Chapter 102 – Hunting Spiders.

An unsettling change in atmosphere marked the transition from goblin-infested forests to the spider’s domain. The air grew colder, and shafts of sunlight struggled to penetrate the canopy above. Fine, shimmering strands of webbing hung like veils between the trees, glistening faintly whenever light touched them. Occasionally, faint scuttling sounds echoed from above, putting everyone on edge.

“Are you two sure that this is going to work?”

“Getting cold feet Rusty? But I guess you’re made from cold iron!”

Aburdon cackled inside Rusty’s helmet as the group approached the spider-infested forest. They had made sure to arrive during the day, knowing the webs would be somewhat visible in sunlight. The glinting strands reflected faintly, revealing the network of traps, but the thick canopy of trees filtered the light, leaving much of the forest shrouded in shadows. The dimness provided perfect cover for the monsters lurking out of sight, ready to pounce.

“No… but won’t the entire forest burn down, along with all the preserved bodies these monsters hold?”

Rusty asked. He hadn’t been in this world long, but he understood how fire worked. If the webs were as flammable as Aburdon and Alexander claimed, setting them alight indiscriminately could spark a wildfire. The blaze might spread through the Everlasting Black Forest, consuming kilometers of wilderness. Worse still, such an inferno could attract the attention of nearby settlements or even the local adventurer guild – a complication they couldn’t afford.

“That’s a valid concern.”

Alexander admitted, his tone calm.

“But the flammable toxins are usually concentrated in the capture nets these spiders create. Their lairs and the wrappings around their victims aren’t as combustible. So, if we stick to the plan and lure one or two spiders first, we should avoid any large-scale fire.”

“I see.”

Rusty nodded, turning his helmeted head toward Gleam.

“Gleam, be ready with those flame spells. Once I give you the signal, cast it. Can you handle that?”

“( •̀ ω •́ )”

Gleam chirped confidently, her antennae twitching with excitement at the chance to show off her magic. She quickly skittered down from Rusty’s shoulder and took cover behind a tree that wasn’t completely veiled in webbing. Her body quivered slightly as she glanced up at the enwebbed trees. Her instincts screamed of danger, but she was ready. While the spiders were scary, with her friend Rusty around, she knew that there was nothing to fear.

Rusty stepped forward, his iron frame gleaming faintly in the filtered sunlight. Carefully, he trudged into the maze of webs, the strands sticking to his metal plating but failing to harm him. The material was incredibly strong and sticky, pulling him to a halt almost immediately. With each step, more of the sticky fibers clung to him, forming an unyielding trap.

Despite his immunity to the paralytic toxins coating the threads, the sheer tensile strength of the webs immobilized him. He glanced back at Gleam, who peeked cautiously from behind the tree, her small silver body reflecting the faint light.

“I’m stuck already?”

Rusty muttered, testing the web’s strength with a few futile tugs. He was surprised and it made sense while this whole place was deserted. If he couldn’t get in more than a few steps, then other adventurers or even monsters probably couldn’t either.

“Let’s hope your plan works.”

Before long, the forest grew eerily silent, broken only by the faint clicking of approaching legs. From above, a massive spider descended on a silken thread. Its dark-brown, fur-like covering glistened faintly in the sunlight that filtered through the canopy. Its many eyes gleamed as they focused intently on its prey. Mistaking him for an adventurer ensnared in its web, the spider clicked its fangs menacingly, creeping closer with deliberate caution. Rusty, however, remained calm and waited.

The monster moved slowly, taking its time to inspect what it believed was its latest catch. Rusty struggled against the webbing, managing to free an arm briefly before becoming even more entangled. It was clear that the more he struggled, the tighter the web held him. Finally, he stopped moving, feigning defeat. To the spider, his stillness signaled that its toxins had done their work. Satisfied, the creature descended fully to the forest floor. Its movements were slow but purposeful, its fangs shone with venom as it prepared to strike.

“Now, Gleam!”

A small marble-sized orb of fire shot from behind the tree, streaking toward the webbing surrounding Rusty. The flames ignited on contact, spreading rapidly across the toxic strands. The sudden blaze caused the spider to screech and recoil, its sensitive legs catching fire. The creature thrashed violently, dropping to the ground as it tried to extinguish the flames, but it was too late. The web burned away, freeing Rusty and consuming the spider in one swift motion.

Rusty stumbled forward, shaking off the remnants of the burnt webbing clinging to his iron frame. Though the sticky burning threads engulfed him, they caused little actual damage to his metallic body. Behind him, the spider thrashed violently, its movements erratic but still full of life. Wasting no time, Rusty reached for his sword. With one swift motion, he drove the blade into the monster’s head. The spider’s eight legs twitched wildly in all directions, its body spasming in its final moments. Soon, the creature stilled, lifeless

“Good shot, Gleam!”

“( •̀ ᴗ •́ )و ”

Gleam chirped, waving her antennae excitedly. She looked proud of her success, her confidence boosted by the small victory. The flames continued to churn for a while but just like Alexander mentioned previously, they did not consume the entire forest. Eventually, they reached a part of the webbing that wasn’t as flammable and sputtered out, leaving only faint smoke and scorched remains in their wake.

“I told you it would.”

Alexander said smugly.

“Now we know the plan is viable, so you can execute it on a greater scale.”

“I suppose even a broken clock is right twice a day…”

Aburdon muttered in a rather disappointed tone, while Alexander finally had something to gloat about.

“Now, let’s move along with the plan.”

This was just the first test of their grand master plan. They stood on the outskirts of the spider monster territory, where the concentration of these monstrous spiders was relatively low. This allowed them to safely test their theory. The experiment confirmed that the forest wouldn’t ignite into an uncontrollable blaze. Now that the sticky threads had burned away, they were free to search for their target: well-preserved bodies for Rusty.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“ („• ֊ •„)੭ ”

“Oh, you’ll check? But what if something happens?”

Gleam was quite the climber and some nearby spider cocoons were hanging up in the trees. She wanted to go there to check but Rusty hesitated. Gleam’s enthusiasm was infectious, but the sight of the dangling cocoons high in the canopy made him wary. Each of the silken prisons swayed gently in the breeze, like morbid fruit waiting to fall. If there was anything he had learned from this world so far, it was to never underestimate even the smallest threats.

He turned to the monster spider he had just defeated for confirmation and activated his identification skill. Just as expected, the monster was not something his friend would be able to handle that easily.

The explanation was longer than what he was accustomed to, but his skill had continued to level up, allowing him to gather far more information about this world on his own.