Episode 16.4-5

Floor 2 and floor 3 have the exact same layout as well.

Each cavity also only hosts one or two spiders. However, they're about twice as big as the floor 1.

"Fumu. So these are Second Rank Spotted Spiders. Same ability as First Rank, <Weak Venom> huh. Heles, anything of note?"

"None. They have the exact same ability as the First Rank. They're just bigger and slightly nimbler. They also spit out thread faster, about half the time of First Rank."

Meaning they're nothing to fear.

Lecan pointed at a cavity with two spiders inside.

"Eda. Get down there."

"Un!"

"Don't draw your weapon until I tell you to. Keep dodging the enemy's attacks in close quarter."

"Got it."

"This is a training to bait enemy, probe their movements and dodge."

"I gotcha."

"Go."

Eda ran down the slope at splendid speed.

The two spiders started charging at Eda when she got close enough.

Eda kept running backward while observing the two spiders. She's maintaining just enough speed not to get overrun by the spiders, and choosing routes that won't land her in a pincer attack.

(Nice grasp on dodging.)

(She's predicting the enemy's movements well.)

Eventually, the spiders stopped moving and started shaking before spewing out their threads.

Eda easily dodged it. Rather, since the spiders halted for shooting, she was looking bored even.

"All right! Kill 'em!"

As if waiting for that, Eda swiftly drew her short sword, killed the two spiders, fetched their magic stones and ran up the slope.

"Here you go, magic stones."

"You ever fought a Spotted Spider before?"

"Nope. That was my first time."

"I see."

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >

Magic beasts on floor 3 are Third Rank Spotted Spiders, with <Weak Venom> ability.

Lecan took a quick glance at the magic beasts and skipped this floor.

Floor 4 had Fourth Rank Spotted Spiders, floor 5 had Fifth Rank. They skipped these two floors as well.

Floor 6's magic beasts were a variant of First Rank Spotted Spiders. They've got <Weak Venom> and <Sleep>.

"Heles. Explain the magic beasts on floor 6."

"Their size is the same as the Spotted Spiders on floor 1. In other word, they're smaller than the spiders on floor 5. These variants of the First Rank move far faster than any spiders before this. Their swiftness on top of their small size results in many first timers suffering their first defeat here."

"I see. How does this <Sleep> attack works, how potent is it."

"That one is quite an annoyance. These magic beasts will shoot out <Sleep> when you get five step away from them. It's a type of magical attack that doesn't require physical contact and work even without locking eyes. You will pass out if you get hit by one. However, those spiders will shake their body peculiarly every time they attempt to cast this magic, thus it's possible to dodge the attack by swiftly stepping out of the way right before it hits you."

"That sounds like a pain in the ass. You've got equipment to resist that?"

"Yeah."

"Arios?"

"I will be fine."

"Alright then, let's get down to floor 6."

As they arrived at floor 6, Lecan ordered Eda.

"Eda. Get in a cavity over there and kill the magic beast inside. However, let yourself get hit by <Sleep> once before you do."

"Got it!"

"Lecan-dono."

"Hum? What is it."

"I can't seem to, err, find an equipment to resist <Sleep> on Eda-dono."

"Ah, this girl doesn't need one. Go, Eda."

"I'm off~"

Eda got down the cavity, dodged the magic beast all over the place for a while before eventually killing it and brought its magic stone above. A small magic stone.

"How was it?"

"Eh I didn't feel anything. I probably wouldn't have even noticed if I didn't know the magic beast could use <Sleep>. Mana shot out of the spider felt like it gently brushed my skin before disappearing."

"I see. By the way, Heles."

"What can I help you with."

"There's a sudden increase of adventurers on this floor. How come."

"From this floor onward, quality of threads shot out by spiders see explosive increases. And the thread's trait differs on each floor. Floor 6 has elastic thread, floor 7 has incombustible thread, floor 8 has very durable thread, floor 9's thread can be easily colored, and floor 10 has very beautiful thread."

"I see. Okay then, we're not engaging in a fight from floor 7 to floor 9."

They caught several sights of adventurers locked in battles along the way.

Many had spiders put in cages as they watched from afar.

"What are they doing?"

"They're making spiders shoot out thread by locking them in a cage. They'll kill it once it can't shoot anymore."

"I see. But do all those adventurers have equipment to resist <Sleep> on them?"

"No. The majority of adventurers you see around these parts cannot afford such expensive equipment. I believe they're chewing on restorative herb as they put the cage over the spider."

Afterwards, Lecan let Eda fight again on floor 10.

The spiders on the floor were as tall as Eda's waist, and their legs were relatively long, thus Lecan was on standby, ready to rush into aid anytime.

However, Eda would easily dodge the spider jumping on her by also jumping herself and swung her short sword mid-air. That one slash reaped that spider's life. After unflinchingly taking the magic stone out of the spider's body, Eda went back to Lecan.

"Here you go. A magic stone."

"Well done. How'd you figure out the spider's vital point?"

"I mean, like, it's its heart right?"

"Good going. Then next, the spider in this cavity, defeat it with your bow this time."

"Gotcha!"

Eda took <Bow of Isya> out, made an arrow manifest and let it loose.

That arrow appeared to have pierced through the spider's heart, instantly killing it.

It might have been an easy target since it wasn't moving, however there was quite some distance to cover between the cavity and her spot. It's an advanced level sniping. And she precisely saw through the heart's location to boot.

"Eda-dono. That was splendid."

"Truly, it was. Just amazing."

"Ehehehehe."

"Go get the magic stone."

"Yes."

Lecan spoke after he received the magic stone from Eda.

"Alright, break time. Let's grab some grub."