Chapter 59: Second Raid (End): Energy Overload
[ -30 spiders]
Bright red numbers appeared in front of Lucien and he paused for a split second.
His four eyes rolled around before he whispered, his voice faint, distant.
"Spiders. Retreat."
Tak. Tak. Tak.
The spiders obediently retreated to the ceiling, to the edges of the webs.
Only four hunters stood in the middle of the web.
Like a prey.
"Gatekeepers."
Lucien whistled softly.
Two huge spiders slowly appeared from the darkness, crawling towards the center.
"Feast."
"Kiiik!"
The four hunters fell silent.
In the dark, their bodies trembled. Feet rooted, unmoving.
Tremble.
The web under Gu Yi’s feet trembled.
Faint.
But it was there.
Tak.
The web sank a little.
Sothing heavy dropped in.
"G-g-guild leader." Gu Yi stuttered. His teeth bit his tongue.
"F-follow ."
Gu Yi’s eyes were fixed on the glowing blue arc far behind them.
They had to return.
Even if it ant facing the slis.
"Now!"
Gu Yi quickly turned around and rushed to the opposite direction of the tremor.
"Wait!"
Soron grabbed Vela’s hand, the sparks under his feet slightly illuminated their path as he rushed after Gu Yi.
Ryo ran at the back, his eyes on the skill panel.
Two minutes.
He could use the Blinding Mist again!
"Gu Yi! What’s going on??" Soron breathed rapidly. His arms holding the sword ached.
Ryo at the back almost stumbled over Soron’s burnt webs and his speed slowed down.
"S-sothing— is here."
Gu Yi breathed out.
He looked at his skill that was kept active—
One more minute.
Soron held his breath. His muscle tensed.
"Spiders? How many?"
Tak. Tak. Tak.
Gu Yi felt the faint tremor and spoke with certainty.
"One."
But...
"It’s bigger."
Way bigger than the previous spiders.
"B-boss monster?" Vela whispered.
Her palms clenched the seed tightly.
"I-I don’t know."
The surroundings were too silent.
That spider...didn’t make a sound.
Tak. Tak. Tak.
The tremor got closer.
"Faster!" Gu Yi almost couldn’t feel his legs, but he dragged them forcefully.
Sweat drenched his back.
Woongggg.
The glowing blue arc grew bigger.
It was getting close!
Tak. Tak. Tak.
The faint rattling sound was right behind.
Ryo’s legs went numb.
The distance between him and the others grew bigger.
Vela, who was right in front of him, turned around and grabbed Ryo’s hands.
"Ryo, quick— "
A wind blew and...
Stab.
Ryo’s pupils dilated.
"Kkhh."
Blood trickled down his mouth.
"R-ryo...?"
"Vela! Don’t stop— "
Soron’s fire under his feet ca closer, and...
Vela’s eyes trembled.
A long, hairy leg pierced through Ryo’s chest.
Tak.
Blood dripped down the chest.
Soron’s breath hitch.
He subconsciously pulled Vela back.
Ryo’s vision was blurry.
Another sting pierced his neck.
Ryo slowly opened his mouth. He spoke without a voice.
Go.
A weak smile hung on his face.
I’ll...stay.
"R-ryo— "
"Don’t shout!" Soron clamped Vela’s mouth shut and dragged her away.
His shoulders trembled, veins popped on his vein.
Crunch. Crunch.
The noise echoed from the back all the way to Gu Yi.
Gu Yi’s steps faltered, but he didn’t look back.
Tears slid down his eyes.
R-ryo.
I’m sorry.
The faint tremor was gone.
The glowing arc was only ten ters away.
Gu Yi’s faint voice drifted from the front.
"W-we...did it."
We are here.
Go— ho.
A huge shadow appeared from the darkness in front.
Tak. Tak.
The still webs— finally trembled.
"Wha...t?"
Gu Yi’s body froze.
Soron behind him hugged Vela tightly, their bodies freezing.
"How..."
Is there another one?
Stab!
A sharp leg pierced through Gu Yi’s stomach.
Gu Yi only felt a tearing pain and his vision blurred.
Ah...
Crack. Crack. Crack.
He was wrong.
Gu Yi’s hands fell limp.
Vela’s breath hitched.
A silent scream tore through the air, hot tears sliding down Soron’s palms on her mouth.
"S-soron..."
Wooong.
The blue glowing arc was right in front.
Just a few more steps.
Crunch. Crunch.
The huge body was still there.
Blood splattered everywhere.
"Kiik! Kiik!"
Smaller spiders started to crawl out of the dark.
Blocking their way out.
"Vela."
Soron gripped his sword tightly.
"I’ll hold them back."
A weak, feeble fire appeared on the sword.
No skill.
Just his own life burning.
Vela didn’t speak.
"Vela...?"
Soron turned around and saw Vela...
Swallowing a seed.
A bad premonition crept in.
"Vela? What are you— "
"Soron."
[Rapid Growth]
Grrkkk. Grrkkk.
The seed inside germinated quickly.
"Vela! N-no, no— "
Vines burst out of Vela’s mouth.
"Kuh!"
From her chest.
Spurt.
Everywhere.
Ssrrkkkk.
The vines grew wildly.
Red blood all over Vela’s body.
Soron’s mind went blank.
The world fell silent.
No...
Why?
Tears slid down Vela’s mouth as she mouthed.
[Vine Craft]
The vines twisted into a long tunnel— leading right into the glowing arc.
Twist. Twist.
The vine around Soron’s body slowly moved, pushing him into the corridor.
"No, no." Soron touched the vine on his chest— but the faint fire on his fingers charred it.
"So...ron."
"Kiiik! Kiik!"
The spiders at the wall descended.
Their legs touched the vine corridor’s ceiling and sward towards Vela.
"No...don’t.."
The vine pushed Soron inside.
Grrrkkk.
"Live for ."
The last few vines slowly closed.
"Nooo! No!"
Soron’s sword slashed at the vine and the vine burned
"Ugh!"
Vela on the other side of the tunnel groaned.
Soron’s hands stiffened. He grabbed the vines with his bare hand, nails clawing down.
"Vela! Let
out!"
"Vela!"
"Please!"
Don’t...don’t..
Stab. Stab.
The sound of sothing stabbing the flesh drifted in.
"Ugh..." Vela hissed, but she gritted her teeth.
Not a single scream escaped her mouth.
Grrkkk.
The vine started to shake.
So rapidly dried up, but the tunnel quickly shortened.
Soron could feel his body drawing away from Vela.
"No! No!!"
Sparks appeared around Soron’s body.
Sizzle.
The vines burned, turning black.
But the tunnel still moved.
All the way to the glowing arc.
Crunch. Crunch.
The spiders paused.
Their eyes fixed on the moving tunnel—
Covered tightly.
They quickly turned around and dug into the fresh at in front of them.
Huh. Huh.
Vela’s voice drifted, becoming fainter and fainter...
Until the vines all dried up and the tunnel shattered.
Crack.
Soron’s body landed right in front of the glowing arc.
The blue light shone upon his face.
Soron’s eyes stared ahead blankly.
Only the silhouettes of spiders remained, gnawing on sothing.
Soron’s heart stopped beating for a split second.
The fire in his chest slowly heated up.
"Ha...."
A short laugh.
The sword slipped out of his fingers.
Clang.
Tears slid down the face— a hint of red mixed in.
"Haha..."
Burn.
The fire spread like a tide.
"Hahahahahaha!"
Crackle!
The fire burst throughout Soron’s body and the heat instantly swept throughout the air.
"Kiik!"
The spiders paused in unison. They moved back uncomfortably.
Sizzle.
The webs near the glowing arc turned into dust, sparks flying in the air.
[ - 20 durability]
"Hahahaha!"
Soron’s eyes snapped open and a red fla slid down his cheeks.
"Screw it."
Soron stepped forward.
The ground burned.
The walls trembled.
Screw it all.
"Ahhhhh!!"
Fire burst out, shooting at the wall and the webs in the middle.
Bang!
Rocks exploded.
Crackle!
"Kiikkk!"
Spiders caught fire and burned to ashes.
Sizzle.
Webs lted. The spiders fell into the darkness.
"Kiik!"
The gatekeeper spiders quickly shot out webs from their mouths and crawled away.
The other spiders scattered, fire quickly licked the webs behind them.
[ -10 spiders]
[ -30 durability]
Lucien felt a heat burning his inside and stinging pain stabbing his heart.
"Tsk."
Lucien’s fingers tapped the air.
"Escort the guest out."
Grrkkk.
The ground under Soron’s feet moved and Soron’s body was thrown into the glowing blue arc.
"Argghh!!"
His arm stretched out, fire shooting out.
Boom!
Soron’s body landed on the sli lake’s shore but before he could move, the ground moved again.
Grrkkk.
Splash.
The water in the lake split open like the red sea.
The slis all hid aside.
Not a single one in sight.
Grrrkk!
The ground quickly carried Soron’s body away, fire splashing everywhere.
Burn. Burn.
[ -20 durability]
The sli dungeon’s durability plumted, hovering in a dangerous line.
"Argghh! I! Am! Not! Going!!"
Soron clawed the ground, his arms still stretched towards the glowing arc.
But his body crossed the lake and was thrown into the maze.
Bang!
Grrkkk.
The maze wall quickly moved, pushing Soron all the way to the swirling gate.
Woongggg.
"No! Nooo!"
Soron’s scream tore through the air as a force kicked his body and he broke through the mbrane.
Ptas!
Soron’s body fell out of the gate.
Bang!
All the energy lingering in the dungeon burst into Lucien all at once, hitting his head like a hamr.
Bang!
[ 12.5%]
[ 12.5%]
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The number rapidly increased and Lucien felt his stomach about to burst.
[ 100%]
[House energy reserve: 170%]
Wongggg.
The purple crystal shone so bright it blinded everyone’s eyes, but tiny cracks started to appear.
Crack.
"Ughhh!" Lucien felt a splitting headache, an invisible force tore his stomach.
A red system panel popped up, the screen flickering.
[Warning! Warning!]
[Main dungeon energy overload!]
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