There were several bodies on the floor. They were from the Alpha Class parties of the Hebrion
Academy. The Clothes Lines that boast such strong defense were torn and blood leaked from lacerations that covered their entire bodies.
But these werenât fatal wounds. The wounds themselves were not that deep.
*Splash*
The reason they had died from such shallow wounds was from the poison that the Tyrant-Tula injected into their bodies.
The poison of the Tyrant-Tula, which was definitely classed as belonging to a monster of the highest level, was powerful enough to paralyze and melt the inside of the body on contact.
Due to the power of such a poison, they were immediately eliminated and marked to return to realityâ¦
However, something had gone wrong.
*Splash*
The noise easily echoed throughout the desiccated passageway.
One of the bodies rolled over. Black legs sharp as blades ripped into it as the beast ravenously devoured it.
*Splash* *Splash* *Splash*
There was a loud sound of filthy water spilling onto the ground.
This process was repeated several times. Each body was meticulously wrapped into a spider web. The figures of each quickly disappeared as they were sealed within the spiderâs silk.
Before long, the bodies that once littered the hallway were securely stowed within their new silk cocoons.
The silk that was once visible started to turn transparent and before long the grisly scene was no longer visible. The sharp, knife-like legs were also concealed in spider silk and became transparent.
The blood and bodies that were strewn everywhere had disappeared, as if they had never existed. There was only an empty passage leading into the distance.
Not too long after, the presence of people could be detected and the passage that was completely silent up until then was filled with the echoes of a voice.
âThe reason why Tyrant-Tula is dangerous is due to the poison on the edge of its legs. There is also a special gimmick related to its spider silk.â
The source of the noise was none other than Desirâs party.
Desir moved forward carefully. The filthy water on the ground splattered everywhere as the party traipsed through it.
âTyrant-Tulaâs web has the effect of making anything that it wraps transparent.â
Most people knew this but Desir explained it for the sake of anyone who didnât.
*Tap*
Desir stopped.
[Create Water]
Water droplets were suspended mysteriously in the air.
âYes. Itâs literally invisible. Tyrant-Tula has transparent webs everywhere like this and wraps itself in them. Thatâs why nothing is visible. To unknowing prey, thereâs nothing in this passage.â
Given how empty it was, believing such a monster existed in the passageway they were currently standing in was rather difficult.
âIf we go fast and get caught in a spider web, we will get attacked by an invisible enemy. This is why people avoid Tyrant-Tulaâs nest.â
âWhat do we have to do then? Is there something special? â
Freechel asked with curiosity after Desirâs explanation.
Desir nodded.
âThe principle of the spiderâs webs in this passage is simple: Tyrant-Tula uses the webs to sense and attack its prey. So, how should we overcome this?â
âWell⦠donât touch the web at all?â
âThatâs impossible.â
Desir pointed at the passage extending straight ahead.
âYou canât see them, but from this point on, there are countless spider webs. As soon as you touch any of the webs, Tyrant-Tula will come running. Itâs incredibly fast and invisible. You have no chance of coping. What can we do?â
After no one could offer a suggestion, Adjest opened her mouth.
âWhat about sabotaging the spiderâs perception? Since we have to touch the web, we need to make it so we can break through without being detected.â
Desir clapped.
âThat is the correct answer. Tyrant-Tulaâs perception is restricted to the spiderâs web. In other words, if we irritate several spider webs at the same time, its perception will be confused.
Thatâs the opportunity that we have to aim for.â
Its limited perception was Tyrant-Tulaâs only exploitable weakness.
âHit the web with magic and shake Tyrant-Tulaâs perception. Of course, we canât just invoke random magic.â
Desir opened his palms.
âTo induce a stimulus strong enough that masks other human movement at the same time, we must hit at least five magic spells of at least the Second-Circle at the same time. This will give
Tyrant-Tula no chance to recognize us.â
âLet me take that role, Desir.â
Adjest hurriedly suggested.
âItâs possible for me to arrange more than five spells at the same time at my level.â
âYou can arrange five spells but the problem is landing them at the right time. That kind of accurate magical arrangement is something only I can do.â
No mistakes were allowed. At the same time, the magic had to hit a thin spider web.
âIâll distract Tyrant-Tula from a little bit further away. You break though in that chance. Once you do, Iâll be right behind you.â
âIs this a guaranteed method for success?â
â⦠Of course.â
In the strange gap between the question and answer, Romantica frowned.
âAre you sure?â
âIâm serious. Iâm sure of this.â
Eventually, Romantica sighed and allowed the plan.
After getting everyoneâs consent, Desir began preparation for his part in the plan.
âEven though Tyrant-Tulaâs perception via its spiderâs web can be avoided, be careful not to get stuck in its webs. They still have great adhesive force, so proceed with caution.â
âI know that much.â
âGood.â
They got ready to run after exchanging a few more pieces of advice with each other.
âOne⦠Two⦠â
Five spells were formed in front of Desir.
âThree.â
As soon as Desir invoked the spells, all party members except Desir began to run.
Pram swung his sword forward, cleaving open a webless path for the party to traverse.
Desir watched them escape quickly.
After that, the magic arrangements in front of him stopped and faded away.
âDid it work?'
Desir checked that all of them had escaped and sighed in relief.
âThey would never allow me to do this if I told them the truth.â
It was true that Tyrant-Tulaâs weakness was disrupting its perception, but the way Tyrant-Tula perceived its prey was very different to what Desir had explained.
Desir had to deceive his party again since the actual method did guarantee the safe escape of the bait.
âThe real way it perceives people is⦠â
Desir reached his hands forward and felt something on his fingertips. He caught the web.
Entangling it, he brought it to his heart.
âBio signal. And amongst them, it responds the most to heartbeats.â
Tyrant-Tulaâs favorite food was
âlive preyâ. Inevitably, it responded the greatest to bioreactions.
Desir stopped breathing and began to concentrate.
âRecognizing changes in environment:â
âDetect the slightest changes amongst this absolute silence. Nothing seems to have changed on the surface.â
Silence.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
*Tap*
After a moment or two, dust and debris began to fall off the walls.
Desir smiled.
âHow many monsters do you think Iâve killed? Hundreds? Thousands?â
*Frack*
Tyrant-Tula appeared out of nowhere and ripped through the air, aiming to skewer Desir through the back with its leg.
Although there was the expectation that it could only make a small wound to the Clothes Lineof a single ranker, it was still incredibly dangerous due to its terrible poison, able to kill its opponent with just the slightest cut from its leg.
So far, no student had ever been able to attack it, since it was able to appear out of nowhere.
At least so far.
However, Desir naturally reached towards his back as if expecting such an attack.
And with the spell that formed behind him -
***
When Desir opened the gate, his eyes and ears were immediately assaulted by Romanticaâs loud displeasure.
âWhat took you so long, Desir?!â
Desir smiled and replied.
âAh, I made a mistake and failed to disrupt its perception. Fortunately, I ran as well.â
âYou idiot!â
âWell, whatâs our ranking anyway?â
âYes, our ranking!â
Everyone in the party turned on their communication pads and checked the leaderboard.
The leaderboard on the communication pad was as follows:
---
1st: Unknown Party. Leader: Desir Arman
Progression Points 2350, Party Points 1900
2nd: Blue Moon Party. Leader: Argeria G Roglan Nimbias
Progress Points 2320, Party Points 1850
3rd: Red Dragon Party. Leader: Radoria von Dorice
Progression Points 2200, Party Points 1700
---
The party looked at each other in a mixture of surprise and joy.
âOH-YEAH!â
They had succeeded in taking first place.
They had surpassed the Blue Moon party.
âLetâs continue on with this momentum and clear it all at once.â
âI agree!â
âI will do my best.â
âWell, you should.â
While everyone merrily continued down the passage, Desir noticed a scratch on his finger.
âHm⦠It may be from the debris.â
âItâs pretty painful for a simulated 30 percent pain limit⦠am I just imagining things?â
Desir kept his thoughts to himself. He couldnât give them anything else to worry about. Desir entered the fifth zone while rubbing his bloody finger on his lapel.