It was to us that the Ancient the world would come to know as Yarrum The Eternal Worm would come. Deep below the Mother Mountain, the Everworm rose during the time of Rending and our elders did contend with that great ancient.
We were arrogant in that time. Our bones were as strong as the stone in which we made our homes and our cities rose high to the sky and deep beneath the ground. As the Eldest of the children of Pangera, we sa...
2020-01-17 11:06:50 +0000 UTC
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Well, nards. This isn't ideal, not even close. Enemies below, enemies in front. With these new groups popping out of nowhere, my mind is starting to conjure stone faced hunters leaping out of the shadows in every direction, ready to drag me to the ground and peel of my carapace. It's not going to happen, I won't let it!
[We're in too deep now, they're all around us. We've no choice but to try and break through the middle. Crinis, stay on my bac...
2020-01-15 01:32:18 +0000 UTC
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Turns out that our rest doesn't last for long. When an opportunity comes along in dire circumstances such as these, I'm not going to say no! After thirty minutes of catching our breath and healing up, Crinis perks up a few seconds before I notice it also.
A strong reaction from my mana sense, below us. From the glow of the core I feel as if this monster has to be tier five, the same as me. This is a good chance to harvest some experience and gain a p...
2020-01-14 02:53:22 +0000 UTC
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I don't exactly who these people are, but they are very persistent! Thanks to the magnificent meditation Skill, I'm very much cool, a placid lake. Not a ripple on the surface of my thoughts.
BOOM! CRUNCH!
Not upset at anything, I am a calm blue ocean. I embrace serenity. Serenity now.
BOOM!
Serenity now!
PLEASE stop trying to inflict such deep cuts on my business zone! The level of budget cuts they want to inflict simply can't...
2020-01-13 10:10:11 +0000 UTC
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Suddenly gripped by fear I hunker down and try to keep myself as still as possible. Don't breathe, don't even blink! Blink and your dead! Wait… I don't have eyelids! Settle, Anthony. Play it cool. My mentality is frazzled after being thrown into this unexpected situation. I have just the Skill for this. Without hesitating, I sink my mind deep into the soothing calm of meditation.
When using this Skill, emotion fades into the back of my mind, ...
2020-01-13 01:13:17 +0000 UTC
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Having pushed my stomach to the maximum possible level quickly starts to pay dividends. After mutating, the three of us pick ourselves up and start to move to another spot. The usual method to traverse the coral reef is to climb our way back down to the ground and move from there. This has a few benefits. Firstly, we don't get hunted by monsters from above and there's no chance of accidently bumping into any leviathan class monsters, which is nice. Safety ...
2020-01-11 05:17:52 +0000 UTC
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I stagger awake from torpor, my body snapping into motion faster than my brain can keep up. The result is that my legs spasm and my antennae stab into the air at the same time, giving out a general vibe of intense energy coupled with mind shattering fear.
"Hugga?!"
I'm still getting used to not being able to blink. At no time in the day is this more apparent to me than just after I wake up. The urge to clear the sleep out of my eyes, to elimina...
2020-01-08 21:10:46 +0000 UTC
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So far the upper reef farming strategy has proven to be successful, if stressful. Some monsters seem too reluctant to approach the bright flame, but others are clearly maddened by it, charging down to extinguish me, and it with extreme prejudice. After we started to see less monsters swarming out original spot, we had to pick up and move to another location, clearing out the riff raff along the way before recommencing our farming practices. So far we've be...
2020-01-07 22:07:26 +0000 UTC
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The pain and suffering the members of the Legion, the pain in their faces and voices effected Morrelia deeply. These were the men and women who had dedicated their lives to defending the sapient races of the surface from the depredations of the Dungeon. They were the inheritors of a mission that originated since the Rending and had endured for thousands of years. To those battle hardened eyes, the annihilation of Liria represented more evidence of righteou...
2020-01-07 04:31:54 +0000 UTC
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Titus surveyed the broken wreckage of the once prosperous city of Liria. The Legion fort around the Dungeon entrance had been levelled giving him a clear view of the devastation the moment he had stepped back onto the surface. Garralosh and her monsters had done their work thoroughly here. Everywhere he looked he saw wreckage, as if the beasts couldn't stand to leave one stone on top of another. The Legion commander felt the pain in his heart as took in th...
2020-01-06 10:50:21 +0000 UTC
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Ah, fishing. It's a peaceful, pleasurable and altogether gentlemanly pursuit. A meaningful hobby for those who enjoy quiet and rest. The sun dappling on the gentle waves. The quiet hum of insects and the chirp of birds in the trees. Serenity. Tranquillity. These are the words I associate with this noble activity.
[Master! I really don't think we can handle any more!]
[That can't be, it's only been two minutes. What's Tiny's opinion?]
[Mas...
2020-01-06 00:30:05 +0000 UTC
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As the fish swirl around us, biting and tearing at us from a dozen angles at once, from below comes a new threat. Almost like dogs, wolves or hounds, they run and leap, agile as monkeys across the stone as they come snapping our heels. Slippery as eels and mouths frothing they ran around us, circling at speed as the fish keep snapping at us. Although some of dogs look larger than the others, some of the fish more powerful, I'm fairly certain these are lowe...
2020-01-03 02:05:56 +0000 UTC
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The closer we come to the top of the coral jungle, the more life I was able to sense coming from above. My mana sense is able to detect signs of energy up to fifty metres away at its current rank and it's clear that there is a whole lot more going on above. As we climb we begin to encounter new forms of monster as well. To my amazement, they're more fish-like, matching the leviathan I saw when we entered in their ability to 'swim' through the shadow mana.<...
2020-01-01 22:56:45 +0000 UTC
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The nice thing about having this flame is that it illuminates our surrounding, giving the sweet light of… light, into this dark world of shadow. That's great, I'm a huge fan. The bad part about it is that we essentially light a signal fire to all of the monsters with the eyes to see. Perhaps they can even feel the flickering heat my orb of flame emits. It seems unlikely, but it’s the only source of heat I've found down here, maybe they can.
2020-01-01 05:41:39 +0000 UTC
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Author note: In this chapter Anthony takes his carapace mutation from +20 to +25, being the first body part that I retcon to the correct level. I'm still planning on an update where I show the complete revised status. Hope you enjoy and I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! (if you celebrate it!)
Thanks to all my patrons for the incredible year. I really never thought I'd reach the level of support I have and I'm now able to have conversations with my wife about go...
2019-12-30 06:53:33 +0000 UTC
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I hope these crabs taste good, after all the nasty monsters we've had to eat on the second Strata so far, I'm hoping that they live up to the reputation of Earth crabs for being delicious. I suppose I need to finish the fight first.
Omen Chomp.
CRUNCH!
Another crab reels, it's shell cracking as slinters fly in all directions. The disgusting mass of anemone on its face flail and snap but I'm already moving. My fast reflexe...
2019-12-29 09:50:26 +0000 UTC
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It doesn't take long before the sheer, overwhelming darkness wares me down. I can't take it anymore! I've had it! I've had it right up to the tips of my antennae! Through constant use, my mana sense is improving, but too slowly to satisfy my need for sweet and tender sensory input. Therefore, I decide to push my minds even harder and craft up a fire mana construct. Now one of my weaker sub-minds is maintaining the healing mana construct, the other the fire...
2019-12-29 01:58:44 +0000 UTC
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"Morr, you seem well."
"Father, you seem to be in good health also. Not that I should be so surprised."
Titus, frowned.
"What is that supposed to mean."
Morrelia rolled her eyes.
"Only that you're basically unkillable up here. Other than Garralosh, what monster could possibly harm you in the first or second strata?"
Perhaps it was foolish, but Titus still felt pride that his daughter recognised his strength. In his mind,...
2019-12-27 06:03:21 +0000 UTC
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Commander Titus was a stoic man with a reputation for an Iron will and an unbreakable sense of duty. And it was true, he'd lived a hard life and had made hard choices without hesitation. Where others would shirk their responsibilities, Titus shouldered his burden with pride. For this, he was both loved and respected. The commander knew his reputation and did his best to live up to it. Square shoulders and a stern countenance were synonymous with Titus, as ...
2019-12-24 11:14:34 +0000 UTC
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The expanse before me is truly deserving of that word. It's impossibly vast. How the heck can such a space exist underground? Is this planet even stable? I start to become nervous about the ground beneath my feet. All of this is possible with mana, be cool Anthony. Magic planet is magically stable despite being hollow like a piece of Swiss cheese.
My eyes aren't able to penetrate the dense shadow mana before me, visibility is only twenty metres at be...
2019-12-22 11:04:09 +0000 UTC
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The monster thrashes this way and that as I pursue it with my flame thrower. Ha! This feels awesome! I didn't realise how cold I was until I had an enormous fire exploding from right next to my face. Whoops! Need to be careful not to singe the antenna! I snatch my two sense organs back before they dip dangerously low into the jet of flame. Mana flows out of my core at a fast pace, but I'm absorbing plenty of energy through my feet. Interestingly the dark a...
2019-12-21 21:45:40 +0000 UTC
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Lightning crackles through the air as Tiny unleashes his full arsenal. His fur floats in the air as he positively writhes with snaking lightning. It curls around his arms, sparks of his ears and runs down his huge silver back. As the creature continues to coalesce around us, Tiny begins to blast lightning from his fists. Every time he swings his mighty hands a spear of lightning would fly out and annihilate one of the blobs. They scatter and begin to form ...
2019-12-21 03:48:09 +0000 UTC
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It's true that shadow monster seem to be stronger than the creatures of the first strata at a lower level of evolution. Most of the monsters we encounter are tier two or three, but they are significantly stronger than monsters of that same tier we encountered above. It's keeping life interesting, but the experience and Biomass penalties are still applied. Frustrating! With a sinking feeling in my stomach, I'm coming to realise this means I'll be permanentl...
2019-12-20 06:13:54 +0000 UTC
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Before me in the tunnel twists a tangled trap of terrible centipedes. Clearly though, these centipedes are of a new and different breed. Bodies of sleek shadow flesh, segmented armour that practically smoke with dark wisps of mana and gnashing mandibles that gleam to my mana sense.
I mean. What the hell?! Why does the Dungeon love these stupid creatures so much? Of all the invertebrates that exist on Earth, or that the Dungeon could dream up and cobb...
2019-12-18 10:33:57 +0000 UTC
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I continue to heal Tiny every few minutes as we sit in the ruins of the lousy spider's web. Every time I heal him, his health starts to trickle down again a few moments later. Does this poison never run out? What the heck is going with it?! If I had the power of resurrection then I'd bring that stupid spider back just so I could kill it all over again. How dare it do this to my loyal, stupid, hardworking, idiotic, steadfast and stupid pet?!
But after...
2019-12-17 03:49:23 +0000 UTC
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The perils of the Dungeon are many. Physiological and psychological. There are many threats that seek to cause bodily harm. The monsters, naturally, are what most consider the deadliest things a person might encounter in the Dungeon, and I admit that the lay person may have the right of it in this instance. Ravenous beasts with a boundless ferocity and low cunning are the least threatening of these creatures. At deeper levels one must contend with crea...
2019-12-15 05:37:14 +0000 UTC
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To my eyes, there is nothing wrong with the tunnel ahead. More of the coral-like plant fronds crop up, along with a few specimens of stabbing fronds, which I'll provide my trademark service whenever I can. Visually, there's nothing wrong, the scene is peaceful, idyllic. One might even venture to say picturesque. My mana sense, however, paints a very different scene.
Threads of pure shadow cover the tunnel from top to bottom. As if the darkness itself...
2019-12-13 09:53:45 +0000 UTC
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Just wanted to make a quick post to explain the erratic releases lately. Running into Christmas work has been hectic as hell and I'm hoping to clear my plate this week and get back to regulation releases.
Also I recently wrote the chapter in which Crinis evolves and maxed her mutations at 15. This is correct. I had to eventually own up to the embarrassing error of miscounting Anthony's evolutions. How did I do it? I don't know. But I did it. For ages. I had to face up to it at some poin...
2019-12-11 01:02:41 +0000 UTC
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[Remember why we came down here guys?]
[To escape our responsibilities?]
[No! Crinis, what the hell?!]
[Sorry, Master! I- I thought you said -]
[Never mind what I said! Those are things we keep between us. Special secrets that we never utter out loud.]
[But we aren't talking out loud?]
[Besides the point! No, let's focus on the other important reasons we're here.]
Crinis raises one of her thin tendrils to scr...
2019-12-10 09:41:24 +0000 UTC
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Although cold and dark in extreme ways, it'll be nice when the colony expands down to conquer this place. A new terrain, a new frontier that shall submit to the superior power of the ant. I feel a little guilty leaving the family behind, but things were a little weird there after my evolution. The whispers I was hearing, the reverence I was starting to get, it didn't quite sit right with me. It seemed like a good time for a little separation. Perhaps after...
2019-12-09 10:58:30 +0000 UTC
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