Chapter 4: Descent into the Web
The morning sun filtered through the dense forest canopy, casting dappled patterns on the forest floor. Haruto awoke, stretching his arms with a yawn. His body felt lighter, more energized than before. As he stood, still groggy, he reached out to move a small piece of wood obstructing his path.
CRACK!
To his astonishment, the moment his fingers brushed against it, the wood shot forward, embedding itself into a nearby tree with considerable force.
Haruto blinked, staring at his hand in disbelief.
"I'm... pretty strong, huh?" he muttered, flexing his fingers as if to confirm the newfound strength.
Shaking off his surprise, he made his way to the river. Kneeling at the edge, he dipped his hand into the cool water and, with a swift motion, caught a fish. Pausing, he smiled to himself.
"Why am I catching fish with my hands?" he chuckled.
Stepping back from the riverbank, he pondered.
"Using light magic on water could disrupt the ecosystem... Overheating or distorting the water might lead to oxygen depletion or thermal shock, both of which would harm the fish."
Nodding to himself, he decided on a different approach. Focusing his magic, he extended his hand toward the water.
A sharp bolt of lightning crackled from his fingertips—
ZAAAP!
The water flashed briefly, and within moments, several fish floated to the surface, stunned. Haruto grinned, pleased with his controlled use of magic.
"Perfect."
He gathered a few fish and returned to the cave. After starting a fire, he cooked and ate them, feeling revitalized.
Standing at the entrance, gazing out over the forest, he sighed.
"Guess it's about time I leave."
Taking one last look at the cave, he murmured, "Thanks for the shelter." Without hesitation, he turned and walked toward the cliffside.
Reaching the edge, he took a deep breath and commanded.
"Azara, activate Flight."
Azara's voice responded smoothly.
"Response: Activating [Flight]. Wings manifest from the user's back, or magical levitation stabilizes the user in the air, depending on preference. Flight is now available for use."
Haruto opted for levitation.
FWOOOSH!
The moment he lifted off the ground, a sharp boom echoed through the air as he accelerated. The sound barrier shattered, leaving a brief ripple in the sky.
He soared over the vast forest canopy, the wind rushing past him. From above, he finally saw the expanse of the land—
It was immense.
As he surveyed the landscape, something caught his eye.
A glowing white tree stood in the distance, its luminescent branches resembling a spider's web. Haruto slowed, descending toward the ground. As he landed near the tree, he murmured.
"It really does look like a web..."
Before he could take another step, the ground beneath him gave way.
CRACK!
The earth collapsed, pulling him down into the abyss below.
"Tch—Flight!"
He instinctively tried to levitate, but—
Nothing.
It was as if something was actively nullifying his ability. He had no time to think as he plummeted further, the wind rushing past his ears.
Reacting quickly, he thrust his hands forward.
"Ice Magic!"
A thick sheet of ice formed beneath him, softening his landing as he slid down a smooth icy slope instead of crashing to the bottom.
As soon as he was safely on the ground, a powerful pressure descended upon him—
His breath hitched.
His body froze.
A terrifying aura filled the air, suffocating and oppressive. Haruto's eyes widened.
"What... the hell is this?"
He struggled to breathe, his heart pounding. Forcing himself to look up, his pupils contracted at the sight before him—
A massive spider stood ahead, its white, armor-like skin gleaming under the dim underground light. Six glowing red eyes fixed on him with predatory hunger, its fangs twitching in anticipation.
Haruto opened his mouth to speak—
But before he could react—
CRACK!
A sudden impact slammed into his chest, sending him flying backward.
His body crashed into the stone wall behind him, creating a massive crater upon impact. The entire cave shook from the force.
Dust and debris rained down.
Haruto's head spun as he coughed, slowly extricating himself from the rubble.
Surprisingly, he wasn't injured.
Clenching his fists, his mind raced.
"I... I didn't even see the attack coming."
His expression hardened as he locked eyes with the monstrous spider.
This wasn't just a wild beast.
This was a predator.
And it was hunting him.
The massive spider's deep, resonant voice echoed through the chamber.
"Attack my children..."
With a swift movement, the spider closed the distance, and its brood of smaller spiders scuttled forward, surrounding Haruto. From his perspective, they moved slowly, as if time itself had slowed.
"They're so slow," he mused. "I guess it was the size that hit me."
In an instant, Haruto moved with fluid grace, his ice sword flashing as he decapitated the smaller spiders with precise strikes. As he fought, he thought to himself, "If I hadn't killed another monster after the white dragon, I'd be in big trouble."
Just as he was about to strike another spider, a web shot out, ensnaring his sword. The spider that had attacked him was unlike the others.
Azara's voice chimed in.
"Response: Analyzing target…"
[Species] – Arachne Monarch
[Classification] – High-Rank Arachnid Monster (Mythical Evolution)
[Threat Level] – Catastrophic
[Description] – A rare and nearly extinct evolution of the arachnid species. Possesses humanoid intelligence and monstrous strength. Capable of controlling vast spider colonies through royal pheromones. Its silk is more durable than steel, and its venom distorts reality. Combat is strongly discouraged unless overwhelming force is available.
[Weaknesses] – Light-based magic, purification abilities, overconfidence.
"End of analysis. Proceed with caution."
Before Haruto could react, the Arachne Monarch appeared behind him, delivering a powerful punch. Instinctively, he conjured an ice shield, but the force shattered it upon impact. Reappearing behind the creature, Haruto delivered a swift kick, sending it crashing into the wall.
Observing the larger spider, Haruto noted, "Maybe that spider isn't an attacker."
He raised his hand toward the massive spider, and fireballs materialized behind him. Closing his hand, he sent them hurtling toward the creature. However, the Arachne Monarch intervened, slapping the fireballs away with ease.
Haruto smirked, realizing, "Guess I'm right."
The Arachne Monarch's expression darkened as she addressed him.
"Bastard!"
She lunged, throwing a punch that Haruto barely managed to dodge. The ensuing battle was intense, with the Arachne Monarch's speed and strength posing significant challenges. Haruto's blows seemed ineffective against its dense exoskeleton, and the creature's retaliatory strikes sent him flying into the air.
Barely had time to react, the massive spider lunged again, its six crimson eyes glowing with predatory hunger. He twisted his body, narrowly dodging a strike from one of its razor-sharp legs. The limb slammed into the stone wall behind him, cracking it on impact.
"Fast."
Haruto dropped low, using his leg to sweep through the dirt—only for the Arachne Monarch to leap, avoiding the trip. Anticipating its move, he shot up, driving his fist toward its exposed abdomen. His knuckles connected, sending a sharp shockwave through the air.
But the creature barely flinched. Instead, one of its smaller limbs lashed out, striking him across the chest. The force sent him skidding backward, his boots digging into the ground.
"Its body is too dense—blunt force won't work."
The spider screeched, then lunged again, its two front limbs stabbing downward. Haruto sidestepped, his footwork precise, and countered with a rising palm strike to its head. The impact jerked the Arachne Monarch's skull upward, disorienting it for a split second. That was all he needed.
He shifted forward, twisting his waist as he drove his elbow straight into the creature's joint. A sickening crack echoed as the limb buckled slightly—but not enough.
The Monarch shrieked in fury, its other legs moving in a blur. One struck Haruto's side, another slammed against his shoulder, and before he could reposition, a third shot forward, aiming to impale him.
Haruto's instincts flared.
With a sudden burst of motion, he twisted his torso, barely avoiding the piercing limb. His fingers wrapped around the incoming leg, muscles tensing. Then, with a sharp exhale, he yanked. The entire beast lurched forward, off balance.
Now!
Haruto surged forward, his knee smashing into its face, followed by a spinning kick that sent the creature staggering. But before he could press the advantage, the Monarch shrieked—its smaller spiders swarming toward him.
Haruto clicked his tongue.
"Tch. Guess it's time to stop holding back."
Haruto created another ice sword, and this time, he infused it with lightning. The moment the Arachne Monarch surged toward him, he swung his fused sword, striking her mid-lunge.
The sword's fusion of lightning and ice crackled as it hit, and the Arachne Monarch tried to break through the attack. However, the moment the sword made contact, the lightning discharged directly into her body. But the lightning didn't burn her—it froze her nerves instead.
The Arachne Monarch froze, unable to move. With her body locked in paralysis, she tried to speak.
"What the hell is that sword?"
Haruto's voice was calm, his expression focused.
"This isn't just an ordinary ice sword. Normally, lightning and ice don't mix—lightning generates heat, which should melt the ice. But I've forced the lightning to fuse inside the ice itself, not just coat the surface. The ice is stronger, denser, and acts like a prison, trapping the lightning inside instead of letting it run wild."
"Because of that, the lightning doesn't behave normally. It's been completely suppressed by the ice, but it's still active. The moment this blade strikes, the energy inside reacts—freezing and electrocuting the target at the same time. The cold makes things brittle, and the electricity shatters them instantly."
The Arachne Monarch struggled, but her paralysis kept her in place. With a swift wave of the sword, Haruto froze the remaining large spider that had tried to attack him. A gust of wind swept through the cave, and the large spider's frozen body shattered into dust.
Haruto stood there, looking at the dust.
"Huh... well, that was unexpected."
A calm voice from Azara chimed in.
"New abilities obtained:"
➤ [Silk Regeneration]
➤ [Spider's Sixth Sense (Predator's Instinct)]
➤ [Royal Pheromones]
➤ [Web Shield]
➤ [Venomous Strike]
➤ [Spider's Agility]
➤ [Arachnid Communication]
➤ [Web Mastery]
Haruto glanced at the Arachne Monarch, raising his sword to deliver the final blow. But just as he prepared to strike, Azara's voice interrupted.
"Notification: The Spider King has been defeated. Control over its spider colony has been nullified. Remaining spiders are now without leadership and will act independently."
Haruto looked at the fallen Arachne Monarch.
"So that was the King," he muttered, gazing at her. She lay still, waiting for her end.
However, before the final blow could be struck, Haruto hesitated. With a flick of his wrist, he removed the ice and electricity surrounding the Monarch's body, allowing her to collapse to the ground, helpless but alive.
The remaining spiders hesitated, unsure of what to do now that their leader was incapacitated.