Robin thought about silence very hard, and tried to think it at Opal. That was probably why she hopped down so fast. He was facing the center of the room now, towards the hole. He couldn’t see over the cabinet door. He glanced upwards, and not seeing anything, decided to peek around the cabinet door. He immediately jerked his head back, accidentally biting his tongue as he suppressed his scream.

There was another one. It looked like the same kind of spider that previous one had been - a male Regal Jumping Spider. They were normally the size of a pea, but this one, similar to the last, was a mix of black and white hair the size of a mini fridge. Huh, it’s a little smaller… I can do this! It wasn’t fully in the room yet. The spider had been peeking through the hole, scuttling in a circle around the hole to look at the entire room. He didn’t think it had spotted him.

Robin exhaled, slowly, feeling the thump of his heart pounding driving out the breath. Secrets known only to anxious people and elite military units. Inhale and then go! Robin began inhaling slowly and peeked back around the corner.

It was still on the ceiling, out of the hole and staring directly at him. It had all six small back legs tucked underneath it and the forelegs held tightly against its abdomen. Robin tensed. You are going to die. The same move probably won’t work twice. You’re lucky it worked the first time. I need to try something new… Brilliant, think of a strategy mid-fight. I can do this. I can do this. Who do you think you are, Solar Savior Silver? I can do this, I can do this, I can do this! You’re not even Argento-kun. I CAN DO THIS.

Robin used Relay Reaction on his fear. Resis Fear wasn’t cutting it at the moment, so this would have to do. He stepped forward, hissing. He had seen tarantulas do it several times. It had been surprisingly intimidating from a six-inch legspan spider in a terrarium. He figured it was likely the larger ones would do something similar. The spider leapt directly at him, though he wasn’t sure if it was the movement or the noise that triggered the jumping spider to… well, jump. Robin grinned. Exactly like the last one. This should be good.

He focused his willpower on the art, and swung the machete upward like he was drawing a sword from a scabbard on his hip.

“SHINING SWIPE!”

The line of silver energy was slightly wider than it had been the first time, but it was still on the verge of invisibility. The spider saw the thread regardless and attempted to alter trajectory midair, suddenly extending all eight legs outward. Robin saw the spider start to spin away from the string, but it had launched itself with too much power. It hit the string, and was cut deeply down the abdomen, the string dissipating seconds after the spider had come to a complete stop. Robin felt a moment of absolute joy. It worked! Heh. Bugs are predictable.

The spider hissed at him, a bizarrely upsetting sound. Yes! I knew it! It scrabbled at the floor, attempting to reach him, or to flee, Robin couldn’t tell. It was you or me, fella. I probably fed you before… all this. Robin watched it die, feeling worse the longer it took. Right as he decided to use the machete to put the spider out of its misery, it finally died, the legs curling up. Robin turned away. No reason to watch it do the weird burning thing; might as well finishing clearing out the cabinet. He reached out to grab a bottle, and then remembered that he had other notifications he hadn’t had a chance to read. His inner turmoil started to fade. Didn’t it say something about a class?

This was exciting! A class meant he might actually get to be a wizard! Maybe he would even… Robin dropped the potion. It shattered at his feet with a sharp crack like a vacuum being broken. The glass tinkled over the stone around him, carried by a green liquid that was quickly becoming yellow.

Robin dropped to his knees, his palms flat on the ground. A spider is going to eat you alive! He cut his palm in several places on the shards. Spiders don’t kill the prey first! The potion was flowing over his hands. Loser! Die already! It was almost entirely yellow now. A spider is going to be here any second! It was warmer than the stone. Just stay down and die. The glass hurt. Only you would think this actually hurts. It was still imbedded in his palm. Good, it’ll make it faster. There was so much glass and blood. Aw, does baby need a burping? His vomit was mixing with the glass, blood, and the yellow liquid. Time to give up, spider-shit! The mixture was warm on his face. Sleep...shit...sleep...

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

*****

Opal removed her focus from the bond she shared with her human as an overwhelming wave of fear abruptly washed his consciousness away. There was no reason to let it damage her mind, as well. She clung to the side of the cabinet door where she had leapt when Robin collapsed. She stared at her human, sleeping in a pile of liquid. His cuts seemed to have stopped bleeding, and the bundle of mental energy she associated with him seemed normal.

Enough of the human. She had watched him sleep enough for the day. There were large spiders nearby, but they were not very close ...yet. Opal was hungry. The human had not closed the door to the room behind him, so Opal moved into the hallway, dancing back and forth in place. She quickly snagged a grapefly and returned to the room with the unconscious human. This felt odd, but right. Moving with food is dangerous, but not being near the human was also dangerous. He could open doors, and she could see what needed to be seen; after all, she did have 3 more eyes than he did.

She settled in on the cabinet and began munching the still-struggling grapefly. This, at least, was completely normal.

*****

Robin knew where he was as soon as he woke up, the information hitting him like a dozen internet explorer windows opening up at the same time on an old library computer. There was a spider. I think I got it…? Oh Yoshi, why did I use Delay Reaction like that again? I already have Resist Fear! Robin pressed himself off the ground, almost dropping himself again as he pressed down on broken glass. Luckily, he didn’t cut himself. He had a new notification, but… better peek at the room first. Opal was swallowing the last of what looked like a wing. She looked… fat. Her thorax, or her butt, was extra large. That meant she must have been eating while he was out on the floor.

There weren’t any spiders in the room. Robin let out his breath. He had not realized he was holding it. Okay, should be safe to check those boxes.

You have gained a mutation. As this mutation was unguided, the mutation effects have been drawn from the local environment.

Your palms and the bottoms of your fingers have grown nigh-invisible hairs. These hairs may be used to cling to objects and surfaces. The effectiveness increases with STR.

Robin stared at the box.

I’m… Spider-Man?

Wait, I’m a mutant!? What does that mean!?

Robin shook his head, shaking away the idea of being a ...mutant. I’m still human.

The next box looked substantially more to his liking. This was the one he had been hoping for!

Congratulations! You have acquired your skill maximum, and now qualify for a class! Class possibilities are based on the type and rarity of your skills, your physical and mental attributes, and your prior actions. The new class is integrated completely with the holder and may not be removed via any means - this is a permanent choice! Classes will evolve over time, taking a direct influence from the actions of the holder, for good or ill.

Warrior

C Wizard U Scout C Farmer U Craftsmen R Blademaster E Bug Scout R Chitin Crafter R Eight-Legged Ranger E Rancher R Blue Entomage P

Robin stared at his class options. He focused on the “P” by the last option. A smaller box popped up that said “Primal.” Robin thought back to his previous experiments. Is the amount of information I get related to my INT, or maybe my Learning skill...?

Robin considered his classes for a moment, the quiet crunching of Opal finishing the wing and his own breathing the only noise in the room.

Okay, the last option seems like the best, right? It has the highest rarity, and it looks like it is a magic-using class. But… Ento. It will mean I am a mage based around bugs… do I really want to be that guy? He glanced at Opal, who was cleaning the prickly spines of her claw with her mouth.

Yes. Yes, he did.

You have become a Blue Entomage Level 1!

Blue Entomage A wielder of the arcane and and commander of all things that skitter and crawl, the Blue Entomage is a class not just of magic, but of physicality and command. You will begin to absorb fragments of traits, powers, spells, and other abilities from bugs you defeat. These fragments will combine on their own to form Class Powers, though at times this process may be guided. +1 BODY, +1 WILL, +2 SP per level, in addition to other bonuses.

He grinned, looking at Opal. She stared at him, cleaning her other claw. “I’m a blue entomage, Opal! I am a commander of all things that skitter and crawl!”

Opal continued cleaning her claw, unimpressed.