Chapter 213: Overload: Courage 3/7

Chapter 213: Overload: Courage 3/7

Level ??? - Vanguard Arachnid.

Astrid’s teeth chattered at the predator's visage. It was a strange feeling that she hadn’t managed to overcome yet.

Fear.

She could practically count the number of times she had felt that emotion on one hand since she had begun her adventures.

The first was when she looked in horror at the arrow sticking out of her chest.

The second was when she glanced at the nightmare walker standing with crooked limbs in the shadowed staircase of the Underbelly.

The third was when she had thought all her friends were going to die, only for them to come out on the other hand all thanks to good old luck.

And now it was the fourth.

Dozens of red eyes looked at her as if it had chosen Astrid as her prey. Or maybe it had picked the entire Lord’s army as its meal, not just her.

Courage 47/100%The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

The hulking spider moved. But it didn’t just leap at them. Instead, it leapt from tree to tree, spreading its thick webs across the tree line.

It’s trying to trap us.

Luckily, Astrid had just the technique for it. Primal fire. With a thought, she connected to the burning energy within her container, and let it pour out of her hands.

In an unstoppable surge, lava that was eerily similar to that of Avemoth shot outward like a hose. It doused the entire of the webs like a blazing blanket.

All Astrid could hear was the crackling of the mucous like webs, and all she could see was a sea of red. However, she frowned. What she was expecting didn’t happen.

The webs didn’t burn. In fact, Astrid realised that her attack worked against them. The lava that she had doused the webs in, were now dripping blazing hot liquid down at them. Not only that, but the lava droplets were now infused with whatever venom the spider had.

Astrid spat.

The usual weakness that a spider has was always fire. That was because the web it so proudly relied upon, was usually susceptible to the fire element.

But it was clear the arachnid didn’t have the same flaw. Not only that, it had turned its once flaw into a strength. Clearly punishing any who thought it had such a vulnerability.

Because of that, Astrid’s hopeful offence had turned into a desperate defence. Not wanting any of the soldiers to be harmed because of her mistake, she grit her teeth, and focused on creating Mind Barriers.

Thankfully, she wasn’t alone.

The knight in shining armour hoisted his polearm in the air, then slashing the air, a scary blade shot out of the long weapon, tearing the molten spider web in half.

The spider was revealed.

Astrid was quick to react. She fired a concentrated void bullet straight to one of its eyes. The spider was about to react, but Astrid formed her clone in an instant.

Surprise!

Grinning, Astrid pulled its body back into position. The weight of the beast was staggering, but it wasn’t because of its high strength; but the level difference.

Despite that, with blood pooling out of Astrid’s nose, she managed the feat with great mental effort.

Her bullet tore through one of its eyes, scattering blood in its surroundings.

Thrashing around, it accurately jumped onto one of the further trees, but the knight of Darian’s army pursued it in a flash.

Polearm swiping through one of the monster's many legs, the green venom hiding within splattered the tree. The bark sizzled, melted, then it continued even further until the looming tree fell straight down.

Astrid focused her mind, exploding the tree in a mass of splinters which bounced off her Mind Barrier.

Although the armoured arachnid was smart, it had bitten off more than it could chew.

It didn’t take much longer for Astrid, her clone, and the knight, to trap the massive spider in a corner. Or more accurately, a wide open space with no trees in sight.

That meant the warriors of Darian’s army were currently dealing with a horde of venomous spiders, but if the knight was forging ahead, it meant that they could deal with them. For now.

With nowhere to run, the spider was beset on all sides. Phantom blades tore into its body, then from the wounds, Astrid blew up the weakened areas with psychic blasts.

In a mess of gore, the demonic spider was finally bested.



You defeated an Vanguard Arachnid - Level 310

...

| Extra experience is granted for defeating an enemy many levels above!

You have Levelled up!

| Oculus Witch Level 234-> Oculus Witch Level 239

| Voidmare Level 234 -> Voidmare Level 239

You have gained 50 stat points.

| You now have 2156 Intelligence.

“Haha!” Astrid landed next to the spider, and just as she was just about to kick it to cement her victory, its legs twitched.

Jumping back in horror, she raised her guard. But it was truly dead.

Goddess, I hate these things.

Courage 51/100%

Blinking forward, she snapped her leg to the monster's carcass, only for her powerful kick to be absorbed by its dense carapace. The resulting strike sent a portion of the force back into her body. Grimacing at the harrowing pain that only furthered her injuries, she glanced at the knight in surprise.

The arachnids armour was no ordinary defence. It was capable of rebounding a portion of the force. It was incredible. Not only that, but it held strange magical properties.

The knight faced it head on despite knowing that?

Astrid couldn’t help but look at the knight in a new light. Maybe the faceless man was even stronger than Tennyson?

But she shook that thought from her mind. To her, no one could be Tennyson. He was like an insurmountable wall that refused to be passed, or broken. To her, he was unbeatable.

Turning her mind away from family for now, Astrid’s gaze remained on the spider. The armour it had was amazing, but could she make use of it with Matter Absorption? After all, it was no longer alive, but dead.

Motovated at the promise of a new armour she could use that wouldn’t burn her alive, Astrid slowly reached her hand forward. To the tall, hairy... too many legs...

Courage 58/100%

Astrid retched, closed her eyes, then placed her hand on the monster.

However, just as she was about to use her skill, the sound of air being torn screeched across the land. Frowning, Astrid peeled her eyes open, and gazed up at the sky.

In the distance, an army of spiders fell down like an apocalyptic rain.

A deep shiver crawled up her spine.

So that’s why it was called a Vanguard Arachnid...