Chapter 100: Into the Spire
Percy’s adventure hit a roadblock sooner than expected.
Upon stepping inside the massive stem, the buzz in his head grew a dozen times louder, eliciting a visceral response from his host. Jolted awake from its stupor, the bug fought for control over its body. Driven purely by instinct, it quickly turned and stumbled back out, only calming once the headache subsided to a bearable level.
‘What’s going on?!’
Unwilling to retreat so easily, Percy steeled himself before entering the Spire again, more prepared this time. The bug really didn’t want to be there, but the clone resisted as much as he could, determined to press onward.
Venturing further, he noticed the tunnel expanded after a few more steps, making it a little less cramped. Contrary to his expectations, it was quite bright in there, the flesh of the fungus glowing more vividly than the cap outside, giving the walls of the living cavern an otherworldly appearance. The air was thick with shimmering motes too – three or four times denser than on the surface.
‘I suppose that makes sense. What we get is just whatever leaks out of the mushrooms.’
Sadly, his host soon rebelled again, pulling him towards the exit. Reluctantly, Percy let it have its way this time. He couldn’t afford to push too hard, lest he got evicted.
‘How are the others able to remain there?’
Though his stay had been brief, Percy had glimpsed a couple more Starry Workers – the same class as his host – grazing comfortably inside the mushroom, basking in the mana-rich environment. The rumours that the hive’s interior was teeming with wasps appeared true. More importantly, the rest of the creatures showed no sign of suffering from his host’s ailment.