I watch this scene unfold from my position at the rear. The battle is heating up. If we can just hold off the monster coming up on our rear, we should be able to survive.
"Shinobu." I turn to the blond-haired girl standing beside me. "I need you to sneak up and blast that monster while I hold it back, okay?"
"Got it," she replies before pulling the correct potion out of her belt.
'Bang!'
The spider monster bashes against the stone blockade just as we finish concocting our plan. I can see the eight eyes on its head staring at us through a gap in the wall.
'Bang! Bang! Bang!'
The cavern shudders with each thundering collision. Boulders tumble down to the ground at my feet. The visage of the giant spider slowly comes into view.
'Boom!'
With one last body blow, the monster busts down the barrier like a battering ram. I get a solid look at the creature for the very first time. It's an imposing figure standing over seven feet tall. The SUV-sized abdomen accounts for most of the spider's mass. Sticking out of its Cephalothorax are eight towering legs that end in sharp points like broadswords. All of the numerous eyes are staring straight at me.
[Why's it always gotta be spiders?]
My complaints go unanswered as the giant spider charges me. I jump to one side while digging my spear into one of its joints. Unsurprisingly, the monster suffers no damage. Given its colossal size and terrifying aura, it's safe to assume this thing has a tremendous amount of health. Without the whole team here, Shinobu and I don't have any chance of defeating it.
My opponent is the first to make a move. It darts toward me like a bullet. I was hoping it would be slower due to its size, but that certainly isn't the case. I use Flash Step to dodge the opening blow and slide behind it. While its abdomen is exposed, I thrust my spear forward with all my strength.
'Smack!'
Just as the tip of my spear makes contact, a leg that looks like a tree truck knocks me away. I tumble to the ground in a heap. Not having had the chance to activate Ironflesh, my whole body aches.
[Get up, dumbass!]
'Wham!'
I roll to the side as another sharp claw digs into the ground where I landed. And then another.
'Wham!'
And another.
'Wham!'
The walls are closing in around me. A terrible fear rises up my chest as I realize that I'm just much lower on the food chain than I thought I was. I'm being hunted. Using the added strength I've recently gained, I toss myself up and regain my footing.
[Calm down. Panic kills.]
These words echo around my head while I stare down at my relentless opponent. Eight soulless black eyes look back at me. I feel like I'm fighting a giant robot. Several more claws come at me, but this time, I'm ready. Using flash step, I weave my way through the forest of legs and retrieve my spear.
"Let's do this, you son of a bitch!" I shout, mostly just to shake off the creeping dread. I want to check out what's happening on the other side of the battlefield, but even a moment's hesitation could get me killed.
[If they don't beat those Goblins, then there's no way we'll be able to make it out of here.]
Doubt swirls around my head, but I do my best to ignore it. Right now, the only thing I can do is trust my teammates.
"Ironflesh!" I activate my defensive skill and close in to attack. The massive legs of the spider rip apart the earth, causing dust and dirt to fly up around me.
'Bang!'
My perspective shifts. The floor is suddenly on the ceiling. I brace for impact while tumbling through the air. I almost made my way in but was intercepted by one of the spider's rear legs. Using unseemly dexterity, the massive beast is able to balance on only two legs while using the other six as weapons.
'Boom!'
I collide with a stone pillar but don't even feel it. My Ironflesh skill, in conjunction with the adrenaline coursing through my veins, dampens the pain enough that I don't even notice it.
"Come on!" I scream, half in frustration, half in rage. The fear overwhelming me earlier is being overridden by the heat of battle. My instincts have kicked in. Honed by hours and days at the bottom of this dungeon, my body seems to move on its own. I grip my spear as if to strangle it and charge in again.
"Flash Step!" Power courses through my body as I dive head first towards my predator. The world around me fades away. I dodge and duck past the forest of legs until I'm standing right in front of it. "Strike!"
I activate the first attack skill I've learned and thrust my spear at one of the vulnerable eyes.
'Chink!'
The unpleasant sound of steel upon steel rings out. I can see that my attack has landed directly against its eye but doesn't even leave a scratch.
I click my tongue and pull back to avoid the array of attacks brought forth to kill me. I know my attacks won't do any damage until I wear down its health, but I'm still disappointed. Even a stray hit takes a monumental effort to achieve.
[Let's try it again.]
The volley of legs chases me down until I'm fully out of reach, a ridiculous thirty or forty feet. The gap between us feels like a canyon.
I can sense a hint of trepidation in the spider's movements. It probably didn't expect to be attacked in such a vital place. At the end of the day, the ferocious beast standing before me is just a spider.
I use the lull in the battle to steady my breathing. I just need to buy some time. The cries from the other side of the battlefield reach my ears, but I shut them out.
The beast begins crawling towards me. I back up to keep my distance, but it suddenly accelerates. The massive visage fills my view. My body moves on its own and raises my spear just in time to intercept a large claw gunning for my neck. I twist my body and allow the sharp appendage to pass harmlessly past me.
'Wham!'
Another leg catches me on the side and sends me sprawling.
'Wham!'
The next blow launches me into the air. My limbs flail around helplessly. I manage to keep a firm grasp on my weapon as I land with a combat roll to disperse the force of my descent. My body aches. The adrenaline and potions are beginning to wear off. All the damage I've accumulated over the last several minutes stutters my breathing.
[It's coming.]
I jump to one wall of the tunnel as the ground trembles all around me. The spider stomps the ground where I am just kneeling.
[Time's almost up.]
The giant arachnid searches around until it spots me. I can tell it smells blood in the water.
'Blam!'
Shattered pebbles spray out from behind me as I'm thrust into the stone wall. I manage to raise my spear just in time to block the tree trunk barreling toward me. The spider's claws are mere inches from my face. Perhaps surprised by my continued resistance, the spider hesitates. I wish I had the opportunity to maneuver during this offbeat, but it's all I can do to avoid being crushed. After regaining its composure, the spider applies more force to its leg.
"AAHHHHHH!" My blood vessels burst, and my muscles tear from the tremendous effort; I pour every last ounce of energy into holding off the ever-increasing weight pressing down on my chest. "Ironflesh!"
My only thought is to brace myself for the inevitable impact. I just need to hold out a little longer.
"Maximize Magic: Potential Burst!"