Episode 17.8 (1/2)
”The catalog's got <Webs> proviso on the next floors. What's that?”
”Floor 26 to floor 30 have the same structure as these floors but the spiders are laying in wait on their webs. Each web has one spider living on it. Most of those spiders stay put above the web, but they will come down if an intruder touches their web.”
”Umu.”
”These webs are problematic. Since the spiders won't come out if you don't touch their web, you can proceed ahead without engaging a fight so long you don't touch one. But there are some spots where you're left with no choice but to touch a web in order to proceed.”
”Are those webs not sticky.”
”They are. Carelessly touching them will get you bound, and tormented to death. Hitting a web with a stone will call the spider down, and the stickiness is gone once the spider is defeated then you gather the web. After which, you're free to proceed.”
”I see. Are these spiders as strong as the ones before them?”
”No. From here on, the spiders get slightly bigger and stronger as we go deeper. They will shoot <Confusion>,
, <Venom> at you.”
”Ah. Time to use that huh.”
By that Lecan means tools to collect venom. A Sfarko fruit is attached to the tip of one such tool which sucks in venom, then you put it inside a bag intended for storing them. Per Heles's advice, they each bought a set of five.
”You can use them if you want, but if we're heading for floor 31 during this expedition, I'd suggest we wait until then. The venom there is more than ten times pricier.”
From floor 31 below, the enemies are the lesser variant of Octular Great Spider. Their venom commands a higher price than that of giant variant of Spotted Spiders.
”<Confusion> is a magic attack. Its range is about 10 to 15 steps. The spider has to have a view on us to put us under <Confusion> but our side doesn't have to see them for the attack to work.”
”What happens when you're put under <Confusion>.”
”It varies by person, but most go wild slashing at their comrades while screaming incorrigible words.”
”That sounds bothersome.”
”It is. You suffer from
if you get hit by their claws. This one is apparently a type of curse. Thus, it's indispensable to have curse resistant equipment equipped. Or putting on hard protectors that prevent their claws reaching your skin.”
Eda has got a curse resistant bracelet on her wrist. Not clear how effective it is, but it should suffice for the time being, and Lecan's got <Dagger of Harut> if push comes to shove anyway.
The deeper you go below in this dungeon, the stronger the curse assailing you. Obtaining <Dagger of Harut> before coming here was truly a windfall.
”<Venom> is spit out of their mouth, this reaches about 20 steps away.”
”Quite far.”
”Their slanted upper part swells up when they're shooting from afar. The venom is black, the same color as the ceiling and rocks hanging down it, so it's very hard to distinguish. Not to mention we're in a dimly lit area. And sometimes the venom would hit rock creases and splash back at us. There is no way to avoid this.”
”I see. Guess that about covers it. Let's get in.”
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >
Those spiders turned out to be nothing.
They would come down when Lecan threw firewood on their web. Since they were showing their back as they did that, they made for easy targets for Eda's arrows and Lecan's <Flame Arrows>.
Their venom is indeed problematic, but dodging it is a simple matter to Lecan and those spiders don't shoot it often anyway, he had let one shoot it once before the march begun anew.
Since the spiders won't come to the edge of their web, swords cannot reach them. Going within a sword range would get you entangled in their web.
(I see now.)
(Would be handy with a spear.)
(The longer the better.)
(And you can block the venom with a shield.)
Lecan tried shooting a <Flame Arrow> at a web.
It cut off a thread but that's it.
He tried <Flame Spear> as well, but it only created a hole on the hit spot, and nothing else.
The procedure on this floor was Lecan throwing firewood at the web and Eda shooting down the descending spiders. <Shield of Wolkan> came into picture when the spiders were especially agile or shot their venom. The spiders are swift, but they don't move as erratically when they're coming down at the start. Lecan let Eda take care of them as practice. Fortunately the abdomen of these spiders are soft, thus all of her arrows pierced through it.
Some spiders also shot out <Confusion> from time to time, but none of Lecan's party suffered the curse.
Using the same procedure, they traversed through floor 27, 28, 29, and 30 before making a camp near the exit.
”We're running late. Should have made camp sooner.”
”It's at Yellow Forg (Touza) moment now.”