Of course, the Hanged Spiders weren't just dangerous because of their silk — they also carried venom. However, their method of injecting it was slow, requiring them to bite and gradually release the toxin.
Given Sakeer's speed, those spiders never had a chance to get close enough to bite him.
His iron sword continued to flash through the air, slicing down one spider after another. Each strike left his blade coated in foul-smelling slime, which quickly evaporated from the intense heat, making the already pungent stench in the air even worse.
Time dragged on.
The sharp swish of his blade cutting through the air mixed with the shrill cries of the spiders, creating a grim symphony of battle.
Moments later...
Sakeer stood hunched over, one hand on his knee as he gasped for breath. Around him lay the mangled remains of dozens of spiders, their severed limbs and crushed bodies strewn across the forest floor.
He had managed to kill nearly two-thirds of the swarm — the rest had scattered, disappearing into the dense jungle beyond his reach.
"Pity..."
Sakeer let out a weary sigh.
There was no helping it. With his current abilities, he lacked the means to attack across a wide area.
From what he could tell, these Hanged Spiders were roughly level 2 or 3 — seemingly weak on paper.
But levels alone didn't tell the full story.
In the Kingdom of Re-Estize, ordinary soldiers typically fell within this same level range.
In other words, each of these spiders was roughly as strong as a trained soldier.
However...
If a battalion of soldiers faced an equally large swarm of Hanged Spiders within the dense forest, they'd likely be wiped out.
After all...
Even Sakeer, with all his skills and speed, couldn't outrun these spiders in their home turf.
He suspected this particular group was likely the most powerful cluster of magical beasts in the outer region — a zone wedged between the territories of the Wise King of the Forest, and the trolls.
Only now did Sakeer truly understand why the mere mention of the Great Forest of Tob caused the locals to pale with fear.
This was just the outer edge.
Deeper inside lurked the three rulers of the forest, all possessing "Heroic"-level strength. Beyond the Wise King Hamusuke, the other two dominators commanded entire legions of monstrous followers.
By comparison, the entire Kingdom of Re-Estize only had two elite "Steel-level" adventurer squads.
At the moment, Sakeer didn't dare breathe too deeply — the nauseating stench in the air was suffocating.
The heated iron sword had proven incredibly effective, but the smell of seared spider remains was overpowering.
『XP: 2985/1000』
Ignoring the foul odor, Sakeer's eyes flicked to his status panel.
"I should be able to gain two levels from this." A hint of satisfaction crossed his face. "Promote!"
[Ability Table]
Innate Ability: [Player]Overall Level: LV9Experience Points: 685/1500
Classes:
Basic Class: Genius Lv1 (Warrior, Priest, Apothecary, Alchemist, Magician, Rogue)Main Class: Sword Master LV8
Skill Points: 13
Passive Skills:
Item BoxSlash Increase (+8%)
Active Skills:
Warrior: Instant Reflex, Four-Light Combo, Quick SlashThief Skill: StealthMagic: Papermaking (1st Tier), Heat Up (1st Tier), Minor Injury Healing (1st Tier), Magic Arrow (1st Tier), Odorless (1st Tier)Class Skills: Pharmaceutical, Alchemy
"Finally reached level 8..." Sakeer muttered as he reviewed his updated ability panel.
Overall Level: LV9
A satisfied smile crept across his face. Without wasting time, he reached into his Item Box and retrieved a second-tier magic scroll — "Item Identification" — purchased earlier from the Magician's Guild.
Just as Sakeer was about to open the scroll and unlock the new skill, something caught his attention.
On his ability panel, the two recently promoted Zero-Tier magic spells lacked the "↑" symbol indicating advancement.
He froze for a moment, then let out a sigh and slapped his forehead.
"I was so focused on leveling up that I forgot — my current caster level isn't high enough."
The excitement on his face faded, replaced by mild frustration. With a resigned sigh, he tucked the magic scroll back into his Item Box.
His current growth leaned heavily toward his Sword Master class — a warrior path. Meanwhile, his Genius class, which governed his casting abilities, remained stuck at Level 1.
"I'll focus on strengthening my warrior abilities first," Sakeer muttered to himself.
Turning his gaze to the mutilated bodies of the Hanged Spiders scattered across the ground, he recalled that their abdomens contained venom sacs — valuable materials if properly harvested.
Crouching down, Sakeer began the unpleasant task of slicing open their bloated bodies. He carefully extracted whatever poison sacs remained intact.
Unfortunately, most of the spiders had been heavily damaged during the battle. After considerable effort, Sakeer managed to collect only twenty well-preserved venom sacs.
With the grim task complete, Sakeer moved away from the foul-smelling battlefield. He didn't stray far, though — only about seventeen or eighteen meters — before settling against the trunk of a large tree.
This was still Hanged Spider territory.
Having driven off the surviving spiders, Sakeer felt confident there wouldn't be immediate threats from other monsters. For now, this spot was safe enough to catch his breath.
Scooping up a handful of leaves, Sakeer used them to wipe the sticky spider blood from his iron sword.
The "Heat Up" spell's effect had long since faded, but its application had sparked an idea.
"Increasing the sword's temperature during attacks… it's almost like an enchantment," Sakeer mused.
While the heated blade improved his offensive power, there was a drawback — the rising temperature also posed a risk to him.
Sakeer stared thoughtfully at the iron sword in his hand. Gripping the hilt firmly, he gave it a few casual swings.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The blade sliced through the air, producing a sharp, whistling sound.
Each time his Sword Master class leveled up, Sakeer felt a noticeable increase in his overall strength. But more than just raw power — his control over the sword had improved as well.
What surprised him most was how natural it all felt. Each new level didn't just boost his stats; it refined his technique. Movements that once required conscious effort now felt instinctive, almost second nature — as if he'd been training for years.
"It's not like in YGGDRASIL..." Sakeer muttered to himself.
In the game, improving a class was purely mechanical — just numbers increasing on a status screen. But here, leveling up felt like gradually mastering real-life skills.
For example, during his earlier encounter with venomous insects in the forest, Sakeer had instinctively reacted — cutting them down without hesitation or even looking.
Likewise, when he first faced the black-green snake, various defensive maneuvers and counterattacks came to him naturally — skills he never consciously learned.
Before arriving in this world, Sakeer had been an ordinary person. There was no way he could have mastered these techniques on his own.
"This must be the power of the 'Sword Master' class..."
After resting for about half an hour, Sakeer felt his strength returning. Rising to his feet, he grabbed his sword and continued heading eastward.
The journey ahead was unexpectedly quiet.
He didn't encounter any beasts or magical creatures — only an increasing number of birds flitting through the trees.
Many of these birds had strange appearances, with dark, shadowy plumage and piercing cries that echoed through the forest. Some soared overhead, while others perched among the dense foliage, their eerie songs filling the air.
Frowning, Sakeer slowed his pace.
Something about this doesn't feel right...
(End of chapter)