Chapter 103: The Black Spider of Calamity
"You're a cheater!!!! You're a DAMN CHEATING BASTARD!!!!" Hoyuu's enraged voice echoed in Yun Che's mind. From the sheer intensity, it was evident that he was seething with anger.
Yun Che sighed knowingly, fully aware that this confrontation was inevitable. "No, I am not. You said before, as long as it's within my ability, it's fair game. Remember?"
"But not this?!?!!" Hoyuu's frustration bubbled over. He had grossly underestimated the true capabilities of the Ginrei Kojaku, falling right into Yun Che's well-laid trap.
"Deal with it. The Heilig Bogen is part of my ability. Now, ten points. PAY UP!!!" Yun Che demanded, his tone unwavering.
"Bastard!!" Despite his anger, Hoyuu begrudgingly paid up. He had, after all, agreed to the terms of the challenge. It was evident that Yun Che had outsmarted him.
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[Ding… The host has received 10 affinity points from Hoyuu. Remaining affinity points: 40]
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Yun Che couldn't help but smirk inwardly. With 10 points deducted, he now had a buffer to avoid direct confrontations. Decreasing Hoyuu's affinity points seemed to be the most effective strategy, especially considering his opponent's skilful use of acquired abilities.
"Hmph, I thought I was winning," lamented Zangetsu within his inner world, looking visibly dejected.
"You thought wrong. If I had mentioned the second stage of Heilig Bogen, you would've fought differently or maybe not even accepted the challenge. So, I kept quiet. Jasmine played a role in inspiring this tactic," Yun Che explained, defending his actions.
"That damn flower. Still, you cheated though," Zangetsu retorted.
Yun Che felt his irritation rise. "You're one to talk. You used that Hollow form?! It's fair that I used my Quincy form."
"Bastard, how's that fair?" Hoyuu countered.
"Anyway, I win. That's all that matters," Yun Che declared, striking a victorious pose.
"Tsk…" Hoyuu clicked his tongue, realizing the futility of arguing with Yun Che.
Attempting to ease the tension, Yun Che said, "You know, I still owe you for helping me clear this mess."
"Save it. At least I had fun rather than being locked up in your world, even if I didn't win," Hoyuu replied, finding a silver lining.
Clearing his throat, Yun Che added, "So, I asked the system to increase possession to five minutes instead of three. That's the best I can do, man."
"Stingy…," Hoyuu remarked.
"Asshole, be grateful that I increased it. Better than three, at least."
"Hmph, at least it's something. I had my fun, so I'm going to sleep. If you wake me up, I'll beat your ass," Hoyuu warned before accepting the gift.
"Thanks. Watch my back in the future, you dumbass," Yun Che said, expressing his gratitude.
"I'll try and keep you alive. Have to watch that annoying flower of yours as well. The world's pretty boring without her. Be seeing you, King. Next time, don't keep the fun to yourself." Hoyuu's voice faded into silence. Despite their bickering, Yun Che recognized the underlying gratitude and the unspoken bond forming between them.
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[Ding…]
[Ding…]
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Smiling, Yun Che slowly descended towards the ground, eager for the resolution of the recent confrontation. However, his contemplation was abruptly interrupted by the insistent notifications from the system.
"Now what?" he muttered, pressing the notification to reveal its contents.
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[Ding… Triggering the second trial's hidden objective.]
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"Oh, so what is it this time?" He tapped on the notification, and his eyes widened at the revelation.
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[Ding… Hidden objective triggered: Defeat the 100000th beast.]
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"Wait, what?"
Yun Che shifted his gaze downward, realizing the ground underneath the tower was quaking. Tremors rumbled through the entire realm, signaling the approach of a colossal force. He followed the source of the disturbance and observed cracks forming in the air.
Turning around, Yun Che's eyes widened as the space itself began to rupture in front of him. It wasn't like the usual tears that accompanied the emergence of Menos from Hueco Mundo. This was different—cracks forming in the separate realm belonging to the Azure Dragon, a place impervious to the intrusion of Hollows.
The ground beneath him rumbled, and a dark object sprouted from the fractured air. The surroundings cracked like a shattered mirror as the mysterious beast slowly materialized. The first thing that caught Yun Che's attention was its eight massive red eyes and sharp fangs.
Jasmine's initial reaction was, "A Spider?"
The spider emerged, breaking through the cracked air, revealing itself as the hidden BOSS. Yun Che had battled and vanquished numerous spiders before, but this one was distinctly different. It exuded a dark aura, emanating a thirst for blood that shocked both Yun Che and Jasmine. The creature was massive, covered in shining armor scales that encased its entire body.
As the spider positioned itself in front of Yun Che, he raised the Ginrei Kojaku, preparing for the impending clash. The creature was no ordinary adversary; the pressure it emitted and the ominous aura indicated a strength surpassing the two generals from the first trial.
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[Ding…. Defeat the 100000th beast: Level 91: The Black Spider of Calamity.]
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Yun Che's eyes twitched in disbelief. "Is this a freaking joke? A monarch-level spider? My full strength didn't even surpass the peak of the Tyrant Profound Realm, and now a stronger opponent appears? Hey... hey... Is this for real?"
From above the tower, the Azure Dragon observed the spider and remarked, "I see it's just as crazed as ever."
Jasmine, intrigued, asked the dragon, "Sounds like you two are acquainted."
"Sort of. This dragon captured that spider from the era of the gods when its clan waged war against us. We emerged victorious and sealed this beast inside this realm," the dragon explained. The revelation added an extra layer of complexity to the impending battle, leaving Yun Che to face a formidable opponent with ties to ancient conflicts.
Hearing that the spider was once a godly demonic beast, Jasmine exclaimed, "So this spider is a godly demonic beast?"
The dragon sighed and explained, "Not godly anymore. For thousands of years, this spider and I have been residing within this realm without any source of strength. Without it, it slowly loses its godly powers and reverts back to a mere Monarch. However, even as a Monarch, this dragon will still not underestimate it."
"So, you captured this one as a prisoner, locked it in here, and didn't feed it. No wonder it looks hungry," Jasmine remarked.
"This spider is this dragon's sworn enemy. Why in the world should I take care of it? Besides, this realm has 99999 beasts. It can fill its stomach every time."
"Not anymore. This guy killed those beasts, remember?" Jasmine pointed out, recalling Yun Che's unusual move during the previous battle.
"For The Spider of Calamity to appear, it seems that this thing is attracted to him," the Azure Dragon thought to itself.
Yun Che listened intently from below through Jasmine's tenteikura. It seemed that this creature had a long history with the Azure Dragon. The question lingered—why did it appear? Was it because he killed all its potential meals, or was there another reason?
Without warning, the spider abruptly spat a black substance towards Yun Che. Detecting the incoming threat, he swiftly evaded the attack. It became evident that the creature was determined to eliminate him. Upon closer inspection, Yun Che realized that the substance was none other than spider webs, shot directly from its mouth. As expected from a Monarch-level spider, these webs were sturdy and robust. The idea crossed his mind—just how strong would clothing made from these webs be?
While Yun Che pondered, the spider launched another assault. Despite its relentless efforts, he managed to evade its attacks at the last moment, leaping away from the spider's venomous fangs. The acidic substance dripped to the ground, melting the surface as the creature glared at Yun Che with unwavering intent.
"That armor, arrows won't work, just like the dragon from before. Using the empowered arrows might take a while to channel. If I do it, the spider will take this chance to attack. Looks like I have to use the traditional way of fighting." Yun Che dismissed the Ginrei Kojaku before retrieving something from his inventory—an item purchased a while back from the system. He slowly pulled out five silver-colored rods and placed them on his belt. Choosing one, he channeled his spirit force inside it, watching as the energy condensed into a raging force before solidifying into the form of a short blade. What he had pulled from his inventory was a Seele Schneider, or a soul cutter.
The Seele Schneider was an artifact that allowed Quincies to channel their powers, forming a supported weapon. Yun Che's mastery of Spirit Weapons was limited to Kojaku and Ginrei Kojaku. He had yet to learn how to manifest different weapons or purchase related artifacts from the system. Additionally, some artifacts required his Quincy mastery of spirit weapons to be at its peak for him to use them. Spirit Weapons and haki weapons were two distinct entities, and the latter proved much weaker than a Quincy spirit weapon—useful to mortals but a different story when it came to Quincies. The anticipation built as Yun Che prepared to face the formidable Black Spider of Calamity with his newly acquired weapon.
Immediately activating his Purgatory and Hollow's mask, Yun Che's energy blade transformed to a dark red, matching the linings of his clothes. Boosting his speed, he executed multiple flash steps towards the spider. Despite the spider's superior strength and speed, Yun Che's flash-stepping prowess outclassed it. Moving towards its legs, he sliced them clean, recognizing the legs as the weakest point despite the thick scales covering the head and body. The spider crumpled to the ground with a resounding explosion as Yun Che appeared in the distance, still wielding Seele Schneider in his right hand.
However, the spider remained unfazed. Black substance covered the severed legs, and in a blink of an eye, they were restored to their original state.
"Chee, High-Speed Regeneration. I thought only Hollows possessed this ability," Yun Che observed, keeping his guard up as the spider slowly rose.
"Interesting..." A mysterious, alluring voice echoed in the air, sounding more like a woman. Yun Che felt a tingling sensation down his spine. "You… you can speak?" he asked cautiously.
"*Giggle… Of course, I can speak, mortal. Interesting… It's been a while since I fought a human that can resist me. More… more… show me what else you can do!!!" The spider jumped towards him, firing web bullets and poisonous webs. Yun Che, growing uncomfortable, teleported near its face and landed a solid horizontal kick, sending the spider tumbling and shattering the ground.
To Yun Che's surprise, he didn't hear threats or anger but instead, a perverted laugh. "HAHAHA…More...more...more… DOMINATE ME, MORTAL!! EHe-he-he-he-he." The spider seemed oddly excited by his attacks.
"This thing… THIS THING IS A FREAKING PERVERT!!!" Yun Che exclaimed, now genuinely uncomfortable. The spider healed itself, laughing in a perverted manner. "Hya-ha-ha.."
Straightening himself, Yun Che asked, "You… do all your meals excite you that much?" Simultaneously, he felt a tingling sensation all over his body.
The spider answered with heavy breathing and a flaring black aura. "Ehe-he… Normally, potential meals didn't even excite me that much. But you… something about you… seems delicious… your pressure… power… and even smell. It sends chills to my body even when you attack me. This is the first time I wanted to be DOMINATED!!!"
"Damn, this thing is a loose screw." The spider attacked again, burying all of its legs' tips underground. Yun Che kept his guard up, but suddenly, SLASH! The leg tips emerged like wild vines, aiming to stab him. With his haki, Yun Che jumped around, avoiding the continuous vines.
Without giving him a moment to stand, the spider attacked again, burying all of its legs' tips underground. Yun Che kept his guard up, but suddenly, SLASH! The leg tips emerged like wild vines, aiming to stab him. With his haki, Yun Che jumped around, avoiding the continuous vines.
Seeing an opening, the spider attacked again. This time, it buried all of its legs' tips underground. Yun Che kept his guard up, but suddenly, the tips emerged like wild vines, aiming to stab him. He evaded with precise movements, thanks to his haki.
Without giving him a moment to stand, the spider continued its assault, forcing Yun Che to jump into the air. There, he formed a massive ball of rampaging energy in his hand. Due to the spider's strength and level, regular arrows wouldn't penetrate its scales. Furthermore, it could use its spatial abilities to dodge the arrows' trajectories. Having observed Yun Che's abilities, the spider was well-prepared.
Stabilizing the rampaging Evil God's third art energy on his hand, Yun Che teleported to the spider's head and unleashed his attack.
"Destroying Sky, Decimating Earth!!!" The red energy ball smashed onto the spider's head, causing it to disperse and explode, sending the spider flying into the distance. Yun Che had infused some of his energy to enhance the attack's devastation. If the head was destroyed, the regeneration should stop. The spider crashed to the ground, covered in piles of rocks.
The battlefield fell silent for a moment, but Yun Che remained on guard, wary of any signs of the Black Spider of Calamity's next move.
"How's that for size?" Yun Che exuded confidence, believing that his powerful attack would be enough to eliminate the spider. However, before he could react, a rumbling sound echoed in the distance, accompanied by the shaking of the earth. To his astonishment, the spider re-emerged from the ground, damaged but healing itself rapidly, absorbing the remnants of Yun Che's Evil God third art.
"What in the flying fuck?" Yun Che exclaimed, watching as the spider absorbed his attack and leveled up to Level 92.
[Ding… The Black Spider of Calamity used the host's attack just now as nourishment. The Spider of Calamity leveled up to Level 92.]
"Shit… Now look what you did, you dumbass." Yun Che sarcastically clapped his hands, realizing the unintended consequences of his powerful move.
The spider laughed in a creepy manner. "Ehe-he-he… Your energy. It's delicious!"
As the spider leveled up, the Azure Dragon sighed, realizing the perilous situation. "This is why I sealed that thing. It grows stronger by absorbing the energy given to it. That kid made a good decision not using his spirits this time, but that attack just now empowered it even more."
Jasmine inquired, "Then, how do you defeat it?"
"It took me a long time to defeat that perverted spider. In the end, when it was injured enough, I took the opportunity to seal it. I doubt it even remembers me, as this thing only thinks about hunger at that time," the Azure Dragon explained.
Jasmine mused, "The demon beasts from the era of the gods sure are weird."
Yun Che decided to avoid using his energy moves on the spider, realizing that any powerful attacks would only make it stronger. Hand-to-hand combat proved futile as well, making the spider more excited the more he attacked.
Amidst this relentless struggle, Yun Che had a sudden idea. Though wild and perhaps foolish, he decided to give it a try. "You said you wanted to be dominated, right?"
The spider halted its attacks, intrigued. "Ehe-he, I admit you are quite interesting for a mortal. It's true I wanted to be dominated. I wanted a good fight as well as a good meal. If you can defeat me, I promise to serve you as my master. Then again, with your puny strength, dominating me will be just a silly dream."
Cancelling his Seele Schneider and standing up, Yun Che slowly said, "You know, I might be weaker than you, but in terms of dominating, I could be quite fierce." Unbeknownst to the spider, Yun Che's eyes slowly transformed into his Sharingan.
"You really are interesting. You have no slight of fear after seeing me. Most mortals died before me simply fearing me, and that alone excites me. You… have none of those feelings. If you can't defeat me, I will turn you into my slave."
"Sorry, you perverted spider. Yours truly here will never be someone's or something's slave."
"You might say that. AFTER YOU DEFEATED ME!!!" The spider, now excited, ran towards him with the intent to enslave. However, Yun Che stood still, his Sharingan rotating, observing the spider. Before it could approach him, Yun Che's eyes contracted, and a flaring aura around him started rampaging.
Suddenly, the aura blasted to the heavens, engulfing the entire realm. Though invisible, the spider, Azure Dragon, and Jasmine could feel the absolute aura of domination—a conqueror's aura.
When the aura blasted through the Azure Dragon, it felt immense intimidation. It pondered, "Such power!! This one carries the power of the Heavenly Kings? No, this is not the power of it. Even the Heavenly King is not a match for this aura. It carries the same power as my soul. What is this power?"
Jasmine, too, felt Yun Che's dominating aura. If her soul wasn't empowered by the system, she would have passed out. Even after all that, she still felt the fear from his aura. "You idiot, I never knew your Haki was this powerful. You could conquer the entire world with this alone." This was the first time she fully felt his Haki, and even Retsu's Haki paled in comparison.
The spider's movements were immediately halted as it slammed to the ground. Slowly raising its head, it shivered, acknowledging Yun Che's overpowering presence. It spoke, "Your aura, this intimidating pressure. Ha ha ha… I finally found you. Intimidating aura, delicious energy, not only that, you're strong as well. Even if my body crumbles, I must make you MINE!!!"
Despite feeling intimidated, the spider slowly moved towards him, dragging its massive body. Yun Che muttered, "Eeeeekkkee, this thing is a pervert. A loose screw pervert!!!" He immediately released his Absolute Suppression, pressing the spider to the ground. The pressure made the spider feel like it was carrying a million tons of weight, rendering it unable to move.
Feeling suppressed and immobilized, the Spider of Calamity slowly gave up. "Mortal, you really are interesting. Thousands and thousands of years have passed since the era of gods, and you managed to suppress me this much. This alone is enough for me to admit defeat to you. Now, end my life. I finally found the best opponent I have ever faced. I could die with satisfaction."
With that, Yun Che removed his suppression and shut down his Haki. Using the Will of the Evil Conqueror while maintaining Purgatory and his Hollow's mask, along with Absolute Suppression, took a toll on his mental strength. Not to mention that Haki was used to suppress three realms above him, truly wearing him out. He powered down all of his power-ups before falling to his knees, breathing heavily.
The Black Spider of Calamity slowly got up, observing Yun Che without making any aggressive moves. It had given up a moment ago, but Yun Che could sense that the spider was merely suppressing its desire to devour him.
Panting, Yun Che said, "I have no intention of killing you. In fact, I have a proposition." He straightened himself, looking into the spider's eight glowing eyes. Although Yun Che had used his Haki and suppression, it was not enough to kill the spider. The outcome was uncertain if he ran out of Haki and energy to support his powers. He still had one more method, but it required him to get close to the spider. He hadn't expected the spider to give up after all that had transpired.
Gathering his wits, he slowly said, "I wish to make you my follower."