episode_0118

Sharp, venomous fangs, dozens of red eyes gleaming, and black breath exhaled from the mouth carried poison.

One of the two children embraced by Pia fainted from shock, while the other gasped for breath as if about to suffocate. Pia released the hands that were in prayer and pushed the children behind her.

With a rustle, she drew the dagger strapped to her thigh.

Thud! Thump!

In the meantime, the giant spider slowly scanned the prey that had escaped.

“Ugh, ugh…”

A man whose mind turned white with fear sat trembling on the damp floor. The giant spider’s gaze stopped squarely on the man.

[Crunch!]

The giant spider swiftly sank its teeth into the man’s shoulder, too fast for anyone else to notice.

“Aaah!”

Chiiing -…

A disgusting smell of melting flesh spread out as the man’s shoulder began to melt.

Thud.

The giant spider, without swallowing the man completely, dropped him to the ground with his shoulders melted. His body trembled as if paralyzed by poison, blood gushing from his shoulders.

The air was soaked with palpable cruelty and fear. The giant spider was much smarter than typical spider monsters. While not possessing human-level intelligence, it knew well that its prey had nowhere to escape and how to play with them to inflict greater despair.

“Ugh, ugh…! You, you monster!”

Driven by terror to a state of awakening, a woman rushed at the giant spider, brandishing her longsword at its leg.

Clang!

“…?!”

The spider’s leg repelled the sword as if made of steel. In a moment of confusion on the woman’s face, a leg thicker than a human body shot out like an arrow.

Boom! Crash!

“Thud!”

Turning belatedly, the woman grazed by the giant spider’s leg flew and crashed into a glass wall. Like spilled milk, a splash of blood spread around her.

[Screams!!]

“Argh…!”

“Aaah!”

As the giant spider let out a chilling scream, blood trickled from people’s ears as their eardrums burst. Those who had managed to maintain composure amidst the impending shock now shuddered, noses bleeding and bodies trembling.

Pia, close to the giant spider, endured despite her eardrums and nose bursting, managing not to collapse.

Clang!

However, holding on and enduring had its limits. She trembled, her fingertips shaking, and dropped the dagger she held.

‘Ah, ahh…’

She looked at the giant spider turning towards her in despair with moist, desperate eyes.

‘Lian-nim…’

Tears of blood flowed as she sought Lian in the face of imminent death. There were others with similar feelings to hers.

‘Please! Save us! O Light!’

Please save us!

They were those who had gathered with Pia. Pia, a faithful follower of Lian, preached whenever the opportunity arose. It was not about actively shouting to believe in the Lian religion.

She simply guided those who were suffering and seeking salvation.

In a world where cults flourished and temples committed terrible deeds in the name of God, some viewed Pia unfavorably. However, as a follower of Lian, Pia could use the power of a comedic filter, even if just a little.

Miracles that should never happen occasionally occurred.

That small miracle greatly moved people’s hearts. By now, the number of people believing in Lian had increased significantly.

Seeking God in the face of death was like an instinct for humans, so they prayed earnestly. Save us from this hellish place!

Even a hint of doubt turned into a handful of ashes before death, and their sincere prayers became sacred and directed towards Lian. It was when the back of Lian’s left hand faintly glowed and the pattern darkened.

“It’s huge.”

[ It has to be that big to make hunting enjoyable! ]

However, Lian, in awe of the giant spider visible through the slightly opened door, did not realize it. He was too busy picturing how to slice the creature with his black sword.

Swoosh.

As Lian stepped inside, the giant spider that had been rushing towards Pia leaped against the wall.

Thud!

The giant spider clinging to the wall rolled its eyes towards Lian, reacting to the ominous aura of the black sword.

“L-Lian… Lord? Ah, ah-ah-ah… Ah!”

Discovering Lian walking in, Pia, with the face of a fanatic saved by God, shed tears.

“L-Lord Lian?”

“It’s really, truly him!”

Lian, who appeared in the midst of dreadful despair, was the savior that Pia had been advocating for. Someone keenly sensing this atmosphere was the black sword, living to be praised by people.

[ A savior! And quite a decent title at that! ]

The black sword, desiring both fear and admiration, immediately began staging scenes appropriate to the situation. Its magic surged through Lian’s hands.

The magic aimed at the eyes subtly shimmered like melting gold, and the magical energy spreading to the tips of the hair controlled each strand, causing them to sway like a painting.

Under the control of the black sword, the body moved gracefully like a nobleman’s son who had received proper education since childhood.

The lips, which had been tightly closed, curved smoothly into a smile. The magical energy diffused in the air soon began to dominate even the space.

Moans of pain, the sound of robots flying, the unpleasant sound of spiders scuttling, cries searching for Lian.

All sounds fell under Gargantua’s dominion. As if a mute button had been pressed, the sounds faded away, and the sound of Lian’s footsteps spread like thunder.

Thunk.

Here arose a problem. The eardrums of the humans who should have praised the black sword’s work were shattered.

[ ‘Damn it! The important thing now is the sound!’ ]

Visual information may be the most striking, but auditory stimuli cannot be ignored. The moment the black sword collapsed due to failing to create a perfect scene.

Rumble -…

Lian’s left hand, responding to the prayers of the believers, began to shine brightly.

[Ouch! What is this! It hurts! It’s hot!]

Startled by the sudden divine attack, Magma raised Lian’s hand as if throwing a time bomb about to explode into the air.

Aaah!

Simultaneously, the back of the hand began to shine dazzlingly. The pouring light seemed like stars from the sky had descended to the ground, or like the warm sun touching a child’s cheek on a spring day.

Under such light, white hair swayed beautifully, and the splendid golden eyes sparkled compassionately as if not belonging to a human.

Torn eardrums regenerated, injuries healed, torn shoulders mended. Decaying wounds were restored, and those who had fainted from fear and shock opened their eyes one by one, witnessing an awe-inspiring scene.

Even the bewildered ones knelt in reverence before Lian. As if it were only natural for living beings to do so.

No one even thought of rushing towards the open door behind Lian. They simply shed tears before a legendary scene.

Kiiing -…

The giant spider made of magic writhed in agony as if burning alive.

[Kyaaah! Aaargh!]

Squelch, squelch, squish!

Simultaneously, the eggs of the giant spider hanging from the ceiling burst like balloons, some melting away.

Driven to madness after losing all its offspring to being ravaged by prey, the giant spider unleashed its rage through magic.

[Kkieeeek!]

Its back pattern turned pitch black, half of its pupils burst. Simultaneously, the intimidation grew several times stronger.

Ssshh…

At that very moment, the light emanating from Lian’s back of the hand began to diminish. As much as it had brought about a great miracle, the activation time was short.

The faces of the people, soaked in joy and hope, quickly darkened with fear as the ecstatic light faded, due to the raging magic wreaking havoc in the room.

The only relief was that the divine power remained, sparing them from injury. However, the fear did not dissipate entirely.

“Sa… save me… please save me!”

“Oh, salvation… please, salvation!”

All they could plead for was mercy from the sole savior.

Taah!

Whether their prayers displeased or if it sought to exploit Lian’s weakened state, the light diminished terrifyingly as the giant spider soared into the air and spewed silk towards Lian.

Due to the raging magic, the blackened silk began to wrap around Lian.

Gwaaaah!

Thicker and sharper than a steel sword or a freshly forged blade, the spider silk began to constrict around Lian as if to tear them apart.

“Ah, no…”

“No way!”

Suffocating terror set in.

Thud!

The giant spider landed in front of Lian and immediately lunged at them, in that moment.

Ziing.

Lian tore the silk as if tearing thin tissue paper. Those seeking the god (Lian) froze at the surreal sight.