After resting to recover and formulating a plan to defeat the enemies, Unknown began his preparations. His eyes scanned the cave, eyes narrowing with each careful step.
"Did you notice? This place doesn't look quite natural," Eclipse's voice, ever perceptive, broke the silence.
"Yeah," Unknown replied, his voice calm but thoughtful. "It seems like the lair of some creature."
During his rest, he had taken time to explore the cave. Initially, it had seemed like a dead-end—just another confined space in the labyrinth. But after a deeper inspection, something unusual caught his attention. Subtle vibrations thrummed beneath the ground, faint but persistent.
"Do you have any idea what it might be?" He asked to know if her ability could do something.
"No," She admitted, pausing as Unknown tapped the floor lightly with his foot, testing the vibrations. "The signal is too weak to pinpoint, but there's definitely something deep down here." She said.
This mysterious energy was something Unknown had noticed too, and he knew it would play a crucial part in his plan. But for now, he had to set it aside, focusing on more immediate concerns.
"Oh, by the way, Master," Eclipse suddenly interjected, her tone shifting to something more curious. "Why don't you try using the special ability of the cloak?"
"The cloak?" Unknown frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"
"The ability of the cloak—don't tell me you haven't tried it yet?" Eclipse teased, almost amused.
Unknown paused, scratching his chin in thought. He had indeed acquired the cloak some time ago, and it had already proven useful. It seemed to dull the monsters' senses and made it easier to move undetected. Still, compared to his magic pouch, the cloak didn't feel particularly potent.
"I'm very sensitive to magical energy," Eclipse continued, her tone serious.
"I can tell what has special abilities and what's useless. For example, although Dark Blade looked weaker than the Emperor Centipede tail sword, in terms of magical energy, Dark Blade is definitely stronger. The same goes for the magic pouch."
"Well, what about the armor?" Unknown asked, his voice laced with a hint of suspicion. He had always wondered about the armor's lack of visible power.
"Unfortunately, it doesn't have any special abilities," Eclipse replied, a note of finality in her voice.
Unknown grunted in acknowledgment, turning his attention back to the cloak. "Alright, so how do I activate it?"
"Just channel magical energy into it as you normally would," she instructed.
Following Eclipse's advice, Unknown closed his eyes, taking a slow breath. He focused on the magical flow in his body, guiding it into the cloak as he had done with other items before. A surge of energy tingled across his skin as the magic settled.
[Full Concealment]
The moment the skill was activated, a noticeable shift occurred. It was as though the world itself had blurred him out of existence. His presence, once undeniable, seemed to fade from reality.
Everything around him felt... distant, muted. For the briefest moment, it was as though he had become a mere shadow, undetectable, almost like the very air itself had swallowed him whole.
But as the skill continued to drain his magical energy, he felt the familiar weight of fatigue creeping in. The cloak, powerful as it was, wasn't limitless.
After only ten seconds, Unknown already felt drained. He knew that if he focused entirely on maintaining the skill, he could use it for about five minutes before his magic ran out.
"Alright, that's enough," he muttered, his body already protesting the sudden exhaustion. He deactivated the cloak, feeling his presence return to the world with a slight thud as if his body had just re-materialized.
With his movements now more deliberate, Unknown grabbed his giant sword and swung it forcefully. The heavy blade crashed through the spider carcasses blocking his path, sending them scattering across the cave floor.
The way was cleared.
Just as the swarm of spiders closed in, Unknown shouted, his voice echoing through the cave.
"Hey, you want to kill me? Come here and fight!"
The challenge rang out in the darkness, the perfect bait. But to make absolutely sure they heard, he raised his sword high and slashed it down with all his might, creating a massive shockwave that reverberated through the cave walls. The force of the strike shook the ground beneath his feet.
Screech. Riiiissstttt----
The spiders responded immediately, a chorus of clicks and hissing noises filling the air as they switched into full pursuit mode. Their legs scuttled rapidly against the stone, drawing closer to him with terrifying speed.
To ensure he'd caught their attention, Unknown activated the cloak's glow feature, letting his form shine like a beacon in the dark. The vanguard spiders, the ones with the most speed and aggression, surged ahead, their eyes gleaming with hunger.
Behind them, the elite spiders stayed back, their bodies coiled and ready to strike.
The air was soon filled with the whizzing sounds of web bullets being fired. The elite spiders launched their webs with deadly precision, hitting their own comrades in the chaos. But that didn't stop them. The attack was relentless, the barrage never slowing down.
Unknown gritted his teeth as he ran, feeling the sting of several webs and the sharp scrape of spider legs as they collided with him, leaving him with deep gashes. His path grew more treacherous with each step, but he could see the entrance to the spider nest up ahead.
"Eclipse, come on!" he shouted, his voice strained from exertion.
He summoned Eclipse in the form of a hooked spear, quickly securing a long rope to the end. His muscles screamed in protest as he threw it with everything he had, the rope arcing through the air.
The rope latched onto the ceiling with unnatural precision, melding with the spear as if they were one. It wasn't just the weapon—there was something almost... alive about the way Eclipse responded to him, as if it shared his urgency.
Ignoring the sharp pain in his body, Unknown gritted his teeth and used both hands to pull himself up. His legs dangled for a moment before he swung his body, swinging toward the spear's tip.
From below, the spiders fired more web bullets, their movements frantic as they tried to stop him. With one hand gripping the spear and the other raised sword to deflect the incoming webs, Unknown twisted his body in midair, desperately avoiding the webbing.
"Haha, I'm really crazy. Why did I think this was a good idea?" Unknown muttered to himself, sweat stinging his eyes as his body strained to maintain his grip.
"Yep, that's my master," Eclipse's voice echoed, laced with sarcasm, "You're doing great. Good job!"
Despite her teasing, her voice grounded him, giving him that final ounce of focus he needed to continue. He could feel Eclipse's playful mockery, but it wasn't enough to break his concentration. No matter how ridiculous this situation felt, he couldn't afford to stop now.
Minutes ticked by—an eternity of swinging and web bullets flying at him from every angle. The spiders grew in number as they scuttled in from all sides, their attacks relentless.
They had already cornered him, their webs practically covering the air. Unknown took several more hits, the webbing wrapping around his arms, his legs, his torso, until he felt more like a trapped animal than a warrior.
"Master, do you see that big thing in the middle? It's [Mother Spider]." Eclipse's voice dropped to a low, tense whisper. "It's about to wake up. We should get out of here."
Unknown's heart skipped a beat as he turned his gaze toward the center of the nest. The massive form of the Mother Spider began to stir, her many legs twitching and extending from beneath the webbed mass. She was huge-gigantic even.
The [Mother spider] was an imposing presence that made even the other spiders seem small.
"Yeah, definitely." Unknown didn't need to be told twice. The situation had turned dire.
Using all of his strength, Unknown swung himself upward, planting his foot firmly on the spear's shaft for leverage. With a forceful grunt, he drove his great sword into the dom's stone wall, anchoring himself in place as his body trembled from the exertion.
With precision, Unknown wrenched the spear free from its perch. And in one fluid motion, he hurled it skyward. The weapon spun through the air before striking the stone ceiling, embedding itself with a resonant thud as though drawn by an unseen magnetic force.
The spear quivered briefly, anchoring itself securely amidst the craggy surface.
Unknown wasted no time. Gripping the rope tethered to the spear, he began his ascent. Each pull was deliberate, his muscles taut and straining as he climbed toward the spear's handle.
The horde of spiders below screeched in frustration, their web bullets narrowly missing him as he swung from side to side, evading their relentless attacks.
As he neared the spear's tip, he paused briefly to gather his breath. His other hand reached for [Dark Blade], drawing the blade from its scabbard. The weapon pulsed with power as he channeled his mana into it, the air around him growing heavy with the sheer force he poured into the blade.
"Alright, let's end this," he muttered under his breath, the glow of the charged sword reflecting in his determined eyes.
[Piercing Strike!]
The sound of the impact echoed as a surge of mana flooded through him. With a fierce cry, Unknown slashed upward, channeling his energy into the strike. The sword's edge glowed with intensity as it tore through the dom's structure, sending cracks spiderwebbing across the stone.
The force of the blow shattered the top, and with a final heave, Unknown slipped through the gaping hole, his body tumbling to the other side.
For a brief moment, he lay there, breathless but free. The echo of the collapsing stone rang in his ears as he picked himself up, casting one last look behind him. The spiders, including the looming presence of the Mother Spider, were all below.
He smirked, the first phase of his plan had succeeded.
Unknown's thoughts raced as he surveyed the spider nest, the flames from the scorched land dancing around him. His mind focused on the critical objective: to smoke the spiders out.
But how? He couldn't risk giving the creatures a chance to escape or retaliate.
As the fire would drive all of them out.
Yes, that was the key point.
"If they wanted to get out, I just have to make sure that they'll stay inside!"
He sheathed Eclipse into its scabbard, letting the flow of mana naturally infuse the blade, preparing his strongest technique. He could feel the power swelling within him, the energy coursing through his veins.
[Calamity Slash] – the blade of energy erupted from the sword with a terrifying roar. It cleaved through the massive boulder above the spider nest gate, sending debris raining down. The impact of the strike blocked the gate, trapping them inside the nest.
"Now all that's left is to smoke them," he muttered under his breath, but the smile that tugged at the corner of his lips quickly faded. It wasn't going to be that easy.
The spiders' tunnels made it harder for him to ensure they were fully trapped. They could carve through the earth, escape, and scatter. The time and distance limitations weighed heavily on his mind.
His gaze swept over the scorched land again. Something was causing this phenomenon, something worse than the spiders themselves. The areas untouched by flames had a protective dome above them—their spider nest was safe under it.
The Mother Spider, with its unnatural presence, was the key.
He inhaled deeply, formulating his next move. If he could lure out whatever had caused the scorched earth, he might just have a chance of finishing this once and for all.
"That part's easy," he murmured to himself, although the look in his eyes betrayed the weight of the plan.
"But risky," he added, as the sense of danger crept into his thoughts.
Climbing down from the dom with practiced ease, he made sure to seal the hole he had created, using the rubble to block any escape routes. With most of the spiders now trapped inside the dome, the outside had become far quieter.
This was his chance—if they tried to fight back, he could deal with them quickly.
The real danger, however, was still lurking deep within the heart of the nest, waiting to be awakened.
The countdown had begun, and Unknown's next move would determine the outcome.
Would he be able to lure out the true threat? Or would the Mother Spider prove too much for him to handle?
"It didn't matter, because I won't be the one dealing with it." He drew his sword and made the move.
Standing before the cave entrance where he had previously rested, Unknown steadied himself. The air was thick with anticipation, and his senses were heightened, alert to every subtle shift in the environment. His fingers gripped the hilt of Eclipse, the legendary blade that hummed with the power of his mana, ready to unleash its destructive force.
He raised the sword, pointing it downward, aligning it with the faint tremors he had felt deep underground. A flash of intuition had struck him during his brief respite, a realization that something—something powerful—was buried beneath the layers of rock.
With a steady breath, Unknown channeled mana through his body, focusing it into the blade. The blade of energy that shot forth was an extension of his will, cutting through the layers of earth and stone with an unnatural precision.
The ground rumbled as the energy blade descended deeper into the earth, its power cutting through with ease.
The tremors beneath him became stronger, and soon, the blade struck something soft—something alive. The energy dissipated, but its impact had awoken what lay dormant below.
From the depths of the earth, a massive form began to stir, the ground shaking with every movement. And then, from the narrow cave entrance, it emerged—its size too massive to be anything else but a colossal force of nature.
"Is that an earth dragon?" Unknown muttered, staring at the creature in disbelief.
The creature that had emerged from the earth was, in fact, no dragon at all. The so-called "earth dragon" was, in reality, a gargantuan earthworm, its skin yellowed and cracked like dried leather.
The massive creature's form was so immense and bulbous that it appeared like a monstrous serpent of the earth, its head resembling that of a dragon from afar. It reared back, its eyes glowing with an ancient, burning rage.
Without warning, the earthworm opened its gaping mouth and unleashed a stream of molten fire, the heat intense enough to scorch the very air around it. The flames licked the earth, turning it into a molten river of lava as they surged toward Unknown, who instinctively leaped out of the way.
The heat was so intense that it seemed to warp the ground beneath him, but Unknown's instincts were sharp. Despite the fire, his speed allowed him to dodge the attack, avoiding the molten torrent by mere inches.
The flames, however, had left deep scorch marks on the earth, a reminder of the dragon-worm's overwhelming power.
The creature's molten breath continued to pour from its gaping maw, but its speed was its downfall. It was slow, lumbering, its massive bulk hindering its ability to chase with any speed.
Taking advantage of this, Unknown dashed forward, drawing the creature's attention, luring it toward him. He led it away from the spider nest, away from the creatures that called this place home. He needed to drive it into the waiting jaws of his next plan.
As the earth dragon lumbered behind, spewing molten fire and burning everything in its path, Unknown thought quickly. The dome surrounding the spider nest had been resilient to the creature's attacks, but that resilience had a reason.
The Mother Spider—the one who had been so protective of her nest—was the key. She was blocking the entrance, using her immense carapace to shield her offspring. The dome's purpose was clear: to keep out external threats, especially the likes of the Earth Dragon.
Unknown, now having lured the creature to the dome's entrance, saw his opportunity. With a swift movement, he slashed at the blocked entrance with Eclipse, cracking it open, just wide enough for him to slip through.
Now, with the spider nest exposed and the Mother Spider standing protectively in her domain, Unknown activated his [Full Concealment] cloak. His presence vanished from the world, his body blending with the shadows.
Inside the nest, he silently observed the Mother Spider's behavior. It was clear the molten fire of the Earth Dragon was causing chaos, but the dome had protected the nest for now.
The Mother Spider's movements were deliberate, careful—her carapace was a barrier between her offspring and the outside world.
It was a protective stance. The Mother Spider was prepared to sacrifice everything to shield her brood from the Earth Dragon's onslaught.
But now, Unknown understood the situation fully. The Mother Spider wasn't merely defending her territory; she was protecting her young from an overwhelming external threat.
And that meant, for him, this would be his moment to strike, to turn the tables on both the Earth Dragon and the Mother Spider.
That would be ideal.
His sword gleamed in the dim light of the cave, and he braced himself for what would come next.