Chapter 28
Luke moved deeper into the cavern, his Cloak skill keeping him hidden as he navigated the labyrinthine passages. The glowing crystals provided just enough light to see by, their eerie illumination casting long shadows across the jagged walls. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and the faint, acrid tang of spider venom.
His Threat Assessment skill painted the cavern in a holographic overlay, red highlights marking the positions of the spiders. There were dozens of them—hatchlings skittering across the floor, young spiders clinging to the walls and ceiling, and the occasional dark centipede burrowing through the soil. Luke's grip tightened on his bow as he nocked an arrow, his movements silent and deliberate.
Time to thin the herd.
Luke activated Snipe Mode, his vision narrowing as he focused on a young spider perched high on the cavern wall. He channeled Charged Strike, the bowstring humming with energy as he drew it back. The arrow shot forward, its tip glowing faintly as it streaked through the air. It struck the spider with a sickening thud, piercing through its body and pinning it to the wall.
[ You have slain 1x Dire Cave Young Spider.
+40 EXP ]
Luke didn't wait for the notification to fade. He was already moving, his Cloak skill keeping him hidden as he nocked another arrow. The spiders were beginning to stir, their movements becoming more erratic as they sensed danger. Luke fired again, this time taking out a hatchling that had ventured too close.
[ You have slain 1x Dire Cave Hatchling.
+25 EXP ]
The cavern was alive with the sounds of skittering legs and hissing mandibles. Luke moved swiftly, his bow singing as he picked off spiders one by one. But the creatures were not entirely defenseless. Their senses, though dulled by his Cloak, were still sharp enough to detect his general location. A young spider lunged at him, its legs slashing through the air where he had been standing just moments before.
Luke sidestepped the attack, his movements fluid and precise. He switched to his machete, the blade materializing in his hand with a faint glow. The spider lunged again, but Luke was ready. He parried the strike with a swift, practiced motion, the blade deflecting the spider's leg with a metallic clang.
Too close, he thought, his heart pounding. These things are faster than I expected.
He countered with a slash of his own, the machete cutting through the spider's chitinous armor and severing one of its legs. The creature let out a shrill screech, its body writhing as it tried to retreat. Luke didn't give it the chance. He stepped forward, delivering a final, decisive blow that silenced the spider for good.
[ You have slain 1x Dire Cave Young Spider.
+40 EXP ]
Luke took a moment to catch his breath, his eyes scanning the cavern. The spiders were becoming more aggressive, their movements more coordinated. They couldn't see him, but they could sense his presence, their attacks growing more frequent and more accurate.
This is going to be tougher than I thought.
Luke pressed on, his machete flashing in the dim light as he cut through the hatchlings. Their small size made them easy targets, but their numbers were overwhelming. He moved like a shadow, his Cloak skill keeping him hidden as he struck with deadly precision. But even with his skills, he wasn't invincible.
A young spider lunged at him from above, its legs slashing through the air. Luke barely had time to react, raising his machete to parry the strike. The force of the impact sent him stumbling back, his arms trembling from the effort. The spider pressed the attack, its mandibles snapping inches from his face.
Luke gritted his teeth, his mind racing. I can't let it get the upper hand. He ducked under the spider's next strike, his machete slicing through its underbelly. The creature let out a pained screech, its body collapsing in a heap.
[ You have slain 1x Dire Cave Young Spider.
+40 EXP ]
Luke didn't have time to celebrate. Another spider was already on him, its legs slashing wildly. He parried the strike, his movements growing more desperate as the spiders closed in. I need to finish this quickly.
He activated Burst Sprint, his body surging forward with newfound speed. The spiders lunged at him, but he was already moving, his machete cutting through their bodies with deadly efficiency. The notifications chimed repeatedly, the EXP rolling in.
[ You have slain 1x Dire Cave Hatchling.
+25 EXP ]
[ You have slain 1x Dire Cave Young Spider.
+40 EXP ]
[ You have slain 1x Dire Cave Hatchling.
+25 EXP ]
As he continued to fight, the notifications began to pile up, each one bringing him closer to his next level. The EXP flowed in a steady stream, and before he knew it, the system chimed with a new notification:
[ You have leveled up!
Level 12 → Level 13 ]
Luke didn't stop. He couldn't afford to. The spiders were relentless, their numbers seemingly endless. He pressed on, his machete a blur of motion as he cut through the swarm. The notifications continued to chime, each one marking another step forward.
[ You have leveled up!
Level 13 → Level 14 ]
[ You have leveled up!
Level 14 → Level 15 ]
[ You have leveled up!
Level 15 → Level 16 ]
[ You have leveled up!
Level 16 → Level 17 ]
[ You have leveled up!
Level 17 → Level 18 ]
By the time the last spider fell, Luke was standing amidst a sea of lifeless bodies, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. The cavern was silent, the only sound the faint drip of water echoing through the vast space. He glanced at his status panel, his eyes widening as he realized just how much he had leveled up.
[ Name: Luke Rodriguez
Age: 7
Species: Goblin
Evolutionary Path: Locked (Required: Level 20)
Level: 18
Tech Points: 281
Skills:
Melee Proficiency (Level 5)
Intermediate Archery (Level 5)
Cloak (Active)
Threat Assessment (Active)
...
Attributes:
STR: 15
AGI: 15
PER: 13
VIT: 10
RES: 12
INT: 10
MAG: 10
Attribute Points: 22
Goblin Village Attribute Points: 50 ]
Level 18, Luke thought, a grin spreading across his face. Six levels in one go. Not bad.
He took a moment to survey the cavern, his eyes lingering on the glowing crystals and the now lifeless bodies of the spiders. This place is a goldmine. Not just for resources, but for EXP. If I can clear it out completely, I'll be unstoppable.
Luke pressed deeper into the caverns, his Cloak skill keeping him hidden as he navigated the maze-like tunnels. The glowing crystals and bioluminescent flora illuminated the path ahead, casting an eerie, otherworldly glow. The air grew heavier the further he went, each breath slightly more labored than the last. The narrow tunnel widened into a larger cavern, its walls draped with thick cobwebs that shimmered faintly in the dim light.
This place is like something out of a nightmare, Luke thought, slashing through the cobwebs with his machete. The sticky strands clung to his blade, forcing him to wipe it clean every few steps. The deeper he went, the denser the webs became, until he finally emerged into a massive cavern that dwarfed the one he had just left.
The cavern was a sprawling expanse of silk and shadows, its ceiling lost in darkness. Thick cobwebs stretched across the walls and floor, their strands glistening like threads of silver. Bioluminescent fungi and glowing fruits dotted the cavern, their soft light casting long, twisting shadows. But what caught Luke's attention—and sent a chill down his spine—was the sheer size of the cobwebs. They weren't just thick; they were massive, as if spun by something far larger than the spiders he had encountered so far.
I bet there's a giant Broodmother hanging in the ceiling, Luke thought, his mind racing. I've read enough manga to know how this goes. She's probably up there, waiting to drop down and ambush me.
He activated his Threat Assessment skill, the holographic wave spreading out to reveal red highlights scattered throughout the cavern. Smaller spiders skittered in the distance, some still wrapped in silken eggsacs. But the largest red highlight was impossible to ignore—a massive, pulsating presence hanging from the ceiling. Luke's heart sank as he realized just how big the Broodmother was. Even cloaked in shadows, its sheer size was terrifying.
That thing is a monster.
Luke used Scan Enemy on the Broodmother, the system displaying its stats in glowing text:
[ Dire Cave Broodmother
Level: 35
Stats:
STR: B
AGI: D
PER: C
VIT: B
INT: F
MAG: F ]
Luke didn't need to see the numerical values to know how dangerous the Broodmother was. Its strength and vitality were off the charts, and while its agility and perception were lower, its sheer size more than made up for it. This thing could crush me without even trying.
He was still a fair distance away from the Broodmother, and it didn't seem to have noticed him yet. Luke began to back away slowly, his movements careful and deliberate. But as he did, the Broodmother stirred, its massive body shifting slightly. It sniffed the air, its mandibles clicking softly.
Luke froze, his blood running cold. Oh no. He looked down at himself, realizing too late that the green blood of the hatchlings he had slain was still on his clothes and skin. The dried blood, which he had barely noticed before, now felt like a beacon calling out to the Broodmother.
Shit!