A lone Hanged Spider wasn't much of a threat.
But when they swarmed in groups? That was another story entirely.
In the outer regions of the Great Forest of Tob, Hanged Spiders were notorious for being one of the most troublesome monsters.
Their silk shot out with alarming speed, and once enough strands ensnared a target, escape became nearly impossible. The silk's strength and tenacity made it an exceptional material — valuable to craftsmen — but now wasn't the time to think about that.
Sakeer darted through the dense jungle, weaving between trees as he contemplated how to shake off the pursuing spiders. Unfortunately, the forest's narrow paths and thick undergrowth limited his movement, steadily compressing his options.
The Hanged Spiders, however, had no such disadvantage. By spitting strands of silk and latching onto nearby trees, they moved effortlessly through the canopy — swift and relentless.
Sou!
A sharp whistle cut through the air.
Without hesitation, Sakeer swung his sword in a backward arc.
Slash!
The lead spider, its grotesque body lunging toward him, was cleaved clean in half. Viscous green fluid splattered across the forest floor as the creature let out a shrill screech before collapsing.
『Gained 23 XP』
"Huh?"
Sakeer didn't stop running, but his brow furrowed in surprise.
'That's... a lot of experience.'
A quick glance behind revealed a swarm — at least seventy or eighty spiders, if not more.
'If I can take them all out...'
His mind raced. Wiping out the entire group could net him two, maybe even three thousand experience points — enough to gain two levels in one go!
Sou! Sou! Sou!
Dozens of silken strands, each as thick as a finger, shot toward him in unison.
With a sharp pivot of his left foot, Sakeer dodged behind a massive tree. The thick trunk shielded him as the webbing splattered harmlessly against the bark.
Several strands struck the ground nearby. Curiosity sparked, and Sakeer gave one a quick slash with his sword.
"Clang!"
The blade struck the silk — and barely made a dent. The strand flexed under the impact before snapping with a faint pop.
'Troublesome...'
The silk's unnatural resilience made it clear why it was such a prized magical material.
Bang!
Sakeer kicked off the trunk and dashed forward just as several spiders swarmed the spot he'd occupied moments earlier.
While he'd successfully evaded them once again, the gap between him and the pursuing horde was rapidly closing.
'If only I had druid magic, forest spells, or even guerrilla tactics... this wouldn't be such a mess.'
Sweat clung to his brow as he twisted and turned, using trees as cover to evade the relentless silk attacks.
But he knew it couldn't last much longer. The spiders' relentless hissing grew louder, their presence creeping closer with every step.
'I need a solution... now!'
Offensive magic?
His only combat spell was Magic Arrow, but with numbers like this, it would barely make a dent.
'Wait a second...'
An idea struck him — something unconventional yet worth trying.
'Could this work?'
His grip tightened on his sword.
"Heat Up!"
The low chant escaped Sakeer's lips.
Heat Up — a simple spell designed for cooking, heating water, or other everyday needs. Although he had upgraded it by investing a skill point, the spell's effectiveness had barely improved. As a result, Sakeer had relegated it to reheating meals — nothing more.
But now...
If Heat Up could heat objects, couldn't it heat his sword as well?
"Heat up!"
The iron sword trembled faintly in his grasp. In less than ten seconds, the temperature surged. The blade radiated a blistering heat that seeped through Sakeer's palm.
"Tch...!"
The burning sensation stung fiercely. Gritting his teeth, Sakeer tore off his right sleeve and wrapped the fabric tightly around the sword's hilt to protect his hand.
A minute passed in the blink of an eye.
By then, the temperature of the iron sword had risen to roughly 150 degrees Celsius. Wisps of hot steam curled from the blade's surface.
Despite the intense heat, the sword's appearance remained unchanged. After all, iron's melting point was over 1500 degrees — a mere 150 degrees wasn't enough to turn the metal red-hot.
Swish!
The sharp sound of spider silk slicing through the air rang out once more.
This time, Sakeer didn't dodge. Instead, he raised his heated sword and slashed directly at the incoming thread.
Ssshhh!
The once-sturdy silk, normally tough and unyielding, melted and snapped the moment it met the scorching blade.
"Just as I thought — no matter how strong spider silk is, it can't withstand high heat!"
Sakeer's lips curled into a smile as his gaze shifted coldly toward the swarm of twisted spiders scuttling after him.
Their biggest threat — the resilient spider silk — was no longer a problem.
Now...
"It's my turn to fight back!"
Planting his foot firmly on the ground, Sakeer halted his retreat. Instead of continuing to flee, he turned to face the encroaching horde.
"Fourfold Slash of Light!"
With a low shout, Sakeer's sword swept through the air, tracing four rapid black afterimages.
The scorching blade cut through wave after wave of spider silk — and in an instant, four Hanged Spiders were carved apart, their shrill cries abruptly silenced.
『Gained 21 XP!』
『Gained 27 XP!』
『Gained 22 XP!』
『Gained 25 XP!』
"Shhh! Shhh! Shhh!"
The surviving spiders screeched furiously.
Now that Sakeer had stopped fleeing, the horde swarmed to encircle him. Scarlet eyes gleamed from the branches above as the spiders crawled along the twisted limbs of the surrounding trees.
Sou! Sou!
Dozens of spiders simultaneously spewed thick, white silk, weaving an intricate web above Sakeer, aiming to trap him below.
"Futile!"
Grinning, Sakeer swung his blazing sword skyward.
Slash!
The sticky web ignited and split apart the instant the blade touched it, the smoldering strands curling and falling to the ground in charred fragments.
The sight made the pursuing spiders hesitate, their eerie hissing faltering for a brief moment.
"Die!"
Sakeer bolted toward a massive tree, slammed his foot against the trunk, and propelled himself into the air.
"Fourfold Slash of Light!"
Slash! Slash! Slash!
Spiders dropped like leaves in a storm.
『Gained 27 XP!』
『Gained 25 XP!』
『...』
His status panel flickers rapidly as notifications flood in.
Spider limbs littered the forest floor, tangled with severed silk. Viscous green fluid splattered everywhere, filling the air with a foul stench.
Now that their webs were useless, the once-feared Hanged Spiders were nothing more than helpless prey — lambs before the butcher's blade!
(End of Chapter)