'Well fuck.'

That was all that went through my head as I came down from my adrenaline high. Not having much of a choice I took out the map to check it over. The tunnel that the Huntsman was in led to a room with no exits. I tilted my head back and forth before I made up my mind and dashed to what I was thinking was a spider den.

I moved slowly enough to recover my Stamina. I kept trying to slip into meditation but felt it slip away each time. I turned and focused on the hallway as I inched along. I kept waiting to see webs but no matter how long I headed down the hallway no webs appeared.

My Danger Sense started to tingle as I approached the entrance to the room. Looking through the entrance I couldn't see any signs of the spiders however, my vision was blocked by several trees. I checked on my Health and Stamina now that I was within spitting distance of the entrance.

Health 63/100 Stamina 100/100 Mana 170/170

It wasn't ideal but the other option was to backtrack and try to meditate for who knows how long. I slipped my pack off, setting it just outside the entrance before I went to move into the room. My Danger Sense went off like a klaxon freezing me in place with my front paw still raised.

Slowly I pulled the limb back as my heart started to thunder in my chest. At least one of the other Huntsman spiders was hanging out around the entrance for something to enter. I sat up and gently drummed my fingers against my hip.

I had the barest hit of a plan but it would be risky. I took another hard look at the scene before me but no matter how I looked nothing changed. I took a deep breath, readying myself. I trickled mana into my front left paw just enough to activate my oldest spell. Next, I poured the forty mana into my mouth holding it there before pushing Charge hard.

I shot through the entrance flying ten feet into the room. I rammed my paw into the ground and swung my body one hundred and eighty degrees. Flames roared out splashing over the chamber's wall and washing over the four huntsmen that were waiting in ambush.

One spider dropped right away as the other three writhed in pain. They broke apart scurrying away in different directions. I followed the largest spider as it crawled onto the ceiling keeping my flames on it until the spell splattered out. I darted my gaze around getting off a quick Analyze on the three that were still standing.

Gigas Terra Venator Aranea level 1

Gigas Venator Aranea level 5

Gigas Venator Aranea level 5

I reached into my inventory pulling my greatsword free as I readied myself. The largest spider shot down toward me. I moved forward and swung my sword up catching the spider in its thorax. I twisted with the swing bringing the spider smashing down hard onto the ground.

I could barely hear what sounded like an egg cracking before Danger Sense shouted at me. I jumped to my left just in time to dodge a leg aimed at my head. I stepped back towards the strike as I twisted around swinging at whatever was in range.

My blade hacked into two legs as the spider scurried away. I propped my sword onto my shoulder as I carefully turned trying to spot where the next attack would be coming from. I caught a subtle brown glow just before an earthen spike out from the largest spider. I jumped left before using Charge.

I raised my blade high and leapt into the air as my Charge ran out. I came down hard, blade fist onto the overgrown arachnid splitting its head in two. I twisted and heaved the blade up and out of the spider's face just in time to have Danger Sense shout a warning moments before two legs swiped at me.

I went bouncing back towards the entrance as my blade flew off to the side. I growled as I hopped back to my feet. My mana flowed like water filling my claws as I tracked the last two spiders only to get warned about an attack from behind.

I dropped to the ground and rolled to my right before popping up and facing the third attacker. The smallest spider was still alive. It looked crippled but was still very much a threat. I rushed forward ducking under its jabbing limbs and lunged up at its face.

My claws dug into its cracked carapace, ripping it apart and coating me in its ichor. I leaned back before slamming my claws deep into its face, dropping the spider for good. I rolled up onto its back and turned back, my eyes darting around to find the two mostly intact spiders.

A movement to my right had my head snap in that direction. One of the spiders was trying to sneak over to him by crawling on the wall. I pushed ten mana into my Flame Breath spell tracking the spider as it tried to evade.

The spider cried out in pain as its kin rushed towards me from the opposite direction. I jumped toward the flaming spider at the first scuff from behind narrowly dodging a leg sweeping toward my back.

I pushed my body for all it was worth, my paws pounding the ground. I rushed the spider in front. It dropped to the ground and rolled around in pain putting the fire out. I reached the burnt thing just as it was getting up.

I slammed claws extended into its cracked and burned face. My paws sunk up to my elbows before my moment died along with the Huntsman. I jumped up, placing my hind paws between its fangs, and pushed off, freeing myself just in time to have the last spider slam its leg down onto my chest, pinning me in place.

I reached up gripping its leg, my claws cutting through its chitin. I took the leg with me as I rolled to the left dodging its lunging bite. My claws flashed out, driving into its underbelly and detaching its abdomen. I darted out from under it taking an errant blow to my back as ichor sprayed out like water from a burst pipe.

I kept my distance from the dying spider watching as it got slower and slower before it and the flow of ichor finally stopped. I sighed heavily looking around the room for anything else that wanted to surprise me.

Finding nothing I made my way to where my sword was sticking halfway into a bush and pulled it free. I checked over the edge wincing as it had become blunter than a two-by-four. I pushed the blade into my inventory hoping to either find a replacement or a way to re-sharpen it. My next stop was the cave entrance.

I checked over the makeshift backpack wincing as it was singed from my first spell. I gently pulled on the straps sighing in relief as the bag held up to the light abuse. I carried my pack with me as I went about looting each spider making sure each one was down for good.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

I looted two pieces of chitin, three more bundles of silk threads, and a Beast Core from the big spider. The chitin looked to come from their abdomen by how they were curved slightly. I absorbed the Beast Core right away giddy at the thought of having its projectile spell.

Congratulations, Basic Greatsword has leveled up. +1 to Strength

Congratulations, Dodge has leveled up. +1 to Agility

Congratulations, Natural Weapons has leveled up. +1 to Strength

Congratulations you have defeated a level 1 Gigas Terra Venator Aranea. Increased EXP has been awarded for defeating a higher-tiered opponent.

Congratulations you have defeated a level 2 Gigas Venator Aranea. EXP has been awarded for defeating an opponent.

Congratulations you have defeated a level 5 Gigas Venator Aranea. EXP has been awarded for defeating an opponent.

Congratulations you have defeated a level 5 Gigas Venator Aranea. EXP has been awarded for defeating an opponent.

Goal updated: Huntsmen defeated 5/5 rewards increased upon completion of the main goal.

Congratulations you have learned the Ability: Armored Skin.

Armored Skin:

Gain slight physical damage reduction per level and a chance to reduce the severity of the damage type. *Note: only a % of damage will have its severity reduced based on ability level. the damage scale is: generic-> slashing, piercing, bludgeoning-> severing, impaling, crushing*

With my notifications taken care of, I took the time to search through the room. The only thing I found of interest was a small pond I used to clean up and felt a bit more human. Knowing that I'd have to be here for a while I gathered up some firewood and dug a pit to put it in. Once the pit was deep enough and had a spot I could fan to add more air I filled it with the wood I gathered and placed one of the chitin pieces over it checking over my handiwork.

I nodded to myself before lighting the wood with my Flame Breath. I took out a bit of boar meat and my salt rock. I lightly dragged a claw against the rock sprinkling salt over both sides of the pork chop. I had to wait until the chitin was hot, checking it by tossing droplets of water from the pond onto it. Once the droplets boiled away on contact I pressed the fat deposit to my makeshift pan rendering it down to coat the cooking surface. Wishing I had some bacon I ignored the heat and lay the pork chop down frying it in its own fat.

I fanned the fire as I waited five minutes per side knowing that I could handle it being under or overdone. I took the chitin away from the fire burning my paws slightly before I set it on the dirt pile I made digging the firepit. I dug into my under-seasoned meal, happy that I at least had salt. Now done with eating I took my pan to the pond, rinsing it out and cleaning it the best I could by rubbing small rocks against its surface.

Having done everything I wanted to do I filled back in the firepit to put out the fire. I then put away the chitin I used to cook on and sat down to meditate. I lost track of time as I watched the motes of light fill first the green and then the blue pool relatively quickly. The pool of red was only about a fourth full when I started so it was no surprise that it took so long to fill.

I opened my eyes after the last mote fell into the crimson pool. I stretched yawning softly after I got out of the dungeon, I'd have to find somewhere safe for the night. I slipped back on my pack and headed to the last room.

I moved slowly to the last room, my eyes darting back and forth looking for any traps or enemies. My caution turned out to be unwarranted. I looked around the entrance not spotting anything so I kept my pack on as I slipped into the room and moved from one piece of cover to the next searching the room for an opponent.

I was about to give up on finding the enemy in the room when I froze. I was only watching the ground. Both the boar and spiders could attack from above. Slowly I moved my gaze higher until I was able to scan the ceiling. I let out a sigh of relief as the sky was clear.

I reached back and pulled out my map looking it over. I was in the right room and if I was right it should just have an exit door, hall, or whatever it was at the back of the room. I tossed it back into my pack and went back to slowly making my way through the room.

Well, I had found both the exit and the last rider. A goblin sat tall on his jet-black mount right in front of the exit portal. The rider was larger than the others and wore a coat of plates instead of the leather of the others. I started to drool slightly when thinking about the loot I'd get from this mob.

There wasn't a way for me to sneak up so I'd either have to be ready to dodge or take their charge head-on. I bounced lightly before I rushed forward pumping my mana into my front claws and teeth.

As soon as the rider saw me he kicked his mount's sides and aimed right for me. I pushed my body hard before using Charge as soon as they were in range. My body blurred before I slammed claws first into the giant rabbit's head. A line of pain was cut into my back from where the rider was able to score a glancing blow.

I moved to my right away from the rider's weapon before I slammed my left hand through the dazed rabbit's large eye punching into its brain and ripping it free as a shield slammed into my face and chest throwing me into a tree.

I pulled myself away from the tree snarling as I locked eyes with the rider. The goblin got off his dead mount and pulled out a long curved blade tossing away his shield. My eye twitched as I stared at the blade with envy. I moved up and pulled my own blade free from my inventory after dropping my pack next to the tree that so lovingly caught me.

We circled each other tossing out light cuts to test each other. I was often on the losing end of these tests. I watched the Goblin's shoulders as I gave ground with each exchange. Slowly I started to get his rhythm down and match him strike for strike. I took a cut here or there using my high Agility, Dexterity, and Danger Sense to mitigate most of the damage while returning each cut I took for one of my own.

I winced as I failed to dodge completely and took a bad cut to my hind leg forcing me to stay in place. I grunted as I tried something different. When our blades next met instead of going into another cut I forced his blade out to the side and let go of the grip with my right hand.

My hand flashed out as I used another Charge to close the distance and grabbed the goblin by his collar while he was off-balance. I dropped my sword completely, my left hand grabbing the goblin's arm and stopping it from stabbing me. I leaned up and bit through the leather protection and into its throat. My mana-infused teeth took a fist-size chunk out of its neck.

We fell back as the goblin started to slam its free fist into my wounded leg. I howled in pain before my right hand slashed across what was left of the goblin's throat, freeing its head from his shoulders. I panted heavily flopping onto my stomach as I let the notification fill my vision.

Congratulations, Armored Skin has leveled up. +1 to Constitution.

Congratulations, Basic Greatsword has leveled up[×2]. +2 to Strength.

Congratulations, Charge has leveled up. +1 to Strength.

Congratulations, Danger Sense has leveled up. +1 to Wisdom.

Congratulations, Pain Resistance has leveled up. +1 to Constitution.

Congratulations you have defeated a level 3 Giant Leporem Corniger. Increased EXP has been awarded for defeating a higher-tiered opponent.

Congratulations you have defeated a level 4 Goblin Rider. Increased EXP has been awarded for defeating a higher-tiered opponent.

Congratulations, your ascension is ready. Please find a safe place to ascend to a higher-tier.