Fantasy Realm – Infinite Worlds Adventure

The group of five ventures deeper inside the cave, picking up more [Thornback Eggs] until they hit a dead end. They leave and enter the slightly larger cave on the other side of the ravine, finding more egg clusters and eggs, which they, of course, collect as well. Alex, Rishi, and Tereza each carry five now, while Roja and Perlah decide to just take a single egg each, obviously not bold enough to demand more.

As they reach another seemingly dead end and plan to return, Tereza raises her voice: “Wait! There is something on that side of the cave wall. I can see signs of frequent use by the spiders. It’s like this part is an old highway that’s been used for 50 years, compared to the rest of the cave. This spot looks like it hides a secret passage,” Tereza says.

Alex pays close attention and uses Gyo for a second, nodding his head. “You’re right. There is a pathway leading further inside, it’s also going slightly downwards. But that area is pretty narrow. We can squeeze through, but forget about fighting once we’re in there, we’ll be trapped! Let’s burn every single web before entering. I’m not squeezing through that small opening without it. I hate fucking spiders,” he says, half complaining, half demanding.

I can fight them just fine, if I’m in the open and can react! But in dark, tight spaces with no escape? NO WAY

“We still have our Annihilation Grenade lvl 4, shall we just throw them in?” Roja suggests, looking at the others.

“I actually agree. If the damn thing collapses, I’m fine with that, as long as we can eliminate the threat of enemies! Let me check a bit more,” Alex says, using En.

“That damn opening is a small tunnel. It doesn’t get smaller, it pretty much stays the same size as it is now. Large enough for us to duck and slowly walk through it. Also, no eggs in sight. No enemies either… but… hundreds of smaller spiders, of course. So yeah, burn it down or blow it up—both sound like good ideas to me,” Alex tells them.

“That’s quite a useful ability, Alex,” Perlah says, looking relieved.

“Alex, you’re being a bit irrational. You obviously dislike and fear spiders, so I respect you for pushing through this, but let’s neither burn the webs nor throw grenades. If you can’t detect anything with your En, we’ll just announce our presence—or worse, cause a cave-in. Just close your eyes and go in,” Rishi urges him.

“...You first,” Alex replies, hating the idea of squeezing through this spider-infested narrow tunnel.

Rishi moves forward, but Tereza interrupts. “I’m going first. My SNS is the highest!”

Fuck… I hate to say this, but…

“No… I’m going first. I have my shield, and I can cast Fire as well. Also, my En is most effective with me at the front,” Alex says, eating two more White-quality dishes: [Successful Dish (Braised Blobfish)], which restores the most HP outside of battles, and [Successful Dish (Cucco Eggs Benedict)].

[Successful Dish (Cucco Eggs Benedict)]

World: The Legend of Zelda, Fantasy Realm

Quality: White

Effect: Heals 15 HP over 5 minutes.

Note: An egg dish containing Cucco Eggs and various other ingredients.

Note: Almost looks like it’s made with gold.

“Not bad,” Alex says, finishing the food and seeing that his HP is close to full.

Alex Kerber: Lvl 4

HP: 196/252, MP: 75/212, AURA: 76/192

He looks at Roja and Perlah. “Give me the grenades back. I might need them,” Alex says.

“Sure!” Perlah eagerly stuffs a grenade into his hand. Roja hesitates slightly but doesn’t deny Alex’s request.

Alex takes out his [Sword of Pluto] and conjures Mustrano’s Malice Mauler lvl 4, hearing the snake’s voice slither into his mind:

“More tassssty sssspiders. I like eating them… they sssstruggle sssso nicely in my ssstomach when I ssswallow them, by biting down jusssst a little to unleash their tasty juicessss.”

Fuck off, that’s disgusting! I hate spiders. You are here to fucking help me in case something happens, not to play around!

“You are misssssing out on their unique, crunchy, juicy tasssste. The texxxture isss ssssimply divine,” Mustrano hisses, trying to win Alex over but failing spectacularly, as Alex nearly throws up.

“Shut up about it, I want you to get rid of them, not play or eat them!” Alex snaps, drawing confused looks from his group members.

“Mustrano, make sure he doesn’t panic,” Rishi says.

A mouth forms on Alex’s claw hand, whispering: “Ssssure, more sssspiders for me, if he doesssn’t want them!”

Perlah lets out a small scream after seeing Mustrano, and Roja immediately covers her mouth. “Shut up! Don’t reveal us,” Roja admonishes.

Alex enters the small tunnel, twitching slightly as he uses his sword and claw hand to clear away the webs, cutting a path forward. Suddenly, he notices a mouth forming on Mustrano, and the claw twitches for a moment, as if wanting to eat the tiny spiders inside the webs.

Finally, he grabs a medium-sized spider and clenches his claw-like hand.

DISGUSTING!!! STOP THAT! You can’t eat in that form, you’re just rubbing it inside my hand! This feels so wrong!!

“Let me at least keep trying!” Mustrano whispers in his mind.

Later… or maybe never… Let’s just move on!

Fearing Mustrano’s continuous arguing, Alex swings his claw hand, cutting through the webs. A fist-sized spider suddenly descends directly in front of his eyes. Alex nearly panics, but Mustrano, in his claw form, grabs the spider immediately. His nail-like fingers press into the spider’s body, and then he tightens his body into a fist, slowly clenching.

Through Mustrano, Alex feels the spider suffering and finally dying after a few seconds.

=%”=%(&§(DSK Fuck this shit claw, you are sick, Mustrano, seriously I am forcing you to stop now!

“I… obey… do humansss not enjoy thisss kind of thing? You lack a sssense of joy!” Mustrano argues.

Alex uses Menchi’s meditation technique to calm himself, ignoring Mustrano, who tries to eat the spider but fails again. The spider’s body simply does not enter Alex’s hand, Mustrano’s mouth is just a tool for speaking, not swallowing.

“You were right, human… it doessss not work. It wassss pretty fun regardlesssss!” Mustrano admits.

Alex, ignoring Mustrano slowly cuts his way through the tunnel, feeling a bit calmer after using the meditation technique and getting used to the narrow space. He reluctantly lets Mustrano continue his torturing spree, clearing out the larger spiders along the way.

“What is that crunching sound, Alex? That’s disgusting!” Tereza asks, close behind him, finally noticing Mustrano’s antics.

“I fucking agree! Just don’t ask,” Alex replies, shivering all over but moving forward regardless.

Alex finally makes it to the end of the tunnel. Before stepping out, he activates En to make sure he isn’t walking into a trap.

What he sees shocks him to his core. He senses a small, roughly rectangular chamber ahead. Apart from the creepy small spiders crawling everywhere, he detects a massive presence, easily three to four times larger than the giant Thornback Matriarch they fought a few hours ago. Surrounding her are dozens of Thornback Spiders, a mix of every type the group has encountered before.

To Alex’s horror, the Matriarch reacts to him, clearly sensing his En.

Instantly, dozens of Thornback Spiders scurry toward the tunnel where Alex is still hiding. He immediately leaps out, desperate to avoid getting trapped in the tight space where he wouldn’t stand a chance.

I can’t flee! Might as well fight them in the open, where I at least have a chance!

Holding his [Sword of Pluto] in his right hand, with Mustrano’s Malice Mauler lvl 4 still conjured in his left, Alex braces for battle. But, for some reason, the spiders don’t attack.@@novelbin@@

The pause gives his teammates time to exit the tunnel as well. He glances at Rishi and Tereza, who stand beside him, but Roja and Perlah are nowhere to be seen, even after thirty seconds.

What the fuck?! Did they abandon us? FUCK THEM! This is the second time already! I AM GETTING SICK OF THIS! The contract offers a loophole in case of life-threatening risks, but is this such a case? It’s close!

“Fuck those traitors! I’ve had it with them!” Tereza growls, staring at the swarm of Thornback Spiders guarding the enormous Matriarch.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. They are dead to me. Fuck them! They will pay!

“These spiders… aren’t attacking us,” Rishi says, clearly focused on the immediate danger rather than Roja and Perlah’s betrayal. “They’re just standing there.”

Suddenly, the spiders lower themselves onto the ground, shifting to the walls of the chamber, forming a clear path toward the massive Matriarch.

“Are they… telling us to approach?” Tereza asks, her voice uncertain.

“Can’t trust them! Obviously, we are dead if we approach! I say we drop the grenades and run back into the fucking tunnel, we can make it out!” Alex practically shouts.

Rishi, however, keeps his eyes on the Matriarch. “We can trust… her. I can see her Aura. There’s zero intent to fight us. No… if I’m right, she’s… grateful?”