Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 55
>Chapter Title: Eliza
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Chapter 55
>55.
Eliza's HP, pitifully smashed into the wall, had been whittled down by about 4,000.
Considering the Spider Queen Eliza's formidable defense, it was an excessively high amount to shave off with a single skill.
Do-hyun didn't stop there and swung the Bastard's Training Sword repeatedly.
[The option 'Faint Haste' of the Bastard's Training Sword activates.]
>[Attack speed and movement speed increase by 3%.]
The sword swings, as if dancing, poured down on Eliza.
There was no space to dodge even if she wanted to.
No, it was so fast that one wondered if dodging was even possible in the first place, leaving Eliza no choice but to take the hits.
[HP: 31,981 / 40,000]
Her health plummeted by about 8,000 in an instant.
Do-hyun even unleashed Striking.
A golden aura faintly seeped out, circulating through his body, and soon a message appeared.
[Striking used on self.]
>[Physical abilities increase, boosting attack power.]
The onslaught that followed was utterly devastating.
Boom! Kwang!
-Eli…… Eli…… za!
The ferocious impacts echoed through the passage loud enough to shake the ground, and every time her head slammed back into the wall, cracks formed, splitting it apart.
[Rising Dragon Kick can be used.]
>[Rising Dragon Kick is used.]
Once the cooldown finished, the Rising Dragon Kick followed up!
Jumping and smashing down from above, the now even larger dragon silhouette engulfed Eliza.
[Set option effect: Downward smash range increased.]
'Oh?'
The set option's downward smash range increase applied to the Rising Dragon Kick as well.
Thanks to that, Eliza, struck by the even more spectacular kick, was the only one left miserable.
Kwaaang!
-El…… liza……
Her feeble cry was buried under the sound of the wall crumbling.
At the pitiful sight that made even onlookers feel sympathy, Jihard pressed both hands to his forehead.
-Aigoo……
It was clearly a good thing that his master was winning, but the overwhelming dominance stirred only pity.
[HP: 17,214 / 40,000]
>[The HP of the field boss 'Spider Queen Eliza' in the Western Forest has fallen below 50%.]
It was so one-sided that her HP had already been halved and then some.
Considering it had only been a few minutes since the attempt began, it was an astonishing clearing speed.
It was all thanks to Do-hyun, who was already plenty strong, now buffed by Striking and equipped with the solid damage dealer Rising Dragon Kick.
[Entering Phase 2.]
>[Trait 'Steel Spider Silk' manifests.]
This was where the Spider Queen Eliza truly began!
She was a tricky boss starting from Phase 2, to the point where people said as much.
Her spider silk, which didn't snap easily, boasted overwhelming power that could instantly retire a dealer or tank the moment they failed to dodge a pattern.
Once fully wrapped in the spider silk, one had no choice but to spectate helplessly for a full 5 minutes.
Whoosh-.
Even the activation speed of the spider silk was incredibly fast.
It shot out in a straightforward manner, making it relatively easy to block if prepared in advance, but the real problem was that she used the silk to scurry across the ceiling and walls endlessly.
As she traversed the ceiling and walls, the accumulating silk obstructed the space, gradually shrinking the humans' territory while expanding her own.
But……
Thwack!
Tumble-.
In the narrow passage where even twice Do-hyun's height was cramped, all that was history.
She had to crash into the ceiling the moment she jumped, tumbling back to the floor.
All she could manage was her monotonous silk spits……
Swish-.
-Eliza!!!
Do-hyun wasn't the type to take such predictable attacks.
He casually tilted his head back to dodge without effort, then swung his training sword as if to say this was how you attack.
His blade stabbed and slashed at Eliza from various angles, pinning her to the wall and preventing escape.
Eliza tried counterattacking now and then, but Do-hyun wasn't about to take those blind swings.
-Eli……
Thud! Swish-.
-……za.
Crack! Bam!
-Eli, za…… li…… za.
Eliza, beaten without even able to cry out properly.
Do-hyun frowned as he watched her stubbornly trying to utter "Eliza" even while taking the hits.
"Just what the hell is Eliza that she's yelling about it so much? Let's see if she says it when she dies."
-……Master, you're cruel.
Though he said that, Jihard felt uneasy deep down too.
The constant cries of "Eliza" were one thing, but the tone itself didn't feel like calling someone's name……
-Huh? Name?
What?
Jihard felt an odd sensation.
For some reason, the name Eliza felt familiar.
-No way…… Huh?
As he pondered, Jihard's eyes widened.
[HP: 5,614 / 40,000]
Startled, he glanced aside to see the near-dead Spider Queen Eliza. Jihard shouted in a voice more urgent than ever.
-Ma, Master! Hold on a sec!
"? What?"
-Wait, stop! Please!
His frantic dash with outstretched hands looked almost like a parent rushing to an injured child—or was that just imagination?
Do-hyun halted his thrust mid-swing at the desperately pleading sight.
-El…… liza……
Then came Eliza's labored voice, followed by Jihard's cry.
-Eliza! It's me, me! Don't you recognize me!?
-……za?
Eliza couldn't comprehend.
She knew who that little one was.
The unidentified figure who appeared a step behind this monstrous human, watching from the rear the whole time.
She had ignored him since he posed no threat…… but why?
Why was he showing such a heartbroken expression?
-Argh!
Frustrated by Eliza's reaction, Jihard swept off his robe's hood with a flick.
His face revealed, Eliza's eyes filled with bewilderment.
But that bewilderment soon turned to something else.
-……za!?
Strength returned to her dying voice.
Her blood-red eyes shifted to the same green as Jihard's, the ferocious glint softening.
Tears welled in her bright, sparkling green eyes, soon brimming with joy.
-Za!!
"Yeah, it's me. Eliza!"
Eliza hurled her massive body toward Jihard.
Like a giant dog embracing its owner, Jihard warmly enveloped her head.
Do-hyun muttered blankly at the incomprehensible scene.
"……What the hell is this situation?"
The spider he'd been beating like a dog on a hot summer day and the goblin he'd beaten like a dog in the past were putting on a show like long-lost half-brothers reuniting in the city.
……Comprehension aside, the feeling was downright bizarre.
* * *
Spider Queen Eliza.
Ruler of Raven's Western Forest, queen of all giant spiders, queen of giant insects……
Just hearing her name struck fear into everyone, but she hadn't always been such a grand existence.
-Za!
Originally, she was just a tiny spider.
Not one of the giant spiders swarming the forest, but a small, insignificant one.
Unlike others, she had soft white fur and tougher silk—that was her only distinction.
And thanks to that distinction, she met her master.
-Hoo? What's this spider?
-Za?
-Was there a species like this? It'll make a fine test subject.
At first, she couldn't understand the words.
Nor did she have time to.
Suddenly, an undead horde burst from behind a tree and scooped her up.
-Za! Za!?
-Tch, so noisy. Bring it carefully without hurting it. It'll make an excellent test subject.
After being carried for a long while, Eliza arrived at a secluded cabin.
And there, she spent a long time.
-For now, what to feed it…… Hey, what do you eat?
-Za?
-Why do you keep saying Za? A talking spider is hilarious. Ah, whatever—I'm a goblin myself, talking and all?
Contrary to his intense first impression, the master who kidnapped her was kind.
He grumbled but sought out food she wanted, and if she seemed uncomfortable, he'd click his tongue and fetch a cushion from somewhere.
Spiders don't like cushions, though.
-Za! Zazaza!
Still, Eliza liked her clumsy master.
She could feel the care in his actions.
Every morning, he fed her and left, returning in the evening, and Eliza waited endlessly for that evening.
When she greeted him, he'd pretend to dislike it but smile inwardly.
-This little thing greets so well. Seems smart too……
-Za?
-A shame to turn it undead…… Got any talents?
Roughly grasping the meaning, Eliza immediately spat out spider silk.
As over 10 meters of silk spread everywhere in an instant, her master's eyes bulged.
He gingerly touched the silk, then gawked in astonishment.
-You, you're amazing!? Can you produce more?
-Za!
Eliza kept spinning silk until the cabin was full, then fell asleep from exhaustion. From the next day, her master spent more time with her.
-Such durable silk from this tiny body…… Definitely a new species I don't know about.
-Gotta raise it to adulthood.
-Yeah, this is for the experiment. No special reason.
-Rare species like this will attract covetous hunters. No worries…… but I hate the hassle……
He muttered to himself endlessly, but Eliza was just happy to be together.
They went on walks, ate together, and eventually slept together often.
It was around then she received the name 'Eliza.'
-You only say 'Za'?
-Za? Zazaza!
-Za…… Calling you 'you' every time feels off, so how about Eliza? Za sounds too plain.
-Za?
-Not Za, Eliza! Say Eliza.
-Zazaza!
They bickered a few more times that day, but so what.
-Sigh. Fine, do as you like. I'll call you Eliza.
-Za!
In the end, they spent the time laughing happily either way.
That day, she received her first gift from her master.
-Here, take this.
-Za?
-It's yours. Nothing special…… just wear it on walks.
-Zaaa!
The first gift of her life moved her deeply, and from then on, that little accessory became her cherished possession.
She carried it not just on walks but always.
Her master watched her fondly.
-You little…… you love it.
-Zazaza!
Happy days continued.
But they didn't last long.
-Oh, Eliza. I have to go out alone today.
-Za? Za!
-No. I told you before. I found a clue about that secret I've been searching for. That place is too dangerous for you, not yet an adult.
-Za……
Dejected, Eliza obeyed her master.
Because that's what would make him smile.
Because if she waited patiently, he'd return to her side.
-Alright, I'm off.
-Zazaza!
-Yeah. Guard the house well, Eliza. I left a few undead, so have them fetch anything you need.
With Eliza's send-off, her master departed.
And he never returned.
Not at sunset or night, not when the moon set and the sun rose again.
The master who always came back in the evening never did, no matter how many cycles passed.
-Za……
Still, Eliza waited.
Through chilling days when branches grew bare, through reviving life and warm winds.
Through sweltering heat when other bugs invaded and left the cabin.
Eliza waited for her master, and time flowed endlessly.
1 year.
10 years.
100 years……
An eternity passed.
Crumble-.
Even the undead—her master's last traces and sole friends—turned to dust and vanished.
-……Za.
Eliza left the cabin.
She headed deep into the Western Forest.
The place where she first met her master, where it all began.
-Za, za…… Eli……
There, she longed for her master,
-……Za. Eli…… za……
And repeated her given name to never forget it.
-Eliza.
When at last she could say her name clearly.
Rumors spread in Raven of a bizarre monster endlessly repeating "Eliza."