Kieeeek!
“Now what do we do?”
It was a relief to get the gigantic spider down from the ceiling. However, approaching the creature, swinging its razor-sharp legs randomly, seemed like an impossible task.
Even if Jeonghyun could analyze its attack patterns, avoiding the rapid and unpredictable movements entirely was impossible. Without luck, it seemed like a sure bet to sustain serious injuries from its blind strikes.
Should they make a run for it at this moment? If the boss regained consciousness before completely escaping the gate, their situation might turn into a disaster.
Normal spiders hadn’t gathered here just because they were scared of the creature; they were likely lurking somewhere in the cave.
“We have to settle this here.”
Honestly, Jeonghyun didn’t know the answer. They weren’t prepared to defeat the boss, and their party wasn’t strong enough for such a task.
Jeonghyun recalled his battle with Jucheol. There were similarities between that situation and the present one—the opponent driven by anger but not hesitating to acknowledge defeat.
However, this time, the difference lay in the power balance, with the boss being far more stronger.
‘To defeat a boss in a Level 3 gate, you usually need a party of at least 10 people.’
Level 3 gates marked a turning point where bosses appeared. Typically, a party of 10 or more was required.
Moreover, the creature before them was a mutated species. Jeonghyun remembered the massive axe that Jucheol had before.
‘If only we had a weapon like that, how different things could be.’
Jeonghyun look at Sangsoo.
“Use the most powerful magic you have. Let’s start with maximum damage while it’s still disoriented.”
“Understood.”
Sangsoo immediately prepared the spell. Even the appearance of the lightning in the air hinted that this was no ordinary magic.
“Jeonga, you monitor the situation near the entrance. We need to prevent the spider from climbing back up, so focus on containment.”
“Got it!”
Jeonga’s arrows weren’t particularly effective against spiders, considering the unfavorable matchup. However, if she effectively restrained the boss from returning to the wall, it would be enough.
Doyoon, naturally, waited in a safe place.
“In the end, it seems like we’re the ones facing the most challenging task.”Sunhyung commented with a wry smile.
They had to be prepared mentally, especially the tank.
Jeonghyun grinned and nodded.
“Well, that’s true.”
Just then, Sangsoo, who had been preparing the spell with closed eyes, shouted, “Here we go!”
A meaningful surge of lightning, now taking a substantial form, shot up into the sky from above Sangsoo’s head.
Gradually, the convulsions of the boss lessened, and with a swish, it struck down towards the creature.
Top Attack Lightning.
It was a single, powerful blow, flashy and potent enough to be called the flower of low-grade lightning magic. Although it took a considerable amount of time, it was still an impressive magic at D-rank Level 2.
Kirek!
Visible vibrations passed through the charred flesh as the white legs writhed in pain.
“Different at D-rank level.”
Jeonghyun wiped sweat from his forehead.
Sangsoo, with a light smile, said, “Insect-type creatures like that have a vulnerability to attacks from above. There’s no way to block them.”
At first, it sounded like boasting, but something flashed in Jeonghyun’s mind upon hearing those words.
“Sunhyung, can you tell me how high you can throw a shield?”
“Huh? Throwing a shield? Why all of a sudden?”
Eight legs with no blind spots. And the party’s characteristic of being unable to deal direct melee damage.
With a bit of maneuvering, couldn’t they solve the problem?
‘Of course, it might end in failure and result in death, but…’
Well, facing the creature head-on would likely lead to the same outcome sooner or later.
Eventually, they would exhaust themselves or be picked off one by one.
Jeonghyun grinned at Sunhyung.
“Why not give it a try?”
Perplexed by an unexplainable chill, Sunhyung hesitated and stepped back.
“Well, let’s try it once.”
After unleashing the most powerful magic he could muster, Sangsoo entered a cooldown phase. Then, the boss, now fully awake, flipped its body and began its onslaught. It was like a disaster unfolding.
Kiee!
As if refusing to acknowledge the tiny humans who had caused it so much pain, the creature attacked anything in sight with a sweeping motion.
Crash!
The impact on the wall where its claws struck left deep marks, showcasing its immense destructive power.
White spider, seemingly oblivious to Jeonga’s role in preventing it from climbing the walls, leaped around, paying no attention to the surroundings.
The primary target of its concentrated attacks was naturally Jeonghyun.
“Uwaaa!”
Perhaps it vividly remembered who had dropped it from the ceiling. Although Sunhyung had made some effort to draw its attention, the spider remained indifferent.
Fortunately, Jeonghyun, being the fastest in the party, was the focal point of the attack.
Even for the tank, Sunhyung, enduring that attack head-on would have been impossible three times over.
However, even in such moments, Jeonghyun was calmly guiding the spider to the desired position.
While avoiding attacks, Jeonghyun was also observing the terrain around him.
‘I’ve communicated the plan, but… ugh!’
Bang!
Could Sunhyung truly keep up with Jeonghyun’s speed?
Jeonghyun narrowly avoided the spider’s descending leg.
Though generally composed, he occasionally had close calls, where he narrowly avoided being struck or felt the wind of the spider’s legs passing by.
Looking at the smooth and white legs with holes, close enough to see the pores, one would be mesmerized.
When he felt he had gotten close enough, Jeonghyun changed his movements from evading to sprinting at full speed.
Although there was a momentary pause due to the sudden change in the opponent’s behavior, the boss also swiftly moved at a rapid pace.
And finally, when they reached the wall,
Jeonghyun jumped up with the same speed he was running.
Kirith?
Whether the spider failed to catch Jeonghyun’s swift movement with its sensory abilities or not, it used its front legs left and right.
“Here!”
Along with Sunhyung’s voice, his giant shield flew towards Jeonghyun, who was hovering in the air.
It went smoother than expected.
Surprisingly, Sunhyung skillfully threw the shield at the right to Jeonghyun.
Having caught the shield with some difficulty, Jeonghyun raised it high in the air and, together with the shield, launched himself downwards.
‘It’s working!’
The most troublesome aspect of dealing with the giant spider was its eight fluttering legs.
Cutting them off was the top priority, but two problems followed.
The absence of tools.
The absence of a method.
If these two could be solved somehow, would it be possible to defeat this giant spider?
Jeonghyun descended rapidly until he was right above the spider.
“If you don’t know, you’ll be cut!”
Bang!
Up until now, the attacks had been solely the boss’s responsibility.
In the one-sided flow of the battle, Jeonghyun’s thrown shield pierced the junction of the spider’s third leg.
It had already suffered enough shocks from Jeonghyun’s dagger and Sangsoo’s magic.
Squish!
Despite being designed for defense, the shield, weighing over 10kg, with its sharp edge, was a thoroughly destructive weapon at this moment.
After the moment of impact, as if colliding with a rock, the spider’s leg detached completely from its body.
The bodily fluid oozing from the severed part confirmed it.
Kieee!
The painful cry of the Rock Spider echoed through the square.
No matter how mutated the boss was, it couldn’t overcome the structural weaknesses of its species.
The remaining seven legs, unharmed, twitched, and the creature’s abdomen swayed heavily.
Jeonghyun did not miss this opportunity.
“Die! Die!”
Fixing his shield, he immediately began striking the visible legs.
He couldn’t expect the same acceleration as before, so he had to strike multiple times,
Squish!
Squash!
In an instant, he succeeded in detaching one more leg.
The sight of the spider, now missing half of the legs attached to one side, was not as overwhelming as before.
If he could cut one more, he might completely disrupt the creature’s center of gravity.
Kieee!
Unfortunately, despite trembling in pain, the creature, adjusting its posture directly towards Jeonghyun, prevented him from doing so.
Still, it tilted the balance in favor of victory.
Realizing this, the boss, too, lifted its intact front leg threateningly, then stumbled backward.
It seemed to have realized that climbing the wall was its last remaining option for victory.
“Where are you going!”
Crunch!
Squelch!
However, Jeonga, who had been assigned the role of restraining the boos spider from climbing the wall in the first place, didn’t just stand idly by, watching.
In addition, Sangsoo, who had finished cooling down, began casting spells again and stood in the way of the boss monster.
Moreover, Jeonga demonstrated her archery skills, shooting three arrows simultaneously at the monster. While none of the arrows dealt a fatal blow to the spider, it was an excellent attack, given the creature’s tough skin.
The formidable impact of the lightning magic was undeniable.
Jeonghyun, with a smirk on one side of his mouth, spoke, “Not going as you thought, huh?”
Was anyone even paying attention to his words?
The gigantic, brightly colored spider only growled softly and didn’t rampage as freely as before.
It would undoubtedly be well aware of its displeasure.
Jeonghyun’s desire to read the mind of the spider surged if only it were possible.
How desperate must the once-arrogant creature be feeling now?
“Jeonghyun!”
And as the spider quieted down somewhat, Sunhyung stood by Jeonghyun’s side.
Taking back the shield, he firmly positioned himself in front once again.
“Um… Can you handle it now?”
Jeonghyun asked with a somewhat worried tone.
Even if two legs were severed, the creature’s attacks would still be threatening.
However, Sunhyung responded with a grin, “Now is the time to try. It should be better than earlier, right?”
Jeonghyun nodded in agreement to Sunhyung’s confidently added words.
Eight symmetrical legs did not just represent eight branches of attack but also the need for another leg to support one whenever one moved.
If it moved recklessly as before, it would collapse under its own strength.
The attacks wouldn’t be easy to endure, but to survive, they had to withstand them.
“Jeonga, continue to restrain! Sunhyung, please attack now!”
“Yes!”
A response echoed from behind to Jeonghyun’s command.
It felt like they had truly become a well-coordinated team now.
It wasn’t a bad feeling at all.
Jeonghyun shouted energetically, “Let’s start again!”
