"D…"
Ryu Takeno thought of a being, the administrator 'd', who'd brought Kumoko to this world.
She was probably using Kumoko to indirectly probe his identity; otherwise, she wouldn't have asked how he'd been reborn.
"I was brought to this world by an evil god. It killed me, and as compensation, it reincarnated me here, giving me a second chance at life. It also said it would continue watching me, probably treating me as a toy for its amusement."
"Eh!? Is that so? Takeno-kun, that's so sad!"
Hearing Ryu Takeno's story, Kumoko felt sympathy for his plight.
To be treated as a toy by an evil god… how incredibly unlucky do you have to be?
Sympathy?
Ryu Takeno hadn't said all that to gain sympathy.
…
On Earth, in another world, a girl sat at her computer. Her usually expressionless face shifted through various emotions.
This was probably the day she showed the most emotional fluctuation.
"Who could bypass my senses and send someone to that world… treated as a plaything, watched… this is a warning, isn't it? That there are people behind me, not to attack you…"
The girl seemed to think of something amusing and smiled.
The innocent Kumoko didn't understand the nuances, but she sensed something was implied… after all, those words weren't meant for her, but for the girl.
The other party seemed aware of her existence.
"Hahahaha~ Interesting! Truly interesting! How long has it been since I've been interested in something? A hundred years? A thousand? Ten thousand? Fine, I won't attack you. Let's see how much amusement you'll bring me! Let's have some fun."
Anton Chekhov, a Russian author, wrote a famous short story, The Death of a Government Clerk.
The Death of a Government Clerk tells the story of a low-ranking Government Clerk who accidentally sneezed on a general's back at the theater. He became convinced he had offended the general and repeatedly apologized, eventually annoying the general. After being scolded by the general, he died.
On a beautiful evening, Ivan Dmitritch Cherviakov, a cheerful clerk, accidentally splattered some saliva on a high-ranking official at the theater. Fearing the official would take his accident as a deliberate insult, Cherviakov apologized repeatedly, annoying the official to the point of anger.
The persistent clerk, insisting he had done nothing wrong, died after the official's impatient scolding. A man died from his own sneeze. In reality, the clerk died from his fear of high-ranking officials.
He desperately tried to alleviate his fear through apologies, even though the official was from a different department.
…
Ryu Takeno's situation was similar to the clerk in The Death of Government Clerk. He worried that the two evil gods he couldn't fight against might suddenly attack him.
But…
All that was useless to those with big hearts or those unafraid of death.
Ryu Takeno knew that worrying wouldn't change anything, so he stopped. If they attacked, let them. He couldn't resist anyway; he'd already died once.
Some say: Everyone has weaknesses.
Ryu Takeno's weakness was fear of death, or rather, the fear of dying without having truly lived.
But when facing an insurmountable enemy, instead of fearing them, it's better to face them calmly. It would make you feel better, preventing you from living in constant fear and anxiety.
"Where are we going?"
"Hunting."
Ryu Takeno answered Kumoko's question concisely.
Time was precious; he didn't have time to waste. He had to get stronger, constantly stronger. Only great power could give him a sense of security.
Soon, they found a lone Gunerush.
It was probably one of his siblings from when he was born.
…
Oh oh oh oh oh oh—!! So strong! Really strong!
A half-dead Gunerush lay before Kumoko, unable to resist.
Just as Kumoko was considering how to defeat it, Ryu Takeno struck, instantly crippling the Gunerush, which Kumoko had considered an elite-level monster in the upper layer. He was incredibly strong, like a boss.
"Kill it."
"Eh—?! Why me? Isn't this Takeno-kun's prey?"
Kumoko was surprised when Ryu Takeno asked her to deliver the final blow. Didn't he need the experience to level up?
Ryu Takeno patiently explained, "I know what you're wondering. I just want to confirm if companions can share experience. And experience isn't as important to me as you think. You need it more than I do to get stronger."
What should I do if my neighbor is reincarnated as a spider?
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