Chrysalis Chapter 1602: 1710 - Fun in the Tunnels

[Oho! You nearly had me that time!]

[Wow! A valiant effort!]

[One day you'll manage it, champ! I have faith in you!]

[If you truly believed in yourself, you might have succeeded. Let that be your motivation for the next attempt!]

Messing with these delvers is something I never seem to grow weary of. Just look at the way they dance! I love watching them howl in utter despair whenever I pluck them up into the air!

Gweheheheheh.

My submarine-style patrols have once again been rewarded with an ambush. I must admit, they actually put in some genuine effort this time. Maybe the rising tally of missing delvers has made them anxious, but they appear far more desperate to take me down now.

This particular assault began with a pair of doom spheres launched in my direction. Constructed from pure fire, they resembled miniature suns; the temperatures were so scorching that my antennae were singeing from hundreds of metres away. Though momentarily startled, I countered with two gravity bombs. They felt so weak, however, that I had to infuse them with extra power to ensure they finished the task.

Opening the engagement with a massive explosive clash between fire and gravity was certainly a dramatic choice. The delvers likely anticipated a better result from their opening salvo, but they still leaped from their concealment to follow through with the attack.

[Oh no! My carapace has been damaged! Aaaand it's already fixed. Dang, look at that.]

To be honest, the healing network accelerates incredibly fast when so many delvers strike me simultaneously. Right now, my entire body feels like ice because of the sheer volume of regeneration fluid surging through my veins. A few of these delvers must be heavy hitters, as they actually manage to gouge chunks out of my carapace and leave dents in my legs, but I regenerate so quickly that it simply doesn't matter.

Mocking them for their failure provides me with a profound sense of satisfaction.

[The next person to strike me gets a free flight!]

A brief moment of hesitation ripples through them before they push past their terror and resume the onslaught. Since I can't be sure who hit me exactly, I simply select one who looks like a likely candidate.

[Up you go!]

Yelping in surprise and terror, my target is hoisted upward and left to dangle in midair, thrashing about uselessly. Suspending mages doesn't accomplish much since they can just keep casting spells, but combat types really struggle when they lose their footing. They possess so much power and speed, yet it's all useless when their tiny feet are just wiggling in the sky!

Even with my overwhelming and constantly increasing regeneration, I still strive to avoid taking serious hits. My antennae are buzzing incessantly as I react faster than I can consciously think—dodging, repositioning, and parrying with my mandibles. I am processing hundreds of sensory inputs every second and acting on them instantly.

Maintaining this state requires an immense amount of physical and mental stamina. Forcing this massive body to leap and pivot is no easy feat. While my evolution has empowered my muscles and legs with enough strength, it is still a demanding task.

It’s a good thing my tendons are mutated, or I’d probably collapse like a puppet with severed strings right about now.

[Alright, playtime is over.]

Having gathered the necessary mana for the Gravity Domain during the skirmish, I empower and release it. I watch with glee as it surges through the tunnel, expanding at an incredible velocity and pinning everything in its path to the floor.

Curiously, I can sense a few pockets of space resisting my mana, attempting to withstand the overwhelming tide of gravitational force. Since there are no longer spells or blades raining down on me, I am free to stroll over and see what is happening.

Oho? Another priest?

Gods, I hate priests! Some serious anti-magic techniques are being used here. Two small clusters of delvers remain standing because the priests, aided by several mages, are successfully preventing the domain from fully crushing them.

It is impressive, certainly, but the effort is clearly taking a toll. They are drenched in sweat and shaking physically from the strain, meaning they lack the energy to actually fight back as I draw near.

[You might as well just lie down,] I suggest. [Resistance is… only going to make her angry.]

The small group of mages and priests refuses to answer, holding their ground stubbornly and refusing to yield anything to a monster like me.

Well, that works for me.

[Alright, Crinis. They're all yours.]

If they don't want to deal with me, they can settle things with the darkness instead. She has been accompanying me on my recent trips into the tunnels. With some assistance from the nameless, she has been able to track and relocate any delvers I capture, making the whole process much smoother. Within moments, the shadows swallow every member of the group, and I move on. Legs up, gravity well on, submarine mode engaged!

I have spent the better part of every day doing this, yet the delvers just keep coming for some reason. That last pack was the fifth I've taken down, and the battles haven't even been competitive. They truly have been blinded by their own greed.

It's almost a letdown, but then again, that was exactly what I planned.

After cruising for a bit longer, something catches my attention as I round a bend. Reaching a junction that splits three ways, I glance toward the wall and spot tidy rows of tents and piles of crates.

A delver camp? Have we already pushed out this far?

Or perhaps they simply established themselves much closer to the nest than I realized? Consulting my tunnel map, they are remarkably close to what would be considered the nest's outer perimeter. I assume the Colony’s timid behavior made them feel safe enough to stay here.

What a foolish thought. Judging by the state of things, they vacated the area quite recently. They likely sensed me fighting that previous group and fled. This means a large number of delvers are currently sprinting through the tunnels, trying to retreat to Green Mountain…

Well now…

The chase is on!