Tyrus increased his speed, afraid of every passing moment. The noise of his quick steps was blasting his ears, so he had to keep adjusting his cap to prevent it from being blown away. The pathway appeared to stretch on forever, with each step feeling like a weight pulling him down, as if he was walking through a sticky swamp.
After some time, Tyrus suddenly found himself in a colossal cavern illuminated by an eerie blue light from glowing crystals. The unusual illumination revealed the true nature of the place—a web-filled domain, intricately woven by an unseen architect of terror.
The webs stretched in all directions, forming intricate patterns that connected one pillar of rock to another, creating a network of tightrope walkways leading to many miniature nests. Wherever he looked, he saw webs of various sizes, some as small as a bed, others large enough to hold a red bison captive. As he squinted harder, his eyes fell upon countless cream-like eggs nestled within the webs.
"This is bad…"
Just what did he get himself into? Why would the witch send her student off to an area so close to a beast's nest? Was she not aware of the consequences if she were caught? Tyrus held a negative opinion of the branch leader, but he now understood that she was truly cold-hearted. She showed no concern for her student's well-being. He had a twinge of sympathy for the girl.
Rather than berating the branch leader, Tyrus moved forward. He steered clear of the spider-webbed spots on the floor. Stepping on one could trap him. Although his senses were heightened, he couldn't see the spider beast that took the girl. Nevertheless, he heard the identical noise of rock scraping. Curiously, Tyrus looked up to discern the source.
In a state of panic, he almost dropped the dagger.
Suspended on a thread, upside down, was a beast he had never encountered before. A giant spider almost twice the size of the two-tusked boar was dangling overhead. Unlike a regular spider, it was entirely constructed of inky-black stone. Six piercing red eyes shone from its pincered head, and the creature had eight spindly legs with sharp tips.
Tyrus sucked in his breath as the spider slowly descended, landing a few arms length away from him. The ground trembled under its weight. His arms shook as he leveled his dagger at the beast. The creature's pincers emitted a high-pitched chittering sound as it observed him trembling.
Is it laughing at me? Does that mean it's intelligent?
There was a milky cocoon next to it, with an exposed head poking out. Tyrus quickly recognized the head as Selena's student. She didn't move, and her head was askew. Her face showed no evident marks, but her eyes would occasionally twitch. At least she was alive, for now.
The question was, what would Tyrus do? The odds were stacked against him. He had entered the lair of the spider beast, and it appeared much more formidable than the two-tusked boar. Not only that, but if he were to move recklessly, the girl may get caught in the battle and sustain damage, either from Tyrus himself or the spider beast's dangerous legs. He had to somehow lure it away from her…
Tyrus examined the area once more. Webs, rocks, and blue crystals were the only things visible. In his possession was a possibly ineffective dagger, magic, and a hopeless dream. He had to delay the use of magic and come up with a plan to rescue her from the cave. The safety of Selena's student took precedence. The first step was to lead it away.
Like the wind, he reached down and picked up a stray rock big enough to fit his palm. He took a step back, gauging how the spider beast reacted. It didn't budge at all. Tyrus cocked his arm back and threw the rock as hard as he could. It harmlessly bounced off its head. This time, it released a loud screech and lunged forward. After finishing his job, Tyrus turned around and ran as far as he could.
Instinctively, he lurched his body forward and rolled under the beast's immense body, narrowly evading one of its deadly legs that grazed his shoulder, leaving a painful wound. Fueled by determination and fear, he sprinted towards the cocoon where the trapped girl was, ignoring the blazing pain.
Tyrus bit down on his dagger, the taste of sweat on his tongue, and activated his augmentation ability. Enhanced strength surged through his body, allowing him to hoist the girl over his shoulder with newfound ease.
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Securing the girl, he spared a glance up and saw the spider rapidly closing in on them, its pincers clattering menacingly. To avoid the monstrous creature's attention, he had to act quickly and decisively.
By summoning his power and infusing his legs with energy, Tyrus was able to jump over the spider's path. He executed the daring maneuver with his heart pounding in his chest. As he landed safely on the other side, he didn't waste a moment. Bolting for the exit with the girl still over his shoulder, he ran with all the strength and speed he could muster.
The taste of freedom was on the tip of his tongue the longer he ran. If they survived unscathed, then his chances of becoming an explorer would catapult. It all hinged on whether the branch would follow Fiona's plan.
Just as Tyrus was going to enter the tunnel, a sticky sensation crept up his heel. His heart sank as he felt the strong force yank at him, sending him tumbling over and crashing onto the ground. The girl beside him emitted a pained groan.
Whirling his body around, he saw the long thread connected to his foot, the source of the sudden force that had tripped him. The spider had an imposing abdomen, and it was pulling him closer with the intent of ensnaring him, just like its previous victim. The realization that he was caught in the spider's web filled him with panic.
He scowled, desperately trying to resist the relentless tug, but the spider's strength was overpowering. Against his will, he slid across the cavern floor, his movements restricted by the web that bound him. As he struggled against the inexorable force, his mind raced with thoughts of how to escape this dire situation. He couldn't afford to get caught in the spider's trap, not when he had already come so far to save the girl!
Desperation surged through Tyrus, and he summoned every ounce of strength he could muster. He activated his augmentation ability once more, hoping that the enhanced strength would aid his escape. Yet, because of the thread's stretchability and stickiness, it only made the situation worse. Tyrus clicked his tongue, knowing he had one option left. With palms facing the spider, he mentally switched to his lightning affinity and opened his mouth.
"Dual Shot!"
Nausea swept over him like a raging sea as two orbs of lightning manifested and sped forward. The spider, too slow to react, bore the full force of the magical attack. A cacophony of buzzing roared across the cavern as the lightning struck the spider's stony body. The creature recoiled and screeched in agony, temporarily stunned by the powerful assault. The pull that had ensnared Tyrus ceased, allowing him a moment of calm.
Wheezing from the strain of the battle, Tyrus quickly summoned his knife and skillfully cut away at the shackle that had bound him to the spider's web. Having been released, he struggled to his feet and made his way clumsily towards the tunnel. Whether or not he had killed the beast, he didn't care. Evacuating was the main focus.
When he lowered himself to pick her up, he heard scuttling behind him. Tyrus' face hardened as he watched the spider beast regain itself and charge at him like a raging bull. Half of its rocky face was blown off, revealing black skin that oozed with purple liquids.
At that moment, Tyrus understood running away was futile and accepted it. Unless he slayed the spider beast now, it will keep chasing them. He thought it would be a challenge to do any damage, but a Dual Shot spell proved him wrong. He had misjudged his own abilities in the presence of a hazardous event. Instead of testing whether he could defeat the enemy, he resorted to fleeing.
If he wanted to become strong just like the witch, then he'd have to face challenges head on. In the future, cowering away wouldn't benefit him. Once he joins the guild, he'll accept contracts more challenging than a simple spider. Tyrus viewed the creature as a challenge to conquer, without more or less significance.
Mentally noting his mana heart, he was running out of steam. The extended use of augmentation had drained him, and using Dual Shot took a significant portion. Another spell would surely exhaust his mana. If that were to happen, then he'd undergo mana deprivation. A few of the symptoms had already crept up, but what else could Tyrus do in his situation? It was now or never.
The spider beast closed the distance rapidly and released another wave of webs. Tyrus sidestepped from the attack. Sweat caked his entire body, and his heart pounded in his chest like a war drum. The cavern seemed to shrink around him as he braced for the next onslaught. The spider shot out a rapid fire of small webs toward his limbs. He raised his dagger and blocked the attack with the blade portion. Even though he was dealing with the webs, the spider was only a few steps away. Tyrus growled as he chanted the spell once more.
"D-Dual Shot!"
Another burst of power crackled forth, and Lightning Bolts streaked through the air like an arrow. It squarely hit the spider beast in its already open wound. Sizzling and screeches filled the cavern, and a burning stench enveloped the air. On falling to his knees, Tyrus felt a liquid trickle from his nose. When he wiped it away, he peered at a smear of red.
The beast took its final breath and succumbed to its fatal wound, just as shadows danced before him. It shivered and fell onto its side, convulsing as its legs tensed up under its large body. Soon, the only sounds in the cavern were his own groans and heavy breathing. The aching made Tyrus's head swim, causing him to collapse like his foe, and his eyelids became as heavy as a sack of rocks. Before passing out, he heard footsteps in the distance, and a woman's voice calling out to him.