Chrysalis

Chapter 729 More Choices in Menus

I don't recall seeing this before… if that's because I wasn't looking for it or if it was unlocked somehow… I can't be sure. Being able to detect Gravity? In what way? As in, the strength of the gravitational field in any particular area? Or from a specific object? Or both? Or neither? The description provided by the System is vague at best. I nervously eye the entry for a few long moments. On the one hand, I want to take it. This may help push my way to unlocking the gravitational mana speciality that I want so very badly, but on the other hand, it might not. And then what? I'm stuck with this sense that I don't even know the usefulness of?

Let's not forget, I already reset my antennae! I'm not resetting them again! If I end up picking this mutation, then I'm going to be stuck with it forever, most likely. Argh!

After several long minutes of agonising back and forth, I decide to stop thinking so hard and go with it. I committed to gravity early on with my choice of free mana organ and I'm not leaving it behind now. Who knows? With a little luck, it'll turn out to be useful in the absence of the mana speciality and I won't regret this choice in any way. Without too much hesitation, I ramp it all the way up to +30 choosing to diversify my two separate mutations rather than emphasise one over the other.

Done.

Moving on! Think, but not too much, that's my policy! With my Vestibule, I'm keen to keep rolling down the path that I've embarked upon. Using the energy to supplement my physical strength has been a huge help in the clinches when the Colony is around and gives me a massive leg up when I want to frontline, which is usually all the time the way things are at the moment. Getting those free stats has been juicy to say the least. Sure, it detracts from my regeneration, but it's not like it cancels it out.

I'm fairly confident in ramping that mutation all the way to +30.

And finally, we come to the Nave. Right now, my Purifying Spirit Nave is concentrating and enhancing the energy it receives through the Vestibule, which goes on to fuel my regeneration or strength, so it magnifies that effect. I wager that if I were to have another organ added to the end of the Nave then this enhanced energy would have an even greater effect.

I've long suspected that this evolution path was going to be a three-parter, from the moment I saw the Nave really. The energy is collected in the Vestibule, magnified in the Nave, and then…?

Obviously, something is meant to come next! Which means I will step into my true power in my next evolution! Gwahahahahaha!

Maybe. Perhaps. I mean, who knows? Perhaps I'll veer off script and take a different evolution entirely. If there's one that offers me juicy resets for my carapace and mandibles that will enhance my incredible diamond shine, then I'm almost certain to take it, consequences be damned! Alright then, with the Nave I'll continue on the path that I've already set down. There's still a chance that I'll end up resetting the organ, so I don't feel too attached to my choices here. More concentrated and magnified energy? Can't go wrong with that.

That takes these three critical organs from +15 to +30 for the low, low price of one thousand and thirty-five Biomass.

…

Nooooo dammit! My wealth! My incredible wealth! Gone already?! Is this some sort of joke?! Damned greedy and despicable Gandalf! What's with these costs!? This is nothing but robbery!

For a few long moments I gnash my mandibles in disbelief before I manage to grind my frustrations out. Obviously levelling up means spending huge amounts of Biomass, I should know that by now. I can't have expected to bring half my organs up to +30 in one shot…

My remaining stock of… five hundred and eleven will give me enough to upgrade… three. Darn it!

Which three to choose? I mean, carapace and mandibles are the obvious choices. I rely on them a great deal, the carapace to keep me alive and the mandibles to make other things not alive. I briefly toy with the concept of disregarding my mandibles and instead upgrading my coordination cortex, but I end up disregarding that. Although I fight with my minds just as much as the rest of me, the mandibles will always hold a special place in my heart. Chomping is love; chomping is life. When all the chips are down and there's nothing left in the tank, the mandibles will still be there.

Which means I just have one more organ to take from +25 to +30. I could always do eyes, but I'm not doing too badly in the overall 'senses' department these days. I need to prioritise staying alive more than anything else, so a more combat oriented choice makes more sense to me. Inner Carapace Plating seems like a sensible choice, although the regeneration gland has proven its worth. Hard to go past legs… more speed and durability aren't exactly bad things to have. The neural network to boost reflexes would also be handy…

Gah! Don't think on it too long! Regeneration Gland! There, done.

For these organs, I think the choices are relatively clear. The carapace is simply a matter of reinforcing once again, there isn't a second line of mutation to be considered. With the mandibles, I currently have a few things going on. There's the infusion mutation, the savage mutation and from that point on I focused on the infusion aspect, which I'm yet to really test to the fullest extent with all the elemental properties I now have at my disposal. They are definitely next on the reset list at any rate, so I'll just double down on that. The regeneration gland has two aspects going on right now, the rapid refilling mutation line and the limb regeneration line. For now, I want to emphasise the rapid refill. With my reflexes and toughened legs, I've not had to worry too much about losing my legs right now.

Which means my final upgrades look like this:

Empowering Collective Will Vestibule +15 (Soul Crystal) -> Might Infusing Collective Will Vestibule +30 (Soul Crystal);

Future Sight Antennae +15 (Twilight Filament) -> Future Wave Sight Antennae +30 (Twilight Filament);

Purifying Communal Spirit Nave +15 -> High Purifying Communal Spirit Nave +30;

Complete Diamond Carapace +25 -> Thickened Complete Diamond Carapace +30;

Mana Flooded Mandibles +25 -> Mana Drenched Mandibles +30;

Frequent Potent Regeneration Gland +25 -> Hastened Potent Regeneration Gland +30;

Now it's onto the Skills! I feel I've done enough to shore up my foundations for now. It's time to see what the future holds in store now that I've pushed mind magic as far as I have. Come onnnnn Gravitational Mana! I can practically taste it!