Kade stood before the entrance to the Spider Nest—a pitch-black stone hollow where strands of ghost-white silk stretched across like a labyrinth of nightmares.
The surrounding space was unnervingly silent. A faint breeze brushed past the strands, producing a "clink, clink" sound as if metal wires were striking each other.
Kade reached out and touched one of the strands near the entrance. He immediately jerked his hand back as if burned.
"Fuck—these threads are… even tougher than Titan steel. Are you kidding me?"
His breath grew heavier. His hand rubbed against the sticky strands before he pulled back with lightning speed.
But his eyes sharpened—like thin beams of laser cutting through the dark. He grabbed onto the rocky surface of the cavern and climbed inward, inch by inch.
Step by step, he moved deeper. The deeper he went, the denser the silk became. Immediately, every strand that touched his skin sent a stinging, burning pain, hot like fire, rippling along his nerves.
But Kade didn't stop.
"Jesus—these spiders weave threads that generate heat? It's freaking hot."
He couldn't move his arms freely because the threads were too thick.
One hand gathered heat—preparing the "Flame Punch."
His other hand reached toward his waist.
Then Kade began slicing the threads, slow but firm, with the compact blade he carried. Each cut opened small gaps just wide enough for him to slip through.
Burned and severed strands rained down around him. They curled into black, crusty lumps, giving off a foul, charred smell.
Inside, the Nest was far larger than it looked from the outside—filled with twisting, coiling corridors like an intricate labyrinth.
"Someone… help us… please…"
"Please… is anyone there?"
Human voices. Weak. Tight with fear.
The faint whimpers came from up ahead, making Kade immediately change direction.
"They're right in front of me," he muttered. He could feel the people who needed saving were very close now.
"According to scanning, only 20 meters ahead," the System confirmed. "Oh—fuck, two more have just been dragged in."
"More victims?? What do these spiders need that many people for? Planning a buffet? A hotpot? They need humans for the broth or what?"
The System sighed—very dramatically:
"If you hadn't taken forever cooking earlier, there would've only been five victims. You dawdled so much that more people got caught."
Kade flinched.
"How is that my fault!? You said my cooking was good! And wait—have you been sleeping this whole time? Are you a system that eats and sleeps?" Kade immediately retorted.
"I am an office worker. I operate strictly within office hours."
A beat of silence.
"Is this office hours to you!?" Kade demanded skeptically.
"Have you ever seen an office worker who doesn't doze off during work?"
Kade remembered his old days as a low-ranked gate guard—basically a security guy. He… did fall asleep sometimes.
"It makes no sense… and yet it convinces me. I can't argue with that."
The System sounded smug:
"Turn right ahead. About five meters more and you'll reach the imprisonment area."
—-------------------------------------
Kade followed the System's instructions and entered the designated cavern.
"These spiders are way too cocky. No guards at all."
"Just rescue them and leave," the System buzzed excitedly. "I could use an extra nap."
"You're a system, not a pig."
Contrary to the gloom and dark night outside, the interior was dazzling with blinding lights.
Golden, blue, pale-violet—thousands of gemstones embedded directly into the walls glowed like natural lanterns.
They glittered, reflecting across the silk threads, making the cave resemble a wild, noble hall.
"These spiders—are more extravagant than newly rich tycoons."
Kade whistled in awe, eyes sparkling as he admired the luxurious ceiling.
"You only see shiny rocks. Look more carefully… they're waiting for you to save them."
The System nagged like an unpaid intern forced to work overtime.
Kade sobered up and scanned the chamber seriously now.
Web-covered cages hung from the ceiling—like fruits strung up to dry. Inside them were seven humans wrapped tightly in silk cocoons, with only small slits exposing their eyes.
The System flashed its notification. In moments like this, it was actually quite reliable. Kade inhaled deeply and tapped the display on his wrist.
System:
Danger Level: ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
Victims: 7
Recommendation: Prioritize those with respiratory distress—left corner.
Some had fainted. Some could barely keep their eyes open, almost unable to move.
All stared weakly at the lone figure entering their prison—some with narrowed eyes, looking down at Kade with despair mixed with a faint, desperate relief—as if seeing hope after hours of horror.
Kade drew a deep breath. His eyes turned heavy—but resolute. He looked around and confirmed there were no spiders in this area yet.
"These bastards are still out hunting. How many more do they want?"
"I don't know, but if it were me, I'd catch as many as possible. They don't know how to count anyway."
Kade knew: This was the golden window for rescue—before the monsters returned.
He took a deep breath.
Stretched his shoulders.
Then boosted lightly off the ground, landing on a nearby boulder to reach the first cage.
—----------------------
He divided the rescue into stages: first, the man with respiratory failure. His breaths were so faint they were almost inaudible.
Kade gripped the hilt and slashed cleanly.
SWISH!
A strand as thick as his wrist snapped like a severed cable. The cocoon descended, and Kade caught the man gently.
A thin, trembling breath escaped the man's cracked lips.
Still alive.
Kade didn't pause. He moved to the next, following the System's sequence.
He sliced open a cocoon near the entrance—an elderly man trembling inside.
Then another near the stone wall—a middle-aged man.
Then the third… fourth…
Then the woman.
And finally, the child—they must've been caught recently; they were still conscious.
Each cut echoed:
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
His blade sliced through the silk swiftly but carefully, never harming the victims.
Every "thud" followed by a weak groan made Kade's chest loosen just a little.
They were alive.
Some who had looked dead moments ago now burst into sobs as consciousness returned—even while still partially wrapped.
"All of them are alive."
When he reached the third cocoon—inside was a child, maybe four or five. Probably brought along by their parents to gather herbs…
And at that exact moment—
"Ssshhh… ssht… sss…"
A cold wave swept up Kade's spine.
A primal instinct—
The instinct that warns a hunter when another predator has returned.
The air began to thicken like never before. The cave trembled as if something enormous was breathing.
The air was so dense that with each breath, Kade's lungs felt constricted. Smoke, the smell of burnt silk, molten metal, and something rotten… all twisted into a nauseating mixture.
Cold wisps slithered out from the deepest shadows, coiling around his legs as if heralding a nightmare taking shape.
Dark, illusory streaks with strange shapes continuously appeared. They overlapped and the shapes of the shadows constantly shifted.
The shadows widened… then abruptly twisted, converged, and burst apart into the clear outlines of monstrous spiders.
"Clack—clack—clack."
The sound of metal on stone as their steel-hard legs, covered in reverse spikes, scraped forward.
From the depths, faint whispers rose—signals of the approaching horde.
Huge black masses crawled out from the deepest crevices—slow, steady, certain their prey couldn't escape. Their legs bristled with dagger-sharp spikes, like finely honed blades.
Their breaths were heavy—preparing to strike.
Their crimson eyes stacked over one another, creating a sea of glowing red in the dark.
The rescued survivors pressed themselves against the wall, faces chalk-white. In their eyes, there was only one thing left: despair.
A woman clutched her child, sobbing.
An old man trembled so much his knees gave way.
"Don't be afraid," Kade said quietly—but the words hit like a pillar of stability amidst the panic.
His voice wasn't loud.
But it was firm. Strong.
And everyone looked up.
"As long as I'm still standing," Kade inhaled, "none of them will touch you."
Hissing scraped violently in the dark.
One spider opened its jaws—hot strands dripping to the ground with sizzling "tsss tsss" like acid.
Kade tightened his grip on his blade.
"Alright… let's do this for real," he exhaled.
He turned, sword raised, ready to receive the attack.
—----------------------
The spiders' steps slammed into the ground like war drums.
The first one lunged—blurring like a streak of black lightning.
A gust sliced past Kade's cheek as its forelegs crashed down.
Kade twisted aside.
His blade swept upward.
SLASH! HSSSS!
Molten-hot silk splattered onto his shoulder—burning like searing metal.
He didn't have time to yell.
He didn't have time to counter.
Everything came too fast like a storm.
By the time he regained his composure, Kade could only act on reflex.
He launched a Flame Punch with his right hand—a burst like fireworks:
BOOM!
The flames smashed into the spider, making it screech and stagger back continuously. A streak of fire erupted, the spider's body bursting into burning fragments.
But before he could breathe—
Two more came from both sides, aiming to crush his skull.
Kade dropped low, sliding across the silk-covered floor. His left arm swept out—
RIPPP!
He severed the right spider's leg.
But the left one pounced—Kade planted his hand on the ground and flipped upward with full force, spinning a full circle in the air, narrowly dodging.
The System chimed:
"Warning: Enemy formation—encirclement pattern. Hunting behavior—multi-angle convergence."
"No shit!!" Kade growled, slashing the third spider's limbs.
Three spiders charged him at once.
"Fuck—ganging up on me!?"
In an instant, he leapt aside, dodging a massive strike from a giant spider.
Every swing targeted their legs, making them screech with piercing shrieks and recoil.
They retreated—
Then surged forward again.
More aggressive.
1 spider.
2 spiders.
And they kept coming…
3
5
10
20
100…
And they kept advancing.
The whole ground seemed to move—as if alive and swallowing him.
Their steps sent tremors through the cavern, knocking small stones loose from the ceiling.
They fired silk like machine-gun sprays—sticky, burning strands aimed to bind him.
A sizzling strand, hot like a live wire, struck his back.
He gritted his teeth:
"You bastards—silk that heats up!? How's anyone supposed to fight that!"
He planted both feet and unleashed three consecutive Flame Punches:
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!!
Each punch blasted like a mini firebomb into the spiders' heads.
Many spiders burned, screeching, and staggered back. But their number remained overwhelming.
The entire swarm behind them screeched wildly and charged.
They trampled over their own dead—
A tidal wave of black bodies.
Silk firing.
Legs stabbing like sharp spears.
Jaws snapping open to tear him in half.
They climbed the walls, the ceiling—
Diving down like raining shadows.
BOOOOMMM!
BOOOOMMM!
One spider dove straight for the child behind him.
"NO!"
Kade shot forward like an arrow, grabbed the child, twisted his body—using his back to shield the sudden blow.
Jaws clamped into his shoulder.
Blood sprayed, bright and red.
CRACK!
"Everyone! Move back—stay as far as you can!" Kade roared.
He was thinking fast—desperately, about a new strategy.
Too many.
Cutting one down brought ten more.
He couldn't kill them all—he didn't have enough strength.
"System—Combat Analysis Mode!"
"Activated. Suggestion: Dodge right 30 degrees… counter from the left… avoid silk from above…"
Kade's vision shifted instantly.
The trajectories of the spiders were drawn in streaks of blue light. Weak points flashed as pulsing red circles.
He burst into the swarm like a flaming arrow.
— He leapt onto a spider's head, stomped hard, and used it as a springboard to launch himself toward another;
— He slashed through silk threads mid-air before they could touch him;
— He rolled across the ground, narrowly avoiding a stab from a spider leg as thick as a stone pillar.
Kade roared, spinning into a sweeping kick that sent a large spider bouncing off the ground.
System:
"Detected guard posts at three points.
The rescue mission requires a minimum of two precise movements.
Recommendation: use decoys to disperse hostiles."
Kade smirked.
He flicked a small pebble toward the left side of the cave, creating a false vibration that drew a group of spiders rushing to investigate.
He seized the moment and slipped through a path where the webs were less dense.
"Strategy first, strength later," he reminded himself, eyes tracking every twitch of the monsters.
That was when he realized he needed a different plan. He backed up into a small corner of the cavern.
The spiders were defending.
Kade needed time to prepare his plan.
"System, the item I brought—take it out."
"You really… never fail to surprise."
A black 5-liter can materialized in midair.
What is that?
Sometimes, combat isn't just about strength. We need to use our brains. The brain is humanity's eternal weapon.
Kade turned to the frightened people in the cavern.
"In a moment, all of you run quickly behind me. Then head straight outside—right there—there's the cave entrance—once you're out, you're safe."
Kade pointed toward the cave mouth behind him.
"I've cleared the path. Just get everyone out quickly."
Someone broke into tears while thanking him.
And in their eyes— there was more gratitude than any "thank you" could express.
Kade grabbed the can and twisted it open.
A sharp, acrid smell burst out—highly flammable, like crude oil.
"Get ready… 1, 2…"
He flipped the can upside down, pouring the liquid around himself and along the escape route.
"3!"
People clutched each other and bolted toward the exit as fast as their trembling legs would carry them.
"Hurry! Go now—use the chance!"
Once he confirmed they were ready to flee, Kade turned to face the spiders gathering on the far side.
The thin line of fire he had created was beginning to dim.
Kade quickly thrust his fist forward—igniting flames.
Fire flashed fiercely, forcing the spiders to recoil and shrink back.
The heat melted strands of silk, opening temporary paths for the trapped civilians.
Seeing Kade's actions, their eyes brightened with hope as they quickly hid behind Kade.
A woman grabbed his hand, voice trembling:
"Y-y-you… will you really get us out alive?"
Kade bent slightly, offering a rare smile—steady, calm.
"Just follow me. Don't worry, I'll take you out."
Without wasting a second, he guided them carefully through narrow gaps, dodging spiders and sticky webs.
Flames roared behind them as they ran.
Throughout the rescue, the spiders thrashed wildly—fleeing the fire while shooting webs everywhere.
Kade led from the front, continuously slicing through the "wall of webs" for every step forward.
Dense strands wrapped around his legs, dragging him down.
He grimaced but stayed composed, wrenching himself free with a sharp pull while keeping his sword steady with his other hand.
The spiders were scorched, they madly rushed out. Half of them were engulfed in flames. They shrieked insanely and collapsed. The other half trampled over their own dead to escape.
When the civilians neared the exit, the air suddenly thickened, becoming twice as heavy.
The ground trembled like an earthquake.
The smaller spiders immediately scattered to the sides, opening a path.
A massive shadow… towered… blocking the rear of the cave.
The creature was as tall as three normal spiders combined. Its head scraped the ceiling. Its front limbs were as thick as tree trunks.
Each step sent dust raining from above.
Its eyes glowed like burning embers; its jaws could swallow half of Kade in one snap.
The Spider Overlord charged with a speed none of the others possessed. IT HAD ARRIVED.
Its rush created a wind so strong it blew aside the silk strands hanging around them.
System screamed:
"Extreme Alert!!
Ancient Spider Overlord detected! Impact force is six times stronger than standard spiders! Dodge right!"
"Enemy: giant spider, high speed, high endurance.
Recommendation: target front limbs, avoid direct hits."
The monster lunged at impossible speed, sweeping a colossal leg toward Kade's torso—
BOOM!!!
CRACKKKKK—
THUD THUD THUD—
Kade jumped, twisted mid-air, and slashed into the spider's leg.
It shrieked but didn't fall; instead it countered with a crushing pounce that forced Kade backward.
Kade barely ducked as another limb scythed across—
BWHAM!!
The impact rattled his bones, dragging his boots through the dirt.
"You oversized freak—"
The rock wall behind him exploded like shattered glass.
Kade sprang upward, spun 180 degrees, and sliced cleanly at its joint.
The spider screeched, jabbing forward with spear-like thrusts.
Kade dodged—sliding—twisting—striking.
His movements were sharp, almost machine-perfect.
He lured the Overlord toward a corner of the cavern.
It lunged wildly—
Kade shouted:
"Fall already!!!"
Kade braced both hands against the cave wall. His feet kicked off hard, he spun, using that momentum to launch himself downward with his full body strength.
A huge rock loosened and tumbled— the giant spider quickly retreated inside.
The beast howled madly.
It slammed the ground so hard the earth erupted.
CRASH!!
Another massive boulder dropped, completely blocking the path between them.
The exit was completely sealed.
The spider was trapped inside.
It rammed the stones again and again, screaming madly, but could not break through.
"Wait another hundred years, you spider freak!"
Flames surged down the corridor.
Screams, running footsteps, collapsing stones—everything blended into chaos.
Fire roared behind them; spiders shrieked as they burned.
—------------------
Ting. Ting. Ting.
System: "Rescue mission: 100% complete."
Kade stood at the cave entrance, breaths ragged, clothes torn to shreds, arms scorched by burnt silk.
But behind him—
all seven civilians were alive.
The wind carried the smell of charred spiders away.
Kade looked back at the dark cavern and exhaled:
"Done."
Everything ended perfectly.
No one died.
No one was left behind.
Not a single child would lose their family today.
…But he didn't manage to collect even one gemstone.
—-----------------------