So I’m a Spider, So What?, Vol. 3

by Okina Baba

  I had no other choice, obviously.

  I mean, how was I supposed to win that?

  As if Kagna the walking fortress wasn’t enough, Gehre’s stats and Dimensional Maneuvering skill solidified it as a speed type.

  They might as well be carrying a sign that says DO YOU WANT TO DIE?

  No waaay.

  Earth dragon Gehre was a pretty sleek-looking creature, similar to Araba.

  It was huge, sure, but unlike the stout build of Kagna, it had a sharp, fast-looking form.

  Plus, its speed stat is over 4,000.

  As a bonus, its high perception and Evasion skills mean it would probably be really freaking hard to hit.

  Actually, I automatically looked at its speed, but Gehre has pretty high defense, too.

  Not as high as Kagna, of course, but it’s got high stats, support skills, and lots of resistances, with HP Rapid Recovery to boot.

  So even if I did manage to hit it, it probably wouldn’t be hurt very much.

  What kinda sick joke is this?

  And that physical attack power is nothing to sneeze at, either.

  Especially those blade things on its front legs.

  I get the feeling I’d be sliced in two if it hit me with one of those.

  Zipping around at high speed and swinging those blades…yeesh.

  And of course, it’s got the standard built-in breath attack.

  Still, its defense isn’t as high as Kagna, so I do think my attacks would connect if I managed to hit it.

  Its speed is high and all, but I’m no slouch, either, and I’ve got higher Evasion and Hit power.

  If I’m smart with my strategies, I could probably beat it in a fight.

  If it was on its own, that is.

  With both of them, Kagna could block all my attacks while Gehre goes on the offensive.

  A pair that covers for each other’s weaknesses, like an invincible spear and shield combo.

  They’d be difficult enough one-on-one, but both at once in such an ideal combination? Forget about it.

  Anyway, I marked ’em both, so I’ll wait for them to split up before I make a move.

  Marking is one of the effects of Wisdom. It lets me mark targets on my map.

  As long as they’re marked, I can find their whereabouts no matter where they go.

  Although if it’s somewhere I don’t know, the information is vague, like “somewhere around here.”

  My map of the Lower Stratum isn’t filled up yet, but Kagna’s and Gehre’s markers stick together like glue.

  It doesn’t look like they’ll be splitting up anytime soon.

  Also, when I mark something, I can check its status whenever I want.

  So if I keep an eye on that, I can teleport in and attack if I catch them at a weak moment.

  Not that I’d imagine a pair of earth dragons to have “weak moments” very often.

  By the way, turns out it’s impossible to prepare a spell beforehand, teleport, and then immediately release the spell on a target in front of you.

  Even if you construct the spell beforehand, it falls apart as soon as you teleport.

  It’s because of the nature of Teleport, not the user’s skill at constructing spells, so there’s nothing I can do about that.

  Anyway, until those guys split up, I’ll go level up somewhere else.

  There should still be at least one other earth dragon in the Lower Stratum, so maybe I can take care of that first.

  Revenge on Araba, for example.

  Thinking back, Araba’s the whole reason I’m scared of earth dragons to begin with.

  It might not be bad to banish that trauma by beating it.

  One-on-one, I think I could probably beat Kagna or Gehre.

  In which case, since Araba seems to be a loner, couldn’t I beat it, too?

  Hmm. Not a bad idea.

  Anyway, it’d be dangerous to jump into battle without any preparation, so first I’d like to get a look at its stats.

  Judging by Kagna and Gehre, earth dragons aren’t the kind of opponent you should just jump in and fight without a plan.

  Besides, if I remember correctly, Araba was a higher level than Kagna.

  I have to gather some data and come up with a strategy.

  Which brings us to the present, back in the Lower Stratum.

  I’m currently located near that memorable spot where I first fell down here from the Upper Stratum.

  I could’ve just teleported directly to the bottom of the pit, but it’d be scary to run right into Araba if it’s there, so I went for a place a little ways away.

  As it turns out, that was a good call.

 
  Status: HP: 3,994/3,994 (green)

  SP: 3,926/3,926 (yellow)

  Average Offensive Ability: 3,875 (details)

  Average Magical Ability: 2,999 (details)

  Average Speed Ability: 3,827 (details)

  MP: 3,011/3,011 (blue)

  : 3,958/3,958 (red)

  Average Defensive Ability: 3,821 (details)

  Average Resistance Ability: 3,295 (details)

  Skills:

  [Imperial Scales LV 7] [HP Rapid Recovery LV 4] [MP Rapid Recovery LV 3] [MP Minimized Consumption LV 3]

  [Magic Power Perception LV 7] [Magic Power Operation LV 7] [SP Rapid Recovery LV 4] [SP Minimized Consumption LV 4]

  [Status Condition Super-Enhancement LV 8] [Strong Acid Enhancement LV 7] [Heavy Super-Enhancement LV 6] [Destruction Enhancement LV 9]

  [Piercing Super-Enhancement LV 4] [Impact Super-Enhancement LV 10] [Shock Super-Enhancement LV 10] [Magic Power Attack LV 7]

  [Deadly Poison Attack LV 10] [Paralysis Attack LV 6] [Strong Acid Attack LV 8] [Heavy Super-Attack LV 8]

  [Dimensional Maneuvering LV 1] [Stealth LV 10] [Camouflage LV 8] [Silence LV 10]

  [Odorless LV 7] [Hit LV 10] [Evasion LV 10] [Probability Correction LV 8]

  [Danger Perception LV 10] [Presence Perception LV 8] [Heat Perception LV 10] [Motion Perception LV 10]

  [Heavy Magic LV 5] [Shadow Magic LV 4] [Destruction Resistance LV 6] [Cutting Resistance LV 9]

  [Piercing Resistance LV 9] [Impact Resistance LV 9] [Shock Resistance LV 5] [Earth Resistance LV 8]

  [Dark Resistance LV 1] [Status Condition Super-Resistance LV 9] [Rot Resistance LV 4] [Pain Nullification]

  [Pain Mitigation LV 9] [Vision Enhancement LV 7] [Night Vision LV 10] [Vision Expansion LV 7]

  [Auditory Enhancement LV 5] [Olfactory Enhancement LV 4] [Taste Enhancement LV 3] [Longevity LV 9]

  [Magic Hoard LV 1] [Ultimate Movement LV 2] [Fortune LV 1] [Herculean Strength LV 8]

  [Sturdy LV 9] [Monk LV 1] [Talisman LV 8] [Skanda LV 3]

  Skill Points: 37,000

  Titles:

  [Monster Slayer] [Assassin] [Monster Slaughterer] [Champion]

  >

  This guy looks like serious trouble.

  I’m in one of the extra-wide passages in the Lower Stratum, but this thing’s huge, long body makes it look tiny and cramped. It’s an enormous snake monster, easily a dozen feet long.

  It slides along unbelievably smoothly, considering how huge it is, without a single sound thanks to its Silence skill.

  Oh, great.

  This thing’s worse than Kagna or Gehre.

  I’d definitely die if I try to fight this thing. No, thank you.

  Actually, I mean, I don’t think I would necessarily NOT be able to do it, but my odds of winning are probably around half at best.

  Based on its shape, I think it might be an evolved form of the snakes from the Upper Stratum.

  The snakes were pretty strong for the Upper Stratum, so it’s no wonder that their evolved form would be even scarier.

  I watch from just within Appraisal distance as the snake slithers away.

  It’s heading for the pit I was about to go toward.

  It’d be bad news if I followed it and ended up getting into a battle, so I think I’ll give up on the Araba recon mission for
now.

  I guess there are still monsters beyond my imagination here in the Lower Stratum. It was good to be reminded of that, probably.

  Once it’s been long enough since the snake passed by, I’ll activate Teleport and go back home.

  Even for me and my Height of Occultism skill, it takes a little while to use Teleport.

  That thing had tons of perception-type skills, so I’m just gonna wait until it’s definitely far enough away that it won’t pick up on me using magic.

  Boom!

  I kinda hear, like…battle sounds?

  Slowly peering in the direction the giant snake went, I can see it fighting something verrry far away.

  This is the perfect time to use Telescopic Sight!

  The image of the giant snake’s desperate battle expands to fill my vision.

  Then I catch my breath.

  It’s a dragon.

  Darting around, manipulating the earth…an earth dragon.

  The snake’s body undulates at an unexpected speed for its huge size.

  It uses its giant weight and the pull of gravity to slam into its opponent with frightening force.

  But the dragon dodges it easily, slipping across the ground and the air alike.

  Spears of earth burst up from the ground, wounding the snake.

  Its high defense prevented them from penetrating its skin, but they’re still definitely doing damage.

  The snake tries to dodge the spears, but they burst out of the ground wherever it touches. With its giant body, it’s impossible to avoid them all.

  The only way to avoid the attacks of this earth-controlling dragon would be to flee into the air.

  But just as I think that, rocks fall from the ceiling.

  This is a labyrinth, after all. We’re surrounded by earth on all sides, and to this dragon, all of it serves as a potential weapon.

  Then the earth dragon uses itself as a weapon, too, charging at the snake.

  Those fangs, those claws, and that tail as sharp as a sword.

  The serpent is overwhelmed, completely at the mercy of the dragon.

  Watching this scene unfold, to me, is beautiful.

  That dragon is even stronger than I imagined.

  There have been many times when I’ve thought I couldn’t possibly win.

  Mother, D, Administrator Güliedistodiez.

  However, although I was frightened by their strength, I never yearned for it.

  Right now, I am truly yearning for that dragon’s power.

  I want to surpass it, even.

  Even I don’t know where this urge is coming from.

  But for some reason, I feel like I need to fight it.

  I’m not strong enough just yet.

  But it’s not a height that’s beyond my reach.

  So I’ll keep leveling up and rise to the challenge.

  The giant snake gets hit with a breath attack and falls to the ground.

  I know that breath very well.

  Because, of course, I’ve experienced it for myself.

  Remembering the fear I felt at that time, my body trembles again.

  But it’s not just fear this time. Part of me is trembling with excitement.

  The dragon tramples on the corpse of the snake.

  I burn that powerful image into my brain before teleporting away.

  I want to carve it into my brain until the day I finally challenge it.

  The creature I have to surpass.

  The source of my trauma.

  The earth dragon Araba.

  MERCY

  As we enter the castle, it’s eerily silent.

  Normally, there would be guards stationed throughout, but there’s no one to be found, and a stillness even more complete than the quiet of the night outside settles over the castle.

  It’s as if there’s no one inside at all.

  In fact, aside from a single point, my Presence Perception isn’t picking up on anything.

  Except for a single point.

  Amid the strange emptiness of the castle, that lone point clearly indicates a presence.

  It’s almost certainly a trap.

  But after coming this far, we can’t turn back now.

  That Ronandt person decided to spare us, but I’m not so foolishly optimistic to think that whatever’s waiting for us in here is going to do the same.

  It could be Sophia and the ninjas, or maybe something even worse.

  I steady my resolve and head toward the point.

  It’s in the throne room, which is essentially the heart of the castle.

  No conversation passes between us, probably due to the tension.

  All around us, we’re surrounded by silence so complete, it hurts the ears, and darkness threatens to swallow us whole.

  Then we arrive at the throne room.

  A majestic room with an intimidating atmosphere, usually reserved for audiences with the king.

  “Brother Cylis…”

  My older brother Cylis sits on the throne.

  And prostrated before him are Leston, Klevea, and Katia’s parents.

  Four soldiers stand over them, holding swords to their throats.

  The soldiers’ eyes are empty, devoid of any light or will.

  “I am…the king,” Cylis declares in a flat voice.

  His eyes, like the soldiers’, are so clouded that he can’t possibly be himself.

  Are they brainwashed?

  Most likely.

  Clearly, though, it’s different from the kind that was used on Katia, Anna, and the others.

  “This throne…is mine. I…am the king. King…”

  Cylis’s stuttering voice doesn’t contain a single trace of his usual intensity.

  “None…who threaten my place…shall live.”

  The soldiers’ swords swing down toward the captives.

  We won’t reach them in time!

  Katia screams.

  Hyrince grits his teeth in anguish.

  I ignore both of them, running forward and shoving the soldiers away.

  Their swords must have been sharp, or else the soldiers were powerful. The heads of the four captives fall to the floor without the slightest resistance.

  No human being can survive after having their head cut off.

  But if I use my skill, I can save them!

  I lift up Leston’s fallen head and hold it to his neck.

  Then I use the skill I secretly acquired.

  The skill called Mercy.

  The change is immediate.

  Leston’s neck reconnects itself, and he begins to breathe again, coming back to life.

 

  Mercy.

  A forbidden skill that resurrects the dead.

  This is the skill Katia questioned me about, saying it was no ordinary healing magic. A skill that brings about miracles.

  That time, when Katia fired magic at herself to get rid of the brainwashing, she really was mortally wounded.

  Her HP dropped to 0, and she died.

  However, I used this skill right away and brought Katia back from the dead.

  Once I revive Leston, I do the same for Klevea and Katia’s parents.

  In the process, my MP all but runs out, and my Taboo skill level goes up to 9.

  Mercy is probably the only skill in existence that can revive the dead, but it has serious conditions and disadvantages, too.

  Firstly, it consumes a large amount of MP.

  The only reason I could revive four people was because my skills greatly increased when I became the hero.

  Also, if the body is too damaged, it can’t be revived.

  This time, I was able to reattach the severed heads to their bodies, but if I tried it with only one or the other, it probably wouldn’t have worked.

  Finally, it’s only effective for a short period after the person’s death.

  I haven’t experimented with it, of course, so I don’t know exactl
y how long, but my sense is that it’s probably only a few minutes.

  Any longer than that, and the skill won’t even activate.

  Therefore, I won’t be able to revive my father, since he’s been dead for several days.

  It might have been different if I revived him right after he was killed, but I doubt that Hugo and Sophia would have allowed that.

  If I could have defeated both of them in the few short minutes while revival was still possible, then I could have saved my father.

  Unfortunately, I didn’t have the power to do that.

  Finally, the biggest disadvantage of all is that the skill level of Taboo rises.

  Taboo is a dangerous skill. The Church considers even acquiring it to be just cause for execution.

  When I acquired the Mercy skill, I was given this skill, too.

  I had to quickly level up my Concealment skill to cover it up.

  Yuri always expressed an almost disturbing level of hatred toward the skill.

  At the moment, Taboo doesn’t affect me negatively in any way.

  It’s just a matter of how society views it.

  However, from what Yuri’s hinted at, it seems like something terrible happens if the Taboo skill reaches level 10.

  Apparently, even Yuri doesn’t know what that is.

  She said even having that knowledge would be a great sin in itself.

  Since my Taboo skill is level 9 now, that information is very relevant to me.

  But even knowing that reviving one more person could bring it to level 10, I don’t think I would hesitate to use Mercy if someone precious to me was dying right before my eyes again.

  I check that Leston, Klevea, and Katia’s parents are all breathing normally, then look toward my brother Cylis on the throne.

  There, I see a pitiful figure indeed, mouth hanging half-open and mumbling the word “king” over and over.

  The soldiers I knocked over, too, are still lying on the floor despite seemingly being conscious, and they make no move to stand up again.

  Hyrince and Katia watched them vigilantly while I was using Mercy, but apparently, that was an unnecessary precaution.

  Their minds have been completely destroyed by Hugo’s brainwashing.

  In the end, Mercy can revive only the body itself.

  It can’t repair a broken mind.

  “Shun, let’s go.”

  Hyrince beckons me to leave Cylis as he is.

  “That man wasn’t brainwashed when he set you up and killed your father. This is what he deserves.”