As I came to my senses, I realised that I was in the lair of a giant tarantula. The air was musty and damp, and the ground was covered in a thick layer of cobwebs. The light was dim, but I could make out the walls of the lair, which were made of rough-hewn rock, and the ceiling was high, disappearing into shadows.

As I looked around, I could see that the lair was filled with all sorts of strange and exotic items. There were piles of glittering jewels, stacks of gold coins, and various trinkets and treasures that the tarantula had collected over the years. The walls were adorned with strange markings, and I couldn’t help but wonder what they could mean.

The tarantula was nowhere to be found, so it was probably out hunting for more prey. I at last realised that the quantity of sol was what made these limbos unique. The local flora and wildlife have adapted to it, making them distinct from those found on Earth. The outcome of that was the tarantula.

It had intelligence and cunning that were almost human-like. I realised that this tarantula had been waiting for me and for others like me who would be attracted to the entrance of the next realm.

I was unable to escape as I was enclosed in a web-like covering. I managed to settle my thoughts and activate Zen. I had space to manoeuvre because I could stretch the encasing, but I was unable to rip it open. Only my face was exposed, so it was likely attempting to keep me alive and healthy until it could eat me. I made an effort to look around me for anything useful. I abruptly heard the noise of footsteps.

As the figure entered the room, I could see that he was around the same height as me but was a well-built man. His hair was jet-black and tied back in a ponytail; his eyes were a rare hue of violet, and they seemed to gleam in the dim light. He was carrying a dagger, and it was clear that he knew how to use it. He was wearing casual clothing—a tunic and pants made of rough-spun cloth—and boots made of leather. He looked Asian.

As he approached, he looked at me with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. He didn’t say anything, but I could tell that he was evaluating me, trying to decide if I was a threat or not. As the figure approached, I felt a sense of unease. Without warning, he jumped into the air with the dagger in his hand. I didn’t have time to react, and I could only watch as he moved with swift movements.

His fingers moved with the finest accuracy as his dagger severed the casing that held me captive. It was as if he were in a Zen-like state, completely focused and in control of his actions. In a matter of seconds, my encasing was free, and I fell to the ground.

"You have my gratitude," I said as I bowed in respect.

He responded with a sense of urgency, "Thank me later; we have to get out of here first." I was taken aback by his response; his tone was not that of a confident hero but more uncertain, as if he was not sure of the outcome of our escape. I looked around to see some of the tarantula’s possessions.

They served no purpose to me, but I found a weapon hidden beneath them. They were two small swords that resembled one another and may have been designed to be used together. They were just a little bigger than a dagger and had curved edges. They had a vertical leather handle in the shape of a vertical ring, like a Ferris wheel. They lacked a hilt. I passed my hand inside the ring and grabbed its curving bottom to pick up one of the swords. My hold had to tighten up before it rotated downward. The unique handle was apparently designed to increase the weapon's rotational flexibility.

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In case I needed them, I also picked up some jewelry. The man wasted no time and started walking. I followed. We chatted while looking for a way out of the tarantula’s den.

"I was also stranded here by that thing, just like you. I was fortunate that he did not notice my concealed knife, which I kept under my garments in case of emergencies. Using my enhanced state and my knife, I could tear through the encasing while it was away. I then started to look for a way out and found you. I am Keiichi Miura, but you can call me Kei." The man spoke. He had a very thin voice.

"I am Wallace Garret, and you can call me Wall. Kei, how did you find a knife when weapons vanish when we enter limbo?" I asked out of curiosity.

"While I was navigating this realm, I came across the corpse of a Venturer. He had presumably descended to the following few realms and obtained it there. Some of them, according to what I’ve heard, are inhabited. There are people who are native to limbo, and they resemble humans. They have built villages and cities as well. They are called ‘Dwellers’."

"Given the abundance of therapeutic herbs and unusual animals that can be discovered here and exchanged for practical goods from dwellers, the man was presumably looking for something. The spider most likely obtained its loot from these types of individuals as well," he answered.

I answered, "I see." We conversed while moving quickly, and I learned that he was a black ticket. Black tickets were all talented individuals, I knew, as the typical person could not survive in the Amazon rainforest alone for months.

It didn’t escape me that the lair resembled a tiny maze as we made our way out of it. I instantly became aware that it would be easy to become lost in the tunnels’ twists and turns and several branches.

As we continued to move, we came upon a room with more captive individuals that was similar to the one I was in. I activated Zen and leaped in the air, taking hold of my new weapons. I loosened my grip a bit, and my weapons rotated, making swift strikes in the encasing and freeing the trapped individuals. Kei followed, and all of them were free. I noticed that they were the Chinese people who entered limbo with me.

They were unconscious and pale. Before I could examine them, I could hear someone approaching us due to my enhanced senses. Kei also noticed.

"Trap them back, hear you! Humans, mine! Eat now!" The tarantula’s voices were a succession of guttural growls and grunts.

These guys must have been trapped before the spider simply left the room, but it must have heard us and returned. I yelled to Kei, "We have no choice but to fight back; the road is limited ahead, and it would be difficult to get beyond its enormous structure."

Kei said with a worried "Alright" in his voice. I began to worry since I needed some time to regain my zen. The spider moved swiftly in our direction. It raised a leg, stepped at me, and stomped. Rolling to one side, I heard a screech coming from it as I got to my feet. I had managed to divert it long enough for Kei to slash off one of his legs.

Kei could stay in an enhanced state for three minutes, I recalled. He had told me that he had picked it up on his own as he made his way through this world. What a gift! The spider realised his mistake and turned half of his eyes towards Kei. It was learning from its mistakes.

Then it jumped into the air and landed close to the unconscious Venturers, passing us. I and Kei moved backward to avoid them, as it then let loose structures that resembled bullets and were made of a sticky substance from its back. They landed past us, causing the wall behind us to crumble.

I could see its legs trampling on the motionless Venturers as we retreated, tearing open their abdomens and picking them up like fruits on a chopstick. I widened my eyes as their bodies got thinner and thinner. Using its legs, the tarantula began sucking out its vital energy. They quickly lost all muscle mass, became pale, and I could not even see blood in them. Afterward, they were separated from the tarantula’s legs.

As I watched the tarantula, I couldn’t help but be amazed by its abilities. I had seen it regenerate its amputated leg, and it was a truly incredible sight. My heart skipped a beat as I watched the leg grow back before my eyes.

The tarantula’s grey tint quickly faded to black, and its eyes turned a deep crimson color. It was as if the tarantula had undergone a transformation, becoming something even more dangerous and powerful than before.

I sighed and said, "This is going to be a little difficult."