Days pass, wrapped in the webs of the spiders. Though his face is covered, the life druid senses everything. There is great unrest in the nest. The spiders have no order. When one spider tries to rise above the rest, it is devoured.

Several hundred dead bodies are wrapped like him, left lying in the spider cave. Very few are eaten. Most are left preserved for something or someone else. Death and dark energy are abundant — radiating through the cave and the corpses. It feels cold and hungry. Through it, all he waits. If the spiders aren't going to kill him immediately, he might as well cultivate.

Buried in the hunger and the cold, he feels the faintest life energy. Not just in himself or the spiders. There are sparks of life staying in the corpses. It isn't the type of life energy felt in actual living beings. This is fainter and hard to feel. He didn't notice it before. Life energy radiating from the spiders easily overpowered the sliver of life energy trickling out of the pale gray mana.

However, days toiling in the dark have worked to refine his perception. Now that his perception sharpened, it is clear to him that there is plenty of life mana around him. The more he focuses, the more he can cultivate his mana.

Days pass as he cultivates. The practice of absorbing the recluse energy from the dead further strengthens his spirit. Inside the spider lair, he builds two more foundations for his soul advancement, completing the essence cultivation for his second stage. Now all he needs is an abundance of life mana.

The lingering amounts of energy draining from the dead are not enough, and his spirit refinement isn't strong enough to absorb mana from the living spiders. The runt waits and waits. His plan is set. Patience is the card he plays.

Sharp pain stabs his ribs jolting him awake. Poison seeps into his body, forcing him to shake off the cloudiness of sleep. His body shivers, his insides feel like they are rotting away. Before the fogginess of sleep clears from his mind, he acts. At once his life mana is delivered through the fangs piercing his body. It rears back, trying to pull away, but it is too late. The mana is shared, and a bond is created.

Spider, the goblin addresses his new minion through their bond. I am your Master now. You will obey.

Yes, Master. The spider responds.

The feeling of power from the spider pours into him. The power isn't that of the bear. While he does feel stronger, he is nowhere near the level of the bear's strength. Instead, this power comes to his mind. His mind becomes more cunning and quick. He can think steps ahead, make plans, and prepare for the future.

Though he can easily break his bonds and escape, that is not the best step. After all, he is in a cave of treasure. He will not leave until he has claimed it all.

For the next several days, he and his spider spend their time slowly building and collecting the wealth of mana around them. The spider secretly brings the dead closer allowing him to absorb the mana quicker.

Instead of keeping the power for himself, he gives his companion all the mana he absorbs. As she gains more mana, the bond between them becomes stronger. With the increased bond, they both grow in mental capacity.

Master, I need a name. The spider asks unexpectedly. Even his bond with the bear didn't proceed this fast.

Shelby, He assigns the spider her name. Together we will grow in power. You will be my Regent. Life mana binds the words to minion and master. His mind grows keener, and his body strengthens. Shelby becomes smaller. Her skin develops diamond hair fibers that can harden at a moment's notice. Her legs sharpen. Her fangs are razors, and her eyes become enlightened. In the dark cavern, amidst thousands of spiders, a small change among one is not noticed.

Two days pass as Shelby and him work in secret. When enough mana has been absorbed, Shelby brings another spider to him. Again, he is impaled. This time he is ready. He prepares his mind for the sharp pain as the fangs pierce his thighs. No time is wasted, and he feeds his mana into the spider. Another bond is created. A day later, it asks for a name.

Trish, you will be my Sword. Four legs become sharp blades. Trish keeps the same length while her profile becomes sharper. The round belly of the spider is replaced with an angled plated torso. The spider's head comes to a sharp point. Fangs become daggers.

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I live to serve Master.

With the addition of Trish, the goblin feels in his body the ability to summon his arms and legs into near-indestructible blades like Trish. He can be armed with deadly weapons capable of slicing through trees at any moment.

Another day, another spider. All the lingering life mana around the dead corpses has been absorbed. Now the only life mana is the mana radiating off the living. It is a little harder to cultivate the mana from sentient beings. A few days ago, the mana was unwilling to be absorbed. With his mind, spirit, and body strengthened by his spider bonds, he can gently ease the mana out of the living.

Gwen, you are my Shield. Mana transforms the newly recruited spider into a bulkier version of Trish. Sharp, durable chitin covers the spider completely. Similarly, he can change his skin on command to become an impenetrable shield.

One more spider is claimed as his own. That is all the strength he can endure with his low cultivation level. One more spider is all he needs.

My King, how can I serve you?

Diti, you are my Herald. The newly named spider is wrapped in mana. Four legs drape behind her back like a cape. Her bottom legs grow sharp feet which she stands upon, two legs become arms, and the thorax takes the shape of a human body. Her face, while still keeping spider features, becomes much more human. Fangs disappear and are replaced with a regular mouth and teeth. Eyes become much less spidery. Ears indent the side of her head, quickly covered by deep purple hair that reaches down to her shoulders.

Unlike the earlier transformations, all the spiders in the den notice Diti's changes. Immediately a divide is created between the spiders.

Queen, flows from the thoughts of the bowed spiders.

Imposter, resonates from the hundreds that don't bow.

War breaks out between the two factions. Diti stands by the wrapped goblin’s side. Her hands begin to weave a ball of mana. Yellow lights glow from the life-infused mana ball.

Gwen places her body between Diti and the fighting spiders. Shelby stays close by his right side.

No webs are spun between the fighting spiders. Legs are jabbing at large bodies. Fangs puncture any flesh that they can. The loyal subjects vastly outnumber the rebellious spiders. It is only a matter of time before they will fall. Through it all, Diti's ball of life collects power.

As the fierce war between the spiders persists, Trish sleekly wades into the midst of the diminishing rebellion. Tightly encircled, she begins spinning with her sharp legs fully extended. Ichor flies. Spiders are sliced and die quickly. Diti's orb continues to harvest the life of those that have fallen. Trish keeps attacking. Foe after foe is cut down until there is no more resistance.

Trish doesn’t stop her pursuit of life, turning on the spiders that were fighting against the rebellion. Some spiders try to fight, only to quickly perish. Others try to flee only to find their way blocked by an armored spider three times their size. Death accumulates, and Diti's orb grows. Three hundred more spiders are culled and collected.

When Trish ends her attack, the room is silent. Not a single spider moves. Then as one, all the spiders bow. My queens. My queens. We will serve.

Not us, Diti pushes back. Shelby cuts the goblin free from the web. It isn't necessary. He could have escaped at any moment. However, the message is clear. The queens serve their King.

Hisses rise from some of the spiders. Abomination, they try to spread their disbelief. Quickly Trish cuts them down, and their life is absorbed. At his side, Diti bows and extends the orb of life to him, her Master.

Covered in thick dark blue armor that radiates power, the goblin druid steps out of his web. He takes the ball of life from Diti and absorbs it all. Yellow energy covers the druid, spinning endlessly around him. Muscles grow where they are lacking. Deformities of the body and face are replaced with perfection. The dull green skin is replaced with a vibrant dark green color. His eyes are full of light. Life pulses from him.

His ears become less floppy and more pronounced like the higher rank clan members of The Eternal Darks. Brown hair covers his once bare head. His teeth are complete and no longer yellow. His long, deformed nose shrinks into a regular size. It is no longer sunken and looks more like the nobles of his dungeon.

When he speaks, it is not the chilling high voice of his weaker past it’s deep and full of power.

“Come to me, my Queens,” he commands.

Trish, Gwen, Diti, and Shelby obey. They lower their heads respectfully as they wait for their Master.

“You have served me well. You will be rewarded for your devoted service.” his voice booms, resonating for all in the cavern to hear. One by one, he lays his hands on the heads of the four spiders. Life mana burns through them. Covered in vibrant yellow life, their bodies once again transform. One by one, they morph into bipedal arachnoids.