"What?! We missed that spider?!" A deafening voice echoed, traveling through Shine and myself, who was still crawling for our life.

"Grey... that's.. that's a human! A.. level 8!"

"Don't worry, Shine. I'll protect you, no matter what." I tried to comfort the one I like on my back, as I increase our speed.

"Incredible! Hey, Astin.... Look at that spider! That spider just transforms into a snake!" A human, wearing bizzare clothing, just like how the human in the isekai world from the anime I watched before clothes themselves.

"Haroes, don't.. don't you think it might be the demon in our legend?" A terrified voice, opposite the other, asked trying to stop his comrade.

"Astin! What are you saying?! Do you believe that?! Just be a man and let's catch that. I'm sure we will get a large sum of money once those pet collectors see it."

"But... that spider just transform. No animals can do that! And that spider also killed a king cobra! Haroes, don't you think it's strange?! This world has no supernatural powers and the likes."

"Whatever! Astin, sometimes we might think of something strange because we didn't know they exist at the same time we were born. So don't just corrupt your mind with fear and let's just catch that money maker."

"O..okay."

"That's good. Just shoot the tail but don't kill it."

Haroes lead Astin, as the latter picks the rifle on his back, before targeting me. As I move quickly, Astin can't just know the exact spot where to shoot, as he was also running, disturbing his focus.

"Haroes... It's hard to shoot that snake. It moves quickly and in every direction, making it hard for me to shoot."

"Damn it! Just shoot! Shoot non-stop! Let's see if you still don't hit it!"

"But Haroes... you also know that we don't have many bullets! Bullets were as expensive as a house. We can't waste money."

"Astin, just do what I say! That snake will surely give us tons of gold centis, and with that, we can buy countless bullets and even have a house for our own."

"But Haroes... the possibility was low."

"Astin, do you want your child and wife to die from hunger?! This is our only chance! And besides, that bullets were never ours from the start, so that's fine! Just shoot it! Shoot it before it went out of the forest!"

"Oka--okay."

As Astin gave in, countless powerful shots of bullets snap out of the rifle, traveling at lightning speed in a straight line, hitting the ground randomly.

Such crazy action makes us terrified, as I can't let the bullets hit my body, since we will be caught in an instant if that happened. Although the human, Astin, shoots us randomly, there's still a gap in each time, making for me to be able to evade each shoot. And also, I have the system to help me.

'The host should move on the left.'

As I move to the left, the bullets brushed my scale and hit my previous spot.

'Warning! Black Warning: the host needs to jump! Jump as high as possible!'

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'What?! Jump?! But I don't have a foot! And we're still running!'

'Danger in 10... 9... 8..'

'Damn it! Damn this terrible luck! I hate it! Hate it!'

I cursed non-stop despite knowing the system hates it and tried all possible means to jump.

Crawling with speed momentum makes it hard for me to jump, not to mention the flexible body I have.

'7...6...'

'Ah!! System, can't you just help me?!'

'The system is unable to help the host. The system's task was just to guide the host, give the host their function, and notify the host of their achievements.'

'Damn it! How.. how could I possibly jump?!'

'5.. 4..'

Desperate, I tried to tense up my tail and tried to force it to make me jump, but my body was long, so as I tried, only half can be moved upside.

'2... 1..'

As I can't jump, I just move sideways.. in every direction with the possible speed I can force myself, but I didn't expect that a lined up bullets will shoot at the same time, unfortunately hitting the middle of my body.

'Ahhh!!!' A loud growl escape from my mouth, as a foreign object enter my scale, as hot as lava, trying to burn me inside while wanting to dig deeper.

An immeasurable pain struck my body, making me unable to withstand it as I stop on running and bent my body, restless.

Shine was thrown, but I can't seem to think of Shine at that time, because pain eats me.

Blood started to leak out from my body and my strength slowly faded.

"Woah! Hahahaha! As I said, you'll hit that snake! Good Job, Astin! You're the best!" Haroes, seeing how I stop and bent out of pain, joy filled his face, as he hugged his comrade.

"Yeah..."

Astin, who shot the bullets seem to feel sympathy for me and was as if really reluctant to shoot me. Sadness, pain, regrets, and blame shrouded his eyes, unable for someone to ascertain his true emotions.

"Grey! Grey!! What.. what happened to you?! Grey!" Shine, with shock and terror, asked me with trembling legs and teary eyes.

"Grey... you're hit! How.. how dare they do this?! Grey....!!! I'll kill them!!"

"No.. Shine.. please.. don't do this. Please... Just run. Just leave me alone. I'm their only target, so.. please save yourself."

"What?! Grey.. I won't do that! I.. I can't leave you alone!"

"Please.. Shine.. just go! Run away! Save yourself!"

"Grey! Don't be like this! I won't leave you!"

"Shine! Just run! Don't worry about me. I'll be fine, I promise! I will also find you someday.. just leave me alone!"

Shine, as she also knows that she can't defeat the two humans, and just suppressed the terrible anger that she's feeling, can't leave me alone and tried to lift me.

"Shine.. please... just leave me alone. I.. I don't want you.. to be captured as well. Please... don't waste my sacrifice."

"But.. Grey... I.. I can't forgive myself.. if.. you ever.."

"Shine.. I know I'm weak against despair, but because of you, I will fight it and live. I'll live.. Shine.. so please.. just run!"

"Grey..." Shine looked at me with tears in her eyes, and the anger brewing inside my heart seem to reach an unimaginable height. I don't want her to see me like this! To act like this! To cry!

"Then... Shine.. live for me. Live so you can avenge me.. so please run! Leave me alone."

"Grey... o--okay. I'll.. I'll live... so I can avenge you! I'll.. I'll promise that! So please.. live."

"I will.. Shine.. but please don't really live for me."

"Grey...."

"Just run!"

Shine, seeing how serious I am, despite myself trying to hide the sadness that drowning me inside, reluctantly left, hiding behind the bushes.

"Hahaha! This is incredible!" Haroes look at me, lifting my body while holding my neck, before trying to cover my wound.

"This.. this.. is bizarre, Haroes! How.. how can a spider have the body of a snake?!"

"Hahaha! A lot of pet collectors will really love it, Astin! We really hit the jackpot!"

"If.. if you say so."

Haroes, after capturing me, leave the forest with Astin, as they achieve their goal of finding creatures to sell at the auction.

'Warning! Indigo Warning: the host has been captured. All skills of the host and transformation will be put on delayed... concealing the existence of the system.'

'Damn you! It's.. it's all your fault! If.. if you just help..'

'Dark Warning: one more insult words, all chosen host's life will be ended at an instant.'

'What....! Fine!! It's my fault! Happy?!'

'Host, the system does not feel true emotions.'

As I look at Shine who's climbing the nearby tree with tears in my eight eyes, Shine also looks at me, trying to look out for me until I get out of her sight.

"Shine... I like you!!" I tried to shout as loud as I can, as I thought that it might be our last meeting before I accept my fate.

"Then... say it.. on my face!!" a barely audible shout echoed through the wind, reaching me, as I look at my behind, but trees just reflected in my eight eyes.

Tears flow faster, as something caressed my heart, and my determination to survive went up.