Chapter 16 From the Shadows
"I can't tell the exact number because they're really close to each other, but I can tell that they are all on the ceiling of the room towards the center," I say as I concentrates on my awareness.
"Understood" the guild master says as he readies his axe looking at the entrance to the halfway room.
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Heeding my warning the guild master readies his axe as he tells the others to ready their weapons and prepare to encounter spiders in the next room since it's a bigger area and it's highly likely that there will be spiders also to make sure they pay attention to the ceilings since they will be out of a corridor and into a more spacious room. Making sure to not say that I was the one that informed him of the spiders with his ability. Saying that would cause them to not believe it and then they won't take the threat seriously and they might die as a result, but if he makes it sound like he's predicting it due to years of hunting experience.
Everyone readied their weapons as slowly made their way towards the room entrance, keeping their guard up since they were told that there was likely going to be spiders up ahead. Myself and the guild master are the first ones to sneak through the entrance and look towards the ceiling trying to count how many spiders are up there.
On the ceiling there is a scarlet mass sitting in the center of the ceiling, due to the lights in this room being covered by webs and not producing much light, we can't get a clear count on how many spiders there are.
"I have an idea," I tell the guild master looking at the mass cautiously.
"What is your idea?" Asks the guild master.
I summon my clone next to them, surprising the guild master and the rest of the party members.
"I can send my clone into the center of the room to make the spiders come down as we can get an accurate count" I say to everyone.
"WOW, that's a very useful skill you have there," the guild master says impressed by James's display of his skill.
I send my clone to the center of the room and have him start cutting up the webs around the room to try and antagonize the spiders, so they'll come down from the ceiling. After almost a minute of cutting through webs the spiders finally got mad enough and started to descend from the ceiling to surround the clone. As they surrounded my clone, he starts to use magic bullet to fire a dozen magic bullets at the spiders trying to injure them since it's not possible for him to kill them due to his current rank.
As my clone is attacking the spiders and drawing their attention I begin counting the number of spiders and also viewing their data with my system.
Damn, there are six spiders in this room, I'm not sure how easy it will be to kill them all without having any casualties, I mutter to the guild leader.
- Scarlet Death Spider
E Rank
- The Scarlet Death Spider is a mutated variant of the Death Spider; due to its mutation this breed of spider has a fire affinity that super heats their spider thread. When the Scarlet Death Spider uses its super-heated thread, it can cut through even the hardest of metals and can easily sever the limbs of living creatures. The Scarlet Death Spider is a colony type monster that follow the orders of their Queen. The queen is guarded by four royal spider guards while the rest are all considered worker spiders that will expand the nest and defend it from invaders along with foraging for food to feed the queen and the rest of the colony.
"So, these ones here are the worker spiders and they're E Rank, they aren't super strong like we initially expected but it could just be because they're all the way out here. There could still be higher ranked spiders deeper inside the closer we get to the queen, especially the queens guards," I mutter to myself not realizing I was speaking my thoughts aloud.
The guild master heard what I was saying to myself and was quite surprised, "How can he know so much information about these spiders when this is the first time, he's ever seen them before?" He thought to himself while observing me closely.
Damian was also studying the Scarlet Death Spider through his system while comparing his own rank to theirs.
Hmmm it shouldn't be too hard for me to deal with one of these spiders but with there being six of them I will have a really hard time fighting against them. Although if the four of us are fighting them all together it shouldn't be too difficult to take care of them, Damian thought to himself.
"Hey guild master, do you mind if I can get the killing blow on these spiders? It will help me get stronger faster if I'm the one to get the killing blow on them," I ask looking at him seriously.
"Get the killing blow? I don't really mind as long as it won't put anyone in danger, there shouldn't be a problem," the guard master says while shrugging. "What's your plan for killing them though? There are six of them and we are only four counting your clone after all."
As they were having this discussion my clone was firing his magic bullets aiming for the spider's eyes' trying to do as much damage as possible.
After firing his magic bullets, he used his spear to attack the nearest spider to him aiming to cut its front legs off. A few of the spiders managed to dodge the Magic Bullets while some connected wounding a couple of them but not blinding them like what was intended.
As my clone jumps towards the nearest spider to cut its front legs off the spider jumped back avoiding the worst of the damage but my clone was able to cut its front legs shallowly. As the spider jumped avoiding the attack one of the other spiders jumped and attacked the clone with its front mandibles. Dodging to the side he was able to avoid losing his life, but he did end up with a big gash across his back.
While the spiders were distracted by my clone, Damian, the guild master and I snuck closer to the spiders and waited for an opportunity to attack. It didn't take long for the nearest spider to turn its back towards the trio as it prepared to attack my clone. The second it turned its back Damian and the guild master jumped at it and swung their axes and cut off the spiders rear legs.
As soon as the spider's rear legs were severed I rush forward and use my dagger to pierce the spider's abdomen creating a giant gash cutting opening up the spider's abdomen giving the spider a fatal wound. Right after attacking the spider the trio immediately went after the next nearest spider before they noticed that they were there.
My clone used magic bullet again aiming to keep the spiders distracted, after casting magic bullet he attacked the furthest spider from the trio making the spiders closest to the trio move further away from each other. As the spiders moved to give chase to my clone the trio once again attacked the nearest spider swinging their axes at the spider severing all but the spider's front mandibles. This time I used my spear to pierce the spider through its spinneret glands all the way through its body killing it instantly.
(Killed a Scarlet Death Spider)
(Killed a Scarlet Death Spider)
I manage to kill two of the six scarlet death spiders with the help or Damian and the guild master and acquire two E rank cores. Alright let's kill the remaining four and get the remaining E rank cores so I can get a few more attribute points.
Right after the second spider died the next nearest spider finally noticed Damian and the guild master, but it didn't see me because I was directly behind a rock that was right behind the dead spider's body which just started to disappear, it was the perfect cover. The spider immediately jumped at the pair of them trying to kill them since they just killed one of its family members.
They raised their axes blocking the spiders attack causing it to be suspended in the air for a second. This second was all that was needed as I dash out and thrust my spear, piercing the spiders head.
(Killed Scarlet Death Spider)
Seconds later the spider's body disappeared into particles of light and an E rank core falls to the ground. The guild master see the spider's body disappear and looks back to where the two other bodies are supposed to be and sees that they aren't there anymore. He's stunned for a moment but before he could ask any questions, the three remaining spiders have now managed to kill my clone and they have noticed that their three brothers are also dead.