Wang Chen leapt into the air, his arm rising high, fingers curling into a fist. He descended with a terrifying force, striking the demonic spider from above with the full weight of his strength.
Boom!
The impact unleashed a shockwave, a blinding white gust that tore across the battlefield. The monstrous spider was slammed into the ground with a deafening crash. Its massive body collided with the rocky floor, carving a deep crater, while jagged cracks spider-webbed outward in every direction.
A violent wind surged through the clearing, slapping the faces of the girls and causing their robes to flutter violently. Even a few steps back couldn't shield them from the sheer force.
One punch… annihilating the demonic spider?
The group froze, disbelief etched on every face. Their minds struggled to comprehend what they had just witnessed. A level 23 nightmare spider, infamous for its strength and resilience, had been obliterated by a single strike from a level 16 Mechanic.
No one would believe it if they told the tale. It sounded insane.
"This guy… he's really just a Mechanic?!" An Xiaoxiao and Li Mengmeng echoed the same question Mo Liuli had asked before.
Mo Liuli nodded. "I'm certain he's a Mechanic. But… a mutated one."
The eerie silence shattered as rustling noises erupted from the distance. The commotion had drawn even more demonic spiders, dozens of red dots converging rapidly on their location.
"Watch out… another dozen spiders are heading this way," Wang Chen warned, signaling everyone to form a tight circle, back to back.
The girls scrambled closer, panic flashing in their eyes. Liu Qiang trembled violently, fear making him shiver.
Suddenly, a sharp whizz cut through the air—a white thread shot directly toward Li Mengmeng.
"Careful!" Wang Chen shouted, lunging forward and snatching the spider silk with a single hand.
The silk strained in his grasp, threatening to drag Li Mengmeng if he had hesitated. She gasped, relief flooding her features.
An Xiaoxiao didn't waste a moment. Flames erupted around her, a deep crimson fireball hurling toward the incoming thread.
Boom!
The silk snapped under the explosive fire, the blaze illuminating the horrifying scene. All around, the rocky ground was crawling with terrifying spiders, each larger than any they had faced before, their compound eyes glinting a sinister red in the darkness.
Using their identification scrolls, the group assessed the threat. These were elite monsters, level 20 and above. Even more dangerous than the one Wang Chen had just defeated.
Their bodies were marked with black patterns, a warning of the venomous predators that thrived in shadows.
[Name]: Black Web Hunter Spider[Level]: LV24[Strength]: 1349[Constitution]: 643[Agility]: 531[Mental]: 545[Skills]: Venom Injection, Entangle, Leap, Shriek, Stab, Net Trap[Description]: A deadly hunter spider, expert in silk-based attacks. Use fire magic to sever its threads promptly.
Wang Chen's mind raced. These Black Web Hunters were notorious killers. Many adventurers had perished under their silk-coated ambushes.
"Xiaoxiao, protect everyone with your fire magic. Stop any threads from dragging someone away. I'll handle the front." Wang Chen instructed calmly.
"Do we… really fight them?!" An Xiaoxiao's voice trembled. Even with Wang Chen's strength, taking on a dozen Black Web Hunters at once seemed suicidal. One-on-one might be manageable.
Li Mengmeng pleaded, "Don't overestimate yourself. Maybe we should retreat… we underestimated this nightmare dungeon."
Wang Chen didn't look back. "Liu Qiang, unleash all your skills on these spiders. Don't hold back."
Liu Qiang hesitated, but understanding the urgency, he unleashed everything. Vibrant explosions of color erupted among the spiders, creating chaos. The creatures writhed, spewing green venom. Some clung to each other, engaging in bizarre behaviors that left the girls stunned.
"What… what is happening?" they whispered, wide-eyed.
A faint smile tugged at Wang Chen's lips. "You want to compare numbers?"
In an instant, countless silver spider-mechanism units surged from his body, swarming the battlefield.
The ground trembled as a metallic army assembled, glittering in the dim light, ready to clash with the nightmare predators.
And at that moment, a chilling realization struck the group…
Even Wang Chen's army might not be enough to face what was coming next.
If you want, I can continue and craft the next chapter where the massive spider battle escalates, ending with an even more intense cliffhanger that hooks readers for the next installment.
Do you want me to do that?