RinoZ

Chapter 232 - The Eye of the Beast Part 3

Despite being weighed down by several Gravity Bolts, the Croc is still able to step forward, though the left leg drags through the mud. I continue to blast the Croc with my water cannon, until the monster is forced to lift one hand to try and block the spray. I'm not doing any sort of serious damage to it, its thick, water-resistant scales are doing a good job minimising the damage so far. So long as I keep threatening its face however, it can't open its f...

Chapter 231 - Eye of the Beast Part 2

The slowly rotating vortex of death engulfed the Gigantic Croca. 

Die! Die you overgrown hand bag!

Please?

The Gravity Bomb continues to suck in air, sticks and whatever else is unable to resist its immense pull. The power of the Gravity Bomb still shocks me to my core. When mana reaches a critical density, scary things start to happen and the Gravity Bomb is a pure example of that. However, I know that this is only half the spell I'...

Chapter 230 - The eye of the beast part 1

With dirty swamp water dripping off of my carapace I felt the formless pressure build ever higher as the group frantically cast their heads about trying to identify the source. It has to be close! It could be coming towards us right now!

["Eyes open everyone! Something nasty is coming!"]

With my compound eyes, I keep watch in every direction at once, my antennae twitching, trying to focus on what happening both now and a moment into the future. Without hesita...

Chapter 229 - The encroaching doom

Since we unexpectedly crushed the Immortalis Garralosh (immortal Garralosh? Even I can work that one out), progress has been slow.

The density of monsters has been increasing. Not only the Croca beasts in their various forms are more common but also the local wildlife. One of those stupid Hippo Turtles managed to sneak up on us and almost took Tiny's arm off, but he managed to dodge away in time, and I tied the flabby beast down with Gravity bolts un...

The Devil you know - 1.1

Hi folks!

Here is something I wrote for giggles the other day. It's a new twist on a concept I spent some time on a long time ago. Not sure if I'll write more of this one or not, let me know what you think of it in the comments! :)

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The sky was burning.

A roiling ocean of smouldering black cloud billowed far, far overhead. Waves of immense size that rolled and crashed covered the sky fr...

Chapter 228 - The bigger they are...

Our new foe continues to take its time approaching our position. Its skin has rapidly closed over and healed the damage that Vibrant was able to do with her enhanced acid, indicating some powerful regenerative effect. Is it tied to the skin? Surely not even a Croca Beast would be stupid enough to waste a regeneration gland on such a small injury?

For my part, I continue to use this period of excessive confidence from our foe to create my most potent ...

Chapter 227 - Undying

We've killed a lot of Croca-Beasts already in our expedition. I don't know exactly how many children Garralosh has but we are seriously depleting the tables at the family reunion at the rate we are going. 

I've now eaten so many of the basic Croca's that we managed to unlock the intermediate profile for them. It struck me again the riduclous number of specimens you need to consume to get even this far in terms of profiles. Just how many do you n...

Chapter 226 - Woodstuffs

What the heck is this stuff?

After venturing forth again, it wasn't long, and only one fight before we came across something curious and I halted the group for a careful inspection.

We're looking at one of the mangrove style trees that emerge straight out of the muddy waters of the marsh expanse. It's tangled knot of roots sinking beneath the water line like so many straws. Supported atop this mess of roots the tree rises, twisted and tall, ope...

Chapter 225 - The push

After the discovery of the wondrous Dungeon aphids we spent two more days pushing into the Expanse. Monsters became more and more common the deeper we went. Hippo-Turtles, Double Crocs, bewitching flowers, a tree that tried to eat Tiny and got punched to pieces, all sorts of stuff. 

I didn't care about any of it.

APHIDS.

They represent something incredible to me in this world of Dungeons and monsters. A way to get Biomass, WITHOUT fi...

Chapter 224 - The rebel child

Beyn found the new arrivals huddled under a tree towards the edge of the village. Refugees, fleeing the continuing destruction of the kingdom to the north arrived nearly every day. Sometimes in small groups of three or four, other times a collection of families, farmers usually, fleeing their holdings. Twice they had received a more significant number, over fifty in each, people feeling their town, moving together for safety.

There were almost two th...

Chapter 223 - New growth

Beyn was a Priest and he was proud of that class. He had worked hard in the seminary, his faith blazing with an admirable glow, such that he had earned promotion and placement into a small village at a young age.

He still thought back on his time at the college, within the Path Sanctuary in Luxon. A mighty citadel filled with learning, preaching and the contemplation of the Path. He'd been happy there, tearing through scripts and sitting at the knee ...

Chapter 222 - More Marsh Explorations

[You have consumed a new source of Biomass, Sus Aquarum armatae, you have been awarded one Biomass]

[Basic profile of Sus Aquarum Armatae has been unlocked]

[Sus Aquarum Armatae, Armoured Water Pig. This giant monster possesses robust defence, boasting a tough skin and extremely durable shell. Offensively, the Water Pig can deploy its vicious bite and has been known to utilise water magic to attack its foes]

Water magic huh? This one didn...

Chapter 221 - The wonders of nature

I realise now that my brain, or rather my fancy new antennae, were telling me that I was about to have my legs bitten off in a savage and painful manner by a large creature emerging from the murky waters to my left.

Unfortunately I was simply unable to process the information quickly enough. I mean, when you start receiving sensory messaging from the future, it kind of wigs you out a bit. Up until this pointy my new antennae had only been providing m...

Chapter 220 - Once more into the expanse

After we've made a quick delivery to the surface and we take a little time to rest in order to aid the digestion. Fighting on a full stomach isn't the best feeling in the world, especially when I've already taken in a special core.

The tight, painful feeling has faded in the background by now. I'm sure if that is because my body has successfully accommodated to containing this slightly oversized core or if I've just gotten used to the pain. I'm still...

Chapter 219 - Expeditious retreat

With the heavy hitter taken out of the equation there isn't much left to the fight. Crinis and I quickly destroy the Titan Crocs and rush back to help support Tiny and Vibrant.

The giant ape and ant soldier are beaten and bruised but victorious as they lord over their fallen enemies. Tiny is beating his chest and roaring his challenge out to the world whilst Vibrant does a manic, high speed dance around his ankles.

[RAAAAARR] Tiny bellows.

Chapter 218 - Skirmish conclusion

More fireballs fly out of the distance and impact against my water domain, sending massive gouts of steam hissing into the air and further reducing visibility. In front of me, buffeted and soaked by the frothing mass of water than makes up my water domain, the double croc lunges forward with its massive jaws.

SNAP!

Yikes!

Leaping to the left I manage to avoid the snapping jaws at the last second. With the foe off balance I dash forward to...

Chapter 217 - Feast of Croc

What is experience? Where does it come from? Where does it go? Ever since the System descended on our world, scholars priests and wise ones all over the world have sought to understand it. Class progressions have been mapped out, skill trees have been researched and codified endlessly. Many aspects of the system are thoroughly understood and form the curriculum of schools all around the world.

The fundamental underpinning aspects of the System, howev...

Chapter 216 - Magical Ant

As my first victim languishes within my spell that is quite literally trying to pull it apart in every direction, I turn my attention to the rest of the monsters coming our way. So far there are six Titan Crocs and three of the larger Double Crocs who need dealing with.

Come to me, you leathery chumps! I'm not holding back this time!

I vengefully command my sub brain to pass more gravitational mana to me and begin swiftly weaving together ordin...

Chapter 215 - The new Croc on the Block

["Eat up gang, not long until the next wave is here"] I warn my troops.

Crinis has already eaten of course, stuffing her face with ten Crocas and an entire Titan Croc. If I get my hands on that dimensional stomach during my next evolution I swear I'll dance for a week straight.

I'm so envious!

Also, where the heck is my food!?

I'll have to settle for nibbling on some this next group coming our way. With my omni directional eyes I ca...

Chapter 214 - Battle Begins

The smaller croca beasts look quite apprehensive to be approaching the grasping tentacles of death but with their larger cousins pressing them from behind they have little choice but to continue to approach.

Crinis has spread her net of tentacles in a ten metre arc towards the approaching foes, her tremor sense giving her some idea of the positioning of the enemy. The Titan Crocs bringing up the rear snap their jaws and bark out a brief message to th...

Chapter 213 - Contact

 Finally got this posted! Sorry folks, been a bit unwell this week and I've fallen behind. Thanks very much for patience - Author

The Marsh Expanse is still teeming with monstrous life. I can see moneters creeping out of connected tunnels, making their way deeper into the recesses in order to meet up with whatever is compelling their behaviour. Even without the steady trickly of captive beasts there is plenty of stuff to fight around us.

The ever prese...

Chapter 212 - Assault begins

Sorry folks, short chapter today

The new evolution has certainly seen a massive rise in Vibrant's stats! And some of her organs look incredibly unique. The command organ? Did she get that from being a special ant from birth?

Gah! I should have investigated her core ages ago! That's what I get for not being curious enough!

"How do you feel Vibrant?"

"Great!" she cheers.

I have to say, she's not so little anymore, alm...

Chapter 211 - Farewell surface

[How long will you be gone for?] Enid asks worriedly.

[As long as it takes to remove the threat] I reply.

This is why I don't like coming up here to the human camp. No sooner did I appear than people started gathering and pointing. Then the priest came at a run, his face flushed with excitement and began exhorting the people to pay their respects to me. In a flash I had people raising their hands or kneeling nearby as I nervously waited for Eni...

Chapter 210 - The A(nt) team

Eventually, the horrific itching fades, and I scramble back to my feet and cast my eyes about to see who was witnessing my fervent rolling. Thankfully it appears that mother retreated once she was sure all of the noise wasn't related to some threat or danger of any kind, and my pets are too busy with their own mutations to have time checking on me.

Phew!

Since that is the case, I can relax. I really need to make sure that I'm on my own or somew...

Chapter 209 - The state of play

My cloud backups weren't up to date when I started working on my new laptop so if there is something wrong with Anthony's status please let me know!

Muahahaha! With over a hundred points to spend, I'm feeling slightly giddy. What to go for first?

Currently I've upgraded eyes to +7 and acid to +6, so I may as well finish those off first, that'll take a significant chunk out of my points already.

[Would you like to upgrade Focused Eyes ...

Chapter 208 - Compression obsession

Sorry folks, been a bit distracted unfortunately. Chapter is here!

As the rather explosive effect of my compressed water bolt faded and the monsters began to recover themselves as more flooded into the narrow tunnel to trample over the fallen I took a little time to reflect on the success of the spell.

Better that I thought, I had to say.

After witnessing the effects of forceful mana spells, using the compressed mana to fuel a ...

Chapter 207 - The boys and girls are back in town

As Tiny smashes into the front of the monster wave I can hear a voice calling from behind me.

"Hey-Hey! Wait for me senior!"

Vibrant….

As Crinis joins Tiny on the front lines the little ant motors down the passage behind us to quickly catch up and I sigh internally.

It isn't that we've been ignoring the little thing lately, or trying to leave her behind. It's more that she's become a little too reckless, flinging herself forward t...

Chapter 206 - New Dawn

There they are. Look at them. Peacefully sleeping for now, awaiting the day when they awake and take their first steps into the world. Shhhhhh little ones. You don't know it yet, but the world will be your oyster. Yes it will! You will roam wherever you wish and bring prosperity to our family. Our enemies will flee before your strength and become food beneath your mighty mandibles.

Yes they will! You adorable little things!

[Master]

WHA?!...

Chapter 205 - The world below part 5

Titus didn't wait for the Legionaries to answer and immediately started calling names, lining everyone up before him in name order. The young soldiers were so accustomed to following his orders that doing as he said was almost instinctual.

In the dim light the commander looked as impressive as always. His solid frame and clear eyes were reassuring to everyone in the Legion, even if they didn't know how to feel about it at the time.

Once everyon...

Chapter 204 - The World Below Part 4

The rest of the new Legionaries were gathered together in a cluster at the end of their ward under the watchful eye of a few Centurions.  The young soldiers felt restless. They still didn't know how to feel towards the Legion and the seniors who had cared for and trained them for so long. The pain of the Baptism was still fresh in their minds, the scars still raw. Many of them felt a strange dual emotion towards the people they had once admired, equal parts anger and respect.