Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: Arachne's Lair
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- No way, the demon beast is cursing people?
- Isn't that cheating?
- Seriously, if a few of those things gathered, they'd melt a small kingdom without breaking a sweat?
They used their heads and dug a trap.
The gallery buzzed at the new type of demon beast.
It was a demon beast unlike any seen before.
- So I made tuna mayo, what do you think?
ㄴ (tuna mayo rice bowl gif)
ㄴ Holy shit, are you a genius?
ㄴ Wow, what a lovable little thing.
ㄴ (excited elf gif)
Well, it was just a buzz.
Of course, one gallery user died.
But the gallery was too steeped in war to be shaken by that.
After a brief moment of mourning, the gallery didn't worry much.
[Title: Aren't you scared?]
Author: Judak*
One of the top bounty hunters just died, you know?
It doesn't even have eyes, but it's so perceptive that flashbangs don't work.
And it's that huge but that fast?
[Recommendations 4211] [Disrecommendations 12]
- "What do you want me to do about it?"
- Not curious at all?
- Kah kah kah? Hmm, this is going viral with the kah kahs.
ㄴ ?
ㄴ While we're at it, recommend some snacks.
ㄴ Honey butter chips gacha, let's go.
"What the hell?"
In terms of difficulty, it might be trickier than any variant demon beast so far.
Yet everyone was surprisingly nonchalant.
Of course, staying calm is good, but why were they all so serene?
The answer came from an unexpected place.
- Dude, you know.
- For real, with Judak around, no need to freak out.
- If you're unsure, just flip it around.
ㄴ Our side Arachne vs enemy side Judak.
ㄴ Shit, my life's flashing before my eyes.
ㄴ Oh, that makes perfect sense right away.
ㄴ Judak*) No.
There were plenty of weapons I'd shown that could take down an Arachne.
But this time was different.
The cave with the Arachne was right in the heart of the forest.
"Hmm, fire's out."
I considered chemical weapons but dismissed them quickly.
"Any reason to burn down a forest?"
The cons outweighed the pros.
What about landmines or machine guns? But the cave interior was pitch black.
If it slithered into the winding depths, neither would be very effective.
"How about burying the whole cave?"
After a brief deliberation, I posted on the gallery.
[Title: Anyone good at grenade tossing, step up]
Author: Judak*
Support provided.
- ?
- What the sudden...
- Doing this again, have some food first.
But the response was unexpectedly lukewarm.
"Too short?"
I added some conditions and edited the post.
[Title: Anyone good at grenade tossing, step up (Edited)]
Author: Judak*
(high-explosive and thermobaric grenade pile gif)
For Arachne bounty hunters.
Cave location can be roughly pinpointed by IP, will share.
Pull pin and toss in, no commission even if you bag the Arachne ㅇㅇ
[Recommendations 7239] [Disrecommendations 1]
- Ah haha, shoulda said so sooner.
- My nickname's Devil of Grenade Games, you know.
- I just love balls.
- When I catch a ball, the sun hides in fear of getting caught too, making it night ㅇㅇ
ㄴ What a load of bullshit lololol
['High-Explosive Grenade' x10, 'Thermobaric Grenade' x10 delivered!]
Right after editing, system notifications blared nonstop.
I delivered grenades to the volunteers near the cave.
Soon, grenades rolled into the cave, triggering chain explosions.
Then the hunters entered to check.
"Huh?"
...But they came right back out.
[Title: Lol, did we get it?]
(arm muscle torn injury gif)
Ah lol, I almost got done in.
- Eek shit
- No way it survived that?
ㄴ Author) Cave was deeper than expected. Seems they all hid down below.
ㄴ Author) (ant hill tunnel gif)
ㄴ Nearly died for real;
"No way it still survives this."
Even grenades weren't that effective.
The cave was much deeper inside than it looked.
I considered sealing the entrance and burying it, but that didn't seem wise.
Dragon Will Die: Arachne knows magic.
Dragon Will Die: Even if you block the entrance, it'll make another passage.
Judak*: Hmm...
That naturally ruled out chemical weapons too.
Spraying them might wither the entire forest.
"If only I knew what it's doing inside, I could prepare countermeasures."
I'd seen demon beasts charging out, but camping in a base and pulling a niagara was a first.
While the hunters couldn't easily enter and lingered around,
- 1.7.000.3) But do we really have to hunt it?
- 1.7.000.3) Demon beasts are everywhere, no idea why fixate on this one.
"Hm?"
That's when I spotted a gallery user with a bizarre IP.
The chat was ambiguously trollish, plus an IP address I'd never seen.
"Have I seen that address before?"
The leading 1 meant human.
The following 7 indicated the forest region in Elrad.
The next numbers should denote residence or affiliation, but something was off.
000, and no further numbers, yet tacked on with a 3?
"Gotcha, you bastard."
I checked the user's gallery log.
From previous posts, I realized he was the one killed by Arachne before.
Now it clicked: the 3 stood for curse.
- 1.7.000.3) If you think Judak's done for, upvote lol
His recent posts were all Arachne-related.
I replied to the user—no, the cursed puppet.
ㄴ Judak*) Lol, suspect apprehended.
ㄴ 1.7.000.3) Apprehended what? Lol, worry about something else lol.
ㄴ Judak*) You're the Arachne, right?
My chat made the user's activity freeze.
The overly frequent lols, trying to change the subject.
ㄴ Judak what're you doing?
ㄴ Huh, this guy's speech pattern is weird.
ㄴ (elf stroking chin gif)
- 1.7.000.3) Talking nonsense again lol.
ㄴ 1.7.000.3) Lol, right? Why obsess over Arachne nest? Lol.
ㄴ 1.7.000.3) Waste of time, just die already lol, for real lol.
- Why's this guy's speech glitching...?
ㄴ Yeah, kinda creepy.
ㄴ Something... something's up.
ㄴ Can't put it in words, but it feels disgustingly off.
As I sniped it, other users' attention spiked.
I delivered the finishing blow to the glitching user.
- Judak*) Say "Arachne bastard."
ㄴ 1.7.000.3) ...
ㄴ 1.7.000.3) Pshhh...
And the user vanished with a weird noise.
"Where you going?"
But I had no intention of letting it go.
Mad Bounty Hunter Dog: Lord Judak, found a suspicious guy near the cave here.
Mad Bounty Hunter Dog: What should I do?
Plenty of manpower nearby.
['Pepper Spray' delivered!]
Judak*: Proceed with normalization.
Time to turn the Arachne's spy against her.
*
This curse was pretty deep.
It took about five sprays when two usually sufficed for him to snap out.
"Wait, wait! I'm back!"
"Doesn't seem like it."
"Uwaaak, Arachne bastard!!"
"Ah, back to normal, my friend."
The "dead" gallery user had been brainwashed by Arachne.
Arachne's cursing method was simple.
Inflict a head wound.
Then curse during treatment, turning them into a puppet.
"Reversing it is simple too."
Keep shocking until they snap out.
Usually risky for injury, but pepper spray was painless.
Thanks to that, the user recovered unscathed, memories intact.
[Title: Lord Judak, Arachne cave map]
Author: Mad Bounty Hunter Dog
(ant hill-like complex cave interior)
Can't collapse it.
Plus, deep levels have separate fissures.
- It's a maze in itself.
- How do you even enter that?
- Just looking makes me nauseous fr.
This helped map Arachne's lair inversely.
"Wow, way bigger than I thought."
The cave was vast—extremely so.
Like a massive ant hill dungeon.
Tiered levels, dead ends.
No wonder grenades barely scratched it.
- Can't we just light it up with light magic?
ㄴ Better to paint a bullseye on your head and go in.
ㄴ Lol shit, why not just yell "I'm here"?
Plus, cave nature meant no fire.
No relying on magic either.
- Then can't use magic?
ㄴ Right, lurker detection magic exists.
ㄴ Yeah, but...
ㄴ During cast, no other actions possible lol;
ㄴ What?
It was even a sustained casting spell.
I hadn't expected much anyway.
But couldn't ignore the fissures.
"Tricky, huh?"
Game's playing dirty.
Pointing it out just praises their strategy.
Simplest counter: play dirtier.
[Shop/Air Weapons]
[GBU-28] - 140,000p
1991 US-developed aircraft bomb.
Opponent going all-in with bunker?
Then really slice it open.
"Just buy it?"
Nicknamed bunker buster.
Pierces rock and concrete; earth tunnels? Easy bury.
But I hesitated on the purchase.
"Scale's too big though..."
Sure, it'd bury the demon beast.
And the surrounding area.
Bury the forest too.
Elrad region, so bury elves too?
"No, first time agonizing over something too strong."
Power too immense to use.
"Something with moderate power, effective in dark?"
Pushing regret aside, browsing others—then:
"...This is it!"
Found the perfect item right then.
*
Gloomy cave interior.
In lightless depths, a man wandered lost.
"Aah..."
Desperately groping walls for exit.
Unaware he descended deeper with each step.
-Ahaha.
"!"
A contrived woman's laugh brushed his ear.
He knew this place.
The Arachne lair gallery was fixated on.
"Ah, it's Arachne."
Terror shook the man.
Making him better prey.
Arachne circling him sensed fear, closing in.
Tok. Tok. Tok. Tok.
"Eeek!"
Countless spider legs tapping floor froze him.
-Ahaha!
Arachne's mouth split wide sideways, lunging—
-A?
Man effortlessly dodged.
Arachne slowly turned toward him, confused—
-Kachunk.
Ominous sound first.
Arachne knew it well.
Each time fire spewed from there, stronger variants fell like leaves.
"My dear children."
Voice terrified moments ago completely changed.
"Do you like the impact of Lord Judak's great magic?"
Gallery doctor with shotgun grinned darkly.
"Merry Christmas."
-Bang!
Harsh gunshot echoed, late New Year's greeting shaking the cave.