Chapter 57
Chapter 57
-----------------------------------------------------------------
>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 57
>Chapter Title: Ellyza's Gratitude
>-----------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 57
Zihad flinched.
-What, what's that? I feel a chill...
-Liza?
Noticing the unpleasant gaze, Jihad shuddered, and Ellyza tilted her head.
Her eyes were filled with worry.
Jihad shook his head, denying it, then suddenly stared intently at Ellyza.
A tiny body, maybe 5cm at most.
Fluffy white fur and plump buttocks that made it hard to believe she was an insect—her appearance was lethally cute.
She looked like a little ball of fluff rolling around.
Unlike other spiders, she had only two eyes, the same green as his.
-The same...
Exactly like when they had met before.
Memories of their time in the cabin flooded back, making Jihad's eyes well up.
He couldn't just wallow in tears during their long-awaited reunion, so he held it back and changed the subject.
-I thought you'd grown that big after 150 years, but you haven't? You can even parasitize now?
-Liza! Liza-liza!
-As expected, my eyes didn't deceive me. You really are a special spider!
-Liza!
Ellyza puffed out her chest proudly, as if to say she knew that already.
...Though calling that a chest was debatable, her posture was exactly like that.
Even more amazing was that as Ellyza emerged, the spider queen's corpse, which had taken on Ellyza's color, turned black.
-A trait of parasitism, huh?
-Liza...
-Ah, still low proficiency? Fascinating. No more secrets?
-Li... za!
-Heh, got it. So this is your full size?
Ellyza shook her head vigorously.
She planted her front legs on her hips and lifted her chin, looking just like a child bragging.
-For real? Then what's your lifespan? I've never heard of spiders living this long...
-Liza-liza.
-What? You're saying I'm not fully grown either? How does this guy know that?
-Liza!
Do-hyun didn't interrupt the two reuniting after so long.
Even he could tell there was no room to butt in right now.
There wasn't even an opening.
So Do-hyun focused on something else.
'Heavenly spider silk with parasitism... Different traits?'
It had originally been steel spider silk, now heavenly spider silk, and traits like deadly venom and spider sense were gone.
These seemed to be Ellyza's innate traits.
'Related to parasitism.'
Probably, she could use the host monster's traits while parasitizing.
He didn't know the range, but since it worked on a field boss, performance was solid.
But he couldn't assume that alone.
'Like with Zihad, stats might be downgraded.'
Especially since she'd joined under Zihad, the downgrade could be severe.
He was already thinking about how to utilize Ellyza when a short voice rang in his ear.
-Liza!
"Hm?"
Ellyza was on his shoulder before he knew it.
He hadn't even noticed her climbing up... Was this the class level needed to parasitize and move around?
-Liza-liza!
"?
She seemed to have something to say, but he couldn't understand.
In the end, Do-hyun looked at Zihad.
Understanding his plea for translation, Zihad replied with a pleased expression.
-She says thanks, Master.
"Ah."
-I should be the one thanking her... Anyway, she wants to follow you as repayment?
"Repayment?"
-Liza!
Ellyza nodded her small head in agreement.
Her bright eyes sparkled with anticipation—the one repaying seemed more excited.
Unable to disappoint her, Do-hyun agreed, and Ellyza hopped onto Zihad's head.
-Liza!
-She says go this way, Master.
"Lead on."
Do-hyun followed Zihad, now their reluctant guide.
After walking the long passage for about 10 minutes, with it narrowing and widening repeatedly, they reached the destination.
It was a massive chamber.
"Whoa..."
A round space even larger and gloomier than a spider's nest.
The air was cool, everything black and sticky—like stepping into a refrigerator.
He'd never heard of such a place in Raven.
Zihad and Ellyza didn't explain; a single system window did.
[You have discovered a hidden location.]
[You have discovered the Spider Queen's Egg Hatching Chamber.]
'Egg Hatching Chamber?'
True to the name, round eggs were stacked like towers everywhere.
Surrounded by small spiders.
Much larger than normal spiders, but smaller than the forest giant spiders—an awkward size.
They all had nameplates above them.
[Spider Queen's Offspring]
'Wait, Spider Queen's Offspring?'
Checking their info on a hunch, Do-hyun's eyes widened.
[Spider Queen's Offspring]
-Title: Field Boss
-Type: Spider
-Traits: Not yet manifested.
-Description: The offspring of Ellyza, ruler of the western forest, the Spider Queen.
Her host spider queen's offspring.
Still young, most abilities locked, but upon maturity, they would emerge as proper field bosses in the forest.
'Field bosses?'
These tiny things bore the field boss title.
Every single one, without exception!
'Oh? Wait a sec.'
Do-hyun's mind flashed.
Raven graduation quest First Trial: slay field bosses.
It didn't mean just 'Spider Queen Ellyza.' The text said scores based on number slain.
You had to slay the official one, Spider Queen Ellyza, for clear credit.
'It was designed to make you kill Ellyza, but...'
Users hadn't focused on that text.
No need—Raven's only field boss was Spider Queen Ellyza.
The key was how well you did against her.
...That was the common theory.
"...So what if I kill these too?"
Technically, they were spider queens.
Distinct individuals.
Would slaying them count as other field bosses?
Only one way to find out.
'Let's kill them.'
Do-hyun swallowed and raised his training sword.
Massacre unfolded in the hatching chamber.
* * *
[You have slain a Spider Queen's Offspring.]
[You have slain a Spider Queen's Offspring.]
....
[You have slain a Spider Queen's Offspring.]
Ignoring the message barrage, Do-hyun looked around.
The swarming spiders were gone without a trace, spotless.
Only unhatched eggs remained like decorations.
Simple reason he spared them.
[Spider Queen's Egg]
-Description: An egg of the Spider Queen. Not yet hatched.
[Spider Queen's Eggs cannot be attacked.]
'Damn. Can't touch these.'
The system blocked direct attacks.
He tried picking one up for inventory, but it failed, so he gave up cleanly.
Then what were they for...?
The answer came quickly.
'No way—these respawn field bosses?'
Wild guess, but plausible.
Why else block them so thoroughly?
If true, intriguing system, but Do-hyun didn't dwell on useless trivia.
Not the time anyway.
Ding-.
Did slaying the offspring affect the graduation quest?
Now he knew.
[You have completed the First Trial: Field Boss Hunt.]
[Confirming slain field bosses.]
[Confirmed: Hidden Field Boss Hunt x1, Field Boss Hunt x34.]
[Slaying of Raven's official field boss 'Spider Queen Ellyza' confirmed.]
[You have passed the First Trial.]
[Measuring rank.]
....
'It works.'
Surprisingly, even Karuk from before counted.
Seemed to tally all field bosses slain in Raven.
While others slew one, Do-hyun got credit for 35.
Not just any— one as hidden field boss, surely boosting score.
[An unbelievable achievement.]
[Measurement time slightly delayed.]
Even the Godose AI hadn't anticipated this.
Rank didn't pop immediately; it hesitated.
'Well... even I'm stunned.'
Probably unprecedented in Godose history.
Heart pounding slightly as he waited—after about 10 seconds, the awaited alert rang.
[Solo clear, Hidden Field Boss defeated x1, Field Boss defeated x27, Shortest time clear updated, Hidden Piece confirmed... Score measured accordingly.]
[1,471 points. S-Rank renewed.]
[First Trial max rank is S. Cannot assign higher. Enhanced rewards granted.]
[First to renew S-Rank in First Trial.]
[Ranked #1.]
[Changes in First Trial rankings.]
[Acquired title 'First S-Ranker.']
[Acquired title 'Top Graduate.']
[Throne of Time Attack effect activates. All stats +5.]
[S-Rank rewards granted.]
....
[Recorded in the Book of Adventures.]
'Whoa.'
Dizzying array of alerts.
Rewards on another level from Arde graduation—Do-hyun gaped blankly.
'How many rewards is that?'
He'd expected big, but this?
Overwhelmed by the message feast, frozen stiff—
-Liza!
"Ah."
The cheerful voice snapped him back; he turned.
Ellyza was on his shoulder, wiggling her butt.
Like a cat purring and raising its rear.
"Thanks, Ellyza. Beyond my wildest dreams."
She'd let him slay 28 field bosses—what better repayment?
Do-hyun was sincerely grateful.
But Ellyza, receiving it, tilted her head like she didn't get it.
-Liza?
-Master, she says she hasn't repaid you yet?
"? What?"
-Liza-liza!
Ellyza hopped off his shoulder onto Zihad's head again.
Pointing one direction.
-Liza!
-That's where the repayment is, she says.
"...Huh?"
Do-hyun looked, eyes widening.
A small box sat there.
Worn, bearing centuries of age. But his gaze wasn't on it.
'That...'
Beside it, a small, slender gem.
Iridescent, holding all colors—mystical shine. To Do-hyun, only one color.
[Eye of Truth activates.]
"What's this?"
Approaching, he picked up the now-red gem, focus blurring.
Messages overlapped on it.
[Adventurer's Vessel confirmed.]
[Conditions met.]
[Acquired First Fragment of Fate.]
[Recorded in the Book of Adventures.]
[Hidden conditions met. New route unlocked.]
[Job quest 'Inheritance of Fate' generated.]
"...Huh?"
Seemed he'd picked up something extraordinary.