The next day, Axel made his way towards the entrance of the Dreamspinner fight. Once again, the ample amount of signs littered everywhere led him to his destination. In front of the giant portal that led to the Dreamspinner, were large groups of people all belonging to different guilds.

"Join the Order of the Horn, and we'll guarantee success against the Dreamspinner." One group of men clad in metal armor said.

"Join the Plundering Pulverizers and fight as a part of an elite unit," said another group of burly men.

Different guilds advertised themselves, right then and there. Axel even spotted a group representing Blue Rose, but he did not recognize anyone there.

Ignoring the cacophony of noise that the swaths of people created, Axel took baited steps towards the giant looming portal that towered over even the buildings in the town. Axel had done all the preparations he possibly could do. Or did he?

Maybe he should have gathered more information about the Dreamspinner, before taking it on. Maybe he should have invested in more supplies. Maybe those medicinal pills or food even would be what could have turned the tide. Maybe he should have focused more on [Copper Body], instead of relying on his shield and his [Block] skill. A thousand worries invaded his mind, attacking his confidence with every step he took towards the portal. But, the moment he crossed through the portal his thoughts became silent. A serene calmness washed over him.

Turning around, the portal was nowhere to be seen.

No turning back now. Literally.

The area around him was of a forest, similar to the ones he had been traversing on his way to Tillage Town, except without the dirt path he was accustomed to. Another aspect different from the norm was the fact he had entered a sub-world directly from the portal without even accessing the crystal if the system's notification was anything to go by.

Walking through the forest, Axel had his weapons out, he remained vigilant, scanning the surroundings for any sign of the Boss Monster. The monster shouldn’t be that hard to spot, it was a giant spider after all. Axel just had to avoid its sticky webs and avoid the venom it injected into its victims. He had killed plenty of spiders before, he tried to reassure himself, but then again none were as big as this.

Emerging from the dense forest into a quaint clearing, Axel laid his eyes on the spider that was undoubtedly the Dreamspinner, perched atop the face of a large cliff. It was huge, easily as tall as a one-story building, with distinct 'Zs' emblazoned on its massive abdomen.

How in blazes am I supposed to defeat that?

‘

As if responding to his question, the spider dropped down from its perch, landing directly in front of Axel. A small spider was kind of cute, but how he stood face-to-face with a giant one, that he was sure was going to haunt his dreams tonight. That is if he could even make it out alive. The eight huge black orbs of varying sizes pierced his very soul, washing away the sereneness he had experienced just moments before. The giant monster clicked its fangs together, and drips of venom fell to the ground, evaporating upon impact.

Taking the initiative, Axel [Slashed] first, bringing both weapons down in an 'X' against one of the spider's fangs. The attack was ineffective, his blades bouncing off harmlessly. The spider, in a fit of rage, raised its two front legs and attempted to crush Axel, who managed to jump backward in time. As the creature's massive legs slammed into the ground, the impact sent dirt and debris flying in all directions.

Recovering from its missed attack, the Dreamspinner lunged at Axel, attempting to sink its blade-like fangs into Axel's fleshy body, who managed to [Block] it using the whirl blade. The impact reverberated through his arms, the weight of the blow feeling almost unbearable despite the enhancement provided by [Strength Boost].

The creature was relentless in its attack, slamming down blow after blow. Each successive attempt to pierce Axel's defenses forced him lower and lower, the relentless barrage of stabs pushing him to his limits. With each blow, Axel found himself sinking closer to the ground, eventually forced to kneel on one leg as he struggled to withstand the unyielding onslaught of the beast.

Shit. Shit. Shit, rung throughout his mind.

Left with few options, as the spider poised its fangs for one last lethal strike, Axel made a split-second decision and rolled aside just in time. Despite his evasive maneuver, the spider's attack managed to graze his leg, breaking through even the protection of his active [Copper Body] and drawing blood. A wave of dizziness washed over him as darkness began to encroach on his vision, creeping slowly from the edges of his sight toward the center.

Shit. Shi...t. Sh...it. His mind was fading, he was losing control of his limbs.

With the last ounce of his strength and consciousness, he had somehow managed to grab a [Basic Antidote] from his [Inventory]. Even in a state of delirium, he had managed to twist open the cork that sealed the sour green nectar that would be his salvation. As the liquid washed down his throat, its sour taste was a stark contrast to the sweetness of relief it brought. The liquid quenched his thirst like no other before, his vision started to clear up, and his mind was beginning to come back.

Got to... Got to... Get out of here!

Within moments, Axel had fully regained his composure, but unfortunately, it was too late. The Dreamspinner had already initiated its diabolical plan. The spider had begun to spin its web, ensnaring Axel within the cocoon of sticky thread.

"Shit!"

His only saving grace was that the monster had started encasing him from the legs up and happened to be facing away. Looking around to assess the situation, he realized his sword was within arm's reach while his whirl blade was a bit farther away, closer to the forest's edge.

Axel stretched out, grasping his sword tightly as he began [Slashing] away at the thick, white silk ensnaring his legs. The silk was tough and sticky, he struggled to bring the sword up each time he swung it back down. It was a race against time and he was losing, the spider adding more to the cocoon faster than he was removing.

In a moment of quick thinking or perhaps pure desperation, Axel grabbed his [Wooden Training Sword] from his [Inventory], glad that he did not reduce it to firewood as Marina had suggested. The sword was weak, so much weaker than his current one, but it was better than nothing. Axel continued to [Slash] away at the threads that sealed his fate, hacking away at the offending material.

Axel was getting close, but not close enough to free himself. His right hand started to tremble, the trembling moved up his arm and to his shoulder. Tremors began to course through his right hand, spreading up his arm and settling into his shoulder. The relentless strain of swinging the weapon faster and faster had taken its toll. Just as he approached his breaking point, his arms began to falter, each swing growing weaker and less frequent, threatening to betray him entirely.

If this was going to be Axel's fate, the least he could do was be a pain in the butt for the Dreamspinner. With tired and unsteady hands, Axel took aim at the spider's spinneret, the source of the copious amounts of white silk that threatened to entomb him.

"Take this!" Axel threw both of his swords at the part and was rewarded with a loud screech, and a kick with two of its many legs as it flinched in pain.

The kick sent Axel flying backward towards the forest. The soft grassy floor and [Copper Body] cushioned his landing, but it still hurt. By some stroke of luck, Axel landed close to the whirl blade, but it was still a smidge too far. No amount of stretching or straining would allow him to reach it.

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Dammit! Dammit! He slammed his fist into the ground.

With stretching proving futile, Axel resorted to crawling toward the whirl blade. Despite activating [Strength Boost], he found himself unable to budge even an inch. His cocooned bottom half was too sticky, it was like pulling a wagon full of boulders. All that he could do was dig his fingers into the ground as he tried so desperately to make even the slightest progress toward reaching the whirl blade.

Think! Think! Think! Come on! Axel racked his brain for any sort of idea to help him out of his predicament.

The spider writhed in agony, its attempts to dislodge the swords from its spinneret proving futile. Its giant legs were not suited for such a delicate task, the only thing it accomplished was moving the sword about, inflicting even more pain upon itself.

If his last desperate attempt at life netted him another chance, maybe he could recreate it again. Now Axel lacked even his weapons, the only things in his [Inventory] were his coins and the potions he had bought. Potions? Potions were like water, and water always made him slip, maybe it would make the webs less sticky? It was a long shot, even longer than the distance from Tillage Town to Pavhorn.

Axel grabbed a bunch of [Red Potion], [Blue Potion], and [Antidote], unscrewed their corks, and began to douse himself in its contents, focusing the majority of it on his sticky prison. Unbeknownst to him, the [Red Potion] worked to heal the cut on his leg. Discarding the empty glass bottles, Axel sent up a silent prayer to anyone who might be listening before digging his fingers into the soft earth below.

It was working, though barely. Axel could sense himself inching closer and closer, the cocoon was still stubbornly sticky but just slightly less so, allowing him to make painstaking progress with each effort. Every pull felt like he was scaling a mountain with only his hands for support, yet thankfully, this particular ‘mountain’ was no taller than a molehill, and finally, the whirl blade was within reach.

"YES!" he shouted in triumph.

Please work. Please work. Please work, he repeated in his mind as he began to [Slash] away at the webs. To his immense relief, the spinning blade sliced through the threads with far greater ease than his sword ever could. Each attack caused the blade to spin faster until it was now operating at maximum speed, as it rotated faster than ever before, continuously slicing apart the threads that held him

[Basic Whirl Blade Proficiency: Rank D → Rank C]

[New Skill Earned: Spinning Blade - Rank F]

A new skill? Now? Please be useful. Please be useful.

Axel activated [Spinning Blade], watching as the shield end of his whirl blade took on a subtle blue glow, its rotation sustained without the need for him to keep swinging it around.

I think this is useful. I think this is definitely useful.

Axel carefully held down the blade, which sliced open his cocoon prison down the middle and released him from his threaded confines. Though remnants of the white web still clung to his armor, they proved to be of little hindrance as he lifted his legs, now liberated and able to move freely.

"Yes!" another triumphant shout erupted from his mouth

The Dreamspinner, however, was not amused. With a series of clicks and clacks, it abandoned its mission to remove the swords and ran toward Axel with all the fury of a runaway wagon.

Axel gulped, before running into the forest. He weaved and wove through the trees as if his life depended on it because it really did. The Dreamspinner followed in hot pursuit, its movements slowed down as it crashed into the labyrinth of trees that barred its path.

As Axel watched the spider crash into the sturdy trees an idea sparked in his mind. He prayed it would be as effective as his previous strategies had been. Holding out his whirl blade, he used [Spinning Blade] again. The blade revved to life, and Axel held it to his side, letting it saw through the trees he ran past.

Wood dust littered the ground as the trees were cut into. Not all the way through, but just enough that if they were to be bumped into they would certainly topple over.

As he continued to run, he heard the loud crashes of trees hitting the forest floor. Turning around with a big smile hoping his plan would come to fruition, instead, he was met with disappointment. The trees had fallen just as planned but they fell the other way, crashing away from the monster as its momentum caused them to fall toward the other side.

Axel stopped his skill, feeling the disappointment and the drain on his body. It took more energy than he had anticipated, but thankfully he had a [Blue Potion] to restore his mana, his mind racing as he searched for a new strategy to turn the tides.

Try as hard as he did, he could not come up with a reasonable plan that would best his enemy. Try the tree attack again. Maybe coat his weapons with the monster's venom and put it to sleep? Make it run head-first into a tree? Or maybe even the cliff.

He lacked the skills to execute his vision and the confidence that they would even work, but maybe plans were overrated. Axel had not properly attacked the monster yet. Sure there was the accidental victory over the spinneret, and when he swung away at its fangs, but he had not directly attacked its body. Maybe that was the secret ingredient for his victory, maybe simple is best.

Axel turned around, sweat dripping down his forehead as the charging creature grew closer and larger. The sounds of it thumping against the trees filled his ears, like the beat of a war drum before battle. Axel planted his feet firmly into the ground as the colossal spider approached him, with the intent to turn him into its dinner.

Digging his feet even deeper into the earth than the roots of the fallen trees, Axel stood his ground, both hands gripping his weapon tightly. He held it out toward the creature, feeling it hum to life with a faint blue glow as he activated [Spinning Blade]. The skill demanded an immense toll on his body, draining his strength and mana far more than he had ever experienced with [Strength Boost] and [Copper Body] combined.

The Dreamspinner seethed with rage, its movements erratic as the swords attached to it jiggled about in its frenzied charge. Axel's heart raced faster than the speed of his spinning blade, but despite the adrenaline coursing through him and every fiber in his being screaming at him to run, he stood firm.

Within seconds, the monster was now in his face. Its massive fangs dripped with venom as it clicked them menacingly, all eight eyes fixated on Axel with a vengeance. With a primal scream echoing from his lungs, Axel refused to avert his gaze from the looming threat. The Dreamspinner reeled back its head in preparation to sink its teeth into his flesh.

With a prayer on his lips, Axel steadfastly held out his weapon as the beast, still propelled by its own momentum, crashed into his blade. He struggled to hold his hand steady, arms trembling like he was shivering in the wind, except that there was no wind. Yet Axel refused to relinquish his grip, clinging desperately to his weapon even as his forearms screamed for respite.

The cacophony of stone slicing through the chitinous exoskeleton mingled with the Dreamspinner's anguished cries, filling the air with a symphony of chaos. The beast's momentum became its own undoing as it impaled itself on the whirl blade, cleaving the monster in twain much like Moses parting the Red Sea. Unlike Moses, Axel could not stop the torrent of blood that rained down on him, staining everything red, painting the trees like a child's finger-painting.

[Dreamspinner was slain. 300 points gained]

The creature was now half of what it once was, literally, as its two halves lay in a pool of its own blood. Its various organs exposed for the world to see, still squirting out blood, like a sprinkler on full blast. Moments later, the creature faded into thin air, taking along its mess of innards and blood with it. Curiously, the blood that had bathed Axel still remained.

Axel stood there in disbelief, a mixture of dumbstruck and awestruck, at the feat he had just accomplished. His skills remained activated, and the whirl blade continued to spin, even though there was nothing left to attack. His arms continued to shake from the strain, his grip on the weapon remaining tense while his legs refused to budge as if rooted to the spot until the last ounce of energy drained from his body.

Eventually, the whirl blade slowed to a stop, and Axel felt the effects of [Strength Boost] and [Copper Body] gradually fading away. Collapsing onto all fours, he gasped for breath, his body trembling as he attempted to recover from the exertion.

He had won? But, how? It could not have been that easy. Right? Was it a fluke? Was the real monster hidden away somewhere waiting for him to lower his guard? No, that could not be right. The system said so, but could the system lie? A million thoughts flooded his psyche as he attempted to rationalize his victory.

Grabbing a [Blue Potion] from his [Inventory], he feebly unscrewed the cork. The one barrier between him and the delicious nectar within.

What should have been but a mere moment felt like forever. Every second being etched into his memory, his arm felt like lead, each centimeter of movement was a struggle. Eventually, his fingers found the strength to open the cork. He chugged away at the bottle, replenishing the energy that he had lost.

Strength circulated throughout his body, he finally found the strength to lift himself up and off the ground.

That was... something, he thought while he looked at what the monster had dropped.

A pair of black [Spider Eyes], and one of its large fangs, [Dreamspinner's Fang], as dubbed by the system. Last, but certainly not least was the pile of [Gold Coins], 200 to be exact.

After grabbing the last of the coins from the ground, a portal slightly taller than Axel, appeared above the spot where the Dreamspinner had died.

Is this the way back? Axel wondered.