Chapter 75: Forest Wave, Last③: The Giant Spider

The second wave had continued for two days.

An endless string of abnormal events: spider women and a massive swarm of crystal beasts.

They had somehow endured it, but the subjugators’ side had been driven into crisis.

The number of dead had been kept low, but the number of wounded was overwhelmingly high.

At the frontline subjugation village, the commander-in-chief was directing operations.

The guild master of the Subjugators’ Guild had a grim look on his face.

At this rate…

That was what he feared.

The last wave still remained.

It would only come once, but the final wave would be stronger than the second wave.

Even with the veteran subjugators joining for the final wave, it was uncertain whether they could overcome it.

“…Using the secret agreement leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but…”

Desperate times called for desperate measures.

He gave orders to the staff.

According to the secret agreement, they should definitely be somewhere in the subjugation village.

The Heizen Plains.

The frontline subjugation village.

As they walked, Coran and Prancy sighed.

“We somehow survived. Or rather, if we hadn’t had the witch water Wof-san gave us, we’d be dead.”

“Yes. I’m really glad we got extra… truly.”

Thanks to the mysterious witch water, their bodies were in perfect condition, but their minds were exhausted.

Coran looked up at the sky and suddenly thought of someone.

“Nabel… is she all right?”

“She’s safe. Wof-san and the others are with her.”

“So she’s better off than us.”

“Yes…”

Prancy glanced at a subjugator drinking a potion like liquor.

Lightly wounded people were being healed by potions and by those with healing relics.

The seriously wounded were sent by carriage to Heizen, switching places with veteran subjugators joining the last wave.

“Excuse me! Excuse me!”

“What’s that about?”

“No idea.”

A blue-haired, dark-skinned elven woman in blue clothes was calling out to the subjugators.

She wore a sword, and from her atmosphere, the two could tell she was no ordinary person. She was probably a veteran subjugator.

“Has anyone seen a large pale-blue dog carrying a greatsword?”

“A large dog?”

“Carrying a greatsword… Have you seen one?”

“No. Was there such a noticeable dog around?”

“No… I haven’t seen it. A dog like that would stand out.”

“Right. It would definitely stand out.”

The two tilted their heads.

The elven woman went around calling out to every subjugator she could find.

“Has anyone seen him? You haven’t? A dog like that should be found immediately? Normally, yes, that would be true, but… More importantly, shall we have tea? No, we shall not. You have something you want to tell me if you survive? I have nothing to tell you. In fact, who even are you? Honestly, there’s not a single decent person here. And where did that dog go now!?”

Seeing how angry the woman was, the two decided that if they saw the dog, they would tell her.

Around the same time, something shot out of Heizen at tremendous speed.

For a while, Heizen was thrown into an uproar, with people saying it looked like a black shooting star.

That black shooting star cut straight across the Heizen Plains.

On top of the wall of the subjugation village, a large blue dog carrying a greatsword watched the black shooting star pass by.

The Great Forest of Heizen.

The Kingdom of Unreality.

Why am I here?

If I’m honest, I came along lightly.

No, I was excited.

Wof-san, whom I secretly admire.

He is younger than me, but he is that witch’s disciple, strong, dependable, and cool.

When I happened to meet him in Heizen and acted together with him… I had an incredible experience.

A sudden teleportation.

The place we arrived at was a mysterious temple.

For some reason, Narcissus of the Edda, known as the “Second Coming of Generous,” was there.

Lady Narcissus is a First-Class Explorer.

For someone like me, a Fourth-Class Explorer, she is someone far above.

In fact, she is an Edda, and among the Edda she is called the “Second Coming of Generous,” the god of the Edda.

Normally, only an Edda’s eyes are purple. But her hair is purple too.

That is the same as the god Generous.

The Edda are already a supreme race that inspires awe.

And what Lady Narcissus said shocked me.

Heizen was an aboveground dungeon.

The dungeon’s will had requested Wof-san to subjugate the dungeon anomaly.

And I was told to take part too.

At the Full Moon Bazaar, thanks to Wof-san, I had obtained the lost treasure of my clan.

The Wulfegh blade.

The enemy of my uncle, its owner who had gone missing, was supposedly the dungeon anomaly.

After many twists and turns, I, one of the clan, had taken it in hand again.

Moreover, I was recognized as its owner and obtained its relic.

Subjugating a dungeon anomaly.

If Wof-san was there, there was nothing to worry about.

Even the rumored monster Helftu, against whom we could do nothing, had been defeated by Wof-san.

And yet things began to take an unexpected turn.

“Tortoiseshell Eight-Cut!”

I cut down a spider with Spider-Cutter’s iai slash.

An OOPArt made to defeat the giant spider, the dungeon anomaly.

A blade specialized for killing spiders.

That is this “Spider-Cutter.”

“Damn it. What the hell is going on?”

“Ah, seriously! You seal our relics, but you get to use yours as much as you want?”

“Be careful. If that attack hits you, you’ll die from the curse.”

“I know!”

Bid shot an arrow and headshotted a spider.

Garad swung his greatsword and scattered them.

“Pakira! Do not leave my shield!”

“I know. Guh, being useless is… shameful!”

Pakira… It couldn’t be helped.

Right now, relics could not be used here.

The only things usable were my Spider-Cutter’s Tortoiseshell Eight-Cut and Bid’s restriction relic.

The one mass-producing spiders was the giant spider.

Its body was white, and its six legs were covered in black spots.

Just a little while ago, it had merged with “Damaged Goods” and become an eerie monster.

Now it was only a giant spider.

That giant spider was producing spiders one after another.

Not spider women. Just spiders.

And not only the spiders it created.

The spider women had also turned into spiders.

Of course, it was natural for them to be spiders, but since they had been spider women until just now, it felt strangely odd.

What was happening?

Hoss and Wof-san were nowhere to be seen.

“Uoooooooh!!”

Garad swung his greatsword down toward the giant spider’s front leg.

But something invisible blocked it.

The impact created ripples like on the surface of water.

It was the relic wall Wof-san had damaged.

I think it was… Dimensional Distortion Wall.

“Damn it! I can’t break through!”

Even Spider-Cutter could not cut that wall.

“We need Wof-kun here, huh?”

“Where did he go…? Hoss is gone too.”

“I don’t know, but if it’s Wof-kun, he’ll definitely come back.”

“That’s right.”

“Yes, indeed.”

“That’s right! Ah, Bid, look out!”

The giant spider spat thread at Bid.

Bid dodged, but it caught on his leg.

“I-I can’t move…!?”

A sticky thread.

“Run!!”

Garad shouted.

I dashed forward.

But I did not make it in time.

The giant spider’s leg swung down.

Its claw descended toward Bid, who shut his eyes, and then—

It was stopped.

That was… Hoss.

“I’m back too.”

Hoss had blocked the leg with a halberd wrapped in white light.

He gave a faint wry smile.

The reason he was floating slightly and ripples flowed around him was probably because the Dimensional Distortion Wall was there.

“Hoss…!”

“Bid, are you safe?”

I cut the thread.

As expected of Spider-Cutter.

The moment the blade touched it, the thread disappeared.

The giant spider stepped back.

“…You’re safe?”

“As you can see, I’m all in one piece.”

“What happened?”

“I settled something with my past. Where’s Wof?”

“He’s not here.”

“…Then we can only wait.”

“No. There is no need to wait!”

Huh? Who’s that? A spider woman!?

A slightly different-looking spider woman came running with a shining sword I felt like I had seen somewhere before.

And behind her was… Liv!?

The spider woman suddenly leapt.

Then she swung her sword not at us, but at the giant spider.

“Severance, renamed ultimate Knight Slash!”

A tremendous slash sent the giant spider flying back.

Ripples disturbed the empty space.

“What kind of name is that, gesu?”

A clothed spider woman!?

What is going on… all the spider women turned into spiders.

“Tch, so it still won’t cut.”

“Mm… dimensions… troublesome… indeed.”

“That’s how it is. Wof. Your turn.”

Wof-san!

“Hah… I’ll do it.”

Looking somewhat tired, Wof-san faced the giant spider.

The atmosphere around the giant spider clearly changed, and it became wary of him.

Wof-san also stared at the giant spider.

Wof-san moved first.

He slowly walked toward the giant spider.

The giant spider trembled and spat thread.

“Tortoiseshell Eight-Cut!”

I moved.

I cut the thread and erased it.

The giant spider trembled again and produced a massive number of spiders.

“Deeyah!”

“Then here I go!”

“Take this!”

Garad and Hoss cut them down, and Bid shot them.

Several spiders leapt at Wof-san, but Liv threw a sword.

It pierced one of the spiders.

“Mm… Sky Form… Subaru… Celaeno Blade.”

The stabbed sword glowed yellow as it floated, cutting down the other spiders.

Something was thrown into the swarm, and the spiders became wet.

Then something else was thrown, and they were soaked again.

While cutting spiders, I glanced toward whoever was throwing them.

While Lupinus defended with her shield, Pakira was boldly throwing something.

The spiders were getting wet.

Those were water stones.

When broken, water came out.

Pakira kept throwing water stones one after another, soaking most of the spiders.

What was the point of soaking them?

Just as I wondered, Pakira shouted.

“Good. Bid!”

“Thanks. Let’s make this flashy! Taste Ballestia’s Miniature Garden!”

When Bid struck the ground with the butt end of his spear, electric shocks erupted from three directions.

They spread from one wet spider to the next.

In no time, the swarm vanished.

I see. It was like how lightning spreads over a wide area when it strikes a pond.

“Now, Wof!”

“Dimension Crack.”

Ripples and cracks ran through empty space.

Immediately, the giant spider swung a leg down at Mr. Woff.

“Not happening.”

Hoss blocked it.

Garad stopped another attack.

The spider spat thread, but I cut it.

Another huge number of spiders were created.

The mysterious spider woman A and Liv defeated them, and Bid shot them down too.

But… it was not enough.

“Mm… Gesuo…”

“There is technically a secret agreement, but I suppose it cannot be helped, gesu.”

Mysterious spider woman B snapped her fingers with an air of resignation.

Snap.

At the light sound, a flock of crows came from deep in the forest.

“Caw, caw, caw, caw, caaaaw!!”

They noisily attacked the spiders.

It was incredible.

“Whoa… This reminds me of a movie…”

Wof-san muttered, slightly put off.

“Oh? Not bad, trash noble.”

Spider woman A spoke arrogantly.

“Please stop calling me that, gesu.”

“You. You are not a spider woman.”

Garad said suspiciously.

“I would appreciate it if you ignored that part, gesu.”

“…………Well, fine.”

Hoss looked like he wanted to say something to mysterious spider woman B, but stopped himself.

Even though the crows were blocked by the Dimensional Distortion Wall, they kept charging at the giant spider.

The giant spider seemed overwhelmed by their intensity.

I could somewhat understand how it felt.

“Wof-kun. Now!”

“Dimension Crack.”

Deeper cracks spread through space.

It looked like glass just before shattering.

One more hit would definitely break it.

Wof-san held out his hand.

“Dimension Crack.”

Space shattered—

No, it did not.

It remained frozen at the moment before breaking.

“…Huh? Wait. Dimension Crack! Why…?”

It would not activate.

Wof-san gradually began to panic.

The rest of us did not know what to do either.

The space around the giant spider was covered in cracks, looking like it would shatter at any moment.

Whether it was being cautious, on guard, or confused like us, the giant spider did not move an inch.

“W-what happened?”

“What’s wrong?”

“What happened?”

“Cooldown?”

“He was using it continuously before, though.”

“Hey. You’re the only one who can break it.”

“Mm… Liv… can’t right now either…”

“Did something happen, Wof-san?”

“…Damn it. I don’t have enough…”

“Enough? Enough what?”

What was it?

Wof-san asked everyone.

“…Does anyone have a red crystal?”

“What? I gave all of mine to you.”

“I gave you mine too. I do not have even one left.”

“None.”

“I don’t have any.”

“As if I would!”

“I do not have any, gesu.”

“…I don’t either.”

A red crystal.

A red crystal dropped by certain monsters.

It was not very valuable.

Pakira and Lupinus turned pale.

“…Don’t tell me.”

“You cannot use it without one…?”

Wof-san nodded slightly.

Wait, that means…

Red crystals.

What were we supposed to do about that?

Garad swung his sword down at the Dimensional Distortion Wall.

Hoss struck it with his halberd.

Bid thrust at it with his sword.

Lupinus hit it with her shield.

Mysterious spider woman A and Liv also struck it hard with their swords.

Spider woman B attacked it with crows.

Reckless or not, that was all we could do.

But it already looked completely covered in cracks, like it would shatter if struck even a little.

The Dimensional Distortion Wall maintained that state.

No matter what we did, it absolutely would not break.

Even so, we did not give up.

Even if it was impossible, reckless, hopeless, we desperately reached for the smallest trace of hope.

No matter how unreasonable, reckless, or useless it was, the giant spider trembled as if afraid.

I drew Spider-Cutter too.

Eventually, as if resolving himself, Wof-san took a beautiful-bladed knife in hand.

I will cut it.

Just as I made that decision—

Something came.

A black… shooting star?

It flew at tremendous speed, snaking slightly as it struck the Dimensional Distortion Wall on the verge of collapse.

What pierced it was—

A long, huge spear glowing black, red, blue, and pale green?

It had a strange shape, almost like another spear was stuck diagonally into it.

“Wait, what the hell is this?”

A voice came from inside the spear.

A voice I felt like I had heard somewhere before.

No, more importantly, it pierced it?

The Dimensional Distortion Wall that had remained undamaged no matter how much we struck or cut it had been pierced?

“Out of my way! ‘Spiral Dawn’ mode: Punisher!”

—Boom—

After a strange vibrating sound, the Dimensional Distortion Wall shattered and burst apart like glass.

It broke.

It collapsed.

No matter what we had done, nothing worked.

Only Wof-san’s relic had been able to damage that wall…

And now the wall collapsed.

The great black spear recoiled, spun into a nearby tree, crashed into it, and became awkwardly embedded there.

Then part of the spear opened.

“Ow. What the hell was that? It’s cramped, it hurts, and this is the worst. I’m complaining to the witch later.”

The one who came out while grumbling was… Mineha.

W-why did she come out of a spear?

No, what even is that spear?

What in the world is going on!?

Wof-san, help.