RinoZ
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Chapter 1062 - Dawn of a New Era
🕑 Added 2022-10-23 10:26:26 +0000 UTCWhat makes a mythic monster so powerful? There are numerous theories, some confirmed, others more nebulous, but the strength and dominance of this class of monster in the Dungeon is a long studied and generally well understood phenomenon.
At the risk of oversimplifying, we can apportion the bulk of that inordinate power to the core. After all, what classes a mythic monster as such, is its core.
At certain densities and sizes, the core of a monster undergoes a qualitative change. This is what drives the price and demand for larger and more potent cores. A basic monster core can hold less mana than a special, which holds less than a rare, which is inferior to a mythic. This is obvious, and only scratches the surface of a complex issue.
Cores also absorb mana more readily as they increase in class. The increase in intake rate is more than linear, meaning more powerful cores are ultimately more efficient and can support larger, hungrier enchantments.
But what this eventually boils down to, is the body of the monster. At the point a given monster becomes mythic, its body and mind have evolved far beyond what a normal, organic creature can sustain. Where does the energy necessary to fuel these behemoths come from? How do they sustain themselves?
Mana, mana, mana. A mythic monster is a walking mana vacuum, sucking in the energy around them at a tremendous rate in order to fuel their very existence. Crossing the threshold from rare to mythic is a qualitative leap that brings a monster's existence closer than ever to returning to their point of origin: a being of pure mana.
This is only one reason for their special existence, but a major one, as it plays into everything else that makes them so fearsome. The powerful evolutions, the special materials that form their bodies, the unique abilities that they gain, all are attributable to their capacity and affinity for the energy that underpins the Dungeon, and therefore the entire world.
- Excerpt from “Monsters and Mana” by Xinci.
Heh.
Gweheheh.
Hoo haha!
Hahahahaha!
MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!
A new age has dawned. The age of Anthony has arrived! I feel so powerful, so overwhelming, so potent! Did you see that, mother? Were you able to witness my coolness as I dispatched that idiot demon with one slick move? Your child has become amazing!
BEHOLD ME!
THWACK!
“Ouch!”
“Stop posing in the middle of the battlefield, child,” the Queen scolds me. “We must ensure the family is able to retreat safely.”
I rub at my head with one antenna. I might have a fancy new carapace, but somehow the Queen’s thwacks still sting!
“Ah. You’re right,” I mumble, embarrassed, before I turn and begin to spin up my gravity mana construct. “I’ll hold them back for a bit, you help the family disengage and then we can run back to the pillar. Things are going crazy up here, I hear.”
I pump mana into the new spell form I learned, the only new spell I learned, when I finally unlocked the Skill I had yearned for.
Centred above the hole from which the demons are emerging, an invisible energy begins to pulse, growing stronger each passing moment. My antennae buzz as the new gravity source begins to take hold, dragging demons back as they try to rush forward, lifting those beneath it up into the air.
My other brains go to work, dozens of mind constructs spinning at once, and lances of condensed ice fly forward as if blasted from a machine gun. The front line of demons is annihilated in an instant, and with the reinforcements delayed, my siblings finally have the little separation they need to retreat.
Too easy! I barely have to draw on the Will of the Colony for these small fry, though I burned through quite a chunk to one-shot that massive demon. Not to worry though, with so many ants within range of my Vestibule, the energy continues to flood into me along with their thoughts and impressions.
Inside my body, nestled close to my core, the completed trifecta of Vestibule, Nave and Altar are burning with light, flooding me with power that suffuses my being.
The feeling is incredible, as if a bottomless well of strength that will never run dry has been built inside of me.
“Let’s get the heck out of here,” I announce to the others. “You go first, I’ll bring up the rear.”
My orders are hardly necessary, and largely ignored, since that’s exactly what they were doing already. Feeling a little redundant, I take up my position at the back of the column and prepare to blast the demons with magic if they get too close.
Except I’m not needed there either. Without the protection of the big boy, ordinary demons stand little chance against the combined firepower of so many ants. Acid and magic rains down in a ceaseless torrent, leaving me with nothing to do.
Not for the first time, I’m left to feel useless by the incredible competence of my siblings. Unfortunately, that means I have nothing to distract me from the horrific pain in my guts.
Stupid Ancients and their stupid Call. As expected, my evolution has resulted in the terrible yanking sensation on my soul intensifying. Coming up to the third stratum was necessary, but holy moly it stings. I can’t even imagine what it would have been like as a tier six monster in the first stratum.
“Eldest… are you well?” Advant asks me, scuttling along at my side.
“I’ve been better,” I reply, grinding my mandibles in pain. “Once I get back to the fourth I’ll be much better.”
“You won’t be able to stay?” the soldier asks, somewhat alarmed. “There are tier eight demons possibly coming towards us.”
I nod.
“I’ve heard as much, unfortunately, sticking around here until they turn up isn’t something I can do. As long as Brilliant can move me between stratum, then I should be able to wait below and pop in here if you need me.”
Although the experience of being warped through dimensions was… harrowing, to say the least. I’d wish for eyelids so I didn’t have to see it, but for some reason I feel like even removing my eyes wouldn’t improve the situation.
“Eldest… I’m not sure what you’re capable of now, but the way you dealt with that other demon…. I’m not sure we’d be able to fight them without you present.”
I wave an antenna as I keep an eye on the situation behind me. The bombardment has been more than enough to keep the demons occupied long enough for us to create a good gap. All we have to do now is sprint across the plains and we’ll be home free!
Until they reach the pillar and climb up after us anyway.
“Don’t worry about it,” I declare, flexing one leg as we run, “tier eight demons? Hunk of Biomass. I’ll smash ‘em to bits.”
[Right Tiny?]
After a long moment with no reply I twitch when I finally remember. Brilliant wasn’t able to bring the crew along with me, I’m actually here without them. It’s been so long since I was separated from them, it feels extremely weird. I hope Crinis is coping alright….
Comments
ManguKing
1. The queen has also continuously evolved, and we can bet that she has taken serious mutations to her antenna. 2. Regardless of the physical, most of us feel more psychological pain in moments where someone we love reprimands us
BelligerentGnu
You know what? I'm calling complete bullshit on Queen thwacks doing a damn thing to Anthony post-neutronium carapace. If anything, the Queen should have injured her antenna. Anthony is thwack-immune at this point.
Gopard
Thanks for the chapter!
Grey Knight Lord
Question? I was reading the chapter where Anthony evolved to tier 7 and on patreon he did not get the Boson Agitating Crystal Flesh for his inner plating.
Andrick
I imagine her attacking from thousands of miles away via dungeon power
Koala Man
Garnin perspective /notes : growth tree from grub to mythic : lvls skills(with a ha! from Anthony “you don’t know about these :) ) . And his pets ? It could be a stand alone . For now tho, , do it as you have planned I fully trust your process as it has never let me down yet. :)
Rahsheem Reid
I hear you but in all honesty it’s good too see the before and after also their perspective is nice too see and gives a sense of where their mind is at.
Rahsheem Reid
I had a thought that Anthony wouldn’t see them for a while bc of how powerful He had become and they would shuffle them off too max out asap. Especially with all these core available
Rahsheem Reid
Remember when brilliant almost chomped buddy from that path.. I kinda imagine it like that except she would be like Anthony is currently walking through the mana…sheeeeesh It would be the perfect for dropping whole squads at one time 😭😭😭..
Grey Knight Lord
Just like Anthony who leveled a bunch of skills through the termites I want to see what they learned. Plus, we haven’t ever seen a status for Sarah. The status is that one thing you show that is like the record of there growth. Plus, it’s just cool.
Adam
I think it’s fine just a little is fine and save a full update for when they hit tier 7 as well
Dan K
We haven’t seen what level there skill are in awhile. Surely while defending Anthony and fighting the termites all of their skills jumped up a bunch. Just a release showing updated stat pages would be lovely. I may be weird but I really enjoy seeing their stats, skills, and mutations. One of the reason evolution chapters are my favorite.
RinoZ
persuade me otherwise!
LuffyBR
Imagine a mythic sleep enforcer murdering enemies in their sleep, that would be absolutely terrifying. Holy moly, Even a normal squad of special, rare sleep enforcers would be sufficient to make everyone shit in their pants hahaha.
Grey Knight Lord
I would disagree.
RinoZ
Status pages are coming, but not immediately. I'll spread them out over the next while. We probably don't need a full page for TIny and Crinis, just a level update will do.
Navdeep Sugandhi
She was mentioned in recent demon fight chapters
Greyg
Brilliant is the space teleporter we haven’t heard about vibrant in awhile i think not every character gets time sadly
Grey Knight Lord
So, status update for Sarah, Tiny, Invidia, Crinis and Anthony. What level are they?
Andrick
I’m very pumped to see how the rest of the world reacts when the rest of the squad starts to become mythic. That’s gonna make the colony scary way later, especially as more champion ants come about. Heck, a mythic Vibrant will be absolutely terrifying. She’s already pretty scary with her powers with space and such
Antonio
When you are free can you update the epub? I wanted to refresh my memory on some stuff.
Anthony Romanov
Brilliant teleported only Anthony through level of Dungeon. Like a gate.
Rahsheem Reid
Can we get a status sheet for Anthony
Grey Knight Lord
What about the demon’s core.
MrrC
Did he get that core? Tier 7 cores are always needed and the shapers definitely need more
Koala Man
That was where he evolved tho , brilliant might not have had the mana to take them all , or something like that
Eadinize
That was before he teleported
M Afxarr
But I thought Crinis was already with him since it was mentioned about tentacle arising from his shadows when he forgave those monster hunters
Anthony Romanov
Crinis coping without her plushy master in her grasp? Preposterous!!! I a pretty sure there are tentacles all through the hive waving and shriek of horror through out!!! And Tiny just sleeping through it all. And demon just envies Crinis vocal chords.
troy wolfe
Crinis is coping by murdering bounty hunters
S10NN4CH
May Gandalf have mercy on her soul. Rip Brilliant.
Frank Moore
Thanks, can't wait till the status.
Amelgar
uh oh. Brilliant... your in deep shit
Kiongku
Second?
Ulbert
First?
