Behind such formidable combat power lay an enormous energy expenditure. Due to the Ironclad Octopus's strength, mutating one cost far more resources than constructing a Zerg Destroyer. Mutating a single Ironclad Octopus required a full 1,000,000 units of Tier 1 Energy and 100,000 units of Tier 2 Energy!
The Zerg Hive's advancement also brought second-tier forms for the Blade-Arm Mutalisk and Healing Aphid!
The second-tier Blade-Arm Mutalisk began to be covered in scales. These scales somewhat resembled dragon scales. While they did not grant the Blade-Arm Mutalisk any special defensive abilities, their protection greatly enhanced its defense. Beyond its outward changes, the Blade-Arm Mutalisk gained two new abilities. The first was Rapid Wurm Fire. A second-tier Blade-Arm Mutalisk could fire six Glaive Wurms in a single second. Whether those wurms were fired separately or linked head-to-tail depended on the specific battle situation. The second was Charged Attack! After charging for three seconds, a second-tier Blade-Arm Mutalisk could spew out a smaller but far more aggressive Glaive Wurm. This wurm would exceed the normal attack power of a Glaive Wurm and inflict massive damage!
The Healing Aphid's advancement was even more gratifying. Second-tier Healing Aphids likewise gained two new abilities. First, Sustained Healing. Before battle, consuming one unit of Healing Aphids allowed them to reside inside the body as parasites. Once the target was injured, a certain number of Healing Aphids would split off to treat the wounds. If the injuries were fully healed and some remained, they would continue staying within the target's body! This automatic repair mode, much like an energy shield, would become increasingly important in future battles. The outcome of high-level battles was often decided in a single second, leaving no time to consume Healing Aphids. With their sustained healing, there was no need to be distracted