Spider Den. (2)
'Just what is that bastard?'
The unanswered question circled through his mind once more. He wanted to ask again—but the man in question had absolutely no intention of cooperating.
Swish, swish.
Like a conductor leading an orchestra, the mage busily moved his hands, preparing a spell. From the looks of it, he had no desire to hold a conversation. It was unfortunate for Woojin—but at the same time, it didn't really matter.
'I can just interrogate him after I capture him.'
Of course, "interrogation" was a polite way of saying torture him after tying him up…
Naturally, Woojin had never done such a thing before. Perhaps there was meaning simply in attempting it.
He began walking toward them.
The mage was currently preparing a large spell and was defenseless. To protect him, the two leader spiders blocked the path.
They looked identical, but their abdomens were different colors. One was green. The other was red.
Both spiders aimed their rear ends toward him.
Thwip.
Sticky webbing shot out at once. The two spiders alternated, firing clumps of adhesive silk.
But the projectiles weren't particularly fast. Even reacting after seeing the trajectory, Woojin's movements were always a step ahead of their attacks.
Advancing with quick, irregular side steps, Woojin closed the distance. Each clump of webbing passed by him half a beat too late.
For a brief moment, he wondered if he could simply ignore them and drive his spear straight into the rift core…
…
'Better be cautious, considering what happened last time.'
He remembered purifying a rift core with Roland's party before—the moving mural, the laughter. To prepare for variables like that, it seemed wiser to eliminate the surrounding threats first.
'Let's start with that one.'
Woojin targeted the green spider. Subtly increasing his speed, he charged.
In an instant, he was within striking distance. Perhaps sensing danger, both spiders suddenly drew in deep breaths.
'Trying something?'
Sensing it, Woojin halted his charge. At the same time, the green spider exhaled.
Fwoooosh—!
A thick green poisonous mist poured from its mouth, spreading before him like a dark cloud. Immediately after, the red spider exhaled as well.
Fwoooom!
The red spider spewed blazing crimson flames. The fire mixed with the previously released poison mist, emitting a threatening glow.
…This felt bad.
Woojin quickly retreated. A wise decision. The flames and poison mist violently interacted.
Boom, baboom, boom!
Large and small explosions erupted in succession—like dozens of fireworks going off inside a cramped room. The firepower was intense enough that even though he had withdrawn early, the tips of his hair were lightly singed.
But Woojin wasn't concerned about his condition. He focused instead on the floor where the explosions had occurred. Despite the tremendous heat, the webbing remained largely intact.
'Quite sturdy.'
Webbing was normally weak to heat. Even accounting for it being a magical beast's silk, its heat resistance was excessive. It was likely strengthened by the energy of the rift core.
Perhaps that trait could be exploited.
Having made that calculation, Woojin charged at the two spiders again. The green spider inhaled deeply once more.
Fwoooosh—!
Poisonous mist filled the front again. Just as the red spider prepared to breathe fire and trigger another explosion—
A figure burst out from within the mist.
Ignoring the poison, Woojin rushed through it. The startled green spider tried to retreat—but it was too late.
Slash!!
The swung machete split the green spider's head cleanly in two. Woojin continued swinging, chopping the spider's head apart like a watermelon before roughly brushing the toxic dust off his body with his hand.
'As expected, the poison isn't that strong.'
The spider corpse he had seen at the entrance wasn't much different in appearance from the green spider. He had already confirmed back then that its venom wasn't particularly potent.
"Kiiiieeek!!"
The red spider, having lost its partner, shrieked in fury and opened its mouth wide to spew flames.
Thud!
A dagger thrown by Woojin lodged straight into its mouth. The red spider staggered backward, coughing violently. Each cough leaked small embers into the air.
Its fire-breathing ability was sealed.
Gripping his weapon, Woojin stepped forward to finish it. Yet even now, the red spider's fighting spirit didn't falter. It brought four of its legs toward its rear.
Creak, creak—
Like someone weaving string figures, it rapidly entangled webbing around the tips of its legs. Then it spread all four legs wide. The webbing stretched out broadly like a net.
The red spider lunged, seemingly intent on capturing its enemy personally with the net in its forelegs.
In the midst of this, Woojin glanced elsewhere. He looked downward. While fighting the leaders, the swarm of spiders had climbed quite high.
'Can't waste any more time.'
After roughly dodging the net attack, he swung his machete several times. With each swing, pieces of the red spider fell away. It felt less like hunting and more like assisting its suicide.
In an instant, the spider was butchered.
Woojin turned his head toward the mage. The masked man was trembling as he stared at him.
Seeing that, Woojin inwardly admired him.
'Wow. He still hasn't run?'
He had expected to chase the man down and beat him senseless. Yet for some reason, the mage hadn't fled.
Either he possessed remarkable courage… or he was foolish enough to believe two spiders could kill Woojin.
One of the two.
In any case, things had become easier.
'If the interrogation fails, I'll just hand him over to the knight.'
The remaining problem was the spiders climbing up from below… but if he took this one hostage, wouldn't the others clear the way?
'Let's find out.'
He began walking toward the mage. The man flinched and thrust both hands forward.
"…D-Don't come!"
the mage shouted.
The voice was younger than expected. He had been silent like a mute fool before, merely gesturing—but now that the situation had grown urgent, the mage finally opened his mouth.
"Don't come any closer!! Let's negotiate!"
The mage screamed desperately.
Purple motes of light flickered in both his hands. While the spider beasts had been stalling for time, he must have finished preparing a large spell. Yet he hesitated to use it recklessly.
'Trying to buy time.'
A single spell wouldn't be enough to reverse the situation.
So now he was attempting conversation, hoping to hold out until the spider beasts climbed up. Seeing through the obvious ploy, Woojin smiled and continued forward.
"Stop! I'll shoot?! I'll sho—"
Before the mage could finish, Woojin stomped hard on the ground. The webbing beneath him rippled violently. Using its elasticity, he launched himself forward.
Like a bullet, he closed the distance. Startled, the mage tried to release his spell—
Slice!
"Aaaagh!!"
The machete cut through the mage's wrists before the spell could fire. Blood sprayed as both hands were severed. The mage collapsed to the ground, screaming.
If he bled out, that would be troublesome.
Woojin pulled webbing from a spider corpse and pressed it roughly against the stumps, using it as a makeshift seal to stop the bleeding. At the same time, he bound the mage's ankles with more webbing to prevent escape.
"…Ah. I should check his face."
He removed the mage's brass mask.
A terrified man's face was revealed. He had guessed from the voice, but the mage wasn't very old—perhaps mid to late twenties.
Since the mask was off, it seemed wise to gag him as well. Woojin took out a bandage and stuffed it firmly into the mage's mouth.
Just then—
Shhk, shashashhk—
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed. The spider beasts had finally climbed up. Seeing the captured mage, they hesitated.
Watching them, Woojin became certain.
'As expected. He's the highest authority.'
After a proper interrogation, he could likely use this man as a hostage to exit easily.
"Kiik, kiiik!"
Suddenly, the mage made a strange sound. Though his mouth was tightly gagged, an odd noise still leaked through the cloth.
As Woojin frowned in confusion, the eyes of the surrounding spiders began glowing red.
"What did you do?"
At the question, the mage glared at him with bloodshot eyes. There was venom in that stare. It seemed he had issued an attack command, fully prepared to die.
Thinking about it, it was only natural.
If he were dragged out, he would likely be burned at the stake. Even if he survived, losing both hands meant his remaining life wouldn't be pleasant.
'Why does it always end up like this…'
A sigh escaped him.
Spiders surged in from all directions like a tide. There were so many he couldn't even begin to count them. Killing them one by one would be difficult.
"…No other choice."
Muttering that, Woojin suddenly grabbed the mage and hurled him high into the air. The man's body shot straight up toward the ceiling. With his mouth bound, he couldn't even scream.
'Five seconds.'
Including ascent time, in roughly five seconds the man would fall back down onto the webbing.
'I'll finish this before then.'
Woojin poured strength into both hands.
Crackle—!
With a vicious sound, crimson lightning flared wildly in his palms. The surrounding spiders rushed toward the light like moths to a flame.
Woojin slammed his lightning-charged palms downward—toward the webbing on the floor.
…Flash.
For an instant, it felt as though all sound vanished. Then searing red light illuminated the entire cavern.
A scarlet bolt raced along the webbing, sweeping across the surroundings. The lightning scorched everything in sight, then continued spreading outward along the web strands, as though it still had power to spare.
Other webs connected through the strands ignited in turn. The chain reaction burned again and again—
The lightning storm that began above surged downward, farther and farther below. Using the webbing as a conductor, it spread endlessly. The spiders standing upon it were fried crisp, letting out silent screams.
Crack—CRAAASH!!
Only then did the thunder roar belatedly, and darkness returned to the underground cavern. Moments later, the mage's body dropped back down, landing upon the webbing.
Thud, thump…
More falling sounds echoed from below. The spiders climbing up had burned to death and were tumbling downward. Those near Woojin had been charred completely black, like lumps of coal.
The sharp smell of roasted flesh filled the air.
"…Cough, hack!"
Woojin coughed repeatedly. Each time, black smoke puffed from his mouth.
'Definitely going to be sick.'
The technique that summoned a lightning inferno.
Using it left his body wrecked for days. The power was overwhelmingly destructive—but the recoil was immense. That was why Woojin normally avoided using it.
In this case, the spiders had conveniently connected all their webs together, allowing him to exploit it… but beasts with such a trait were rare. In other situations, the cost would be far too great and inefficient.
'Finish up quickly and head back.'
Perhaps because adrenaline still surged through him, his body moved without issue for now.
He checked the mage's condition. The man stared back at him in stunned horror.
Thanks to being thrown high into the air, the mage had avoided the lightning. And since he fell onto the elastic webbing, he appeared unharmed.
As intended, the hostage was alive.
'Now… what should I ask him?'
There were too many questions.
Whether the mage would answer willingly was another matter—but after witnessing what Woojin had just done, would he really keep his mouth shut?
Judging by appearances, he didn't seem that courageous.
If anything, he looked like a fool.
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