The pursuit of entertainment through physical activity is a well known phenomenon starting from a young age where children play with balls and sticks. But as people grow older, the thrills of safe and restrictive activities may not be appealing enough, which leads them to seeking out more… extreme activities fraught with danger. These “extreme sports” take many forms, from climbing and jumping off of tall structures to moving through hazardous terrain at incredible speeds. The threat and danger remain constantly high no matter the activity.

The conception of extreme sports was brought forth by martial types, soldiers and adventurers, who wanted a greater thrill than their professional life could bring. Their Classes and Skills were already suited for surviving dangerous scenarios, which made them the ideal pioneers for the movement. However they weren’t so ideal for the long-term. The smart adventurer knows not to risk their life unnecessarily, so these first extreme sportsmen often met fatalities, usually in their professional life rather than in the sports.

So what about now? Who continues in their stead?

As the movement has become more established, people are beginning to gain Classes specific to it. [Bungee Jumper], [Jungle Bolt], [Hazard Firebrand]. All examples of classes belonging to the most well known extreme sportsmen of the Shostran Kingdom, and even the Vanara Kingdom to the West.

It’s quite interesting how a shift in societal views and ideals can affect the kinds of physical strengths a person gains. Kingdoms have tried to force such shifts to fit their goals, such as for war or industry, but it has always ultimately failed. Just like those who practice extreme sports, ruling bodies must respect and work alongside the environments that define them rather than try to control them.

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Time moved strangely according to Click. The spider recognized its linear nature, and knew it kept on moving no matter what anyone seemingly wanted. However, the way time was observed was what confounded them.

When Click would have benefited from a slower pace to better understand and respond to surprises, those very excitements, revelations, and dangers made time seemingly move fast. When every day followed the same predictable schedule, time felt like it was at a standstill.

It had been three days since the revelations about the Dungeon itself came to light; how it was influencing the growth and reproduction of its denizens, for better or worse. Hounds were being born as or growing into their full youth in seemingly no time at all. Some spider eggs were developing at a meteoric pace. Others were being actively drained of that same growth to feed the Dungeon.

At that point, time was a charging monster, faster than the swiftest [Dungeon Hound] or [Webslinger Spider] swinging from the height of the cave at terminal speeds.

Keyword “was.”

Now…

What are you doing? You should be working on the next silk rope whip! Click screamed the words through the use of their Skill at the [Webslinger Spider] presently crawling over the bottom of a stalactite.

The spider in question was holding onto a long strand of webbing that extended over to the next stalactite, and because Click’s words weren’t phrased as a command, it didn’t care. Instead, it simply jumped off.

Click was ready to close their eyes to avoid the inevitable splat when the falling spider would hit a wall or another stalactite, but instead, the spider went flying in a beautiful arc before the web snagged on the rocky ceiling spike. The daredevil arachnid began to spin around it, the silk strand wrapping itself around in a series of speedy circles.

Here it comes…

When the thread was halfway wrapped around the stalactite, the [Webslinger Spider] let go of the rope and flew in another parabola towards the cave wall. It shot another strand of webbing as it went flying, which found purchase on another bit of dripstone, pulling the spider into another circle.

Click finally had to look away. Not because of the carnage- there wasn’t any, but because they were starting to feel dizzy. When the lead spider finally looked back, they saw that the [Webslinger Spider] was safely lowering itself to the ground.

How are you not dead?!

And there was only one thing Click could do to answer that question.

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[Observation]

Skill

Level

Description

3D Move Sense

12

Instinctually understand where a moving object will go in 3D space. Take into account interaction with multiple objects.

Of all the stats and Skills Click was shown, this was the one that stood out. The Skill itself wasn’t new. It was something that every [Webslinger Spider] obtained as soon as they evolved into that particular form, and a staple to their method of movement and combat. However, Click had never seen the Skill at level twelve before, not to mention the second sentence in the description.

“Take into account interaction with multiple objects.” Huh…

Despite gaining the Anthropologist class and [Decipher Languages] Skill, Click wasn't shown any actual text that needed deciphering. Instead, they were provided with general meanings and sensations that reflected the aspects of the Skill like they always were.

It looks like the “other objects” are the stalactites and existing webs. I’ve seen [Webslinger Spiders] just aim at a target and throw webbing or jump down on a bungee, but not… that. I wonder how I can make a trap or a weapon out of it?

While Click pondered the idea, the [Webslinger Spider] walked over to the others and began waving its limbs at them. A moment later, they all abandoned the silken whip trap they were working on and scurried to the nearest stalagmite.

Maybe have them carry something heavy and throw it at high speeds? I did that against those intruders by having them carry [Bruiser Spiders] to drop onto them, but they’re all gone now. All but one of them died when they mated and laid eggs, and the last one evolved into…

Click looked over to Bored, who was jumping up and down as the hulking spider watched the others swing around. One of the [Webslinger Spiders] let go of their web and went flying towards the wall. It launched another web at a nearby stalactite, but it went wide as the spider went careening forward.

Idiot! You don’t even have the upgraded Skill yet! Couldn’t you have waited until you reached level ten and unlocked it before risking your life?! Click screamed to themselves before activating their other Skill. [Command Subordinates], anyone with the upgraded 3D Move Sense Skill, catch them!

The other spiders froze in place and looked amongst each other. All but the original daredevil that was, who jumped from their own stalactite with a bungee, and intercepted the falling spider. They caught the other one, and slowly lowered them to the ground.

Click looked at the other spiders with blank eyes and slightly open mandibles. Alright, that’s it. [Command Subordinates], no trying those stunts until you have the upgraded 3D Move Sense Skill. The lead spider turned around and slammed their mandibles together in a click. I can’t believe I have to tell you not to kill yourselves. How have we not all gone extinct yet?

Among those spiders on the receiving end of the command Skill, Bored was not one of them. The [Adult Alpha] slowly made their way towards the same stalactites as the others, once in a while looking at Click to make sure the leader hadn’t noticed, and shuffling their lumbering form ever closer to all the fun.

Bored… Click sent the word through their Skill, but didn’t bother to attach a command to it.

Bored jumped, but then looked towards their leader to see that they weren’t even looking their way. Bored hesitantly took one more step.

[Command Subordinates]. Click didn’t even attach a message this time.

It took another five seconds for the [Adult Alpha] to droop its mandibles and turn around.

The lead spider let out a sigh. Honestly, they felt a little bad about ruining everyone’s fun like that, especially Bored, who would likely never be able to do anything as extreme as that. But surviving in the long run was more important than a little fun today.

Click had accepted this truth long ago, and it had guided them to where they were now. However, there was a caveat to this when it came to the other spiders.

Another [Webslinger Spider] made the jump and missed their webbing, forcing the original daredevil to catch them.

That’s right, [Command Subordinates] can’t compete against natural instinct for long. Maybe flying around like, well, a fly is what this type of spider is naturally inclined to do?

Another spider went flying, missed their web, and had to be caught again. The catch was particularly close this time, with the two spiders being barely an inch away from the floor by the time they slowed down enough.

[Command Subordinates]. Click called out to the spiders again. If we get today’s quota of silk rope traps done, you can spend the rest of the day practicing [3D Move Sense] until you get the upgrade. Then you can perform all of those stunts.

The spiders considered Click’s words carefully this time, especially since it wasn’t a command. But this time, they nodded to themselves and settled for lighter stunts that they could pull off.

There, just appeal to their existing instincts, Click thought. [Command Subordinates], I said you could do that if you finish today’s quota! Get down here and start weaving!

The other spiders let their mandibles droop, but came down anyway. It was a command, after all.