Chapter 37: Respective Pride, Leaving the Labyrinth
*Zing—!*
A crimson ray of death pierced through space, crossing a hundred meters in an instant to strike Araba with pinpoint accuracy. At the critical moment, the dragon jerked his head aside, using his massive body to tank the lethal blow.
"Aooo..."
Araba instantly halted his pursuit. The scales on his back were corroded away, his skin cracked to reveal forest-white bone, looking ghastly and terrifying.
"This guy... he really can't hold on much longer, can he?"
As the three of them were in a state of free-fall, Shirazawa opened the dragon's status window.
"Sloth has taken effect..." He knit his brows slightly.
[Sloth: n% of the power to reach Godhood. Greatly increases the HP, MP, and SP consumption of enemies in the vicinity, excluding the user.]
Shirazawa had chosen to learn this Ruler skill immediately after evolving. The Sloth skill had been active since the very beginning of the fight. However, its effect was usually quite niche—why? Because at the start, Araba's combat style was composed and efficient; the increased consumption from Sloth was practically negligible. If Araba hadn't started going all out later in the fight, Sloth would never have achieved its intended effect. The more powerful the abilities used, the more SP is consumed. If Araba had held back even a little, it was anyone's guess who would have won.
Fortunately, Araba's fighting spirit had been ignited, leading him to unleash his full power. This allowed the pair's plan to be executed perfectly.
*Thud!*
The sound of a heavy weight falling rang out as Araba slammed into the ground, gasping for breath. His HP, MP, and SP were all down to a mere sliver.
"Wa-ha-ha-ha! We won!"
"Did you see that, Araba? The weak monsters you once let go out of disdain have defeated you today!"
"How does it feel to be pushed into a corner?"
The two landed on a Spatial Maneuvering platform, looking down at the fallen Araba. Shiro laughed arrogantly; the haze that had weighed on her heart for so long finally vanished. Beside her, Shirazawa remained silent, his brow furrowed.
"Hoo~~"
Just as Shiro was gloating over the lamb waiting for slaughter, Araba gasped and slowly stood up. This proud monarch's eyes were now incredibly clear. He stood tall and looked at the two with a calm gaze. Shiro's heart gave a sudden jolt.
"What is that look supposed to mean?"
"You lost to me, didn't you?"
"Shouldn't you be feeling resentment? Begging for mercy?"
However, Araba only responded with a steady gaze. Within that calmness, there wasn't a trace of regret. The skills active on his body began to dissipate one by one. Araba voluntarily deactivated every single skill, waiting for death to arrive.
"...What do you mean... Who gave you permission to feel satisfied all on your own!"
"Because you gave it your all, you have no regrets? Don't give me that!!" Shiro's hysterical voice was hoarse and filled with rage.
"Why can you give up your life so easily? Be a little more greedy!"
"Struggle a bit more!"
"You only get one life! Once you're dead, there's nothing left!"
Shiro's angry screams echoed throughout the cavern. However, Araba only watched her, his gaze indifferent.
"Shiro..." Shirazawa's voice rang out, his eyes complex. "This is the pride of an Earth Dragon..."
Shiro whipped her head around, tears welling in her eyes. "If that's the case, then what about us? We who struggled desperately because we didn't want it to end, we who clung to life with everything we had... what do we count as?!" Her voice trembled as she roared in frustration.
Shirazawa remained silent; he didn't know how to answer that question.
Shiro gave a desolate laugh. "Heh... Fine. In that case, Araba, I'll grant your wish. You have your pride, and I have my beliefs! I will always believe that as long as you're alive, there is hope. Once you're dead, it's all over. I can't understand your pride, and you can't understand my faith. All I can do is use my own hands to finish this for you!"
She took a deep breath, her gaze turning cold. All her Evil Eyes opened: Cursed, Repellent, Warped, and Annihilating. Until the very end, Araba offered no resistance. His body turned to dust, drifting away with the wind.
"..."
Shiro and Shirazawa stared blankly at the scene, speechless for a long time.
"We... won?" After a long while, Shiro whispered.
"Yeah. We won."
"I clearly defeated the powerful enemy I've wanted to beat for so long, so why don't I feel happy? This feeling... it's absolutely terrible."
Shiro lowered her eyes, hiding the gloom flowing through them. Araba's body had scattered as dust, but her mood remained heavy.
[Experience has reached the required level. Individual: Ede Saine has risen from Lv29 to Lv30. Evolution possible: Zana Horowa.]
The system voice reached them. The two shed their scarred husks, returning to their peak condition. Their damaged eyes were restored as they leveled up. After defeating their arch-nemesis Araba, they no longer felt any attachment to the dim labyrinth.
"Sigh, let's go. Let's see what the world outside looks like." Shiro adjusted her mindset and spoke to Shirazawa.
"Good idea. Let's head out to change the mood." Shirazawa nodded in agreement.
Out of respect for Araba, the two didn't eat him, which led to... their stomachs being empty again. On their way out, they took a detour through the Middle Stratum. Well, the poor giant catfish met their seniors just as they had finished evolving. This wouldn't happen again; more delicacies were waiting for them outside.
"Giant catfish, I'll miss you guys! Bye-bye~" Shiro waved at the catfish bones and turned to leave with Shirazawa.
...
Two days later.
They successfully found the exit leading to the outside world. Before leaving, they laid a vast number of spider eggs. As for their purpose—it was naturally to make escaping easier in the future. Stepping out of the labyrinth, Shiro was filled with emotion. After struggling for so long just to stay alive, they had finally reached this point...
"World outside, here I come!" She pumped a fist excitedly and then charged forward with incredible speed.
"Hey, hey! Slow down!" Shirazawa scrambled to catch up.
"Can't slow down! I can't control myself! Yahoo~!"
"You brat!" Shirazawa didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but he picked up his pace.
...
"Is this... the outside world?"
A massive, ancient, and grand fortress wall came into view. The wall completely surrounded the labyrinth exit.
"No matter how I look at it, this looks like a prison," Shiro muttered. The soldiers guarding the exit stood atop the wall, clad in armor and carrying sharp weapons. They exuded a murderous aura that drew one's attention.
"Wait, what?" She stopped abruptly, scratching her cheek in confusion.
"A monster has escaped! Attack immediately!" The guards on the wall reacted instantly, raising their staves to unleash magic.
*Boom! Boom!*
Shiro was startled and scrambled to dodge. "Woah! I'm just a cute little spider! Don't attack!" she yelled while evading the magical bombardment.
"..." Shirazawa was at a total loss for words. *Listen to yourself. Is that something a spider says?* Given their terrifying mana fluctuations, anyone would see them as S-rank monsters that bring only despair.
"Shiro, stop messing around... let's go."
Shiro pouted, clearly displeased. Having finally left the labyrinth only to be attacked by humans immediately was truly annoying.
"Die!"
"Black Magic Spear!"
Shiro, flying into a rage, simply fired a dark magic spell at the lot of them.
*Boom!*
With a massive sound and swirling smoke, half of the towering, thick fortress wall collapsed instantly. The two took the chance to make their getaway.
"How are these guys so weak? They couldn't even block one shot."
"..."
The two, now truly free, strolled under the warm sunlight. As a gentle breeze blew, Shirazawa squinted his eyes comfortably. This was a lush forest, green and vibrant, filled with the scent of flowers and the singing of birds. In the distance at the foot of the mountain, a faint clamor could be heard, likely a human settlement. Human towns were destined to be off-limits to them; after all, they were monsters.
"The scent of freedom... Saikou!" Shiro cheered, leaping onto a treetop to gaze into the distance.
Everything around them felt so strange and new. Leaving the peril-filled labyrinth behind, the two completely relaxed, wandering along and admiring the scenery of this different world. Just as they were about to begin their brand-new spider lives, a powerful surge of mental energy suddenly burst into their minds.
"Return at once!"
"Leaving the labyrinth is forbidden!"
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