then.]
All three golgari nodded in unison, then confirmed the mutations. In that instant, Anthony’s antennae spiked upwards.
[Wait! I remember now! NooooooOOOOOOOOOO! SHABAKABAZZIFLAP!!!! THE ITCH!!!!!!]
To the shock of everyone in the chamber, the ant leapt up, crashed into the ceiling, only to begin flailing wildly in mid air. Anthony landed heavily, with an enormous crash, legs kicked while everyone scrambled to move away from him.
[What is happening?!] The triad demanded.
[My body is mutating! It itches like CRAZY! GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!]
It itches? It wasn’t supposed to itch! No monster they’d ever seen reacted in this way to mutating.
[Hold still! You have to focus on protecting yourself from the toxin!] the triad urged him, but Anthony seemed unable to listen.
[My secret shame,] he groaned as he continued to writhe and kick. [I HATE THIISSSSSS!!!!]
The healers flung themselves back onto Anthony, doing all they could to stop the progression of the toxin while the triad extended their awareness into Anthony once more. The poison of Theorazzn was spreading quickly, too quickly.
[How long does this itch go on?] they demanded. [Quickly!]
[My brains are like a fire that’s on fire while within another fire! My muscles! My FACE! GAH!]
We have to start the evolution right away, the triad thought grimly. There was a chance the evolution process would help slow the spread as the toxic energy was consumed by whatever new species they chose.
Acting as one, all three stepped forward and placed their hands against the wildly swinging body of the giant ant.
Commence managed evolution.
Comments
Greyg
His nave will get a choir their singing causes miracles by the ancient stories we’ve gotten so far so i assume singing heals all. The heart is likely still getting healed filled with mana from a root the tree real form should feel safer roaming around the this section of the fifth the puddle of nasty at the bottom of the heart is likely a problem still assume it won’t go away easy the heart will require free healthcare for the foreseeable future assume they will fortify it in ant fashion with statues and wall carvings.
Brandon14754
It probably has something to do with his soul that even gandalf is surprised by his souls version of crazy
guvvuf
Jeff?
taukid
Seriously, what the hell is up with the itch, it makes no sense that only he gets it
Kuurth
It was maxed for this tier already I believe. No need for them to do anything with it.
ManguKing
I genuinely am struggling with these chapters. I just wanna know how the Chal will aid Anthony, and how the heart is doing
Peculiar Oranges
Tooooo short
Jorge Miguel Ribeiro
What about the nave? Did I miss something?
Shane Mitchell
whenever I see Anthony mutating I see Jeff's face, I have been damaged. and now so have you
Wensber
Thanks for the chapter!
Runaway_Cactuar
Lol can't believe the stupid itch thing became a plot point
Roombot
HAHAHA the pheromone gland upgrade.
shawn B
Waited from last week, finished mutations… and now NEXT week is the evolution?! 😭
Anthony Romanov
Anthony smelling like Roses every time he speaks, will make him take vow of Silence
Nathan Quitugua
He did have to get healed...the triad had to have one person stay behind to keep on healing the big oaf. I assume that means during his evolution but I also don't think he needed to be healed very often either. Like at the beginning and end of the day
Mo Alawami
Thanks for the chapter :)
alt31415
Pfft, from the seriousness of vorpal monofillaments to… Anthony smells like roses. Nooo, the cliffhanger! Something I’m curious about though. The triad mentioned they’d have to keep Anthony alive through his weeks-long evolution, but how’s that gonna be at all possible if Anthony is comatose and not helping fight the toxin? I don’t recall Tiny needing to be healed all through his evolution that purged him of shadow.
Meir Banon
Tftc
Hayden Leech
Next week!?!! 🥺😭
Yeslek Nnamhctits
Look what they did to my boy!!!
LUXRUS
U cant do this, this is cruelty….
KooZnack
Thanks for the chapter!
