Tiny was more than happy to abandon his post for something more exciting and I think Crinis was just relieved she was able to return to me without something dramatic occurring, such as me being sucked through a black hole into the hundredth strata, if that even exists. With the gang assembled, we set off into the deeper tunnels and it was rapidly apparent that things were starting to heat up within the frozen spaces of the second strata. Monsters were fighting everywhere. Shadow beasts in various states of evolution and all sorts of other critters filled every nook and cranny that we came across, either fighting or consuming the Biomass of the opponent in the fight they'd just won. When we slid close to an expanse, the number of monsters we ran into climbed even higher until there was a full on mob that we'd need to physically push through if we wanted to move forward. We weren't interested in getting into an expanse, I know how crazy those places get during a wave, all we wanted was the experience.
Which we took, obviously.
Between the four of us tier five monsters (Invidia is already tier six, but anyway), we were able to sweep away the opposition without too many issues. The only problem we faced was fatigue, since it took a fair bit of effort to scour the tunnels of hundreds of monsters and the further we moved from the nest, the less power I got from my Vestibule. About halfway to our destination we ended up having to 'pull over' for a break. I dug away a section of tunnel wall and sealed it back over behind us so we could rest relatively free from the disturbance of the wave. It'd been a long time since I'd had to do that for all of us and it was eye opening to realise just how much larger the chamber had to be now that we had all evolved to this point. Crinis wasn't much of an issue, being a blob that can compress herself, and obviously Invidia keeps the vast bulk of his mass tucked away in a pocket dimension, but Tiny and I have become fairly sizeable. Things have really changed since he was little and used to ride around on my back. I did also have to make room for my twenty babysitters since Protectant insisted they come in with us. Irritating!
It did make me wonder, with the tier six evolution coming up, just how large am I going to get? As large as the Queen? Maybe… It's going to be weird if I end up that size, some of the tunnels won't even be large enough to contain me…
Eh, I'll worry about that when it happens. After a very welcome and overdue period of torpor, I rouse the gang and we head out once more. I need experience, which means we need to find as many higher tier monsters as we possibly can, and I can remember one such creature that we'd found who managed to escape my grasp. That's right, it's that darn mama spider! I hadn't wanted to pursue her into her cave of death last time, but I'm confident now that we can handle anything she can throw at us! The time for the domination of the eight legged to be complete is nigh! Down with the arachnid! Gweheheheh!
Thanks to my tunnel map, I know exactly where that tunnel is located and we make our way there slowly, having to fight every step of the way. Rather than dive into the expanse, we skirt around the edges until we locate the point I think is closest to the spider's lair from the outside. Of course I'm going to dig through! Can you imagine fighting all over those webs during a wave?! No thanks! Once I have a rough idea I use my mana sense and get some help from Crinis to try and guide my efforts as I start digging down to where the lair is.
Submerging myself within the ant zen, the time passes swiftly and before I know it, I can sense the looming mana of the spider boss somewhere in front.
[Alright team, time to put the plan into action. You know what to do?]
[Yessssss.]
[Yes, Master!]
[HRAAA!]
[Good. Get ready!]
I reach within, all of my minds working in concert on the task of bringing forth the dark purple mana that sits next to my core. More and more energy is extracted as I utilise my skills to compact it until the most deadly spell I know has been formed. The Gravity Bomb is taking shape! Naturally, we retreat further back down the tunnel to a safe distance as I form the spell and though I don't think it'll do much good, I do my best to mask the mana I condense. The spider will probably work out that we're coming, but if all goes according to plan, it won't be able to escape. For several long minutes I rush the mana down until the bomb is prepared and I prepare to fire it.
[Fire in the hole!]
So saying, I unleash the slowly rotating sphere of nigh on black mana. The moment it impacts the end of my narrow tunnel, it expands to its full size and the horrifying pull makes itself known. Rock, earth and cobwebs fly into the singularity constantly, being crushed and smashed into pieces. Despite being able to see the destruction take place, there's no sound other than the howling wind, as if what happened in the sphere occurred in another universe. We wait out the spell in grim silence until it flickers and vanishes, leaving behind rubble and a ball of extremely dense detritus.
[Go! Get in there!] I shout and immediately dash!
Tiny and Invidia are right behind me, with Crinis riding along on my shell. I can see through the section of tunnel we blasted open that a dense nest of webs is woven on the other side. At least, it was dense, after the bomb a huge section has been reduced to nothing, dragged in and obliterated by the spell.
[Invidia!]
The demon doesn't reply but immediately lets fly with his magic.
BOOM! BOOM!
A chain of explosions rock the tunnel ahead, blasting at the walls of the tunnel the spider has made her home. The webs are strong, super strong, to the point where a huge amount of effort is needed to destroy them. The rock that they rest on, however, is just plain old rock.
BOOM! BOOM!
Sections of tunnel wall collapse with a thunderous roar, dragging down the web attached to them and making a mess of what was only moments ago a spider paradise. That's right spider, all that you love shall be turned to ash! This is your punishment for the sin of too many legs! After a minute of blasting away at her nest and blocking the exit, the spider mama has had enough. With a deafening screech, her bulbous form rockets out of the depths of her nest and into our waiting arms.
A deathly chill of poison spreads out from abdomen as she appears, tainting the air and causing the micro hairs on my antennae to shrivel the moment she draws close. I knew this monster would have some tricks up her sleeve, let's see if it's enough to save her!