Chapter 31
Damn it... I can’t believe it really ate and ran.
I looked down at the devastated table and sighed inwardly.
The legendary Divine Beast destined to dominate the continent.
The Wolf of the North.
Even if it was still young, I had expected such a spiritual creature to possess tremendous pride.
I certainly hadn’t expected it to eat five whole plates of Manong Sauce Fries and then run away.
If anything, I had been worried that its strong caution would make it refuse the food.
Or worse, attack us.
Yet somehow...
The result was dine-and-dash.
Well, what can I do? Complaining about something that already ran away won’t bring it back.
I clicked my tongue bitterly.
Then I packed the tableware back into Gamjadori’s Gulp Piggy Bank.
After that, we resumed our original mission and headed toward the Steelwood grove.
We walked in silence for quite a while.
While I continued cursing that furry thief in my head...
Zakan suddenly stopped.
“...Something about the forest feels strange.”
“What is it, Zakan?”
Zakan placed one hand on the hilt of his greatsword and slowly shook his head.
“The forest is too quiet.”
His expression hardened.
“It is as if everything is holding its breath, hiding from something dangerous...”
Before Zakan could finish...
SHHHH!
A sticky liquid suddenly rained down from the thick branches covering the sky above us.
“Danger! Move!”
At Zakan’s thunderous shout, my barbarian body reacted immediately.
I threw myself sideways.
Purple liquid splattered onto the exact spot where I had been standing.
HISSSSS!
The ground began melting instantly.
A terrible smell rose from it.
Poison?
If that had touched my skin...
My bones might have melted along with it.
I barely had time to feel relieved before I sensed something above us.
GRRRRK!
A horrible noise like metal scraping against metal rang out.
Then...
THUD! THUD! THUD!
Three enormous shadows dropped from above.
“W-What the hell are those?”
I rolled across the ground and stood up.
The creatures emerging from the dust were enormous.
Even two adult men spreading their arms wouldn’t have been enough to match their size.
Eight disgusting legs were covered in thorn-like hairs.
Purple venom dripped from their wide jaws.
The same poison that had just melted the ground.
“Venomous Forest Spiders.”
Zakan gripped his greatsword with both hands.
His jaw tightened.
“But this is strange.”
He frowned.
“These creatures normally live in colonies numbering in the hundreds.”
His gaze swept over the three monsters.
“Why are only three of them wandering around?”
A question flashed across Zakan’s face.
He was right.
This was exactly what made the world of L.O.C so damn ridiculous.
Monsters weak enough to defeat usually traveled in packs of dozens or hundreds.
And monsters that wandered alone...
Were usually so strong that you couldn’t defeat them anyway.
That’s exactly why the barbarians live like beggars.
There were barely any monsters the current Zakan could safely hunt.
His potential might be S-Rank...
But that was after he fully developed.
Right now, he was probably around D-Rank at best.
Still...
Why had exactly three creatures that normally traveled in massive groups separated from their colony?
“KIEEEEEK!”
As if telling us to stop thinking...
The spiders’ eight eyes flashed.
They leaped toward Malko, who was standing in front.
“KYAAAAAA! G-Giant bugs!”
Malko screamed.
Oh, right.
He’s terrified of bugs.
And of all things...
We had run into spiders the size of houses.
Malko panicked and swung the logging axe in his hands.
But the Venomous Forest Spider easily dodged him.
Then, while still in the air...
Its abdomen twisted.
SHHHHH!
A stream of pale webbing shot out.
“Gasp!”
The sticky web wrapped tightly around Malko’s axe handle.
Purple venom coating the web immediately began corroding the weapon.
“My expensive axe!”
I glared at Malko like I wanted to kill him myself.
That axe cost thirty thousand shillings!
Do you have any idea how many potatoes that is?!
“Get back, Malko!”
The spider threw away the ruined axe and lunged at Malko with its venomous fangs.
At that critical moment...
Zakan shot into the air.
TAAT!
He twisted his waist.
Then swung his greatsword horizontally.
The blade drew a crescent through the air.
CRAAASH!
The spider at the front was split straight through its body.
Its torso shattered under the incredible force.
“KIEEEEEEEK!”
Green bodily fluid exploded from its body.
But Zakan had already jumped backward.
Not a single drop touched him.
“These creatures are not very strong as long as you avoid their poison glands.”
Zakan raised his blade.
“Three will not be a problem.”
Then he looked toward me.
“Izak, do not come any closer.”
And with that...
The real fight began.
Despite their horrifying appearance...
The spiders paid dearly for being separated from their colony.
“Haa... Haa...”
Zakan killed the final spider.
Then shook the green fluid from his greatsword while breathing heavily.
“Zakan, are you all right? You’re not hurt, are you?”
“Ah... Yes.”
I hurried over and checked him.
As expected of our future S-Rank Chief...
He was completely fine.
I sighed in relief.
Then looked toward the three disgusting spider corpses scattered across the ground.
“BARBARIAN!”
Malko dug a finger into his ear.
“Why does Izak shout Warrior’s Roar at random times? My ears feel like they are going to fall off.”
...Because I can’t use my skills otherwise.
You think I enjoy doing it?
[Skill ‘Peeking’ activated.]
A translucent system window appeared.
==========
【Target Information】
• Name: Venomous Forest Spider
• Classification: Monster
【Details】
• A venomous monster that lives in groups.
• Individual combat ability is low, but they are difficult to fight because they normally travel in colonies of hundreds.
※ Absolutely inedible. There is no known method of purifying its venom.
==========
“There are not many useful materials because of the venom.”
Zakan looked down at the corpses as he sheathed his greatsword.
So that was it.
We finally hunted some monsters...
And there was barely anything useful to take.
What a waste.
But... absolutely inedible?
I stared at the final warning.
Something about it bothered me.
