I Became a Hive Mind in the Game

Anyway. With the energy gathered like this, after much consideration, I decided to create and install a new facility.
Instead of a gene pool filled with Digestive Fluid (C) that can be used more diversely, a pit that will absorb nutrients from now on. It’s called the Digestive Gland.
It doesn’t have any special functions, it’s just a facility that only needs one function of the gene pool—the ability to absorb nutrients and genes.
As a result, it consumed less nutrients to produce this facility than I had expected, using only about 1/4 of the total.
And with the remaining nutrients after installing the facility, I was thinking of producing new monsters to become workers to expand this cave.
Basically, there are 5 types of monsters that can be produced, engraved in the genes. Among these, only one type is grade 9, the Hive Spider, two types are grade 8, and two types are grade 7, all specialized for combat, so I had to create a separate monster to expand the cave.
The base is, of course, the Hive Spider, which can be called a “soup unit”. Since it won’t be deployed for combat anyway, I made its abilities specialized in strength and vitality, and adjusted its skills only to related systems.
Out of the 50 traits and 50 skills engraved in the genes like the traits initially given when starting the game, I picked 3 traits and 2 skills.
For traits, I chose Underground Adaptation (E) which evolved from the Hive Spider’s adaptability, Tireless Stamina (D) for continuous work, and Transport Specialist (E) which can carry more mass of nutrients than ordinary individuals.
For skills, I assigned Mining (E) as it needs to dig the ground, and Sonic Detection (E) to secure vision underground.
In addition to this, I manipulated the body’s external form while equipping biological armaments. While increasing the overall size, I attached retractable hooks to the three pairs of legs to make it easier to cling to walls.
I equipped the front legs, which can be used like arms, with Bio-Drill (D) which was originally designed for attack, and then increased the muscle mass to withstand its vibration and impact.
Finally, after giving it the intuitive name of Hive Miner, a new monster was completed.

Hive Miner
Grade :: 9
Level :: 3
Abilities
Strength :: 20
Agility :: 10
Vitality :: 25
Intelligence :: 5
Resistance :: 5
Energy :: 5
Leadership :: 0
Traits
Monster Gene (E), Predator (E), Hive Mind (E), Subjugation (EX), Tireless Stamina (D), Underground Adaptation (E), Transport Specialist (E)
Skills
Mining (E), Sonic Detection (E)
Biological Armament
Bio-Drill (D)

It was the birth of a new monster specialized only for mining, created by consuming half of the energy we obtained this time.
And now it’s time to produce monsters with the remaining 1/4 of energy. The amount of energy is roughly enough for 80-90 grade 9 monsters, and after consideration, I decided on the following list of monsters to produce:
First is the Mining Team (tentative name). 50 Hive Miners to expand the cave from the inside, 2 Chief Brains to assist these Hive Miners and support the excavated ground until I can extend my tentacles, and one grade 7 Hive Commander to command all of this. I assigned these to the Mining Team.

Hive Commander
Grade :: 7
Level :: 3
Abilities

Strength :: 15
Agility :: 15
Vitality :: 15
Intelligence :: 25
Resistance :: 10
Energy :: 10
Leadership :: 25
Traits
Monster Gene (E), Predator (E), Hive Mind (E), Subjugation (EX), Commander (D), Close Combat Expert (D), Psychic Resistance (E)
Skills
Command (D), Detection (D), Charge (E)
Biological Armament
Hunter Claw (D)

On the other hand, for the Hunting Team (tentative name) that will operate outside, I reduced the numbers based on the lesson learned this time—that it’s better to search for corpses than to hunt—and instead mainly assigned grade 8 Hive Hunters.

Hive Hunter
Grade :: 8
Level :: 3
Abilities
Strength :: 10
Agility :: 20
Vitality :: 20
Intelligence :: 10
Resistance :: 10
Energy :: 15
Leadership :: 0
Traits
Monster Gene (E), Predator (E), Hive Mind (E), Subjugation (EX), Ambush Master (D), Pursuit Instinct (E), Shooting Expert (E)
Skills
Shooting (D), Bullet Production (E), Stealth (E)
Biological Armament
Exoskeleton Crossbow (E), Hunter Claw (E)

Hive Hunter. It’s a Hive Spider equipped with a biological crossbow formed by the transformation of the exoskeleton on its back. Although its close combat ability is lower, it instead has abilities close to a ‘hunter’ as its name suggests, such as stealth, ambush, and tracking.
Therefore, the Hunting Team (tentative name) consists of 12 of these monsters, 2 relay Chief Brains, and one Hive Commander to command the hunting team when I’m looking elsewhere.
‘…There’s still some left.’
And even after producing these monsters diligently, there was a bit of nutrients left.
While considering various options, such as whether to save the remaining nutrients or produce a few more Hive Miners for the mining team, a thought suddenly occurred to me.
‘…Ah, right. I almost forgot about this.’
It was that I—the Hive Mind’s main body—needed escort monsters for protection.

At first glance, it might seem strange why a top-tier psychic user who can virtually annihilate dozens of monsters alone would need escorts, but to put it simply, escort monsters are essential.
I can use the escorts as bait and then attack the enemy with psychic powers, or even if not for this purpose, having escort monsters to take the vanguard is good for me, who is typically in a rear position.
Therefore, after much consideration, I produced 6 grade 8 Heavy Hive Spiders using all the remaining energy.

Heavy Hive Spider
Grade :: 8
Level :: 1
Abilities
Strength :: 18
Agility :: 10
Vitality :: 18
Intelligence :: 10
Resistance :: 20
Energy :: 5
Leadership :: 0
Traits
Monster Gene (E), Predator (E), Hive Mind (E), Subjugation (EX), Exoskeleton (D), Regeneration (E), Psychic Resistance (E)
Skills
Hardening (D), Rapid Regeneration (E), Charge (E)
Biological Armament
Hunter Claw (D)

The Heavy Hive Spider, as the name suggests, is a higher species of the Hive Spider. It’s twice the size of a Hive Spider, and overall has more muscle mass and a sturdier exoskeleton, guaranteeing durability.
It’s also a kind of tanker-type monster with most of its abilities specialized in defense, and I expect it to show corresponding defensive power as it’s famous in the game for not dying in one hit despite being a mob.

※ ※ ※

Immediately after production was completed, as planned, I moved the Mining Team to where I wanted to expand the cave and sent the Hunting Team outside the cave.
And right after that, I activated the skill I had forgotten about but just remembered—Split Thinking (D)—to divide my consciousness into two.
[Split Thinking (D) is activated.]
Of course, this was for intervening in both sides, and the result of the activation was quite satisfactory to me.
‘Oh, it works.’
Right after activation, it felt a bit strange, like using a computer with one monitor divided into two areas, but after a little time passed and I got used to it, the split thinking was working pretty well.
Anyway, now that I could manage both sides, I took on the task of directly commanding both operations at once.
I’d like to leave it to the Hive Commander, but… it’s not possible yet. Mining work is dangerous and could cause the cave to collapse if done wrong, and hunting could reveal my existence to humans if there’s a slip-up.
Anyway, both operations were progressing smoothly.
First, in the case of mining, the Hive Miner carves the rock wall with its biological armament, then stuffs the rock powder into its stomach, and when its stomach is full, it jumps back into the Digestive Gland.
Since there are quite a few nutrients in the rock wall, if you digest one and produce another, there’s a little energy left, and gathering this energy to produce more Hive Miners is the basic mining process.
Oh, by the way, you might wonder how energy can exist in hardened bedrock, and the answer to that question is as follows:
To begin with, this entire nearby terrain was formed by the accumulation of nutrient-rich monster corpses, which rapidly sedimented.
Of course, there isn’t an enormous amount of energy because plants have grown, and monsters like me that can absorb energy are busy absorbing nutrients, but if you gather it, it’s enough to use.
Anyway, while other monsters are mining, the Chief Brain supports the excavated area with psychokinesis to prevent it from collapsing.
And if I can extend my tentacles to absorb energy from the area being supported, then ‘ta-da’, the cave expands.

=============
The protagonist’s current state is Hive Core.
I drew it in Paint.

[The image shows a simple drawing of the Hive Core, which appears as a large, oval-shaped organism with tentacles extending from its base. The core is colored orange-red, with a darker center, and the tentacles are depicted as wavy lines extending downward.]