It was not until noon the following day that the group discovered the habitat of the Solis Spider.
Arbash narrowed his eyes sharply as he surveyed the area around the nest.
“Judging by the depth of the tracks in the sand, it’s not a pregnant one. The size matches that of an adult, and it’s moving alone. At this level, we should be able to take it down ourselves.”
“I was getting bored anyway. This works out nicely.”
“Hehe. Even so, don’t let your guard down.”
In response to Arbash’s comment, Taira, true to her warlike beastkin nature, bared her claws and smiled.
“What do the two of you think?”
Still, since they were traveling together, Arbash turned to Shane and Dilaila to ask their opinions, though the majority had already made the decision.
“I’m fine with it.”
“Uh, I’m okay too.”
“Good. Then let’s start by drawing the thing out.”
Solis Spiders, which dwell in burrows, are nocturnal creatures. So during the day, they rarely come out unless something extraordinary happens.
However, there was a way to lure one outside by using its instincts.
“Water scarcity isn’t just a problem for desert tribes like us. This creature also needs to replenish its fluids.”
Most monsters in the desert absorb moisture through underground water veins, but the Solis Spider is different.
“Solis Spiders barely survive on the rainfall that comes once every few months. So they’re extremely sensitive to the smell of water.”
As he said this, Arbash held up his canteen.
Then he pulled out a smooth piece of leather from his clothing, laid it on the ground, and poured a thin stream of water onto it, letting it pool.
“Even this much is enough to wake it. Now all that’s left is to lie in wait. Mitanos, stay above its burrow and collapse it when the time comes.”
“Understood. It’s something I’ve done plenty of times.”
“Good. Still, be careful.”
“Of course, of course.”
On the surface, they looked just like close comrades.
And while they actually did get along fairly well, everything about this scene was designed to lower Shane and Dilaila’s guard.
“…I can feel the vibrations. Get ready.”
“Whew, finally time to stretch my limbs.”
Having already engaged in battle several times on their way here, each of them took up positions suited to their roles.
Just as Arbash had initially suspected, Dilaila turned out to be an earth mage, and Shane was an exceptional swordsman.
As the vibrations beneath their feet grew more intense, a massive spider burst out of the burrow.
Its enormous pincers, which took up half its face, and blade-like legs were threatening just to look at.
“Hrrgh!!”
At that moment, Mitanos who had been lying in wait above the burrow slammed down with his battle axe, collapsing the entrance.
“Now!”
At that signal, Taira and Shane charged in at the same time.
The Solis Spider, still disoriented from the collapsed burrow and slow to assess the situation, only noticed their movements from both sides at the last moment and let out a roar, swinging its razor-sharp legs.
Each leg was as large as a grown adult, so the two attackers quickly retreated.
“Haaah!”
In that instant, Dilaila, who had been preparing her spell, stirred the sand, and the moment the Solis Spider sensed the magic beneath its legs, it leapt by instinct, shifting its position.
A split-second later, an earthen spear shot up from the very spot the spider had just been.
Watching this, the Solis Spider instantly identified Dilaila as the greatest threat and began charging toward her with all eight legs.
“It’s coming!”
Seeing that, Arbash raised his dagger and stepped directly into the path of the rapidly advancing spider.
Perhaps from the spider’s perspective, it seemed laughable that something barely half its size would dare block its way.
Without even trying to avoid him, the Solis Spider lunged with its sharp mandibles, ready to slice Arbash in half.
“Tu lai eo.”
At that moment, Arbash uttered a short incantation, and a crimson light flared from his arm.
The Solis Spider, which had been barreling toward him with deadly momentum, was violently repelled in an instant.
The spell, a modified form of ancient runes, possessed the power to reflect the enemy’s force.
However, the backlash drained Arbash’s mana all at once, and he urgently called out to his comrade.
“Mitanos!”
“Don’t worry!”
Before anyone realized it, Mitanos had already charged in close. Leaping into the air, he brought his battle axe down, aiming for the Solis Spider’s waist.
Screeeeeeeeech—!
Thanks to its magically reinforced exoskeleton, the spider managed to avoid having its waist split in two on the spot. But even so, it couldn’t completely ignore the impact that reverberated through its body.
Still, the Solis Spider tried to escape the spot by forcing strength into its hind legs.
That was because Dilaila’s magic had once again gathered beneath it.
But Shane and Taira, who had arrived just behind, weren’t about to let that happen.
Just as the spider was about to put weight into its legs, Taira’s claws and Shane’s sword struck its hind legs.
Even though the creature’s legs were tough, joints were the universal weak point of all living beings.
Immediately after, Dilaila adjusted her aim slightly and unleashed another spell. This time, countless earthen spears pierced the Solis Spider’s soft underbelly, the most vulnerable part of its body.
Screeech—
At last, with a chilling cry, the creature collapsed onto the desert sand.
As its massive body fell, a faint tremor followed, then silence.
“Whew. Having a mage really makes things easier, huh? We didn’t even have to flip the damn thing over.”
“Whew… You’re right.”
“Ah, no, not at all. It was thanks to everyone’s effort.”
Dilaila responded to their compliments with an awkward smile, and Arbash added his thanks to the party while leaning in to closely inspect the Solis Spider’s corpse.
At the same time, he began reviewing the battle that had just occurred.
Stronger than expected.
Dilaila’s magic took a bit of time to cast, but unless one was sensitive to mana, it was so subtle that most wouldn’t even notice it.
The only reason the Solis Spider had reacted was because of its acute sensitivity to magic. For an average beastkin, reacting in time would’ve been almost impossible.
Moreover, judging by the severed legs of the spider, Taira’s strike had only managed to rip it roughly… he hadn’t managed a clean cut. In contrast, the leg hit by Shane’s sword had been severed with pristine precision.
Even the sight of that leg lying cleanly cut off in the corner made it clear. When it came to destructive power, Shane was far superior.
We may have the advantage in numbers, but a frontal assault must still be avoided.
At the same time, Arbash continued to inspect the spider’s body, steadily gathering information.
“First off, this one’s male. Judging by the reproductive organs, it looks like he’s already mated. And… his abdomen is flatter than expected. There might be offspring deeper inside the burrow.”
“Hmmm… Then I guess we’ll have to go in. Leaving the young alone could come back to bite us.”
“Given that these creatures regurgitate food to feed their young, they’re likely still far from maturity.”
Even so, since they were the offspring of this massive spider, each one was about the size of a human head, and with nearly a thousand of them, they wouldn’t be easy to handle.
Not to mention, the narrow confines of the tunnel would make proper combat difficult.
“Fortunately, unlike the adults, the hatchlings have soft shells. You can crush them easily underfoot. I don’t think they pose much of a threat. So if we’re just going in to confirm things and come back, I believe it should be fine. What do you both think?”
“Hmm… But if there’s a male, doesn’t that mean there could be a female too?”
“Ah, yes, that’s certainly possible… But considering a battle of this scale just took place and the female still hasn’t shown up, I’d say we can be almost certain she’s not around.”
Compared to other monsters, Solis Spiders are known for their extreme parental instincts, both maternal and paternal, taking turns to go out hunting.
Since that rotation usually takes anywhere from two days to a full week, it was unlikely there was a female Solis Spider inside at the moment.
“Well, even if something goes wrong, can’t you just collapse the tunnel with your magic?”
“Oh, yeah, that’s true.”
“I’ll follow the scouting leader’s decision.”
As Dilaila and Shane both nodded in agreement, Arbash responded with a smile.
“Alright then. Mitanos and I will take the lead. Taira, you cover the rear.”
“What? I’m stuck in the back? That’s no fun.”
“It’s the safest spot, isn’t it?”
“Well, can’t argue with that.”
After settling on a simple formation, Dilaila cleared the collapsed tunnel, and only then did they proceed inside.
“The inside of a Solis Spider’s burrow is covered in a sticky substance. Movement may be difficult, so please keep that in mind.”
Just as Arbash had described, the tunnel walls were smeared thick with a viscous liquid.
According to his further explanation, instead of webs, Solis Spiders coat their burrows with this sticky fluid to maintain their structure.
Amid the damp air and the stench that filled the passage, the group pressed deeper into the tunnel.
“Oh, and here…just in case, take this.”
“What is it?”
“I’m about to burn incense that calms monsters. It’s best to be thorough and prepare for the worst. That said, even beastkin aren’t completely immune to its effects. This is the antidote.”
Arbash took one himself first, then handed the rest out to his companions with a practiced ease.
“…Thanks. I’ll gratefully accept it.”
“Haha, it’s nothing.”
With a friendly smile, Arbash passed out the antidotes. Shane and Dilaila took the medicine without hesitation, and as previously mentioned, Arbash lit the incense and continued forward.
Fortunately, the burrow wasn’t so narrow as to impede movement, and the party was able to proceed deeper without much difficulty.
“Wh—?!”
But what they found at the end was the very thing Arbash had ruled out: a female Solis Spider.
“Damn it…!”
The spider, having spotted the group, moved without hesitation.
Didn’t see this coming!
Though Arbash had hunted Solis Spiders many times before, he had never once encountered a pair together. Caught off guard, he quickly raised his dagger and cast a spell.
The same magic that reversed incoming damage as before sent the Solis Spider shrieking and retreating.
Given the spider’s solid build and overwhelming mass, the reflected damage was not insignificant.
“Fall back!”
“Understood!”
Skreeeeee!!
With Taira who had been in the rear now leading the retreat, the others quickly turned and followed suit.
In the meantime, Dilaila, while running, raised a wall of earth to block the tunnel. But it collapsed helplessly not long after.
“We need to delay it as much as possible! Keep casting spells!”
“R-Right!”
Casting magic while running wasn’t easy, but Dilaila continued to raise walls, slowing the Solis Spider’s charge.
However, the group’s pace began to slow due to the sticky liquid, and the distance between them inevitably started to close.
“This won’t do at this rate!”
“Ggh…!”
Just then, Dilaila shouted.
“Th-There! I have an idea!”
“What is it?”
“I think I can create a space to fight it….at least for now! Just buy me ten seconds!”
“Better than getting caught like this…!”
At those words, Arbash’s mind kicked into high gear.
Ten seconds. A short time. If you look at it that way.
But in terrain this tight, it could be considered more than enough to face a Solis Spider.
“Hoo… we don’t have a choice. Mitanos.”
“Mhmm!”
Mitanos threw his battle axe to the ground, drew two hatchets from his belt, and Arbash hurled the glowstone he had been holding toward the Solis Spider.
Being a nocturnal creature by nature, it flinched briefly at the sudden burst of light.
That bought them 2 seconds.
But realizing it wasn’t anything dangerous, the Solis Spider charged again.
Just as its massive pincers which were large enough to fill the passage lunged toward Mitanos in the front…
Mitanos’s muscles swelled, and the twin axes wrapped in a brown glow shot forward.
It was an aura only usable by the cattle beastkin, one that drastically boosted physical strength.
He struck the hard pincers with his twin axes, halting the charge….if only for a moment.
That brought them to 3.5 seconds.
At that moment, Taira who had somehow scaled the wall came down with a strike to the spider’s face.
Even so, the creature didn’t budge.
Around the time five seconds had passed, mana began to gather around Dilaila, and sensing the growing threat, the Solis Spider pressed forward with greater force.
“Raaaghhh!!”
Mitanos let out a battle cry as he braced against it, and at that moment, Arbash’s spell activated.
As the spell that converted incoming physical force into mana took effect, Mitanos’s aura began to blaze even more fiercely.
The formation, which had started to give way, slowly began to regain stability.
During that window, Shane managed to slice off one of the spider’s front legs with his aura-infused sword.
Screeeech—?!
Unlike before, the tight quarters left them all cramped, and Shane’s stance had faltered. So he couldn’t fully sever the leg. Still, it was enough for Mitanos to start pushing the creature back.
Only 2 seconds remained.
But then, the Solis Spider suddenly recoiled, throwing Mitanos off balance and in that instant, its abdomen folded in, launching forward.
A strand of web shot out from its rear and struck Mitanos in a flash.
“What the—?!”
Arbash’s eyes widened. He had never seen a Solis Spider produce webbing in all his life.
At that moment, Dilaila’s mana burst out all at once.
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