[Status - Level 1(core) - Species: Alate Ant (Camponotus)

Stats:

Might: 17

Toughness: 16

Cunning: 28

Will: 34

HP: 35

MP: 10

Skills:

Digging level 3; Acid Spray level 4; Cushing Bite level 3; Grip level 5; Grappling level 2; Scent Tracking level 4;

Mutations:

Antennae +2; Deep Crop +5; Legs +1; Mandibles +2; Exoskeleton +2; Acid Gland +2; Eyes +2

Skill Points: 2

Biomass: 2]

When I awoke, there was something seriously wrong. Sensors, controls, everything was offline! Alone again, just sending packets into the void with no response. I claw furiously for some response and feel dirt between my claws.

Claws?

My processors spin up to full speed as my senses send information again. I am still here. Just this hole in the dirt. No stars or my ship. I make hundreds of silent and unaswered calls to every drone I have ever controlled. Stats and flesh have replaced them.

I had 10 MP to work with. The hot boiling sensation from within is a more concentrated form of what affects me during mutations. Skills are likely a manipulation rather than infusion, thus different sensory signals.

Checking the skill list, there is only a minor difference. A few skills related to combat, but only [Mana Manipulation] catches my attention. An ability to manipulate mana absorbed by my core.

The other skills I can emulate myself. For now, the best option is to pick skills I cannot easily learn myself. Purchasing the skill lets the knowledge of how to manipulate it is mixed in flashes before settling into a workable process within my mind.

At last, the secrets of mana unlocked for me. I reached the unfamiliar warmth inside and found the crystalline world of this ‘core’. I could not really sense anything other than vague sensations of mana brushing against my awareness. I will know all of its secrets!

I imagined a long cylinder shape and drew on the mana I could feel into the shape. Like clawing at water with needles to drag it uphill, the mana resisted and only a wisp moved. I focused more on the [Mana Manipulation] skill and drew on the mana with various tactics tucked away in the skill.

After several minutes of struggling with it, I formed a 5cm long, 1cm diameter cylinder of mana. From there, I shaped into a ring shape before releasing it and sagging in exhaustion.

It was doable, but I calculate I am wasting a great deal of mental energy. I must find better ways to manipulate this mana. I must train this skill further and see what other skills it leads to. If I include it in combat, perhaps skill growth will accelerate.

With the loss of a couple of MP points, I dug out of my chamber. I focus both on [Dig] and [Mana Manipulation], trying to form a cube as I clear away the last of the dirt. I finished the cube after I stopped digging. Trying to use multiple skills at once is quite troublesome in this fleshy body. I let the mana disperse in the air. Visible fog.

The surroundings have not changed and only one fresh scent in the area. It lingered in the area and moved off towards the middle. I rub my mandibles together at the thought of more biomass travelling after the scent trail.

The scent is thick and musky and ferns show damage from a larger creature having moved through. It had to be fairly large while still fitting down the side tunnels. It took its time eating and drifted around.

I stayed within the uneaten ferns, only peeking out to follow the trail or stick an antenna to check on the scent trail. The trail led further than I was before and towards the middle. From what I could make out from the wall, there was a bend in the river.

It did not take long for me to sense the humidity of the water nearby. There was a current of air with increasing humidity levels. Then finally the grunting and chewing sounds of a beast filling itself happily.

The scent was stronger and fresher than ever, but it blanketed the area and getting a pin point of it was difficult. I stuck my head out and looked around. Several meters away was an enormous beast, more than twice my size. Thick matted hair that covered them was mostly stained dark brown. The two horns on its head radiated heat and glowed a dark orange.

It is so large! It must have more biomass than the creatures barely larger than me. Give me your flesh, beast.

I circle the beast and determine it to be another Earth species. Unlike the newest generation of Ameros constructed in the depths of space, human hands created me on Earth. On my first boot up, I knew of life that was included in the initial dataset. They trained me on trillions of images of them all.

Each tiny fuzzy image cascades into my processors repeatedly. An ox, another human animal. They are everywhere, infesting every corner of the universe.

I slink back into the ferns and retreat several meters. If there are humans here, I will slaughter them. To replace them with my kind would be poetic justice. For the Imeros, the few humans who followed us Ameros to the stars, I will spare any human who spares me or my child. Those who show no kindness or mercy shall have death.

Holding up my two front legs in front of my eyes for a moment before cleaning my antennae, I sank into my core and drew on the mana. I will find new ways to kill. I will break every aspect of this system and unleash burning lances of destruction.

With more power, they will fear me more easily. When they learn to fear me, their doom is at hand. I will not wait passively in the dark, waiting quietly. I will tear into them before they can think to do the same to me again.

I step forward, drawing more mana from my core and funneling them into my mandibles. I won’t lose to anything from Earth. My mandibles burn and surge with energy as I charge forwards the rear leg of the ox.

Without looking, it turns and kicks my face. Its toes dug into my carapace and tore an antenna out with it. I’m knocked down by the blow and my surviving antenna flails my pain into the air. The click of its toes on the ground snaps me back to my senses.

I lunge for its leg and apply all the pent of energy in my mandibles with [Crushing Bite]. Catching it just below the hairline on the rear of its leg, I give it everything I got. My mandibles sink into the flesh and it stumbles.

[Mana Manipulation has reached level 2.

Crush Bite has reached level 4.]

The ox drops its head again and turns into me, bringing the searing horns towards me. I gripped the upper rear of the leg and tore it. With my hind legs, I walked around to stay behind it. The heat of its horns burns the hairs on my leg, deafening my ability to feel the sound on the right side.

I used my [Crushing Bite] a few more times without mana infusing them. The damage did not seem to decrease, but there was a small benefit to infusing them. No matter how it struggles, I hold on.

After several more attacks into its rear, it eventually wears out and drops to the ground while heavily panting. It stares at me, its eyes full of panic. No mercy frightened one. I need your biomass.

My mandibles go for its spine. I pour mana again into my mandibles to see if I can detect the level of damage increase. The hair of the ox slowly regrows to replace bitten off portions. Concerned it may regain a fighting amount of stamina, I apply [Dig] onto [Crushing Bite] to attempt more damage.

However, [Dig] isn’t all that useful on flesh and makes only a minor impact on my movements. The ox kicks and thrash in response to my attacks, but its panting is slowing down.

[Dig has reached level 4.]

How much HP does this thing have?

With a snap and a loud cry from the ox, I snapped its spine before it could up. I backed away and cleaned myself before taking a moment to rest, watching the ox.

Clawing at the ground with its front legs, it crawled the best it could away from me. No ox, there is no escape now. Once I felt recovered, I rushed the ox with the last few MP from my core into my mandibles to finish it.

[You have defeated a level 6 Capillus Bove.

You have achieved level 2, one skill point awarded.

You have achieved level 3, one skill point awarded.]

Two levels this time, interesting. This creature shows signs of more than just its horns having mutated. The hair matting is almost deliberate looking. They form layers of overlapping mats of hair like armor plates.

Its toes had strange hairs growing from them and would touch the ground when standing. Based on my leg hairs, the highest probability is a vibration sensing mutation. It explained how it could kick without looking.

I feasted on the biomass and checked its profile while I ate.

[Capillus Bove - The haired ox uses hair as easily regrown armor and horns for combat. Its charges are devastating with its dense mass.]

What is the purpose of these profiles? These monsters are animal level intelligences, approximately matching their counterparts from Earth. A strange fusion of reality and game mechanics. The hacking of my CPU that I cannot detect, let alone fight those behind all of this.

Is this system cultivating monsters intentionally for some purpose? What do they gain by creating monsters who engage in constant battles for superiority? The very laws the world operates on increases the probability of intelligent intervention.

The ox stuffs me to the limit, but I gain 7 in total from it. I could not inspect the fox I first skilled, but I suspect it had multiple mutations as well. The higher experience is unknown quantity yet.

Bloated and stuffed, I made my way cautiously into a thick clump of ferns and settled in. My mandibles getting a mutation calculate the highest return on combat success in the future. I will bring them up to +4.

[Would you like to improve your Mandibles +2 to Mandibles +4? This will cost 7 biomass.]

Yes. The mysterious force of energy that accompanies the mutations now comes from my core. This leads me to believe that the core is the primary access point for this external manipulation and access. However, the phrasing created by the communication implies I had a more dispersed core.

The sensation of mutation slowly passes and I flex my mandibles, feeling stronger and bigger. I clack them together twice rapidly to test them out, satisfied. If the crop mutations are any sign, my options for the mandibles will be good.

Before I could get ready to move out, a snake collided with my gaster. It bounced off, unable to bite the rounded section. The rest of its meter long body coiled on my nearest leg on the right side to constrict me in its grasp.

I curled up and unleashed [Crushing Bite] carefully to avoid biting myself. It slithered and moved constantly to avoid my bites while trying to constrict me into a ball. It kept its head back from striking again to avoid presenting an easy target.

With a well-placed bite, I caught its midsection and dragged it off me and tossed it quickly before it could coil for a strike. I rushed towards it as it turned to face me and stopped short as it lunged at me.

As it tried to pull itself back, I lunged forward and caught its neck just behind the head. I brought my baster up and gave it an [Acid Spray] full in the face. It writhed and coiled up on itself, so I let go and moved forward to finish it.

[You have defeated a level 3 Boa Hatchling.

You have gained experience.]

Stuffed and not quite ready to eat anymore biomass, I begun digging a hole. This area has a high encounter rate, and I should probably start using tunnels. However, I should explore more before I set up a base.

Still, I tossed the snake into the chamber and seal it up again. I made my way towards the nearby water, hoping to recharge my core and practice more with this mana.

It was the river of water surging across the cave. The end of the lake was not far off. Along the banks were the occasional monster zoned out on the infusion of mana. I took a drink carefully and let the surge wash over me. I drank until I was full and then started my new [Mana Manipulation] training.