{Dynamis POV}

After leaving the chamber, and the two unborn nymphs in it... we walked behind the creature the first entered with. Diverting my eyes from the being that could easily overpower the 8 of us together, I glanced at the first. He looked exactly like us just bigger, a testament to his ability as he was the first and I instinctively knew I could not beat him despite my natural strength.

He appeared much more composed and I could see in his eyes although he was not mentally present, his mental considerations were on a much more complicated level than any of us could manage.

I also noticed at some point while we were walking a faint sense of the danger he gave me increase, albeit I was unable to determine by how much as he was already almost at the top of the list beings that my natural instincts deemed fatal; only under the being called Grubby, the only other member...

I inwardly admired him for his constant pursuit of greater power as we continued along the tunnel. It wasn’t long after though that I had to make revisions to my danger list. Although the size of the rock before me was awe-inspiring what really caught my eye were the two creatures on the left and right of it.

They looked like a distant relative of Grubby, with bodies a few times larger they housed massive heads with mandibles that were bigger than our bodies. The pure intimidation and the numbing feeling of danger they radiated broke down the pitiful alertness I didn’t even realize I still held.

In front of such beings, I realized I could feel no other emotion but admiration, and as I watched them move the impossibly large rock, that feeling only multiplied. After that, they came before us and funneled over a sentiment that was hopeful, inspiring, and proud; but I felt that there was more than just emotion in what they were transmitting, trying my hardest to understand what they were saying and when I felt I was almost able to understand, something popped up in front of me.

*DING*

has leveled up! (Lvl 4 > Lvl 5)

Due to attaining max Lvl, it will undergo evolution

*DING*

has evolved into

With that notification, I felt something change and shift into place inside my mind and body, and I was able to understand the latter half of what they were saying,

“...do your best not only to get power on the same level as us but to get even greater power. A power that you can use to protect the colony!!”

With those words came a burning sensation that I felt spread throughout me and a selfish desire, and instinctively felt I was able to express the emotion. So I did just that, in a rough voice full of conviction saying, “I be strong like that one day”

{Crete POV}

Dispatching the last of the grubs, I peered around the room to see if the others were okay. Amore, who was right next to me was still, and I assumed she was making changes to her *Status*. Amara, Althaia, and Aretha were laying down on the ground drained of stamina next to Vito and Dynamis who were slightly less exhausted, while Meneo was gathering all the parts of the grubs that weren’t eaten and pushed them into the corner furthest away from our “Rest room”.

The circular indent, or the “Rest room”, in the wall was the only part of the chamber that was lit, so we decided to make it a temporary home; where we would take breaks in between hunting or socialize with one another. Pleased with the progress my little group was making as all of them had leveled up at least twice, I cast my gaze to my own notifications.

*DING*

has leveled up! (Lvl 1 > Lvl 2)

*DING*

has leveld up! (Lvl 1 > Lvl 2)

*DING*

has leveled up! (Lvl 1 > Lvl 3)

*DING*

has leveled up! (Lvl 1 > Lvl 2)

*DING*

has leveled up! (Lvl 3 > Lvl 4)

*DING*

*Gained 84 experience*

**Congratulations you have leveled up**

**Congratulations you have leveled up**

Quite pleased with the increase of levels of my active skills I wondered what was used for, is that why I always felt so hungry? Not lingering on the thought for too long I used my undistributed points and enjoyed the sensation of myself getting stronger.

Name: Crete

Species: Cleial Isopteran (Nymph)

Gender: Male

Level: 2 > 4

Health Points: 25/25 > 40/40

Stamina Points: 45/45 > 4/85

Mana Points: 0/0

Spirit Energy: 7/7 > 12/12

Strength: 3 > 6

Endurance: 2 > 6

Agility: 4 > 6

Vitality: 3 > 6

Intelligence: 11

Luck: 4

Spirit: 5 > 6

Perception: 6 > 7

Will: 10> 11

Undistributed Stat Points: 15 > 0

Experience Points: 5/20 > 29/80

Skills:

(Active)

Desperate Chomp- Lvl 1

Masticate- Lvl 1 > 2

Inspect- Lvl 2

Sprint- Lvl 1 > 2

Sneak- Lvl 1 > 2

(Passive)

Strong Body- Lvl 3

Pheromone Language- Lvl 1 > 3

Compound Eyes- Lvl 2

Hyper Metabolism- Lvl 3 > 4

Titles: N/A

Achievements:

First of the clutch (15 % faster experience gain)

Leader of the clutch (5% faster experience gain) Limit: 7/7

I experimented a little this time with the undistributed stats to see if increasing any of my secondary stats would have an effect on anything. I increased all of them except Luck and the only change noticeable in my *Status* was that one point in spirit increased my “Spirit Energy” by 3 instead of the usual 1 when I level up.

I wondered whether those stats had any effect at all, but I could feel that within 7 inches of me I was able to recognize and respond to anything much faster than should be possible. The effect of perception I mused, I most likely had a range of 6 inches before but I wasn’t able to tell until I experienced a notable change.

Unable to understand how will, spirit energy, or luck affected me I stopped thinking about them and along with my partner, Amore, I made my way over to the Rest room. The triplets, Althaia, Amara and Aretha were already on their way over with Dynamis and Vito falling close behind and Meneo was heading over in his oh-so-steady trot.

We spent some more time speaking to one another and I told them about the effect of secondary stats as it seemed they all systematically ignored them. I was inwardly amused at the fact that they so desperately craved power that they neglected fully understanding their capabilities, and restricted their paths of growth.

My amusement was short however as my body reminded me of its current state and my desperate need of rest to regain my stamina. Ensuring that there would always be at least one nymph awake to notify the rest in case of any danger, I felt my mind relaxing and all the tension of my earlier confrontations slipping away as I lulled into a peaceful torpor.

{Meneo POV}

As I watched the 1st slip into unconsciousness to recover his stamina, I felt inwardly pleased that at least he didn’t completely surpass me in that area. I suppressed the feeling quickly though, as I remembered how easily he skewered and ripped those grubs to shreds. I then observed my *Status* using the information the 1st gave us, impatient to improve my capabilities along with notifications that came up since my first kill.

*DING*

has leveled up! (Lvl 3> Lvl 5)

Due to attaining max Lvl, it will undergo evolution

*DING*

has evolved into

*DING*

has leveled up! ( Lvl 2 > Lvl 4)

*DING*

Skill has been created

*DING*

has leveled up! ( Lvl 1 > Lvl 2)

*DING*

*Gained 48 experience*

**Congratulations you have leveled up**

**Congratulations you have leveled up**

**Congratulations you have leveled up**

Name: Meneo

Species: Cleial Isopteran (Nymph)

Gender: Male

Level: 0 > 3

Health Points: 10/10 > 25/25

Stamina Points: 45/45 > 41/85

Mana Points: 0/0

Spirit Energy: 3/3

Strength: 1 > 3

Endurance: 3 > 7

Agility: 1 > 3

Vitality: 1 > 4

Intelligence: 6

Luck: 2

Spirit: 3

Perception: 3 > 4

Will: 7

Undistributed Stat Points: 12 > 0

Experience Points: 0/5 > 13/40

Skills:

(Active)

Chomp- Lvl 2 > 4

Inspect- Lvl 1

Sprint- Lvl 1 > 2

(Passive)

Strong Body- Lvl 1

Pheromone Language- Lvl 1

Compound Eyes- Lvl 2

Hyper Metabolism- Lvl 2

Titles: N/A

Achievements:

Member of the clutch (5% faster experience gain)

Listening to the instructions of the 1st, I tried improving the area I was best in but increasing my vitality so I wouldn’t easily die. I also invested a point into perception and didn’t really see any big difference in my field of perception like the 1st claimed, so I was mildly disappointed.

However, I didn’t let it get me down because if he said it was important it definitely was. I set about keeping all the others safe while they rested by keeping a lookout with a renewed vigor. It was a job definitely none could perform better than me because I was tireless and with that power came great responsibility. At least that was what the 1st told us when he went on one of his unintelligible rants...