Death, Taxes and Spiders

[Monday's Chapter]

"Spiders? You've got to be kidding me," Renjiro muttered, his tone a mix of disbelief and dread.

Ever since he came into existence for the very first time, Renjiro came to fear and hate certain things in life. The three things were Death, Taxes and Spiders. He had strong emotions when it came to these three things.

Death, because of obvious reasons, Taxes was because he did not subscribe to the school of thought regarding collective civic responsibility. Spiders, however, bugged him for as long as he could remember.

After being reincarnated into this world, Renjiro adopted a new life with a different set of challenges than his previous one. He had come to overcome his fear of taxes since Konoha was not asking for much from his earnings, and death since he had already experienced it.

Unfortunately, he still feared Spiders. It was as if this trait was etched into his very core.

His arachnophobia was not just a mere discomfort but a full-blown phobia that sent shivers down his spine. The fear was so intense that the mere sight of spiders triggered a cascade of emotions, ranging from anxiety to panic, leaving him dreaded.

This phobia could be traced back to his experiences in his previous life. Whether it was an incident from his childhood, a traumatic encounter with a particularly venomous spider, or simply an irrational fear that developed over time, the exact origin remained buried in his subconscious.

The fear, however, was undeniably real. Leaving flight was his only option when he saw the giant spiders on their heels.

The five colossal spiders in question bore a nightmarish semblance to the ordinary spiders Renjiro knew from his past life. Their hairy legs, thick exoskeletons, and multiple eyes glowed eerily in the dappled light filtering through the dense canopy.

The spiders moved with an uncanny synchronicity, their predatory instincts heightened by an earthy aura that cloaked their monstrous forms.

Earth Release jutsus manifested as rocky protrusions covering their exoskeletons, providing an additional layer of armour to these already formidable creatures.

As they closed in, the forest floor quivered beneath the weight of their massive bodies. Each spider's legs, adorned with jagged rocks and sharp edges, served as both a means of mobility and lethal weaponry.

Their eyes, multiple and unblinking, gleamed with an otherworldly intelligence.

"Is this really worth it?" His phobia was getting the better of him as he even considered leaving the test.

That was how bad it was for him. However, just as quick as the thought came, Renjiro quickly shut it down.

Surprisingly, their journey for the last two days had been devoid of the usual perils one might expect in a place with such a foreboding name and for a moment, they almost forgot about the notorious beasts that often lurked in the forest were also a threat as opposed to their fellow genins.

As they continued their frenzied escape, Hiro's voice cut through the chaotic environment.

"Guys, I think we've lost their trail."

The words prompted Renjiro, Aiko, and Hiro to a stop. Breathing heavily, Renjiro looked around, his eyes darting nervously in search of any sign of the gigantic arachnids. The forest, however, seemed devoid of the relentless pursuit that had haunted them moments ago.

'Most preditors are territorial, so maybe we might have gone beyond their territory.'

Renjiro thought as he took a deep breath, attempting to steady his nerves.

Hiro scanned the surroundings before remarking, "We might have flickered a bit too far away from our intended path, but at least we got away with the scrolls. That's a silver lining, I guess."

Aiko suddenly went pale. Her eyes widened in realization, and she blurted out, "Guys, the scrolls! I forgot to get them when the Spiders started chasing us!"

Hiro's expression turned from relief to disbelief, and Renjiro couldn't hide his frustration. Aiko's revelation sparked an immediate argument among them.

Renjiro exclaimed, "What? Are you serious, Aiko? Those scrolls are our ticket out of this forest!"

Aiko, feeling the weight of her mistake, defended herself, "I didn't mean to forget them! It's just that with those spiders chasing us, my mind was focused on getting away. I thought we had them with us."

Hiro interjected, trying to diffuse the tension, "Alright, let's not waste time arguing. We need to go back and retrieve the scrolls. Every second we spend here puts us at risk."

'I knew we should have gotten all the scrolls from those three genin teams.'

Renjiro suggested an alternative plan for obvious reasons. "Guys, instead of going back for our scrolls, why don't we find other teams and take their scrolls? It's more efficient, and we won't risk encountering those spiders again."

Aiko retorted, " We can't just abandon our scrolls."

Hiro found himself torn between the two options. "Renjiro has a point, but we can't ignore our scrolls either. What if we can't find another team with either scroll?"

After a brief but intense discussion, Renjiro found himself outvoted. The team decided to head back to their makeshift resting place to retrieve the scrolls.

'I just hope that the spiders are no longer there.' Renjiro hoped as they headed back but deep down, he knew it was just a pipe dream for him.

Unfortunately for Renjiro, the spiders were indeed at their former resting place. They had no choice but to engage them in combat while looking for their scrolls

'Fuck this shit!'

As the spiders attacked them with earth jutsus, Renjiro unleashed a barrage of Fire Release techniques to counter their defences. Flames danced through the air, clashing with the spiders' earth-based attacks.

Aiko, recognizing an opportunity, joined the assault. Renjiro, focused on the battle, shouted instructions to his teammates. "Aiko, aim for their legs with your wind jutsus! Hiro, look for the scrolls!"

'They have Earth chakra nature, so counting their earth jutsu will be tricky. Hiro should take point on this.'

Since the spiders had earth chakra affinity, They switched up their strategy with Hiro and Aiko fighting against them while Renjiro had to look for the scrolls. Between Aiko and Renjiro, Aiko was better at Lightning release as Renjiro's experience wasn't so high.

The shift in strategy unfolded seamlessly as Renjiro took on the responsibility of locating the scrolls while Hiro and Aiko adjusted their tactics to engage the arachnids effectively.

Renjiro meanwhile, navigated the battlefield with calculated agility, focusing on locating the scrolls amidst the tumultuous clash.

'Where did Aiko place the scrolls?'

Renjiro asked as he retraced their steps to their previous resting place. The once makeshift campsite bore the marks of a brief but intense struggle.

As Renjiro approached the clearing where they had set up their temporary camp, he scrutinized every inch of the ground, hoping to catch a glimpse of the concealed scrolls.

Not finding them, his Sharingan scanned every inch of the surroundings, seeking any subtle disturbances.

Renjiro's mind raced, considering every possibility. Could another team have stumbled upon their camp and taken the scrolls during the chaos of the spider battle? Or had they misplaced the scrolls in their panic?

"Either Aiko does not know where she placed the scrolls or some other team found the scrolls. Or maybe something else happened because the scrolls aren't here."

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