Chrysalis

Strong monsters are known to have an 'aura' of power that affects those who draw too close. This can begin to manifest quite early on, as the key element in determining the strength of such an aura is the disparity in strength between the one producing the effect and the one receiving it. Even tier three monsters have been observed being able to suppress and terrify tier one monsters through this aura alone.

However, such cases are rare, and minor in the grand scheme of things. When scaled up to apply to the more powerful monsters in the Dungeon, such as Mythic level creatures, the suppressive effects of aura become that much greater. Not to mention easier to notice.

At this stage, a monster is able to dominate its weaker competitors through sheer force of Will.

An interesting question is: What could be the source of this Aura? Despite all of my study and expertise, I do not know the answer. My main theory is that it comes down to strength of core, as so many things do when it comes to monsters, but this cannot be replicated in tests reliably. Usually, a monster with a stronger core will produce a more domineering aura than one with a weaker core, but not always.

With this aura, a monster can achieve many things, including forcing weaker creatures to submit to its will.

Though of course, such submission is impossible when a stronger will is already in place.

- Excerpt from the personal notes of Granin Lazus.

As the mana picks up, so do the demons. Their frenzied battling only grows more intense as even greater numbers begin to emerge from the caverns below. Including a few bigger beasties.

I want to go and engage these new, tastier targets, but something is holding me back. Well, it's not hard to work out what it is, the giant, swirling currents of mana overhead are giving me the heebie jeebies.

Wait… was that an eye?

For a moment, it felt like the patterns overhead took a shape, but just for a moment, before it swirled out of control again. That's even more terrifying than before!

[Invidia, are you seeing this?]

He's got even more sensitivity to mana than me, despite being an evolution down.

[I isssssss.]

[Any idea what the heck it is?]

The little demon's eye blazes with green light. Clearly whatever it is, he doesn't like it.

[It issss the Demon God. He whisssspersss to me.]

This guy again?

[Tell him to get stuffed,] I snort, indignant.

Where does this Ancient get off thinking he can order my loyal allies around from within their minds? Certified, grade-A, bum-head if you ask me.

[I sssshall.]

Good. At least there's one demon out there who isn't afraid to tell Arconidem what they think of him. Seriously though, what on Pangera is the demon doing?

Overhead, the mana swirls more and more aggressively, an ocean of power right above my head, coalescing into a storm of energy. The currents twist in and around themselves, and for one terrifying moment, I think the Ancient is casting a spell… from the centre of the Dungeon.

[How is this possible?] I ask Invidia. [You can't reach out and grab hold of energy hundreds, if not thousands of kilometres away from yourself!]

At least, I hope you can't. If it can be done, then I'm a hell of a lot further behind the Ancients than I thought.

[He issss working through the demonsssss,] the envy demon hisses. [Extending hissss Will through them.]

As in… some sort of reverse Vestibule? An organ or some kind of evolutionary benefit that pushes his Will into every demon-type monster? That's disgusting!

All at once, the energy snaps into place and I find myself staring up into the horrifying visage of the Demon God himself.

At least, that's who I assume it is. If not, there's a demon larva out there getting way too big for its boots.

Four eyes, wide, many-toothed mouth, all rendered in particular detail by the gathered mana in the air above. To my eyes, there is nothing to see, but to my mana sense, an Ancient is glaring down at me.

I glare back up at him.

Rrrright up until I feel an overwhelming presence slam into me. I reel as if hit by a truck, my minds going fuzzy, all of them, all at once. I snap my mandibles together savagely, forcing myself back to awareness, and dig my claws into the rock below.

"You got a problem? Come down here and catch these face hands!"

I'm not sure if the Demon God speaks pheromone, and luckily, I don't have to find out. By the time I get my bearings about me again, the apparition is gone.

The gathered power begins to disperse, thickening the mana around us. No longer in the presence of their patriarch, or whatever, the demons go back to their normal level of chaos, which is still a heck of a lot of chaos.

I'm just left wondering what that was all about.

Arconidem stuck his nose up here to take a peek? At what?! Maybe just inspecting the third stratum, which is basically his stomping ground, I suppose.

Not for long, buddy. The hostile takeover by the ant empire is well underway!

The ground in front of me erupts in a catastrophic explosion of lava and stone, revealing the massive, burning demon beneath.

Oh… snap!