Chrysalis Chapter 1790 - Emergency Evac

Eight years Commander Eliza Sparrek had endured and battled within the fifth stratum, witnessing a spectrum of horrors. Yet, the sight of her outpost succumbing to an ever-ascending tide of viscous mucus was, perhaps, the most appalling.

“This area was engineered for downward slime drainage into the lower tunnels,” she remarked to the empty air. “We meticulously ensured it couldn’t be flooded.”

Steven, her fellow commander, had departed his own base to aid in the evacuation. Upon hearing her words, he could only offer a resigned shake of his head.

“We designed those tunnels for fluid originating at this level or higher. Since this substance is surging from below, those very drainage channels are exacerbating the crisis.”

His assessment was accurate. The Legion engineers had conceived the system for conditions vastly different from their current predicament. Throughout their entire tenure in this sector of the fifth stratum, they had never encountered anything remotely comparable.

An extraordinary event must have disrupted the natural order of the Dungeon in this region. And that extraordinary event was, quite coincidentally, accompanying her and her contingent of trainee officers as they retreated from their base towards higher ground.

Fortuitously, every individual within the outpost possessed adequate armor and equipment; otherwise, Eliza would have faced the grim reality of sinking with the ship, so to speak.

[Ant, by the Iron Fortress itself, what did you do down there?]

The monster, for its part, had demonstrated a disconcerting level of cooperation. It transpired that a Legion was already assigned to monitor this entity and to eliminate it should the chance arise, yet it was more than willing to assist in escorting her personnel to safety.

Naturally, she had initially doubted this, but confirmation subsequently arrived through the communications network. Someone within the fifth stratum had, at least, been apprised of this arrangement.

[Look. Was a chain of events set into motion that clogged the major arteries down below, causing them to prevent mana flowing smoothly and causing a never-ending build-up of toxic mucus? Yes. Was I present when the catalytic event took place? Also yes. But was I personally responsible? I can’t be the judge of that.]

Commander Eliza clenched her jaw. Extracting a straightforward answer from this creature was akin to extracting teeth. It had practically confessed to culpability but still refused to explicitly admit anything.

[Is there any possibility you could enlighten us on the nature of this event? Given that you were present when it transpired and all.]

[Well, the truth is that someone drilled a hole through the roof of a hidden Krath sanctum, draining an entire lake full of mucus through it. Now, that would have been fine on its own, but that Krath settlement happened to sit over the lungs and major arteries in the area, which subsequently flooded, then burst.]

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

[You discovered a hidden Krath settlement?]

[Perhaps. In any case, the bursting arteries have triggered a feedback loop, obstructing the tunnels and impeding the expulsion of mucus from the area. Essentially, the sludge has no egress, compelling it to ascend higher within the tunnels.]

[When will this cease? Will we be secure at Rupes Outpost?]

[I have no knowledge of that location. Eventually, the flow will diminish once it has dispersed sufficiently and identified additional downward pathways. Until then, the level will continue its ascent.]

“Eliza? Are you quite well?”

“Pardon me?”

“You appear preoccupied.”

“Ah, I was engaged in conversation with the ant.”

Steven grimaced, expressing his distaste.

“You place your trust in it? This… creature?”

“Certainly not,” she replied, regarding him as if he were witless. “But if it possesses pertinent information, I intend to acquire it.”

“It could very well be fabricating its statements.”

“I question if it possesses the intellect to deceive.”

[We are still linked by a mental bridge…]

[I am aware.]

[... That is rather insulting.]

The colossal monster agitated its mandibles, causing Eliza to stiffen and numerous young Legionaries nearby to instinctively recoil.

Instead of responding verbally, the ant rapidly clicked its mandibles, seemingly amused by their reaction.

[Do you imagine I require the use of my mandibles to crush you all? Please. I am tier eight, after all.]

[Merely being tier eight does not render you invincible.]

[It does, however, to my current company.]

It was almost certainly correct in that assertion. Even with two Commanders present, their capabilities were insufficient to contend with a creature of such magnitude and power. Nevertheless, she might have considered the attempt, embracing an honorable demise, had they not been escorting junior officers – the future leadership of the Legion.

To reach Rupes Outpost, their route necessitated ascending a narrow passage carved into a vertical section of the tunnel. It was a journey spanning several kilometers, yet the modest distance belied the inherent peril. With precarious footing and restricted maneuverability, their vulnerability was immense until reaching the summit. This represented precisely the kind of advantage the Legion consistently worked to deny the Krath.