Well ain’t this something. Monsters and lava boil forth in equal measure from the tunnels below and an absolute free-for-all has broken out across the Plains of Leng. Well, a bigger one. Although, to compare this scene to the normal endless fighting between larvae is to compare a volcano eruption to a candle. It's to the point where I might have to rejig my plans.

My original thought had been to bottle up and annihilate all the monsters coming through the tunnels, but that’s clearly impossible. There’s too many of them, and more are just clawing their way out of the dirt at random locations across the floor. Plus, with all the lava bursting forth, who knows how many connections there’s going to be between this layer and the one down. Some of the demons can swim through the molten rock like fish, so there’s no hope of preventing access to this area.

[All right, gang… we might need to hang here for a moment as I adjust my strategy.]

A pause.

[M-master?] Crinis says.

A pause.

[Tiny's already gone, hasn't he?]

[Y-yes.]

DAMMIT.

I'd been looking down and forward, so I hadn't noticed him leap off the back of the rocky outcrop we're perched atop. How did he manage to be so moronically stupid, but also sneaky about it?!

[Where the hell are you going, Tiny? Get back here!]

My pet bat-faced gorilla roars gleefully, already neck deep in demons, flailing around with punches too fast to be seen with the naked eye. Weaker monsters simply explode where his fists connect, whereas stronger ones are catapulted by the force, collapsing in a heap dozens of metres away.

[Ah heck. Let's get down there then.]

May as well at this point. I could order him to come back, but he'd just sulk for ages, and I'm not in the mood to put up with his nonsense. Preventing him from going to a fight is bad enough. Pulling him out of a fight after it already started? Ugh. Terrible. I flex my legs and start walking down the face of the rock, gripping tight to the stone with my claws. Really need to train my Grip skill. I keep getting heavier, and not raising the rank of this ability. The loss of mobility is really starting to hurt my pride as an ant. I'm not even sure I could walk upside down right now.

I mean, I can float around with gravity magic, so I don't need to, but that's not the point!

I carefully make my way down and jump the final ten metres, landing heavily. Just from the force of my descent, a pile of demons is sent reeling, and then I'm on them.

How about a CHOMP!?

Mandibles gleaming, I lunge forward, letting my jaws snap shut with irresistible force. Any tier four or weaker demons simply aren't able to stand up to that. They are cleaved, and I move on, looking for new targets.

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[Come on, Crinis, time to get off my back.]

[… Are you sure?]

[Yes! Why wouldn't I be sure?!]

[What if you vanish or something? I need to be here to protect you!]

Not this again….

I reach back with one antenna and prod the black blob stuck to my carapace.

[Come on. Off. Shoo. I'll be fine. You're the one who needs experience. Get out there and find every tier five and six you can. Go on, get!]

Despite her reluctance, I continue to prod her until she finally gives up and peels herself off of me. Or from within me… shudder. Freed from her carapace hugging, Crinis almost despondently gathers her flesh and reveals herself to the monsters around. Three mouths, each a terrifying maw lined with glittering teeth that surround a void of disintegrating death, are only the most obviously terrifying thing about her. Once she gets going, a thousand tentacles burst forth, creating a forest of dark limbs that begin to snatch up prey, scooping them into her yawning maws or enveloping them and activating her barbed spines.

Even worse are the ghostly tendrils she keeps closest to her body. Whenever a monster draws too close, they dive straight into its head, passing directly through their flesh, and begin to work their dark purpose.

Crinis, despite everything, only grows more and more scary as she evolves. What on Pangera is she going to be like at tier seven?

For his part, Invidia knows his role well. He blasts any concentration of likely targets with his explosive magic, or lasers the hell out of any tier six he finds, whilst also acting as support to Tiny and Crinis. Mostly Tiny. The little demon has continued to diligently perform the role I had given him after he joined the group, healing and shielding for my offense-oriented ape.

Now that I've let him off the leash a little, he appears to revel in his freedom to unleash his devastating capabilities to their fullest extent. The noise, which was already catastrophic, rises to another level as his potent detonations rock the area every few seconds.

And yet, despite their incredible strength, the best efforts of my three powerful allies are like trying to push back the tide with a bucket. The third stratum has descended into complete and utter chaos. Every direction I can see (which is most of them) is absolute bedlam. Fighting everywhere, all the time, without pause. If anything, the level of insanity continues to escalate.

I clack my mandibles a few times in wonder. I knew it was going to be bad… but this? This is way over the top. The Colony has prepared meticulously for this wave, but I'm starting to wonder if all of that effort is going to be enough. Well, may as well do my bit here and now. I can offer some widespread firepower to the situation.

Time to see what my Gravity magic can do on a larger scale!