The Flame Storm subsided, leaving behind charred remains of countless Toxic Spiders scattered across the ground.
Bastion's lips curved into a satisfied smile. This battle alone had boosted his experience bar by an impressive 30%.
High risk, high reward. The results spoke for themselves. In just a few minutes, he had gained almost as much experience as he had in the past five hours of exploring the dungeon.
The only downside? Despite defeating so many spiders, not a single piece of equipment had dropped.
Looks like my luck from the Initiation Dungeon has run out.
Stepping over the spider corpses, Bastion pressed onward, with Pyra leading the way deeper into the nest.
Occasionally, a Toxic Spider would descend from above, attempting a surprise attack. But before they could reach Bastion, Pyra swiftly dispatched them with ease.
An hour later, Pyra suddenly stopped in her tracks. Bastion immediately felt a faint sense of danger through their connection.
Just seconds later, the ground beneath his feet began to tremble slightly.
"Something big is coming," Bastion muttered, narrowing his eyes as he turned toward the source of the vibrations.
The sound of crumbling rocks and the grating screech of spider legs against stone grew louder.
Then it appeared—a massive spider far larger than the others Bastion had faced so far.
Its body was adorned with intricate patterns of yellow and red, and its twelve pale yellow eyes reflected the images of both Bastion and Pyra. Its sharp, half-meter-long fangs glistened ominously, as if eager to slice through steel.
Bastion immediately cast Appraisal to gather information.
---
[Venomous Painted Spider (Elite)]
- Level: 10
- Strength: 180
- Spirit: 100
- Agility: 150
- Constitution: 130
- Skills:
- Venomous Strike (Bronze)
- Web Bind (Silver)
- Poison Lunge (Silver)
- Spider Gaze (Bronze)
- Piercing Leg Spear (Bronze)
---
An Elite-tier monster, with significantly boosted attributes and several deadly skills.
Poison Lunge allowed it to teleport a short distance and deliver a venomous strike.
Spider Gaze was a control skill—anyone who met its gaze would be stunned for several seconds, leaving them helpless.
Piercing Leg Spear, the most dangerous of the three, was a high-damage attack capable of instantly killing most non-tank players if it landed. However, its long charge time made it relatively easy to dodge if not stunned by Spider Gaze.
Before Pyra could act, the Venomous Painted Spider made the first move.
With a flicker, it vanished from its spot. Poison Lunge activated, and it reappeared beside Pyra.
Its long, blade-like legs lashed out, slashing across Pyra's body and leaving a shallow wound on her neck.
The injury was minor, but it inflicted a Poisoned status on Pyra.
Enraged, Pyra's tail blazed brightly with flames as she prepared to counterattack.
But before she could act, the spider's twelve gleaming eyes unleashed a burst of invisible energy.
Spider Gaze!
Caught off guard, Pyra's body stiffened, locking her in place as her eyes met the spider's malicious gaze.
Taking advantage of Pyra's immobility, the spider leapt high into the air. Its eight legs converged, forming a massive, razor-sharp spear.
Piercing Leg Spear!
The deadly weapon hurtled toward Pyra's exposed abdomen.
Seeing the imminent danger, Bastion didn't hesitate.
"Phantom Shift!"
In an instant, Pyra's figure vanished, replaced by Bastion himself.
Now it was Bastion who stood in the path of the deadly attack.
The spider's spear loomed large, its razor-sharp edge mere moments from impact. Without time to think, Bastion rolled to the side in a desperate bid to evade.
WHOOSH!
The spear slammed into the ground with tremendous force, missing Bastion by a hair's breadth.
The impact sent shards of rock flying in all directions, leaving a deep, gaping hole in the ground.
Bastion clambered to his feet, his eyes fixed on the aftermath of the spider's devastating attack.
That could've been me. If Pyra had taken the hit, it might not have been fatal, but it would've hurt. Badly.
The spider, meanwhile, stood over its ruined target, its legs spreading apart once more. Twelve furious eyes locked onto Bastion, reflecting a human-like rage.
Dirt and stone flew as the spider skittered toward him at alarming speed, its fangs coated in a dripping, violet venom that promised a quick and painful death.
But Bastion remained perfectly calm.
His feet stayed planted firmly on the ground. He didn't move a muscle.
CRACK!
A sharp sound rang out.
The spider screeched, its momentum halted mid-charge. Flames engulfed its body from behind, rapidly consuming its form.
Pyra stood tall, her claws dripping with fiery energy as she loomed behind the dying spider.
---
[Congratulations! You have defeated Venomous Painted Spider (Elite), Level 10. Extra experience awarded: +1528.]
[Material obtained: Painted Spider Venom x1.]
---
The massive spider collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud, its life extinguished.
Behind it, Pyra's blazing figure stood in stark contrast to the dark, web-filled cavern. Her fur shimmered with intricate, flowing patterns of fire, and her golden eyes burned with an untamed ferocity.
Only when she confirmed that the spider was truly dead did Pyra begin to calm down.
The flames in her eyes dimmed, and the glowing patterns on her fur receded.
Then, with a small leap, she approached Bastion, lowering her head in a gesture of apology.
[I'm sorry, Master!]
Bastion placed a reassuring hand on her head, stroking her gently.
"It's alright. Just be more careful next time."
Hearing this, Pyra's ears perked up, and her tail wagged slightly. The flames extinguished as she flicked her tail across Bastion's clothes, brushing away the dirt and debris that had clung to him.
It was her way of expressing regret.
"Alright," Bastion said, chuckling. "If we've encountered an Elite monster, the boss can't be far. Don't forget—we've got the cooldown amulet. We've got a lot of work to do today!"
Pyra nodded eagerly, her tail lighting up again as she took the lead.
True to Bastion's prediction, the pair didn't have to travel far.
Within thirty minutes, a powerful stench of blood filled the air.
Turning a corner, Bastion's eyes widened as he came face to face with an enormous spider—a grotesque monstrosity far larger and more terrifying than any they had encountered before.