Chapter 27
Ahhh, so tired.
I’m not gonna be able to keep my eyes open much longer. I didn’t realize camping without a simple home would be such a pain.
I thought I could stick it out a little longer, but now I might be in real trouble if I don’t come up with a good method of getting some restful sleep soon.
Then again, if it were that easy, I wouldn’t be forcing myself to keep exploring until exhaustion threatened to knock me out.
The earth dragon probably isn’t going to show up at this point, but now my problem is that I’m in the middle of an area chock-full of other strong monsters. There’s no guarantee that one of them won’t just break through a basic web with ease.
But that doesn’t mean I can go ahead and build a more elaborate shelter here. I don’t want to put down roots in this place. I want to get out of here as soon as possible. It doesn’t make sense to spend a ton of time on a new home.
In which case, it makes more sense to build a simple one, but I have no way of knowing whether that’ll be enough to keep out the monsters that inhabit this area… I’ve been going over the same thoughts again and again and now I’m stuck in a mental loop.
I rack my exhausted brain, trying to figure out what to do.
A simple home might work depending on how I make it, right?
Like, instead of setting it up wherever, I could hide it in a hard-to-find nook or something. I mean, the rocks around here are pretty angular, but they don’t necessarily make for the safest hiding spots.
Hey, wait a minute. Maybe I don’t have to hide at all?
As long as other monsters can’t mess with me, anywhere is fine, right?
In which case, I might know a good place after all. So I head there right away. ‘There’ being the ceiling, by way of climbing the wall.
Phew… So high! Man, that was scary. Can I really sleep soundly here?
But I haven’t seen any monsters around these parts that can fly or climb walls. Aside from the snail-bugs, anyway. I haven’t seen any bees since coming out into this big space, either, so I figure it might be safe to set up a little home between the ceiling and the wall and sleep there.
And so, without further ado, I start building my web.
Wow, this is seriously high, though. Probably about three hundred feet in the air… How many skyscraper floors would that be?
If I fall, I’ll definitely die.
I mean, I have a lifeline, so there’s probably nothing to worry about, but it’s still scary to work out in the open like this.
C’mon, Fear Resistance, get to work already!
≪ Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill〔Fear Resistance • Lv 5〕has become〔Fear Resistance • Lv 6〕≫
Okay, I’m sorry. I spoke too soon.
So don’t sass me like that, alright? Man, that startled me.
Anyway, now the outer frame is complete.
Hmm. This is totally obvious from the outside, though, isn’t it?
If it takes a hit from a long-distance attack like that earth dragon’s breath, it’ll go down, won’t it? It’s probably best to hide a little somehow.
Maybe I can use the rocks lying around on the ground.
I lower myself back down for a bit and look at the rocks.
Hmm. These are way too big.
Can I break them down somehow? Maybe with Cutting Thread or something?
I fasten a thread to the rock, activate Cutting Thread, and pull.
Hmm…
It scores it a little bit but not enough to do much good.
Maybe I can move it like a saw?
Ooh, that seems to work, a little at a time.
≪ Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill〔Cutting Thread • Lv 3〕has become〔Cutting Thread • Lv 4〕≫
My skill level goes up in the process, making my work more efficient.
Alright, now I have some diced rock. I guess I can apply it to the surface of my web as camouflage.
First, I stick thread to the rock firmly, then I climb up the three hundred feet to the nest with the thread still attached.
Okay, now all I have to do is pull it up, and…
Oof! Oh man, that’s heavy! Urrghh… C’mon, put your back into it! Heave-ho!
≪ Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill〔Strength • Lv 2〕has become〔Strength • Lv 3〕≫
My Strength skill level increases along the way. Even with the extra level, this thing is still a struggle.
Whoof, this is consuming my immediate stamina and my overall stocked stamina at the same time! What a pain!
≪ Proficiency has reached the required level. Acquired skill
〔Instantaneous • Lv 1〕≫
≪ Proficiency has reached the required level. Acquired skill
〔Persistent • Lv 1〕≫
I gained some skills, but I don’t have time to check them out right now.
C’mon, pullll!
Huff… Huff… Whew.
Finally, I manage to lift the rock into place.
Whoa, on closer inspection, my red stamina bar actually decreased past the Overeating reserves I had. So that’s why it was so painful.
Huh? I thought I had come up with a quick method of getting a good night’s sleep, but in retrospect, I actually ended up giving myself more work.
Aw, man, seriously? So much for that. Oh well.
But all the hard work was worth it, since the rock I dragged up and stuck to my nest seems to be hiding me quite effectively.
Now I just need to make a bit of bedding, and… Done!
Phew. Now, this is paradise.
Ahh, being surrounded by silk makes me feel so much safer. This is the life.
Without it, I just can’t sleep soundly.
Oh, gotta check the effects of those new skills before bed.
△〔Instantaneous〕- Adds to SP (instantaneous) by the number of the skill level. ▽
△〔Persistent〕- Adds to SP (persistent) by the number of the skill level. ▽
Ah, so these are the SP versions of Solidity and Strength. My SP stats, which were 40 each, have increased to 41. Stamina is important, so that’s a sweet deal.
Well then, now that I’ve checked out my new skills, it’s time to sleep off all that
hard work!
Since it’s been so long since I had a chance to really bed down, I’ll take this opportunity to snooze to my heart’s content.
And so, good night!
~*~
Ahh, what a nice rest. Yep. I sure slept, all right.
But what’s this, now? I planned on sleeping a little more, so why do I suddenly feel so wide awake?
Hmm? It feels like all the hair on my body is standing on end. That can’t be good.
I stick my head out from behind the rock to peer down below.
△ Anogratch • Lv 6: Status Appraisal Failed ▽
△ Anogratch • Lv 3: Status Appraisal Failed ▽
△
Anogratch • Lv 8
Status Appraisal Failed
▽
△ Anogratch • Lv 5: Status Appraisal Failed ▽ …
A group of monkeys has gathered in battle formation right below me. I’d say there are about fifty of them.
Huh? You’re kidding me, right? These guys are definitely aware that I’m up here.
Why?! I thought my rock camouflage was perfect!
I even looked at it from the ground myself to be sure. At a glance, it looks like nothing more than a bit of rock that’s slightly jutting out from the wall.
So why?!
The only reason I can think of has to do with the monkey of the same species I defeated before.
Did it do something to me? Like leaving a special scent on me or something?
I have no idea. But either way, those monkeys are lying in wait for me. Some of them are even getting ready to climb up the wall. In fact, they’ve already started.
Oh, shit!
Climbing a sheer rock wall is apparently difficult even for the monkeys, as their ascent is pretty slow. At this rate, I should have a few minutes before the first ones get to me. I have to take action while I still have the chance.
The best move here is probably to escape along the ceiling. There’s obviously no way I’m going to beat such a large group of monkey monsters.
Alright, time to head for the hills, then.
Huh? The color of the ceiling is different here? No way! Why is it so slippery?!
My thread is barely even sticking to it! Oh no…
The nature of the rock that makes up the ceiling changes drastically just a few feet away from the wall. It’s so smooth and slippery that not even my stickiest threads stay attached, never mind my legs. At this rate, the ceiling won’t work as an escape route.
I’ll just have to run sideways along the wall, then.
They’ll probably try to chase me, but that’ll just be a contest of persistence.
Okay, let’s— WHONK! Huh?! What was that?! A rock?!
Crap, these guys are throwing rocks at me?!
Wait, how’re they even able to reach when the ceiling is so high up?!
Whoa, another one?!
I quickly take refuge behind the rock covering my home to escape. Another stone hits the place I was moments ago.
Considering how far they had to come, the rocks don’t have too much power behind them by the time they reach where I am. However, if one of them hits me while I’m clinging to the wall, it’ll probably knock me down.
Judging by the fact that the projectiles always land where I just was, those monkeys probably have the Throw skill, the Hit skill, or maybe even both.
A cold chill of dread runs through me.
I can’t get away like this. What am I going to do?
Really, I only have one option. I have to fight back.
Luckily, even though it’s a simple one, I do have a home base here. My only choice is to strengthen it as much as I can before the first monkey arrives and stave them off from within.
If we all have to cling to the wall during the fight, unlike the time with the bees, my opponents won’t have any advantage. If anything, since I have my web to serve as both a foothold and a fortress, I’m the one with a leg up this time.
I have no choice but to try.
First, I scatter more threads. Then I stick them to the wall with Thread Control. It’s a basic tactic, but it should make it harder for them to climb.
Since I have to keep avoiding the stones hurtling at me, it’s hard to get much work done. And in the process, the first wave of monkeys has made it about halfway up the wall.
Shit.
They’re climbing faster than I expected. There’s no way I can stop all of them with the threads I’ve just set up.
Now what?
Ah, maybe there’s something I can use to attack them first?
I do have Throw and Hit, so if I have anything to throw at them…
Oh! There is one thing. I can’t throw it, but I can drop it!
I poke my head out from behind the rock and activate Poison Synthesis. Obviously, I’m not making Weak Poison. I use the toxin I’ve been honing throughout my whole life as a spider: my ultra-potent Spider Poison.
A sphere of venom appears before my eyes, and gravity pulls it down. The monkey climbing the wall can’t avoid it. The poison hits it right in the face, and it shrieks in agony as it falls.
This could work!
Quickly, I confirm my MP consumption. It only used up 1 point. In other words, I can launch up to 40 shots with full MP. With the amount I’ve already spent on Thread Control, that leaves me about 25 shots.
If they all hit, I could take out around half the monkey forces!
I immediately drop a second shot. Another hit, another monkey down. Time to move onto the next one.
Now this is a strategy I should count on whenever possible.
≪ Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill〔Poison Synthesis • Lv 1〕has become〔Poison Synthesis • Lv 2〕≫
My skill level just rose, but I can’t check on that right now. Spider Poison is probably stronger than whatever new venom I just got, anyway.
I succeeded in knocking down a fair number of the monkeys, but they’re starting to react accordingly. They’re avoiding the area directly below my nest and climbing up on either side instead.
I shower them with as much poison as I can before they all make it out of my range.
≪ Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill〔Hit • Lv 2〕has become〔Hit • Lv 3〕≫
Nice, nice.
The monkeys are dropping like flies, but a lot of them have still escaped to the sides. The poison bombs aren’t going to work anymore at this rate. I’m worried about how little MP I have left, anyway, so maybe this is for the best.
I extend some silk toward the monkeys that shifted sideways.
This fight is only just getting started.
Thank you so much for reading! Please let me know if there’s anything I need to fix, and feel free to join my Discord for chapter updates!
Scarlett Shoujo 