Without hesitation, I decided to molt immediately, spending a total of 5 biomass to molt and harden instantly. I could immediately feel the change in my exoskeleton and my body as I went from 6 inches to 12.
[Strength 17 -> 22]
[Defense 9 -> 11]
As for the rest of the biomass I had available, I was deciding what to do with it. I didn't want to molt again since it would bring me to 24 inches in size. I wanted to be big enough to fight off certain predators, not to attract more powerful ones.
In short, I wanted my size to match my strength. For now, I wanted to enjoy being invisible, and at 12 inches, this was manageable. Now this meant I had 14 biomass left to spend. Looking through the evolutions I had available, I decided to spend 10 biomass to get a stronger exoskeleton.
This time, it opened up a whole list of different exoskeletons to choose from.
-Exoskeleton Evolution-
[Fungal Spores: A relatively soft exoskeleton covered in fungal spores.
Benefit: The fungi will grow rapidly if the shell is injured. The shell can release clouds of paralyzing spores. The exoskeleton can also self-heal if damaged without needing to molt.]
[Obsidian: A jagged exoskeleton made from volcanic glass plates that shimmer with a dark, oil-like appearance.
Benefit: The razor-sharp edges can slice through prey. This exoskeleton also features obsidian spikes on the back of the carapace that can pierce foes who attack from above. Provides resistance against acid and heat.]
[Bone: A white, calcified exoskeleton made from bone.
Benefit: Though heavy, this skeleton provides great defense against crushing attacks. Most predators will have a hard time piercing through it and breaking it.]
[Floral Exoskeleton: This exoskeleton features overlapping segments that resemble rose petals. The roses are soft and can be easily burned or pierced.
Benefit: This exoskeleton helps in camouflage, allowing the user to hide among plants and trees. This exoskeleton is also capable of photosynthesis, allowing the user to absorb biomass directly from sunlight.]
Reading through my list of options, I found the choice extremely difficult. Each exoskeleton had its own purpose. The spores could affect the status of any prey or predator I encountered, plus it had the ability to heal.
Still, when it came to defense, it seemed lacking in many departments. If I was fighting against the bird with this exoskeleton, then I would be crushed instantly. The same went for the floral exoskeleton.
Though the ability to gain biomass from photosynthesis was incredible. I could farm biomass even when I was not in Vesperia. But alas, its defense was terrible. The point of an exoskeleton was to defend the body; that was why a centipede needed it in the first place since the rest of their body was soft.
I'm sure many would trade this defense for biomass, but their greed would ultimately lead to their downfall. An exoskeleton's job is to protect, not to photosynthesize. Insects like centipedes developed them after hundreds of years of evolution. Without a proper exoskeleton, I was practically a glass cannon.
Being cautious by nature, this exoskeleton almost felt like a trap. If this exoskeleton had the ability to photosynthesize, then I was almost certain that there were other evolution paths available to me that could do the same. Ones that didn't trade my defenses. I just needed to find the correct path.
I had to choose carefully, since once an evolution path was set, there was no going back. I would still be able to evolve my exoskeleton further, but the evolutions available would be based on the path I chose.
Excluding those two, I was left with the bone exoskeleton and the obsidian exoskeleton. Both offered great opportunities for defense. But the bone skeleton seemed to focus solely on toughness, while the obsidian offered a diverse defense mechanism.
It wasn't only an exoskeleton, but it could also be used as a weapon. With spikes on my back, I wouldn't have to worry about being stepped on or attacked from above, and for a small insect like me, that was extremely important.
Not to mention, it gave me strong resistance against fire and acid.
Taking all this into consideration, the choice was made.
[10 biomass spent on obsidian-based exoskeleton!]
[Defense 11 -> 23]
[Speed 3 -> 5]
As a result, my overall defense more than doubled and since this exoskeleton was lighter than my previous one, my speed also increased.
Immediately, my exoskeleton changed to match the one I chose. The obsidian almost looked like glass. The color resembled that of oil as it reflected my surroundings. The edges were jagged and sharp, while the top of the carapace had small spikes running along my back.
pic*
If a human reached out to grab me, then their hand would be immediately sliced or stabbed by the exoskeleton.
The next evolution I wanted to make was to my legs. Now that I had a strong defense, I needed speed so I could attack fast.
If I didn't disorient the crow with my venom first, then I wouldn't have been able to keep up with its speed.
-Evolutions-
[Legs: 2 biomass to boost the explosive power and flexibility of each individual leg by 25%]
Without hesitation, I made the purchase.
[2 biomass has been spent to boost the explosive power and flexibility of each individual leg by 25%]
[Speed 5 -> 10]
Now I was left with only 2 biomass, which I decided to save for the time being. For now, I turned my attention to the skill points I had available. Since I was focusing on speed, I decided to put my skill point into 'Serpentine Evasion.'
[This skill requires 1 skill point to level up. Do you wish to level up this skill?][Y/N]
[Serpentine Evasion has been leveled up to level 2.
Description: Passive boost to movement speed when moving in a zigzag pattern. Speed increases by 20%.]
With that, I still had 1 skill point left. After looking through the skills I currently had, I chose the one that I thought would be more beneficial.
[Divided Consciousness has been leveled up to level 2!
Description: Allows you to split consciousness in order to carry out different tasks at once. At level 2, user has 3 consciousnesses.]
I already decided how I would use the third consciousness. This consciousness would specialize solely in activating my skills, using them whenever necessary. While the second consciousness focused on movements, like dodging attacks and evading dangerous predators.
The first consciousness would be used for strategy and also to interpret my surroundings by focusing my senses. Since my antennae and legs were vital in scanning the environment, the first consciousness would be the one to focus on this.
Looking at the changes done to my body, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction and excitement.
I then turned my gaze to the dead crow's remains.
I had a plan on how I would use it to catch even more prey…