Chapter 9—Rest and Upgrades

I had a moment of silence in the bone-strewn chamber. It wasn’t just the lack of immediate threat that allowed me this reprieve; it was also the realization of how much had changed in such a short time.

I was not the same as when I first awoke.

—Wave 1?

I was certain there were more waves of these undead things waiting to tear us apart. They would shred both me and the direwolf into tiny pieces. Yet the system hadn't yet lied.

I was alone.

The cavern was quiet, save for the distant dripping of water and the faint, rhythmic pulsing of my biomass.

The skeleton had shattered under the direwolf's final assault. Bones lay strewn across the floor, their once animate forms now nothing more than inanimate fragments.

—A name for her? Can't think of any names. She is the wolf that has served as both a home and a tool for me, however.

The mangled corpse, now bound to me, caught my attention. Her name came unbidden to my mind. “Luna. Your name shall be Luna.”

A shudder went through my connection with her. For a moment, her eyes glowed brighter, the black veins that connected me to her pulsating.

A faint voice echoed in my mind, a distant whisper that wasn’t there before. A voice that sounded like me. Like a reflection in the mirror.

"Master?" The word echoed in the back of my consciousness.

—I can hear her? She has a mind? Or is it me, talking to myself?

I didn't have time to contemplate further. I could feel the strain of my continued existence in the physical realm, a constant battle against the forces that sought to reclaim me for oblivion. Each moment was a struggle to keep my essence from dissipating like mist in the morning sun.

—To repair her, I need to use Flesh Assimilation; however, I lack both the energy and the necessary flesh.

I glanced at the shattered skeletons littering the cavern floor. An idea began to form, unbidden and macabre. Could I use the bones? They were dead, but they were a physical material, a resource. The thought sent a shiver through me, not entirely unpleasant. If I could assimilate the bones, break them down, and incorporate them into Luna’s flesh…

—But how?

I pondered, then turned inward. I needed a way to interact with the world, a method of manipulating my surroundings beyond just my mental commands.

Perhaps…

[Host HP: 1/40]

[Biomass: 1/12]

Yeah, Luna is in a terrible condition.

I have 6 stat points from the wave. What should I put them in? Intelligence? Strength?

The options swirled in my mind like a kaleidoscope. I considered each attribute carefully. Vitality seemed essential for survival, offering increased health and stamina, and perhaps a better ability to sustain my essence.

STR: 1 | AGI: 2 | VIT: 1 | INT: 4 | WIS: 4 | LCK: ?

Why was my luck hidden, though? What was the point of having an unknown stat? I could feel its presence, its weight, but not its value.

—Is there even a way to level up LCK?

I was so close to the bottom, I could see my reflection in it. And that meant, ironically, there was nowhere left to fall. I had nothing to lose by embracing my nature as a predator. No dignity left to protect.

Vitality, while important for immediate survival, wasn't the answer. I needed to think beyond the next fight, the next desperate scramble for existence.

— Wisdom or Intelligence.

They both offered tantalizing prospects. Wisdom promised more profound insights, a keener understanding of my surroundings, and possibly even a greater grasp on the mysteries of my existence. Intelligence, however, hinted at a quicker adaptation, an expanded mind that could weave strategies and devise solutions to the myriad problems I faced.

In a world where the odds were already stacked against me, where my enemies were many and my allies none, the ability to outthink and outmaneuver was perhaps more crucial than raw vitality.

—6 stat points. Intelligence.

Having made the decision, I directed the system to assign my hard-won stat points to Intelligence.

STR: 1 | AGI: 2 | VIT: 1 | INT: 10 | WIS: 4 | LCK: ?

A shiver raced down the length of my essence, like an electric current that ignited every particle of my being.

My consciousness expanded.

It was as if a veil had been lifted from my mind, granting me access to previously inaccessible planes of thought.

[Threshold Reached!]

Your Intelligence has exceeded natural larval limits. Your cognitive functions have expanded.

New Skill Unlocked:

Hive Management (Lv. 1)

This skill allows the user to oversee and manage multiple aspects of their Hive, from Thrall coordination and resource allocation to territory expansion. Effectiveness scales with skill level.

(Scales with INT—at higher levels, allows building hive infrastructure, long-range commands, and Thrall synergy evolutions)

The description of the Hive Management skill echoed in my mind.

It was the first ability that seemed to fit with the grandiose idea of being a "Hivemind."

I was not a parasite clinging to the underside of a larger being anymore. With Luna's evolution, I had taken a step closer to something else—something greater.

—The system said something about me evolving to another stage. Could this skill help?

As I contemplated the potential of my newfound power, a realization dawned on me. With this skill, I might be able to create a structure within the dungeon, a place of safety in the midst of this hostile world. A sanctuary that would not only provide shelter but also facilitate my growth and the development of my Thralls.

Excitement bubbled within my essence.

I was ready.

I turned to face the shattered remains of the skeletons scattered around me.

—Although there is no flesh, this is still organic matter. A lot of it. System, you’re quite the imbecile.

The first step in creating this sanctuary was rebuilding Luna. Not just her broken body, but also her shattered mind. I had to make her stronger and smarter. She needed to evolve.

But so did I.

My current form, while adapted for parasitic survival within a host, lacked the dexterity and physical presence necessary for direct manipulation of the environment. If I wanted to create a hive, I needed limbs. I needed a physical anchor in the world.

I was a larva. And it was time to shed my chrysalis and become something new.

There was still meat to devour within Luna. I was going to eat. And grow.