Junior Administrator peaked over at Sector Assimilator’s notes. Over the past few days as the anomaly recuperated, they had spent the majority of their time trying to copy down his latest symbol. One portion of it was clearly the “Rock” symbol that they already knew, but the other symbol was far more complex, made more so by the fact that it had to be created in three dimensions. Even with the help of the System pulling up different angles of the captured image and using technology to measure distances, it was beyond their ability to recreate.
⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫
System Administrator opened the latch where their daily rations would be deposited, doing their best to plaster on a pleasant face for their jailor.
“So any news today? Are the Acting Administrator and the Assimilator still holed up in the command chain?”
The words were more direct than was proper, something that wouldn’t have been possible only a few weeks prior, but as the leadership remained absent, the crew had gradually relaxed towards System Administrator. Not enough for a full on revolution. At least not yet. But enough that they could get a sense of what was going on in the ship.
“Indeed. Not a word in or out.”
“Any new rumors as to what they are doing?”
“All information remains the same. Some claim that the anomaly has knowledge of the sacred language and that they are doing their due diligence in preserving the Hive’s sacred knowledge. Others claim that they are taking the knowledge for themselves. Still others claim that they have grown bored with the frontier and are kiling time til this integration is over and they can return to the Hive proper.”
“That is mutinous talk.” System Leader said probingly.
“Aye.” the jailer responded, looking unflinchingly into their eyes before giving a brief salute and shutting the panel.
The time is closer than anticipated. System Leader thought to themselves as their tentacles grabbed the squirming mass of food and shoveled it into their mouth.
⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫
[Congratulations, Devourer! Level 40 reached!
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
+7 stat points by assignment]
Brent acknowledged the notification just enough to dump 7 more points into intelligence, before resuming his destruction of the anthill, the third such conquest he had undertaken. At this point, even the ant queens were several levels beneath him, but they made up for the lack of experience by sheer quantity. Each anthill had millions of ants, allowing him to breeze through the last 10 levels. Of course, gaining a skill that mitigated the effects of poison had also made it possible. He was also getting much better at using Wraith’s Gale, allowing him to attack the hives from a distance, picking off any ants that were standing guard, before putting his mouth over the hive and inhaling while using Consume.
[Congratulations, Devourer! Level 41 reached!
+7 stat points by assignment]
With another level under his belt, the anthill was destroyed, and his hunger drove him forward. Step by step, he inched his way through the darkness, pausing to inhale every thirty seconds to make sure no vengeful warriors were tailing him–something he had learned was a necessity after the first two anthills.
A shriek sounded loudly in the air, alerting him to a bat not far from his current location. So focused had he been on destroying insects, that he had mostly forgotten his plan to get some meat, but with his mind now clear, the thought of a greasy, bat drumstick was all consuming. Had his mouth not been a withered black hole, some of the saliva would have dripped down his chin as he drooled at the thought. As it was, his moisture deprived lips remained as wrinkly and dry as ever.
Awkwardly climbing up a nearby boulder, which entailed forcibly lifting his lower jaw from its now constant resting place on his chest, he perched and awaited his next victim. After 20 seconds, his patience was growing thin as his need to obtain food urged him onwards, but then a squeak sounded somewhere to his right. With an agility that was only made possibly by months living in the darkness, he turned his head towards the sound, activating both Wraith’s Gale and Consume at the same time.
The small creature's cry turned from one of communication, to one of fear, before it changed to pure terror as it was sucked from the air and between his jaws. Just as he feared, no sustenance for his starving body. It wasn’t a shock at this point, but it was a let down.
[Congratulations, Devourer! Level 42 reached!
+7 stat points by assignment]
His surprise at the instant Level Up was enough to cut through his hunger. Maybe there is a reason to stay here for a bit? He thought as he made his way down from the boulder and to his next perch.
⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫
The growth from each bat had diminished, making them an unsustainable source of experience to feed his growth. Without the constant levels, they were no longer enough to distract Brent from his constant hunger. At level 50, he finally felt ready to go exact his revenge.
“Miiiiiiiiiiiiike, I am coooooommmmming for yoooooooooouuuuu!” he bellowed into the cavern, causing any remaining beasts in the area to cower in fear.
He stopped barely long enough to suck a two foot patch of moss into his mouth as he walked purposefully forward. Now all he had to do was find a way out.