*KIEKKKK*
[The Spider Queen, Arachne] screeched at its enemies that killed its children after it crawled out from the ground itself.
Iris landed on her feet, as she faced the monster a good distance away from it.
Meanwhile Silvi and Harson were both on the spider's side, distancing themselves as well.
Iris gulped when she saw this monster up close.
[Notice!]
[Skill "The Villainess" have been activated]
At the same time, her skill activated which calmed her down in this kind of nerve wracking situation and her eyes turned back into red
"Would you look at that..."
Suddenly her lips curved into a twisted smile
"You are just a large insect~" She mocked the monster who was supposed to be the Queen.
But in her eyes, she looked at it as if this monster was just an ordinary insect.
But…the question is…
Is Spider an insect?
'Ojou-sama, Spider isn't an insect.' Silvi and Harson, who listened to what she said, spoke internally.
"Oh right!~ Spider isn't an insect~ I totally forgot~" For some reason, her state suddenly changed. The usual Iris was someone who was calm and serious in every situation.
But whenever her eyes changed into red...something possessed her body.
"But isn't your size...is way too big?~" Iris mocked once again.
*KIEKKKK*
The Spider Queen screeched at her once more and leaned its head down.
*You...*
Then suddenly a voice came out from that monster's mouth, but despite the mouth not moving, they could hear very clearly that this monster just spoke to them
*Who are you that tried to get into my territory!!!*
*KIEKKKK!!!*
Arachne spoke to her while expressing her anger, it surprised Iris in many ways but her smile remained the same.
*Are you the one who killed my children?! Answer me, human!!*
"Wow~ to think you could talk~"
Iris slowly lifted her rapier and smiled, "Yes, I was the one who did~ so what?~"
'Ojou-sama?!'
Silvi and Harson were surprised after Iris just casually aggroed the monster with her mockery and blunt answer.
But Iris glanced at the two of them with a smile then moved her mouth, "I. distract. it. while. you. both. attack. its. side~"
Silvi and Harson gulped nervously since she ordered them to attack the Spider Queen's sides while she kept the monster's attention on her.
"Yes, Ojou-sama!"
*RUMBLE* *RUMBLE*
Arachne lifted its head and looked down upon Iris.
*You will pay for what you did to my children!! I will use your body for my unborn children to feast!! And you will feel my pai–*
*SWOOSH*
Suddenly Iris jumped towards Arachne's head, cutting off the monster that was about to finish talking.
'[Enchant Strength], [Enchant Speed], [Enchant Shield]!'
While buffing herself she...
*BAM*
Kicked Arachne right on its face with her left foot.
*KIEKKKK!!*
And her attack caught Arachne off guard.
"You talk too much~ you do know you left so many openings~" Iris smiled.
Then on her left side, she was greeted with Arachne's sharp front leg that was about to strike her.
'[Sword Dance]~'
Buffing herself once again, she felt her body become light as a feather, flipped herself in the air, elegantly evaded its leg and managed to touch it with her bare hand and rocketed herself out to take some distance.
'Heh~ to think it managed to counter back when receiving damage~' Iris thought.
Arachne turned its head towards Iris right after being kicked in the face, and it seemed to piss her off even more.
*You dare!!!*
That was when Arachne lowered its guard, but this time she began to take her seriously since it used both of its front legs to strike Iris after she landed on the ground.
Starting with its left front leg to strike her right side.
*SWOOSH*
Iris immediately evaded it by turning her body aside, letting its leg slide past her and landing on the ground.
*SWOOSH*
Followed with its right front leg to strike her other side.
*TING* *TSSKKK*
Iris responded to it by turning her body to her other side, evading while slightly blocking the strike with her rapier and changing its leg direction to slip to her side again.
This time, both of its front legs started to get faster, the Spider Queen threw a complicated strike this time.
*SWOOSH* *SWOOSH*
It started by using its right leg to strike from above.
*SWOOSH*
Iris simply turned her body aside once again but...
*SWOOSH*
It was followed by another strike with its left leg to strike her other side.
"Heh~"
When she was in a pinch of something like that, Iris smiled.
*SWOOSH*
The first strike, Iris simply evaded it just by turning her body aside and letting the right leg pass through and landed on the ground.
*SWOOSH*
Then she jumped backwards for the incoming strike from its left leg.
*SWOOSH* *TING* *TING*
While evading the second strike, she threw two thrusts on the left leg. Although it doesn't result in anything because it couldn't damage it.
'The skin is too thick, although the head part doesn't look like it.' Iris observed the moment her rapier landed on its legs and shifted her eyes at the hideous face of Arachne.
Arachne found it irritable that this small human was capable of evading her strike so easily, so she decided to approach her in the same combo but at a much faster pace.
*KIEKKKK*
Then it started to use consecutive strikes towards her.
*SWOOSH*
It used its right leg to strike her left side.
*TSSKKK* *TING*
Iris used her rapier to block it and change its direction to the other side then passing through her.
*SWOOSH*
Suddenly another strike came from her other side using its left leg from above her head.
"Hmmm~"
*SWOOSH*
Iris took one step to her side and turned around, evading the strike once again.
*SWOOSH*
Then it continues...
*SWOOSH*
Arachne struck her left side.
*SWOOSH*
Iris evaded it by jumping slightly, as if she was hopping on something.
*SWOOSH*
Then it came from her right side towards her head.
*SWOOSH*
Iris just lowered her head slightly, as its leg just passed through that and almost hit her head.
*KIEKKKK!!!*
Arachne now became angrier and irritated, then it sped up the pace much faster.
*SWOOSH* *SWOOSH* *SWOOSH*
And Iris responded with a small movement to evade those strikes.
*SWOOSH*
By jumping it slightly.
*SWOOSH*
By turning her body slightly.
*SWOOSH*
By taking small steps and turning her body again slightly.
The way she just simply evaded that amazed the two who watched her from the sides.
Harson who watched his master evade those deadly and fast strikes made him gulp, 'A-amazing!'
Silvi, who also watched her master, felt astonished and surprised by her calmness from dodging many of its deadly attacks. 'Is this...what Ojou-sama is capable of! Even with my experience as an S-class Adventurer...I don't think I can evade like that when I was her age'
'Ojou-sama...how did you manage to do that?' She wondered, but that didn't mean she was suspicious of her since she was smiling as she watched her master dance while evading that attack.
Her small movements and twirls...it was like seeing a little girl dancing in the ball.
Elegantly and beautifully.
Another question is...what secret lies on her that made her able to do something like that.
*HOW COULD YOU DODGE ALL OF THIS!!*
*KIEKKKK!!!*
Arachne's getting angrier than it was before.
'Of course you won't know...because it's from a skill called [Foresight].'
'A skill that allows me to look 5 seconds into the future, which is the movement of the monster and how I should respond with minimal movement.'
'Together with [The Villainess] skill which allows me to remain calm in this kind of situation where I evaded those deadly strikes.'
'And yes...'
[Notice!]
[Skill "The Villainess" have been activated]
'The skill is always active, since it is pretty nerve wracking to dodge those attacks without this skill.'
'If I made a single mistake...that would cost me my life.' Iris replied to the monster in her mind, while her smile remained the same.
*TING*
At the same time, she counterattacks during her evasion by striking its leg with her rapier.
*TING*
She continued to strike it, her blade clashed against its thick skin and created a spark.
But it didn't stop at that.
It didn't cause any damage...but...
*KIEKKKK!!*
It served to anger Arachne.
At that moment, the Spider Queen forgot its surroundings.
Making it easier for Silvi and Harson to strike now.
*BOOM* *BOOM*
A sudden explosion occured on Arachne's both sides, using the remaining [Salamander Bomb]. They were given one each, just in case.
But to think they would use it at this moment instead of planting it again.
*KIEKKKK!!!*
Arachne felt the pain coursing on its large body. The bomb was a success and very effective against this monster, and it left a crack on its hard and thick skin.
Silvi and Harson noticed that the monster who was focused on Iris, now felt the presence of the two of them.
*HUMANSSS!!*
Arachne roared when it's about to use its other leg to strike Silvi and Harson.
However, the two looked calm despite the fact that they were in danger, but suddenly...
"Hey~"
*SWOOSH*
A large bead was thrown at the Spider Queen's face and...
"Where are you looking at?~" Iris asked while greeting it with a wide smile, after that...
*BOOM*
The bead caused a large explosion and hit the Spider Queen's face.
*KIEKKKK*
Now its front have been damaged by the bomb that Iris released, it seems she had one left for the Spider Queen as well.
The Spider Queen backed down a bit, when the smoke from the explosion on its face dissipated.
*SPURT*
Something spurted out from the smoke, a green like liquid was released and flying towards Iris' direction.
She noticed it, then jumped back to evade it.
*TSSSSS*
The moment that liquid touched the ground, it melted the ground immediately.
'So you finally showed your trump card.' Iris thought.
Then Arachne's face was revealed and green liquid trickled down its open mouth.
"Ojou-sama!" Silvi shouted in concern but Arachne began to turn its head towards her now.
"You guys!! Evacuate yourself!! Don't smell it or let that green stuff touch you!!" Iris warned them.
Then...
*KIEKKKK!!!*
*SPURTTT*
Silvi and Harson immediately jumped away as the Spider Queen spurted more of them on its surroundings, creating a circle.
They didn't get hit by the venom, fortunately.
Iris observed from afar as she watched the land where the Spider Queen was standing now filled with a pool of deadly poison.
'Finally...it's final defense mechanism when Arachne's HP have become halved, and it is called [Venom Field] by using its trump card [venom] to cover its territory that could affect everyone that touched it.'
'Not only that...it's not an ordinary venom but a [Theos Venom] which is a debuff skill, a venom that can cause [Blind], [Corrosion], [Bleed], and [Poisoned] state.'
'If it's a game, it might be easy...but this is my reality now, all these things can cause permanent effects...especially to me who possessed [Magic Eyes].' Iris gulped as she observed this monster.
'It is a failed experiment, but to think it would grow to such a catastrophe level of a monster…' Iris stared at the Arachne who remained there on its own field. '...as expected of [Femme Fatalle], dammit how can I bring that monster out from there…'
Iris looked around her surroundings to search for something that could possibly make this monster come out of it.
The first one was Silvi, 'She can use her ice magic from afar and push Arachne away from its territory...but the ice might have melted right before it touched its body.'
Then the second one was Harson, 'Well I don't think he can aggro it because its eyes are more focused on me who was the one who killed its children before.'
Then her eyes caught on something that made her smile.
'Heh~ I see~'
As the three were standing by their position, Arachne still remained on its own position where it was surrounded with its own venom.
*DAMN YOU WRETCHED HUMANS! I WILL KILL YOU ALL AND FEED YOU TO MY UNBORN CHILDREN!!*
*KIEKKKK!!!*
Arachne screeched loudly as it released its strong pressure towards them all and it affected Harson and Silvi a bit.
But...
Suddenly, Arachne's eyes widened and focused on the girl who stood up against it.
The human girl who killed its children and not only that, she's capable of dodging its fast attack.
Now...
She's running around it, encircling the untouched area where the venom couldn't reach.
*?????*
It confused Arachne. The Spider Queen knew that no human could pass through this land filled with deadly venom because it could apply multiple debuffs that could cause permanent damage as well.
For some reason, its eyes were fixated on her more than her companion.
Until...
*TAP*
Iris stopped for a moment and turned around to look at Arachne.
At that moment, Arachne, the monster who had the same intelligence as a human and instinct of a monster, felt something was wrong.
Iris opened her [Inventory] as she stood at the large hole that was right beside her.
It was the same hole Arachne came out from earlier
"Hey!" Iris called the Spider Queen.
*???*
"Are you sure it's fine for you to stand there?~" Iris asked while pulling out a large pouch filled with something in it.
Arachne was silent as it looked at the pouch she was holding in confusion.
"Do you want to know what's inside of this pouch?~" Iris asked one more time until....
Her lips curved into a wide smile.
"This thing is the culprit that killed your children~" Iris spoke while taking out a familiar bead from the pouch.
Arachne recognized that bead, of course it could tell how much damage that would do with just a glance.
She began to move her pouch to the direction where the hole is...
And Arachne immediately realized what's happening now.
Iris smiled once more, "Heh~ I wonder...is your children capable of protecting themselves~"
At that moment, Arachne felt chill and dread for the first time in its life and it was caused by this small human.
And then…
*RUMBLE* *RUMBLE*
Arachne began to move out from the territory that it created just now.
*DON'T YOU DARE HUMAN!!!*
Despite everything, she ignored her and threw the pouch towards the hole.
As the pouch fell down, Arachne continued to crawl at her.
"I won't let you get closer!"
Harson and Silvi immediately followed the Spider Queen.
*CRACK* *CRACK* *CRACK*
Silvi created an Ice Wall in front of the Arachne to slow it down.
*BOOM*
But it ended up destroying it with its large body that was rushing at her master.
"Haaaa!!!"
*SWOOSH*
Harson jumped to its right side, swinging his sword at the Spider Queen.
*TING*
*DON'T GET IN MY WAY!!*
Arachne blocked the sword with its front right leg then pushed him aside.
"Ugh–!" Harson was thrown away, but he immediately landed on the ground with his feet as he could see this monster was about to reach his master.
"Ojou-sama!!–" Silvi and Harson shouted, thinking she was about to get eaten but...
*SWOOSH*
A large bead that was on her hand was thrown at the Spider Queen who didn't manage to think rationally because its children were in danger.
Arachne noticed the bead that caused the damage on its face was thrown again.
But....
*BOOM*
It was too late for the Spider Queen to dodge it and the bead landed a direct hit on its face once again.
*KIEKKKK!!!*
Arachne screeched in pain, not knowing where it headed off to since the smoke from the explosion was still covering its face.
*CRACK*
The ground where the Arachne was standing started to crack...
*BOOM*
And crumbled down, causing this Spider Queen to fall into the hole that it created from before.
*KIEKKKK!!*
As the smoke dissipated from its face, Arachne could see that Iris was standing on its right side.
*YOU–!!*
Iris was just simply smiling as she watched Arachne about to fall on its own hole.
"Make sure you protect your unborn children well~" Iris spoke calmly despite the fact that she just threatened this large and scary monster.
Of course...
*SWOOSH* *BOOM*
Arachne tried to reach her with its front leg to strike but it couldn't reach her and instead stuck on the nearby ground right in front of her.
*CRACK* *BOOM*
As the ground that the monster tried to hold onto broke apart, it lost it's grip on it and it began to fall.
*I WILL KILL YOUUUUUUUUUU–*
*KIEKKKKKKKKKK*
Arachne screeched one last time before it fell down into the hole with a loud thud.
Iris looked down at the hole and waved her hand with a smile, "Thank you for the service~"
Then she jumped away from the hole to regroup with Silvi and Harson who's now panting a bit and concerned about her well being.
"Ojou-sama! Are you hurt!" Silvi asked her immediately as she tried to inspect her body for injuries.
"Are you fine? Do you need to rest?? We should rest now while the monster is gone!" Harson suggested as he panicked.
"I am fine~ but we should go now before the ground falls~" Iris spoke as she started to walk past them.
"W-what do you mean Ojou-sama??" Silvi asked her.
As she was walking, she showed her a button on her hand and waved it to make sure they both focused on that and…
*PIPP*
pressed the button.
.
.
.
.
Things were quiet a moment ago, but suddenly...
.
.
.
.
.
*RUMBLE* *RUMBLE*
A vibration could be felt underneath them and they knew that something happened...
.
.
.
.
*RUMBLE* *RUMBLE*
As the ground began to shake, the untouched trees around the battlefield began to shake as well.
The birds that were hiding in the forest flew away due to the earthquake coming from something...
*CRACK* *CRACK*
The ground beneath them cracked and it slowly spread wider, creating fissures from it.
"What are you guys doing!~ Run for your life now!~" Iris spoke to them with a teasing smile as she began to run towards the forest immediately.
Silvi and Harson, who just noticed that their master left, immediately followed her.
"Wait for us–!! Ojou-sama!!!"
After that one shout...
*BOOM* *CRACK* *BOOM*
The ground began to split apart, creating large fissures and cracks all over the field.
*BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM*
Then it continued with the ground that began to fall apart like tiny pieces of puzzle.
The explosion created a large hole on the ground but Iris and her companion already left the scene and were now standing above a tree together while observing the gigantic hole.
"W-woah! H-how did this happen?!" Harson shouted in bafflement.
Iris was looking at it as well and remained calm, despite she's just watched a big disaster happening right in front of her
'It completely reduced the forest into nothing but a large hole on the ground.' Iris observed.
"Ojou-sama, this is..." Silvi spoke, realizing something.
"Indeed, this is the cause of the left over [Salamander Bomb] that I have on me, when I threw it to that hole, I know it would reach Arachne's eggs."
"So I lured it to fall to its own hole that monster created, and activated the [Salamander Bomb] to cause [Chain Bomb] that would continue to kill all its eggs, including the Spider Queen itself that was caught in the chaos."
'Although I didn't take into account the damage that would be caused by it…'
Despite explaining that and having cleared her head now, she would never have thought that just killing the Spider Queen's eggs by exploding them would cause this kind of damage.
"Well, shall we go check the Spider Queen first?~" Iris suggested then she dropped her self down from that tree.
"Yes, Ojou-sama!" Silvi and Harson followed her as well, towards the large hole.
******
*TAP*
They landed on the ground and found themselves surrounded with some sort of facility that was covered in flames and rubbles.
Burnt smell was all over this place and they could find some pieces of Arachne's eggs and the rest of its children were burnt to the ground.
"Silvi, Harson, don't let your guard down." Iris orderee while looking at her surroundings.
"Ha!" Both of them answered at the same time.
"[Holy Wall] 2x." Iris casted double barrier around them as they started to walk through this ruins.
*CRACK*
As they walked, sometimes they stepped on the spider's crisp body parts.
*TAP*
*TAP*
*TAP*
They kept walking until they found themselves standing right in front of a large corpse.
The corpse of [the Spider Queen, Arachne].
Its giant body was scorched, and the thick hard skin was reduced to ashes. From the looks of it, even this monster couldn't survive from that kind of explosion.
"Finally, it's over~" Iris concluded when the name above the monster's head disappeared.
Silvi and Harson looked at each other and then sighed in relief.
"We did it, Ojou-sama~" Silvi said.
Harson nodded and smiled with joy, "Yeah, I never thought we could!"
Iris turned around to them and smiled as well, "Yeah!~ We did it!~"
But then....
Iris widened her eyes a bit.
When she looked at them, their mouth was open, but their body didn't move one bit.
"Huh?? Silvi? Harson?" Iris asked them as she waved her hand right in front of their face to see their reaction.
There's none
Iris stepped back and that's when she realized that…
The ground, the sky and her surroundings, had lost its color and turned into grey, the whole world came to a halt except herself.
Iris was confused at this strange experience since it's the first time something like this happened to her.
"What…happen?–"
*BZZZTT* *BZZZTTTTT* *BZZZZTTTT*
Sudden static noises echoed through her head, and she held her head in pain, "Ugh–?!"
When she looked up to the sky...
*BZZZTT* *BZZZTTT*
The sky was distorted, like a glitched computer screen.
An error of some sort that shouldn't exist in this world...
Iris didn't understand what happened, and didn't want to know why this happened.
"What the hell..." She frantically looked around and used her [Magic Eyes] to search through the place.
Until...
*ZWONG*
A hologram board appeared right in front of her...
Which happened at the same time as Rei on the other side...showing them a word
=======================================
■■Hello■■
=======================================
A greeting from someone...
Who watched them from afar...
To be continue…