As he continued, the narrow path grew increasingly constricted. Although he had yet to encounter any spiders, an unpleasant odor filled the air, hinting at danger. Eventually, he spotted an opening ahead, resembling the entrance to a new cavern. Sensing imminent peril from above, he swiftly activated the Mirror of Pride. Suddenly, a sharp sting pierced his back. Reacting quickly, he used his insights to realize he had inadvertently brushed against a web with his foot. Relieved to find that his veil had held up, he examined his injury and noted that his cloth was scraped. The Mirror of Pride had reflected most of the attack, preventing what could have been a far worse outcome. Uncertain of where the reflected attack had gone, he scanned his surroundings for any immediate threats.
He sensed a multitude of spiders lurking above him. He activated his insights.
Name: Duskvenom Crawler
Level: 5
Rank: Mundane
Bloodline: VenomShade Spider
Skills: darkstep, Poison Bite, Webshot, Poison spit
Strength: 4
Agility: 8
Physique: 5
Aether: 40
Intelligence: 5
Affinities: Poison, Shadow
Description: Duskvenom Crawlers are small, nocturnal spiders often found in shadowy corners of dungeons. They use their venomous fangs to weaken prey caught in their nearly invisible webs before delivering a fatal bite.
He immediately activated the Mirror of Pride and threw a Luminous Bolt at the group of spiders. As he launched his attack, his veil was uncovered, and the spiders sensed him. A barrage of webs and poison shots flew at him. He dodged the poison spits and deflected most of the webs. Using Dark Hands, he captured some spiders and hurled them away. After an intense fight, he felt a burning sensation in his feet from the poison. Scanning the area, he saw many spider corpses. He chose not to drink the Purify Potion, relying on his Physique for resistance. He promptly collected the monster cores and, while inspecting the corpse of the first spider that attacked him, found two crystals: a monster core and a skill fragment.
Name: Darkstep Skill Fragment Crystal
Description: This crystal holds the essence of the Darkstep ability. When combined with four other similar crystals, it can be forged into a skill stone, granting the Darkstep ability.
After a moment of surprise, he pressed onward. The new cavern entrance was wider than the previous path, and he encountered and defeated many more spiders along his journey. He advanced to level 2 (7/250 exp) and felt more at ease as most of his wounds began to heal. He also collected three more Darkstep Fragments from the defeated spiders.
After a while, he came across a new opening: a large room thick with cobwebs. Concerned that a spider might detect him, he used his insights to scan the surroundings and noticed a menacing bulge the size of a car in the center of the ceiling, giving him an uneasy feeling.
Name: VenomShade Spider
Level: 9
Rank: Mundane
Bloodline: Poisonshadow
Skills: Darkstep, Poison Bite, Webshot, Poison Spit, Shadow Blend
Strength: 7
Agility: 13
Physique: 8
Aether: 60
Intelligence: 6
Affinities: Poison, Shadow
Description: The VenomShade Spider is a medium-sized arachnid with a dark, translucent exoskeleton that blends into shadows, making it nearly invisible in dim light. Its glowing green eyes and venomous fangs make it a formidable predator, using stealth and poison to incapacitate its prey before striking.
He recognized that this was the boss monster of Spider's Hollow, known for its ability to hide in shadows and strike from behind. Thankfully, his Prudence Insights allowed him to see through its concealment. He quickly charged his Luminous Bolt with additional Aether and fired it at the VenomShade Spider. As the spider attempted to move away, he used Dark Hands to immobilize it in place.
With a shrill scream of pain, the VenomShade Spider was blasted away. The scream summoned numerous spiders from the wall's openings, attacking him from all sides. Unfazed, he skillfully dodged each attack and reflected some back. He continuously unleashed Luminous Bolts, targeting groups of spiders. As he focused on one group, he sensed a threat from his shadow and quickly moved aside. Turning around, he saw the VenomShade Spider's fangs snapping at the spot where he had been moments before. Its eight glowing eyes locked onto him. Reacting swiftly, he hurled a Nightspinner Spider at it with Dark Hands. He then moved away and fired another Luminous Bolt, but this time the VenomShade Spider had prepared itself and blended into the shadows.
The VenomShade Spider's move had disrupted his senses, prompting him to quickly shift from his position and activate his Prudence Veil. He turned around to see that most of the spiders were disoriented, unsure of his exact location. He remained concealed, allowing his Aether to recover. After some time, he observed the VenomShade Spider emerging from a shadow in the corner. He approached it and launched a Luminous Bolt directly at its eyes. The spider screamed in agony, and he took no chances, bombarding it with continuous bolts. After a few shots, the VenomShade Spider collapsed.
Not resting, he systematically eliminated the smaller spiders that had joined the fray. After an extensive battle, he succeeded in killing all the remaining spiders.
He leveled up to Level 3 (84/500) and collected the monster cores, discovering three additional Darkstep Fragments among them. When he retrieved the core from the VenomShade Spider, he found it the size of an egg and also collected its fangs. Using his insights, he detected something valuable hidden behind a cluster of cobwebs. He uncovered several monster eggs, knowing their worth, and carefully gathered them into a sack since they wouldn't fit in his storage space.
Afterward, he took out the five Darkstep Skill Fragments and brought them together. He felt a magnetic force pulling the fragments into a single, luminous crystal.
Name: Darkstep Skill Stone (Mid Level)
Description: The Darkstep skill allows the user to move swiftly and silently through shadows, enhancing their agility and evasion while making them nearly invisible in dim light.
Knowing how to use the Skill Stone, he poured Aether into it. The stone glowed brightly, transformed into a flash of light, and entered his mind. He experienced a surge of information and grasped the basics of Darkstep. With the Skill Stone's luster diminished, he discarded it.
After resting for a moment, he continued forward and noticed a new glow at the end of the cave. As he stepped into the light, he felt a familiar pull and found himself back at Explorers' League.