Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Chapter 2037: Spider Monster

Luca and the others nervously walked through the grand corridor, moving toward the source of the sound.

The light from the torch illuminated the way forward. Their footsteps echoed through the empty passage, each step seeming louder than the last. The deeper they went, the heavier the air felt.

None of them knew what awaited them, but every instinct told them that something was terribly wrong. Whatever was waiting for them already knew about their arrival.

At some point, the sounds of scraping and movement coming from the far end stopped. The sudden silence made their fear even worse.

Luca tightened his grip on his spare weapon. Inwardly, he cursed Sandra for stealing his double-handed battle axe and armor. That was the weapon he was most confident with.

Leah, Michael, Dell, Meji, and Darren stayed close behind him, their eyes constantly scanning the dark corridor. Darren was already beginning to slow his footsteps, the false bravado from earlier completely replaced by the desperate need for self-preservation.

Not one of them spoke. They didn’t even dare breathe loudly.

There was no way back. The passage behind them was completely blocked by rubble. Whatever lay ahead was their only path forward. And so, they continued.

Eventually, the corridor opened into a colossal underground cavern.

A massive hole in the ceiling allowed crimson moonlight to pour into the cavern, illuminating the ancient stone floor and the enormous walls around them.

Then they saw it. Everyone’s breath caught in their throat as their eyes widened.

Luca was no different. This was totally not what he was expecting to fight. But only a moment later, he suppressed the fear in his heart. Instead, his body was filled with fighting spirit. He felt alive.

A grotesque creature stood in the middle of the cavern. It was a giant spider, its enormous body black with white-blue veins running across its carapace. But where its head should have been was the naked torso of a woman.

Eight spider-like eyes stared down at them. Long black hair hung down her chest, partially covering her body. She did not move. She simply watched them with those unblinking eyes. Like a predator studying prey that had wandered into its territory.

Luca’s mind raced as he studied the creature. He had no idea what it was capable of, but he knew better than to charge blindly into a fight against an unknown monster. The only thing he knew about it was that it was likely to be the person named Shireen mentioned in the High Priest’s journal.

”Listen carefully,” he said slowly as he kept his eyes on the spider. ”Don’t try to kill it yet. Focus on defending yourselves. Watch its attacks and look for openings.”

He tightened his grip around the greatsword and continued, ”I’ll attack it directly and figure out what it can do. Once I understand its abilities, I’ll tell you how we proceed. With all of us together, I’m confident in victory.”

The others nodded nervously. But before they could even move, one of the creature’s limbs suddenly vanished.

Luca’s eyes widened as he was the only one to see the attack.

”Watch o—”

A thin streak of white shot across the cavern.

Silence ensued, followed by the deranged cackles of the monster.

A crystalline [Ice Spear] pierced through Dell’s chest before anyone could react. His body jerked violently as blood sprayed across the stone floor.

Then Dell collapsed, his face filled with horror and confusion.

For a moment, nobody moved. They couldn’t process what had just happened. The creature had attacked so quickly, and then proceeded to laugh and take great joy in their despair.

”Dell...” Leah’s voice trembled.

Michael stared at his fallen companion in horror as he recalled the past few months he had spent with the team. Dell had been the most amiable with him, even more so than Leah. Yet now he lay dead and unmoving.

Meji’s face had long gone pale. He and Dell had entered this nightmarish secret plane together. They had survived here for decades. And now, in the blink of an eye, his friend was gone.

Just like that.

The shock only lasted for a few brief seconds. The fear turned into urgency.

”Move!!” Luca shouted.

The remaining four sprang into action.

Yes... four.

Darren, at some point, had already fled back into the corridor they had come from. But the others did not have the time to learn about his betrayal. They were far too preoccupied with what lay before them.

Luca charged forward, shield raised, while Leah, Michael, and Meji spread out behind him.

Another [Ice Spear] shot from the monster’s humanoid hands. In the blink of an eye, it fired.

Luca gritted his teeth and slammed his shield forward.

CLANG!

The spear struck the shield and shattered into countless fragments.

”Keep moving!” Luca shouted.

The earlier impact gave him an idea about the monster’s strength. It was manageable for him. Though he doubted that was the spider’s true strength.

We can do this! He exclaimed inwardly.

Three more [Ice Spears] appeared. Leah threw herself sideways as one shot past her shoulder. Michael ducked beneath another. Meji, too, somehow managed to dodge the attack.

Luca capitalized on the opening and sprinted forward.

The spider monster suddenly raised one of its massive legs and swung it downward. Luca planted his foot and raised his shield.

BOOM!

The impact drove him several meters backward. He dug his boots into the stone, feeling his arms and shoulders groan under the impact. Immediately, he pushed forward again.

He leaped in the air as his greatsword came crashing down. The creature’s laughter vanished. It twisted its body, narrowly avoiding the blade. Luca’s sword struck the ground instead, cracking the stone.

It’s fast, he thought grimly.

But... It’s afraid of my attacks!

Eight eyes watched Luca, anger and hints of wariness flickering in them. The spider monster focused fiercely on him. In a heartbeat, several more [Ice Spears] formed and shot forward. But instead of attacking Luca, the spears shot toward the rest.

”Be careful!” Luca roared.

The three Paladins scattered as spears tore through the space where they had been standing.

Michael raised his sword and knocked one spear aside, changing its trajectory. Meji gracelessly ducked beneath another. Meanwhile, Leah rolled across the ground and narrowly avoided the attack.

Luca seized the moment and charged again.

But this time the ice monster was ready for him.