Chapter 79 – Floor 12. Killing Two Birds with One Stone

The female upper body spread its arms as if asking for a hug, as though it had been waiting for me.

Red and gold heterochromatic eyes smiled, raising the corners of her mouth as if happy I had finally come to meet her.

If not for that giant spider body and legs, I might have been fooled.

‘Good thing I’m in perfect condition.’

Thanks to using『Prodigal Son Returns』while dealing with the invisible spiders earlier, my Health and Magic were at maximum.

At the same time, my hunger and thirst values had risen to 120, so natural healing was in effect… Although the process was an absolute mess, looking at the result, it wasn’t bad.

Chang─

The faster the judgment, the better. I drew the mace and axe from my waist simultaneously while creating distance before being attacked.

The attack patterns of the Black Bride Spider, as I knew them, were spider leg stabbing, web shooting, mining spider summoning, pouncing, and finally, the bride’s bouquet.

No matter what comes, everything is difficult to avoid at close range, so creating maximum distance is the right move.

‘Block web shooting with Slime, handle mining spiders with Alraune.’

While in close proximity, she uses any of those patterns, but at this distance, she only uses web shooting and mining spider summoning, making it easier to respond.

Of course, I would need a high-damage, sustainable ranged attack method capable of defeating the Black Bride Spider.

‘My firepower itself should be sufficient… but ultimately, since Kali and I are close combat fighters, it’s a bit worrying.’

Since my attack power itself wasn’t that high, I could play it safe, but in Kali’s case, it would be quite disappointing if she was neutralized after firing off one explosive burst of damage.

While my thought circuits were overheating in the realm of expectation and prediction, the Black Bride Spider, who seemed quite displeased that I was moving away after deliberately approaching her, drew out a spider web with her massive spider body.

The spider web spread widely like a fishing cast net.

“Shoot them one strand at a time like other spiders! You LH-like bitch!”

How dare she try to cast a net in front of me. My hands trembled, my feet trembled, and my balls trembled.

My perfectionist genes were outraged at the Black Bride Spider’s malicious act!

“You fucking bitch! Slime! Demolish all those Crunky-bar-built spiderwebs!”

Bubble..!

As if unable to forgive such behavior, the Slime blocked the net-like thrown spider web with its entire body. Naturally, such spider webs would have no effect on the Slime, a mucus mass, so the web thrown by the Black Bride Spider couldn’t reach me hiding behind the Slime.

“..?”

The Black Bride Spider tilted her head at the sight as if she had seen something strange.

Then her face narrowed between the brows, as if displeased by the spider web dissolving into the Slime.

Her appearance itself still couldn’t shake off quite a youthful feeling, making her seem like a child throwing a tantrum after having a toy taken away.

“Haha! How’s that! This is the anti-spider web weapon Slime! The power of the k-eye candy machine!”

Bubble!

The Slime puffed out its chest proudly.

Of course, being amorphous, it doesn’t have body organs that could be defined as a chest, but that’s how it appeared anyway.

The maximum number of creatures I could operate at once at my current level was two.

If I really wanted to summon all the onaholes I had, it wouldn’t be impossible, but since commands would become lengthy, the limit of what I could effectively command during battle was two.

It might increase as I become more familiar though.

‘Even if I use the mimic occasionally, I definitely need Slime for web defense.’

The most fearsome attack method of the Black Bride Spider was the web that had just been blocked by Slime.

Not only is it extremely difficult to escape once caught in that web, but it’s also a prerequisite for the instant-kill skill called the bride’s bouquet. If caught in the web, all you can do is kneel down saying ‘This is how the younger brother kneels. Is this enough?’ and beg for mercy.

‘So it’s Severa for this situation?’

Severa’s position among my onahole party was unique as the only one who could use firepower-based magic.

Well, Alraune also had relatively high Mental stats, but honestly, I hadn’t tested if she could use staffs.

I forgot.

Whoosh─

“KYAAAAH!!!”

Tumble!

As if warning me not to daydream in front of her, a huge boulder flew at me, and I was able to quickly roll on the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Floor! Thank you for supporting my body!

When I turned my head, the Black Bride Spider was glaring at the Slime with a sunken face, as if upset.

“Hss─”

Bubble!

A low yet cool sound resonating through her vocal cords.

As if countering this, the Slime threatened by bouncing the mucus ball that supported its upper part, which was shaped like a human body.

…Is that a threat?

I quickly erased such irrelevant thoughts as I watched the Black Bride Spider, who rapidly descended from her web house, and rushed forward.

***

Clang-! Clang─!

The sound of metal vibrating as they collided with each other.

That noise, ringing nearly twenty times in less than 10 seconds, echoed off the walls of the abandoned mine.

With each metallic sound, sparks momentarily illuminating the darkness revealed the owners of that noise.

A black-haired man wearing a hood with a mace and an axe in each hand, and a woman looking at him with dark eyes.

However, the lower part of that woman could not be called a normal human body.

“Hmph..!”

Kakakak─!

As the man greatly twisted his waist and swung the axe horizontally, it collided with a sharply thrusting spider leg, creating long sparks.

This ear-piercing sound was made by just a spider leg. A drop of sweat fell from the forehead of the man facing the spider leg with an incredible hardness that even onlookers would find astonishing.

Another leg shooting from the man’s blind spot.

Whoosh─

The leg that seemed about to tear the man’s waist was blocked by a high-viscosity liquid of a color that looked like it could dissolve gold in water.

“Slime, well done!”

Bubble!

The one that blocked the attack was an amorphous creature with a deep golden color.

The man didn’t miss the blocked leg and swung his mace to attack the joint!

Clang─

“Aah-!!”

It made a sound like striking iron, but the heteromorphic monster mimicking the appearance of a shy bride at a wedding ceremony seemed to feel proper pain, screaming and jumping back with a hop-.

And thus began the stalemate.

“Phew… It looked somewhat metallic in texture, but it’s really hard. My hand actually feels numb from hitting it.”

“Hsss-!”

The man complained about the pain while shaking his hand, but the spider shouted as if feeling wronged, wondering why he was doing this to her.

That appearance, as if appealing to emotions, had a magic that somehow made the viewer’s feelings peculiar.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t have an SLPT (Spider Language Proficiency Test), so I can’t understand what you’re saying.”

Unfortunately, was the man a warrior who had crossed the line between life and death dozens of times in that short period, barely protecting his one life?

As if showing no mercy, he assumed a battle stance again.

The axe and mace, emitting the cool light characteristic of well-sharpened metal, made the skin tingle.

The spider thought.

The comfortable newlywed home had already been completely burned by a fireball shot by something with a strange, blurry impression, and her subordinates were being dealt with by that sticky thing and the strange green thing as soon as they appeared.

In addition, though weak, the attack of the ominous and frightening aura-bearing female that suddenly appeared was fierce.

Let’s escape.

Useless pride as the master of the area meant nothing to her, a bride who would bear the children of her cute and smart partner.

The heteromorph turned and ran on eight legs.

“Huh, what..! Hey, where are you going!”

***

Thud thud thud thud─

The Black Bride Spider, who had momentarily stopped, suddenly started to flee. I was stunned for a moment before recalling Slime, grabbing the mimic, and starting to run after her.

Anyway, if she runs like that, any traps ahead would all be disarmed by the Black Bride Spider, and would ordinary enemies dare show their faces where the master of the floor passes?

It could have been her plan, but I also couldn’t afford to lose her and waste time, so I had no choice but to follow behind like drinking bitter medicine while crying.

“Stop your mine sprint!”

I showed my palm to the Black Bride Spider, who had started a furious dash, telling her to stop, but she only increased her speed.

Actually, she probably couldn’t even see my hand since I was behind her.

Glance.

Ah, she looked back. I was slightly touched.

But in the end, it not only had no effect, but it even backfired, proving that this “Stop!” would have no effect unless you were something like a dragon that could use verbal commands.

“Damn, useless bastards.”

Unfortunately, it seemed this chase would continue until either she or I got tired.

“GAAAAH!!!”

“Why, why is this thing attacking us..! Kuheck!”

Thud- Crack-

An apostate was impaled on a huge stake, his heart burst, and he died instantly. Next to him, another one with trembling pupils holding a weapon was hit on the chin, flew into the air, and his skull shattered as his head hit the ceiling.

Afterwards, more unpleasant sounds continued, and the stench of blood reverberated around.

‘Well.’

A large chamber that the Black Bride Spider encountered while fleeing.

There, a group of apostates huddled together, along with various suspicious symbols and instruments that seemed to say “I’m a heretic~” in surrender, and in a corner, reverently placed, a familiar-colored oak barrel.

‘This is an apostate gathering.’

The apostates who stole Naud’s alcohol.

I was planning to deal with the Black Bride Spider and then find them, but somehow things turned out strangely.

“H-Huaak! S-save me! I don’t want to die─”

Rip─

An apostate who had been soaked in madness when facing me, now terrified and wetting himself, crawling on the floor, had his neck torn off and flying away. The rest were at least holding weapons and fighting back, but perhaps due to the unexpected attack, they couldn’t exert much strength and fell dead one by one.

Entangled in spider webs, stabbed by legs, stabbed in the back by a blind blade. The reasons for death varied, but the biggest reason was that the Black Bride Spider was strong.

‘…Maybe I should hide for a while and come out when it’s over.’

If the Black Widow Spider cleaned them up, it would be welcome for me as I wouldn’t have to expend energy dealing with the apostates.

I just need to finish off the Black Bride Spider, whose health would be greatly depleted after fighting the apostates, and bring Naud’s alcohol to Naud who would be waiting at the stairs.

GAAAAAAAAAAH────!!!

A sticky scream soaked in blood stirred the abandoned mine.