Hayato led his raid team out of the boss room with calm. Once they were back in the tunnel, just out of sight from the chamber, he turned to Koji.
"Block them in," he ordered.
Koji smirked, lifting his hand. A ball of flame gathered in his palm, growing rapidly in size before he launched it at the top of the tunnel entrance. The explosion echoed through the dungeon as rocks and webbing collapsed, sealing off the path with a roaring crash.
Dust filled the air, and silence followed.
"Once the boss wakes up," Hayato said with a satisfied tone, "they're as good as dead. And all the loot..." He turned his gaze back toward the cavern. "Will be ours for the taking."
On the other side of the collapse, Kenta stared at the rubble in horror. His breathing grew rapid as a low, bone-chilling hiss echoed through the room.
The massive arachnid boss above them stirred, its eight glowing eyes blinking open one by one.
"We're trapped in here!?" Kenta cried out. "We're gonna die!"
He clung to Ryusei's left arm, practically shaking.
Ryusei rolled her eyes. "I thought you were supposed to protect me? What happened to all that?"
The spider let out a shriek, its long legs shifting as it began descending from its webbed perch wide awake.
"Yo, the both of you. Whatever happens in here stays in here. Got it?" Ryusei said firmly, shoving Kenta off her arm.
The giant arachnid boss let out a piercing, bone-rattling roar that echoed throughout the cavern. Its massive legs clacked against the stone as it descended from the webs, drool-like venom dripping from its fangs.
Ryusei stared up at it, completely unfazed. Her pale blue eyes shimmered as she activated her [Analyze] skill. A translucent screen popped up in front of her, revealing the boss's stats in detail.
Without a word, she pulled out her dagger, Kasaka's Venom Fang. She gave it a quick twirl in her hand, gripping it tight.
Todo stepped forward, cracking his knuckles with a grin as he moved to stand beside her.
"As if I'd let you have all the fun to yourself," he said, eyes locked on the approaching boss.
He turned his head slightly, flashing a wild smirk. "Ryusei, starting today… we are brothers!"
[Name: Giant Arachnid Buryura]
[Race: Magic Beast]
[Level: 42]
[Ability: Acid Spit]
[Compared to Player: Strong]
———————————————————
The giant arachnid, Buryura, let out a deafening screech that shook the entire dungeon, sending bits of debris crumbling from the ceiling. Its massive mandibles clicked menacingly before it unleashed its skill [Acid Spit].
A jet of sizzling green liquid shot toward them. Ryusei immediately dropped the backpack she was carrying and leapt to the side, Todo doing the same in perfect sync.
As they rolled to their feet, Ryusei caught a glimpse of Todo grabbing a nearby rock. Her eyes narrowed as she sensed the strange energy forming around it.
'Wait a damn minute… is that cursed energy? Could this guy be like me?'
Todo hurled the cursed-infused rock toward Kenta, then clapped his hands vanishing in an instant and reappearing right where the rock had been.
He grabbed Kenta by the collar and yanked him out of harm's way, narrowly dodging the blast of corrosive acid that melted through the stone floor.
"You, stay back here!" Todo barked at Kenta.
Kenta quickly nodded, collapsing to the floor and sitting with his knees pulled up, trembling.
Todo surged forward, his body flaring with cursed energy as he charged straight at Buryura. The giant spider let out another monstrous roar, its eight glowing eyes locking onto him.
Meanwhile, Ryusei glanced up, spotting multiple smaller tunnels carved into the walls. From them, swarms of smaller spiders began pouring out, their screeches echoing through the boss chamber.
Without hesitation, Ryusei flipped her dagger into a reverse grip. Pink streaks of cursed energy trailed behind her as she darted across the battlefield, her movements a blur. Each slash of Kasaka's Venom Fang cleanly severed limbs and torsos, taking down the smaller spiders with deadly precision.
Todo, in the meantime, exchanged blows with Buryura, narrowly dodging its acidic fangs and razor-sharp limbs. He clicked his tongue.
"This isn't gonna work. Ryusei switch with me!"
He clapped his hands, and in an instant, he and Ryusei swapped places.
He clapped his hands, and in an instant, he and Ryusei swapped places.
Todo appeared in the middle of the spider swarm and immediately drove a cursed-energy charged fist through one of the spiders, sending its body flying into the wall.
Ryusei landed directly beneath Buryura, not missing a beat. She launched forward and slashed across one of its legs, pink energy flaring as her blade cut deep into the beast's joint.
"Could've given me a warning next time!" Ryusei shouted as she skidded under Buryura, barely avoiding a snapping fang.
"My bad!" Todo called back with a grin, already shoulder-checking another spider into the wall with a sickening crunch. "Figured you'd keep up!"
Buryura screeched again, enraged by the damage to its leg. It reared back, then slammed two of its front limbs down where Ryusei had been but she was already gone, flipping backward and landing lightly near one of the large mana crystals.
Her eyes flicked up. "Too many of these damn spiders… if we don't take out the boss soon, they'll overrun us."
She dashed up one of the crystal formations, launching herself into the air. With a spin, she hurled Kasaka's Venom Fang toward Buryura's other front leg. The blade embedded deep, cursed energy exploding on contact and causing the spider to stumble.
Todo saw the opening and charged in, cursed energy flooding his limbs. He leapt high, slamming both fists down into the same wounded leg Ryusei had cut earlier. The leg snapped with a grotesque crack, and Buryura shrieked in fury, collapsing slightly from the blow.
"That's it!" Ryusei shouted, landing beside Todo. "We break its legs, then go for it's head!"
"Just like old times—wait, never mind, we just met!" Todo laughed as they prepared to strike again.
"Are you perhaps schizophrenic?" Ryusei asked flatly, side-eyeing Todo as they both kicked off the back wall in perfect sync.
Their sudden burst of motion sent a shockwave through the chamber, startling Kenta, who had finally gathered the courage to help fend off the smaller spiders.
"AH—!" he yelped, nearly tripping over himself as Ryusei and Todo soared past him. "Warn a guy next time!"
"Let's hurry up and take out its legs," Ryusei said midair, eyes locked onto Buryura. "Then we'll both aim for the head together!"
"Now that's a plan!" Todo roared, cursed energy crackling around his fists.
The two closed in fast. Ryusei dropped low again, her blade humming with energy as she carved a wide arc into another leg joint. Buryura screeched, its limbs now twitching and unstable.
Todo followed up immediately, launching a brutal uppercut into the next joint, sending spider ichor splattering across the cavern.
Buryura, now struggling to keep its massive form upright, thrashed in desperation—acid drooling from its mandibles, legs skittering wildly in an attempt to flee or strike.
"Ready?!" Todo called out, stepping beside Ryusei.
She gave him a nod, her dagger gleaming in her grip. "Let's finish this."
Together, they launched themselves toward Buryura's head, pink and teal cursed energy flaring.