The swarm of Lesser Taratects piled onto him, their tiny fangs gnawing at his armor and skin, their threads wrapping around his limbs, tightening with each second. The weight of hundreds of bodies pressed him down, suffocating him, blocking out the dim glow of the dungeon's eerie fungi.
Yet, amidst the chaos, he didn't panic.
This wasn't a battle of brute strength anymore—it was a battle of endurance, intelligence, and precise execution.
"Calm down. Think. You can't brute force this."
His muscles tensed, but he forced himself to lie still, letting his HP drain slowly. His breath came out shallow, almost nonexistent under the crushing weight of hundreds of legs pressing down. The air grew thick, suffocating, filled with the putrid stench of venom and rotting silk. His ribs ached from the pressure, his vision flickering at the edges.
If he wasted energy struggling without a clear plan, he'd tire himself out before even reaching the Great Taratects.
The notification dot on his status screen blinked. He opened it.
[Skill Window]
Stealth – Lv 8 (Cooldown: 15 sec)
Double Dash – Lv 5 (Cooldown: 12 sec)
Air Kick – Lv 5 (Cooldown: 20 sec)
Phantom Stride – Lv 1 (Cooldown: 40 sec)
He immediately checked Phantom Stride's description:
> [Phantom Stride] – A rare skill that turns the user ethereal for 2 seconds, allowing them to pass through non-magical solid surfaces.
His lips curled into a smirk.
"This is it. This is how I turn the tables."
The Taratects kept biting, but he didn't retaliate yet. Instead, he checked his stats.
[Stat Window]
Level: 16 (Previous: 8)
HP: 663/1030 (Draining)
Stamina: 389/740
Strength: 135 → 140
Agility: 125 → 130
Perception: 85 → 90
Intellect: 130 → 135
Dexterity: 80 → 85
Vitality: 95 → 105
Endurance: 120 → 125
Luck: 22
His HP was dropping steadily now, tiny cuts accumulating. Every second buried beneath the swarm was another step toward death.
He allocated 40 points, feeling his body subtly adjust to the new stats.
Then, another notification appeared.
[Weapon Window]
Nethrite Dagger – Proficiency Lv 30
Weapon Skill: [DecSlash – Lv 5]
Allows user to strike 10 times in 1 second.
Cooldown: 10 seconds.
His eyes widened.
> "10 attacks per second?!"
His plan shifted immediately.
"I won't just escape. I'll turn this battlefield into a slaughterhouse."
The counter attack was beginning!
He let the Taratects cover him completely, waiting for the perfect moment.
"Three… Two… One—Now!"
[Phantom Stride Activated!]
The world blurred.
For two seconds, his body became weightless, an ethereal shadow. The hundreds of Taratects on top of him passed right through him as he passed through the mountain of spiders, emerging directly behind enemy lines.
The Lesser Taratects froze.
Their tiny, twitching legs hesitated, unable to comprehend how their prey had vanished.
But before they could react—
[DecSlash!]
His Nethrite Dagger blurred in the dim light.
The first Lesser Taratect barely turned its multiple eyes toward him before—
SLASH!
Its legs detached from its body, its torso ripped open, spilling sickly green ichor.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
The second, third, and fourth fell in an instant, their exoskeletons split open like ripe fruit.
The Great Taratects watching from the darkness screeched a command, trying to warn their lesser kin—but it was too late.
He vanished into the shadows.
Then—
A Great Taratect's abdomen bisected, its body twitching violently before collapsing.
[Great Taratect Killed – 1/10]
Another Great Taratect turned toward the attack, its eight legs shifting rapidly, trying to track him—
SLASH!
A precise cut severed two of its legs, sending it collapsing to the ground, screeching in pain.
[Great Taratect Killed – 2/10]
Another stealth dash—another kill.
[Great Taratect Killed – 3/10]
The remaining Lesser Taratects froze.
Their instincts screamed that something was wrong.
Their numbers had meant everything, but suddenly, the enemy wasn't something they could swarm anymore. He was now going for their superiors.
The Great Taratects, usually the commanders, hesitated for the first time.
That hesitation…
was all he needed.
The remaining Lesser Taratects lunged, attempting to swarm him again—
But he wasn't there.
Instead, he had already leapt high into the air, his dagger vanishing into his inventory to free his hand, the only one he had.
Then, with all his strength, he slammed his fist into the ground.
BOOM!
A shockwave rippled outward. The ground cracked beneath the impact, sending Lesser Taratects flying in all directions. Some were crushed instantly beneath the collapsing terrain.
The Great Taratects screeched in unison, now fully aware:
This was no longer their hunt.
They were the prey.
He stood amidst the battlefield, breathing heavily.
His HP was draining, his stamina dipping, but his mind was sharper than ever.
The Lesser Taratects had lost their will to fight.
But the Great Taratects?
They weren't done yet.
Their bodies trembled, their legs twitching in unison, and they were now ready to directly engage with him.
For the first time, they weren't sending their minions.
They were coming themselves.
The true fight was about to begin.