Chapter:27-Elite Horned Spider(1)

Edwin stared at the message, his voice trembling as he whispered, "What?"

[To account for the recovered health]

[You must pay a penalty]

[You must kill at least one Elite Horned Spider]

[Since you destroyed their eggs, it will be easy to get their attention]

The words blurred in his vision, the glow of the message seared into his eyes. His breathing hitched, chest heaving. The bitter taste of panic crawled up his throat.

'Penalty? What the hell does that even mean? All I did was heal a little. That's worth a goddamn death sentence now?'

The message faded like smoke, leaving him staring into the chasm of darkness ahead. And within that darkness—

A thousand black, beady eyes. Gleaming. Unblinking. Cold and endless, like the night sky twisted into something grotesque. A shiver clawed its way down his spine. His fingers trembled around the hilt of his sword.

'What are they waiting for? They've been watching the entire time. Just… staring. What are they waiting for?'

His eyes darted around, searching for any hint of movement, of attack. The air hung heavy, suffocating. But then the ground rumbled beneath his feet.

Eight eyes rose above the rest. Mismatched, distorted, their arrangement nothing short of a cruel joke. And they were all locked on him.

The spider was enormous. As big as a house, its body a tangled mess of black and crimson horns jutting out from its carapace like blades made of living hatred. Its legs—dozens of them—bristled with coarse, sharp hairs that glistened in the dim light. Hairs meant to tear flesh from bone.

Its mouth opened, dripping yellowish venom from jagged fangs as thick as his arms. Each drop splashed against the stone, sizzling, melting, leaving behind craters of decay.

'That thing… That thing was sleeping somewhere down here? And I woke it up. I destroyed its eggs. No, not just destroyed—slaughtered them. That's why they're all looking at me. Why I'm being forced into this.'

The spider lowered its body, muscles tensing. And then it leaped.

'Oh, shit.'

The beast shot through the air, an unthinkable mass of chitin and death hurtling straight toward him. Its size was absurd. The distance between them was massive, yet the spider cleared it in a single, thunderous bound.

Edwin threw himself to the side, legs burning as he poured every ounce of strength into his sprint. The [Rune of Enhancement] flared to life within him, veins humming with energy. His vision sharpened, his steps grew quicker, but the terror in his gut was still there.

The other spiders didn't move. Their beady eyes just watched.

'Like I'm some kind of fucking amusement. A spectacle for them to enjoy. Are they waiting for me to die? Or are they waiting to tear my corpse apart after this bastard finishes me off?'

A hissing noise tore him from his thoughts. The beast's maw widened and spewed venom in a wide arc. Edwin twisted his body to dodge, but the acidic spray still caught his left arm.

Agony. Pure, unfiltered agony.

The flesh of his arm dissolved before his eyes, skin sloughing away to expose muscle, tendons, even bone. The pain was a white-hot branding iron shoved directly into his nerves.

"AAARGH!" The scream ripped free from his throat before he could stop it. He stumbled, his vision swimming.

'Focus! Focus, dammit! You can't die here. Not like this!'

But the spider was relentless. Its clawed legs slammed down and seized him, pulling him off the ground like a child's toy. The pressure was overwhelming, bones creaking under the monstrous strength.

'Can't… breathe…'

He was pulled toward the creature's gaping maw. The serrated teeth ground against his body, slowly crushing his skull.

[Severe pressure is being put on the head]

[Severe pressure is being put on the head]

[2000/2500]

[1800/2500]

...

His eyes bulged. Blood spilled from his ears, his mouth. The pain was unbearable. Darkness pressed against his mind.

'It's eating me alive… This can't be…'

[You died]

Edwin's eyes snapped open. Back to the beginning. The same goddamn message floating in front of him.

His chest rose and fell with frantic, shallow breaths. The pain was gone. His arm was whole. His head uncrushed. But the memory of it all still clung to him like oily grime.

"Elora," he rasped, his voice a hoarse croak. "How many points do I have left?"

[10]

"Invest 5 into speed, 2 to strength, and 3 to durability."

Warmth flooded his limbs, strength and speed lacing his veins. But it didn't feel like nearly enough.

His gaze drifted to Eliza's unconscious form. Her pale face, bloodied but breathing. Her satchel lay at her side, its contents glinting faintly. He fumbled through her belongings, pulling out a pair of Orlin's Crystals labeled [Recovery].

His fingers shook.

'No… If I use this on her, the penalty might get worse. If I get through this, then… then I'll save her. I have to survive first.'

He shoved the crystal into his inventory and pulled out a bow. The weight of the weapon was foreign, his grip clumsy. His hands trembled as he nocked an arrow.

"Only a few arrows left…" he muttered. "Great."

Another tremor shook the ground. The spider returned, its bulk crashing against the stone like a boulder hurled by the gods.

"Let's do this, you freak."

He activated the [Rune of Enhancement] and ran.

'Stay calm. Stay fast. Make every shot count.'

The spider lunged, legs crashing down like iron pillars. Edwin twisted, ducked, weaved, nocking an arrow and releasing it in one fluid motion. The projectile pierced one of the creature's mismatched eyes.

A guttural screech ripped through the cavern, the spider thrashing in pain. But even as he watched, the torn eye healed itself.

'Just perfect. And here I thought I had a chance.'

He kept running, dodging the acidic spits. But then the spider leaped again, hurtling itself in front of him with horrifying precision.

Before he could react, he saw them—dozens of smaller spiders, all closing in.

"I thought this was supposed to be a one-on-one fair fight! Where's the damn honor?!" Edwin screamed.

He summoned his sword and swung. The blade hacked through legs and heads, splattering blood and ichor across the cavern floor.

But the numbers were too great. They tore into him, gouging flesh, breaking bone. His vision fractured as pain overwhelmed him.

And when he looked toward Eliza's location, he saw nothing but a puddle of blood and entrails. A group of horned spiders eating at her leftovers. The only thing they didn't eat was the armour.

'Eliza... I...'

[You died]

Edwin's eyes flew open once more. His breathing ragged, his hands trembling.

He looked back at the unconscious Eliza.

Images of what happened before flashed through his mind.

He held his mouth to stop the vomit from escaping but failed at the end.

[Kill the Elite Spider]

The robotic voice of Elora said interrupting his moment of loathing.

No response was heard from Edwin.

[Do you wish to refuse and quit?]

[If so,you shall die instantly]

"No..." he says while taking his sword and putting it to his neck.

"Just let me get my mind in check...should take a while"

*Slash*

[You Died]

Again,

[You Died]

This the spider attacked before he could do it himself. He was melted in a puddle of acid.

The next time he was stung to death by it's poison hairs.

[You Died]

The next time he was crushed by it's right leg.

[You Died]

....

87 deaths.

It took him 87 deaths to even harm the spider.

It took him 51 to even reach it's main body with a sword.

Edwin sat on the cave wall watching as two spider came out the shadow and readied itself to jump.

He took his sword that was beside him and sighed before he stood up.

"This better be the last time..."

End of Chapter