After a few intense minutes of running, we all came to a stop, completely exhausted from the fierce battle and the long sprint. Aiden and his friends were utterly devastated, tears mixing with their fury. Aiden's screams were filled with pain and determination as he vowed to annihilate the creatures responsible for taking one of our own. Although I never particularly liked him, I couldn't help but empathize with his overwhelming anger and grief.

As we caught our breath, memories from my high school days flooded my mind when a dear friend fell victim to a brutal stabbing and robbery. The painful recollections left me seething with a burning desire for revenge. Now, at this moment, those same emotions surged within me—knowing that someone had lost their lives and all we could do was flee. It was frustrating and heartbreaking.

My heart raced with fury, but above all, I felt an overwhelming sense of disappointment in myself. "Shit, shit, shit, shit!!" Kero barked in frustration, mirroring my inner turmoil. "We were useless against that!.. That thing!" he continued, his voice tinged with anger and self-blame.

"Yeah, that was totally embarrassing," John chimed in, trying to find a silver lining. "But on the bright side, we are still alive."

Aiden shot him a distasteful look, unable to accept any consolation in the face of such a tragic loss. "Well... except for... well... let his soul rest in peace," John added, his voice faltering with grief.

Do you think this is a joke!! My friend died back there!!" Barked Aiden as he made his way to John. His fists were clenched, and his eyes burned with anger.

John, showing a carefree and nonchalant demeanor, remained unfazed by Aiden's anger. He shrugged, "I didn't mean it like that, Aiden. Just searching some tiny silver lining in this mess, you know?" His tone was light, almost as if he couldn't be bothered by the heaviness of the situation. While he understood the gravity of the loss, John had a way of trying to defuse tension with a touch of humor, even in the bleakest moments.

"Come on, this is no time for jokes, John. This is serious," Celestia interjected, her voice trembling with the weight of the situation. The loss of their friend had left them all grappling with a mix of emotions, and finding a way forward seemed like an insurmountable challenge.

I couldn't contain my frustration any longer, and it burst out in a loud yell, "What was all the training for these past months!" I vented my emotions by throwing a powerful punch at a nearby tree, leaving a deep dent. "Yes, we may have grown stronger, but... I still feel weak and defenseless," I confessed, my voice choked with raw emotion. The weight of the recent events and the inability to protect one of our own left me feeling utterly helpless, and it infuriated me to the core.

Analu stepped forward, her voice steady as she reassured me, "You're not weak, Rome. Get a hold of yourself. We need to regroup, gather more people, and come up with a plan.

However, Maria was highly reluctant, her voice dripping with a potent mix of distaste, fear, and disbelief. She exclaimed, "You can absolutely count me out of that plan. I mean, seriously? I didn't survive a world-changing event just to end up as spider food months later. Giant spiders? Are you kidding me? No way." Her words carried an unmistakable sense of horror at the thought, emphasizing her firm refusal to participate in such a perilous venture.

Analu countered, "But if we don't get rid of those creatures, they'll eventually reach the pub and the village!"

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Maria retorted, "I'll move, go to Rome's community then. We can all go, right, weirdo?" she asked me.

I stared at her, not responding verbally. She was scared, and I understand the frustration and level of panic.

But Analu was right, though—we needed to exterminate those creatures. They could be a threat not only to the pub, but also to our entire community if they continued to spread.

Mr. Swayden supported Analu's argument, emphasizing, "Those things need to be exterminated. If they multiply, imagine the sound of hundreds of them taking over our area. It could mean our extinction.

Emotions ran high among all of us—sadness, anger, fear, and a sense of defeat. We decided to head to Mr. Swayden's shop to recruit more members for our fight and to formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Aiden and his friends returned to the village to inform the others of the grim events that had unfolded.

Though we were all shaken and conflicted, a sense of determination took root in our hearts. We couldn't allow these creatures to spread further, endangering not only our lives but also the existence of our entire community. Together, we would stand and face this terrifying threat head-on.

Hey Aleisha, bring us something strong from the bar," Mr. Swayden instructed the lady at the counter with a casual wave of his hand, embodying a carefree attitude.

A few minutes later, Aleisha returned with a bottle of something called berry cane rum, made from fermented grapes and cane extract.

John was the first to grab a glass. He poured himself a generous measure of the rum and downed it in one smooth gulp, as if it were nothing more than a glass of water. His easy confidence was evident in his swift and unceremonious consumption.

Kero poured a more modest amount into his glass and took a cautious sip, his fiery temperament kept in check by his measured approach. His eyes widened in surprise, but he didn't reveal much emotion.

Celestia, in her characteristic calm manner, poured a moderate portion into her glass and took a measured sip. Her serene composure remained undisturbed as she savored the flavors.

I carefully examined the bottle, assessing its contents. He poured a precise amount into his glass, then methodically examined the drink's color and viscosity before taking a sip. I hadn't done this in ages, and I didn't regret it. The berry cane rum offered a tantalizing mix of sweetness and a subtle, pleasing sting, creating a unique and enjoyable flavor

We brainstormed for what seemed to be 2 hours, but it became clear that we needed over 20 skilled individuals with higher-level magic and combat abilities to take on the massive horde of spiders and whatever had produced that deafening cry. One of the more inventive ideas that emerged was using exploding seed pods

"We need volunteers to assist us with this fight." Said Celestia.

A few people in the pub were willing to join our cause, but we still needed more strong individuals to stand a chance against the formidable threat ahead.

"Do you believe a big one made that noise?" John asked, seeking my opinion as he sipped his liquor.

"It's likely a larger and stronger spider. The sound it emitted halted the pursuit of the smaller ones, indicating dominance and power," I explained.

"That makes perfect sense, Rome. By the way, I have the ability to scan monsters and assess their strength," Mr. Swayden shared.

He described how, when he scanned a monster, an oval-shaped pattern with nine layers appeared in his field of vision. The glowing layer indicated the monster's strength. According to his observations, most monsters had only one layer glowing, while a few had two. However, the spiders we faced had only the first layer glowing, suggesting they were relatively weak individually.

"These creatures maybe weak individually, but their sheer numbers give them an advantage," Sarah pointed out.

Curious about our own strength levels, I asked Mr. Swayden if he could use his scanning ability on us. He revealed that he had already done so and informed us that we were all at a similar level, demonstrating that my physical abilities complemented my lack of magical prowess.

Just then, Aiden returned, informing us that we should head back to the village to regroup with everyone, as they had formulated a plan of attack that required the collective effort and cooperation of all.

"Let's go back so we can be on our way to slaughter the virmins." Said Aiden with a calm yet sinister expression.

Surprisingly, this composed version of Aiden sounded intelligent and strategic. Perhaps there was more to him than met the eye, and he might prove to be a valuable ally in the battle to come.