Lote's Levitating Debut

Nis ascended with a bright, sunny smile, her sleek black hair elegantly fluttering in the air. And beside her... 'Ah!' The metal spider... was floating. Completely!

'C...razy!'

"Hohoho! Allow me to proudly introduce my masterpiece, Lote!"

It bobbed gently. Does this even make sense...? Its level and star rating had both gone up! Potential could increase too?!

The shock from the status window was short-lived. The sight unfolding before me was just like that video from the news I'd seen back then.

'Superconductor or what...?' I recalled the superconductivity craze that had set my previous world ablaze. SNS had been flooded with videos of magnets hovering and spinning in midair. It had been amazing at the time... but the spider in front of me now was hundreds of times more astonishing.

All eight legs were perfectly balanced, slightly lifted from its body. The entire form shimmered with a bluish-black sheen, ice wall crystals reflecting beautifully off its surface like stars in the night sky.

The superconducting spider moved slowly, gliding as smoothly as if swimming through water. Each leg stepped gracefully, as if treading on invisible cushions. To think something like this actually existed...

"Hoo... what on earth did you do to that spider?"

Even Master seemed utterly fascinated, inspecting it from every angle.

"Hehe. I found this weird ore called protene in Lady Frostia's labyrinth, so I just mixed it right in with the spider!"

'Wha...?' For a split second, a horrifying image flashed through my mind—one I really shouldn't have pictured in detail.

'Ugh... at least it's alive, thank goodness...'

But why did "protene" sound so familiar? I'd definitely heard it somewhere before... I tilted my head, then gave up. Probably just my imagination.

Nis fixed her gaze on me, clearly curious about my reaction.

'Oh shoot!'

My roots frantically scratched the floor, carving out excited letters. My petals quivered with thrill.

"Hohoho~ As expected, Rico gets it the most!"

Nis beamed with satisfaction, the hem of her black dress swaying gently.

"Here, this one's yours from now on, Rico. Take good care of it~"

My roots scratched out crooked, surprised letters. My petals flared wide in shock, then curled back shyly.

"Of course~ I said it was a gift, didn't I~?"

'M... mine? This incredible spider...?'

Lote bobbed gently through the air, drifting slowly toward me. But then...

Flap flap! Wiggle wiggle! Rustle rustle!

Suddenly, all the bugz retreated en masse. The spiders were first, scrambling up the ice walls to huddle in the ceiling corners. Miel and the other butterflies flew higher, vanishing into the shadows. The Frost Hoppers bounded away along the walls, and even the ever-bold Blizzard Hornets buzzed off into the distance.

It was like they'd seen a ghost—total panic.

'Wh... what's going on?'

The spiders' reaction was especially intense. All their legs trembled as they clustered together, like a scene straight out of a horror movie.

Even Glessia, the laziest of the bunch, bolted upright and fled. At a speed unimaginable for her usual self.

'What the... Glessia could move that fast...?'

Glessia's escape was resolute, like an employee quitting on the spot. She packed up her territory with her six legs and zoomed off.

'Hey... were you always that diligent...?'

Only Cecilia remained calmly perched on my petals.

'Ah, at least Cecilia...'

But on closer look, she was trembling, her flame-like wings covering her eyes.

'Oh... she's just forcing herself to stay because she likes me...'

My heart grew heavy. Lote had been remade against its will into this form, and now even its friends treated it like a monster. And it was top-tier level among the bugz...

'Poor thing... no one probably wanted it...'

I quietly scratched the floor with my roots, writing in soft, curving letters like soothing a hurt child.

"So, what can it do?"

Master ignored the bugz's reaction, eyeing Lote with keen interest.

"As you can see, it can levitate!"

Nis explained cheerfully.

"Oh! And it seems like it can scare off the other bugs too!"

'That's just...!' Because you modded your friend all weird and they ran away!

"Is that all?"

Master's cold gaze turned on Lote.

"Hmm~ We'll have to find out from here on!"

Nis pouted playfully.

"Shall we test its power? Lote's aura is much stronger now... it should fight pretty well!"

'Pretty well...?'

An ominous premonition crawled up my spine at those words. Something dangerous lurked behind Nis's mischievous smile.

Master sighed. Just then, Cecilia spread her flame-like wings wide and took flight. A brave aura emanated from her tiny body.

Flap flap!

'Eh... is Cecilia volunteering to fight?'

Worry bloomed inside me. Cecilia's level had just barely crossed 100... while Lote was now 5 stars at LV175...

'But it's just a friendly spar... she probably won't get hurt bad? I can heal her right away if she does...'

Still, I couldn't shake the anxiety completely.

Cecilia and Lote faced off in the center of the cavern. The tiny flame butterfly versus the levitating spider—it was like a scene from a movie.

Master ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠elegantly waved her hand. In an instant, transparent ice barriers encircled us. The walls rose in a perfect circle, forming an arena like Rome's Colosseum.

'Whoa... she can make something like this out of ice!'

I excitedly scratched the floor with my roots. My petals fluttered in delight at the sight.

"I made it so Cecilia's flames won't reach you."

'Ah!'

My heart warmed. I'd thought she did it just to look cool... but it was consideration for me.

'As expected of Master... even the little details...'

I carved out letters packed with hearts, more elaborate than usual, even adding floral decorations.

Master smiled faintly and stroked my petals. A shiver ran through me at her cool touch.

Yes! A Colosseum date like Roman nobles! My petals bloomed wide on their own, then shyly curled back.

"Hehe... now I want to raise one too. Even in my labyrinth, Rico—"

"Nis."

Master coldly cut off Nis's playful words.

That's right! I'm Master's!

The match was about to begin. The bugz had all gathered on Cecilia's side, cheering her on. They flapped tiny wings and legs, trying to lend her strength.

'Hmm... Lote was your friend too... that's kinda harsh...'

Sorry, but I couldn't help rooting more for Cecilia. She's my daughter!

Master and Nis watched with rapt attention. Anticipation gleamed in Master's eyes, and Nis's red pupils sparkled.

Flap flap—!

Cecilia moved first. An unbelievable blaze storm erupted from her tiny body, red flames exploding outward and dyeing the entire cavern crimson. As her fire filled the space, the ice walls began to melt slightly—but Master's magic refroze them instantly.

"Oh my~ such powerful flames!"

Nis's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠eyes sparkled in admiration.

"She's Rico's child, after all."

Master spoke calmly, but pride colored her voice.

'Hehe... my daughter got praised!'

My petals bloomed wide with pride. But when the flames cleared, Lote floated there unscathed, its bluish-black surface unmarred.

'In...sane defense!'

"Hoo..."

Master's icy gaze pierced Lote.

"Hehe, it's my creation after all~?"

Nis grinned smugly. The bugz's reactions were amusing then. The spiders' compound eyes gleamed from their corner, the bugz on the ceiling perked up their antennae in unison. Even Glessia peeked out from beyond the ice wall.

'Yeah... you guys think it's amazing too, huh.'

Cecilia, frustrated, wrapped her body in flames. Burning like a miniature sun, she charged at Lote, trailing a red comet tail—beautiful.

'That's it! Go get 'em! Flame Dive!'

But Lote didn't budge. Not even a twitch.

'Uh...'

Bam!

In the blink of an eye, Cecilia bounced off like a rubber ball. Lote, meanwhile, remained pristine—maybe even shinier.

'Ul...ultimate tank...! Attacks don't work...!'

Cecilia plummeted limply to the floor, her flame wings flickering dimly.

'No!'

My heart dropped. I hurriedly dusted her with heaps of pink healing pollen. Sweet scent spread as the pink dust enveloped her.

The moment Master dispelled the ice walls, I carefully lifted Cecilia with my black roots and placed her back on my petals. Her tiny body still trembled.

'You okay...?'

Nibble nibble!

Cecilia began gnawing at my petals with her shaky body, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as if vowing to grow stronger and avenge this humiliation.