Chapter 25: Results
Ethan opened his eyes, initially confused as he adjusted to the sensation of his own weight.
This time, he took a moment to carefully observe the cave, noticing details he had missed during his initial entry. It seemed like his mana had been used up, but he didn't feel overly concerned about it.
The cave measured about 10 meters in length and 8 meters in width. In the middle of the cave was a small spring, roughly a meter in diameter. When Ethan had first entered the dungeon, he had drunk from this spring to replenish some of his thirst, without giving much thought to its nature.
On the left side of the cave, where he was currently situated, was a table, a chair, and a bed. A small grin appeared on Ethan's face as he noted the more comfortable arrangement. It seemed that Oneiro had provided him with these basic necessities.
Aside from these conveniences, the cave appears rather ordinary. Ethan's gaze shifted to the table, where he saw a bowl containing the spider eggs. Each egg was roughly the size of a small ping-pong ball. With his mana senses, Ethan could observe the interior of the eggs, which only heightened his sense of disgust. The greenish objects, filled by sticky liquid, might have appeared venomous to an amateur observer. Ethan sighed and muttered to himself, "It's not like my grandfather never made me eat worse things."
*Swallow*
Ethan closed his eyes and bravely swallowed the spider eggs without chewing, one often another. His face twisted in disgust, yet he kept eating them quickly. The taste was terrible, like eating spoiled eggs mixed with rotten trash. It felt slimy and smelled awful, almost making him gag. It was as if he was battling a strong wave of disgust in his stomach, as if he were consuming a concoction of decay and filth. However, the outcome was worth it. In a matter of seconds, the mana from the eggs flowed into his mana core, refilling some of his energy and finally alleviating the hunger he had endured for the past three months.
Ethan then took the same bowl and almost used it to drink directly from the spring. In the end they placed the bowl back at the table. Then he went back to the spring, kneeled in front of the spring, placed his face near the water, and used his hands as a makeshift bridge to drink directly from the spring.
*gulp* *gulp* *gulp*
To describe its refreshment as merely pleasant would be an understatement. It was as if honey and milk had been magically combined into a drink of sheer delight and purification. His headache vanished instantly, and his mana core seemed to yearn for more.
"That's really good stuff," Ethan exclaimed. "I should take some of it and use it while exploring the dungeon."
Ethan searched around to see if he could find any containers or vessels. He still had his trusty water bag that he always carried with him, but he wanted to gather more of the spring water to be prepared for the dungeon's potential dangers.
*SKRIIIIIIIISHH*
"Charmwaver spiders." Ethan muttered under his breath, suddenly his face changed into an evil grin.
Ethan recognized the voice as belonging to the Charmweaver Spiders, the creatures he had been battling for the past three months. He quickly grasped their intentions. With his Gravity sense he has found 10 people in the vicinity, their plan was clear: lure the spiders into the cave to eliminate any potential threat, then launch wide-ranging attacks on anyone who emerged from the cave, taking advantage of their superior position.
Ethan couldn't help but grin mischievously. He had been honing his skills for the past three months, and he wasn't about to fall into such a simple trap.
Ethan couldn't help but think to himself, "I really need to thank you, Oneiro. I can't believe how weak I was and how amateurish my gravity control usage was. These past few months have really changed me."
Ethan adopted a stance he had learned from his master over the past few months. He placed his hands behind his back and moved deliberately toward the cave's exit. His eyes remained closed, relying solely on his gravity sight to navigate. This technique maximized his visibility, covering a radius of 1000 diameters, ensuring he had no blind spots and allowing him to gauge the density and strength of potential threats.
Upon exiting the cave, he was met with the unwavering gazes of 20 Charmweaver spiders. If looks could kill, he would have perished on the spot. They looked at him as if he had eaten their chil…. "Oh wait. Nevermind"
"I still think you look too fierce. *Zero-G-Field*."
Ethan employed his most mana-efficient wide-range ability to immobilize the Charmweaver spiders. The arachnids began hissing and screeching, desperately attempting to regain their mobility. One spider even sprayed poison at Ethan, but the attack remained suspended in front of it, utterly ineffective.
His gaze shifted from the immobilized spiders to the group that had lured the spiders to the cave. He then focused on the apparent leader of the group.
"Hello there, long time no see. Let's see which school found me first." Ethan opened his eyes and locked onto the captain's chest. "Oh, the wannabe righteous. Hihihihi." Ethan chuckled at the sight.
"Let me tell you beforehand, if you intend to fight me, the ten of you won't be enough. And as for those spiders…"
Ethan slowly shifted one of his hands from behind his back to the front, pointed his index finger, and called out his attack. "*Gravity Vortex*." With that, Ethan created a gravitational vortex in the midst of the spiders, drawing them all into one place.
Ethan's eyes gleamed with confidence as he controlled the vortex, making sure the spiders remained trapped within its relentless grasp.
*Skreeeeeeeech*
*Zzzyyyeeeeekkchch*
The spiders continued their furious hissing and screeching, struggling to break free. Ethan observed them with a calm demeanor, his fingers poised for the final strike.
"You're too loud," Ethan remarked with an air of amusement. He crossed his index finger and middle finger, and with a swift motion of his hand, he executed his signature move: "*Gravity Slash*."
In an instant, the thin line of mana transformed into a powerful shockwave of gravitational force, akin to a razor-sharp blade. It sliced through the air with tremendous speed, cutting through the spiders with remarkable precision. The cavern echoed with the cacophony of the arachnids' demise as they were reduced to countless fragments.
Ethan stood amidst the debris, his aura radiating confidence, and he turned his attention to the group of observers who had lured the spiders to the cave.
The green blood of the spiders splattered across the cave floor, painting a grim scene. The metallic scent of the ichor filled the air, mingling with the tension that hung in the air. Ethan, unfazed by the gruesome scene around him, maintained his unyielding gaze on the group of observers who had lured the spiders to the cave.
Fabrice, the scout captain, was overtaken by an overwhelming fear. His thoughts raced in a frenzy of despair. *How can this be? It's only been a day, and he was just a novice with one ability. Is he truly this powerful? Is he even human?*
The dread that coursed through him was paralyzing, and it was as if he stood on the precipice of an abyss. He had no answers, only the deepening realization that they faced something beyond their understanding.
Desperation gnawed at Fabrice's thoughts as he struggled to grasp the situation. We must attack, throw everything we have at him, he thought, attempting to rally his troops despite the overpowering fear that gripped him. However, the profound sense of dread still lingered, casting a long, foreboding shadow over their chances.
"Attack! Everyone, attack with all you've got."
He watched as Ethan appeared once more, his abilities now transcending what Fabrice had witnessed before. It was as if he had transformed from a mere novice into a formidable force.
Before Ethan could even address the captain and understand their intentions, they launched a relentless assault against him. Fabrice invoked his own power, manipulating water into a colossal serpent-like form, and sent it hurtling toward Ethan.
Before Ethan could talk to the captain and see what they wanted from him, he found them attacking him.
"Water manipulation: serpent fangs." A big serpent made of water attacked Ethan. Ethan, confused by where the water came from, only reacted at the last second.
"Gravity slam" a miniature version of gravity crush, that only affects one target. The water serpent struggled to move forward and was pushed to the ground.
Ethan sensed an immense pressure bearing down on him, realizing it was "Telekinetic Pressure."
"Lightning control: electric discharge!" A rapid bolt of blue lightning struck Ethan, momentarily immobilizing him and allowing the water serpent to break free.
"Light control: mana distortion." Bali used his light control to bind Ethan. "Perfect timing Bali!" Fabrice said joyfully.
Ethan felt his control over mana in the area slipping away. It felt like he lost the power to sense the mana and thus the gravity control was not possible.
"Allen! NOW!" Fabrice's urgent command hung in the air, carrying an unmistakable aura of lethal intent.
Ethan's instincts screamed danger. He felt it—a merciless resolve to end his life. "Killing intent?" Ethan pondered, it wasn't merely an attempt to immobilize him; it was an assassination in motion.
In an instant, Ethan's own shadow seemed to waver and distort. A cloaked figure materialized from the darkness, brandishing a gleaming dagger with a deadly purpose, poised to strike Ethan's heart from behind.