Arthur furrowed his brow and stared straight into her eyes this time, without fear or hesitation, clearly showing his displeasure.
It wasn't that he rejected the idea of becoming her property—for he hadn't even understood what she said—but because riding him like a mount had crossed every line he could tolerate, especially since he was someone who valued his pride and dignity above all.
' You damn bitch.'
With her face so close to his, he felt an intense urge to spit at her, yet he remained calm, refusing to let his anger drag him into the abyss. Besides, it wasn't worth it. Even if his pride was hurt, it meant nothing; what truly mattered was staying alive.
He took a deep breath, lowered his head, and looked away from her, restoring the expression of obedience and submission, deciding to continue what he had started.
'As long as I'm breathing, there's a chance I can change this unexpected fate. All I need now is patience, endurance, and to do whatever this vile insect wants.'
His thoughts and inner turmoil lasted only four seconds. And although the spider noticed it and was deeply irritated by the unintended killing intent directed at her, she didn't flinch or change her mind about what she intended to do with him.
During their brief escape from the wolf pack, she had thought it through carefully and made her final decision: she would keep him alive for now and make good use of his abilities. More clearly, she intended to turn him into an obedient slave who would carry out her every command.
What encouraged her even more to do this was her miserable physical condition and weakness. She would need a long time to recover, and during that period, she had to eat properly and rest.
Having someone to serve her, feed her, and watch over her comfort wasn't a bad idea. It would benefit her more than it would harm.
In fact, the more she thought about it, the more satisfied she felt with herself. She was ignoring her instincts and handling the situation with great intelligence and cunning.
In a world of monsters, high intelligence meant she had crossed the line from average C- and B-Rank monsters and become an elite A-Rank one, at least mentally. Her power hadn't risen, unfortunately, due to human interference during her previous slumber.
Seeing Arthur shed every trace of resentment and offer his absolute submission without the need for threats only deepened her satisfaction. She smiled and patted his head, almost gently this time.
"Good. You know your place."
Then, she unleashed her domineering aura. It crashed down upon him like a collapsing mountain.
Arthur's legs buckled, and a wave of intense vertigo washed over him, nearly bringing him to his knees. As she continued to stroke his head with eerie calmness, she spoke:
"Now, it is time to show you who the master is. Besides, your inability to understand me is becoming a nuisance. I hoped to avoid this, but it seems we have no other choice. So..."
Her smile widened, radiating a sinister chill. Suddenly, she gripped his head with violent force, her fingers digging deep into his flesh until they grazed his skull.
She closed her eyes and began to chant a series of cryptic, unintelligible words.
"Aaaagh!"
'You bitch! What are you doing to me?!'
Arthur roared in agony. He clawed at the air, trying to break free, but he was rooted to the spot by her crushing aura and overwhelming strength.
His situation took a turn for the worse as he felt several thin, elongated objects—cold and sleek like silk threads—emerge from her fingertips. They burrowed into his flesh like parasites, tunneling deep into his body.
"Aaaaaagh!"
The further these threads delved, the more hellish the pain became. It felt, quite literally, as if he were being eaten alive from the inside out. No matter how much he shrieked, the torment didn't subside. Blood began to leak from every orifice of his body.
After several seconds that felt like an eternity, the threads finally stopped crawling. By then, they had woven themselves into every fiber of his being, spreading like a network of veins and arteries—and even his brain was not spared.
The spider-woman, meanwhile, was drenched in sweat, gasping for breath from the sheer exhaustion of the feat. As soon as she finished, she snapped her eyes open and withdrew her hand.
Five black silken threads remained attached to her fingertips for a fleeting second before they severed, retreating deep into Arthur's body.
She took a ragged breath and suppressed her domineering aura. Gazing down at his pale, wretched face, she sighed in relief.
"That's better."
For once, Arthur understood her words clearly, but he was far too shattered to feel shock or surprise. He could only manage to tilt his head slightly, peering at her through bloodshot eyes that wept crimson tears, before collapsing to the ground.
He lay there, writhing and trembling, white foam bubbling at his mouth and his eyes rolling back—as if seized by a violent convulsion.
The spider watched him for a moment with a grave expression, then spoke in a calm voice:
"Don't die. Don't let all my effort go to waste."
She shook her head in mockery, her gaze filled with anticipation for the results of her actions. But first, Arthur had to survive.
What she had done to him was no trivial matter, spreading her controlling webs throughout his body was a process as painful as hell itself. Worse still, he now had to endure the violent backlash that had only just begun.
She sighed once more, straightened up, and stretched her exhausted body. Then she raised her hands high and released thousands of threads into the surrounding area, weaving them together into a massive web filled with hollows and empty spaces, something akin to an impregnable fortress.
When she finally finished, a wave of intense dizziness struck her. She staggered in place, barely managing to remain standing. She had exhausted every last bit of strength she had gathered.
Casting one final glance at Arthur, she walked through one of the hollow, tunnel-like gaps and entered a small cavity.
At that moment, her body changed, growing larger as she reverted to her massive, sinister spider form.
All the webs and threads around her stirred, wrapping tightly around her body and forming a thick, enormous cocoon that completely concealed her. Closing her eyes, she drifted into sleep immediately.
On the other side, Arthur continued screaming and writhing madly. He would lose consciousness for brief moments, only for the hellish pain to drag him back again… and again… and again.
He lost all sense of time and self. His voice faded until it disappeared entirely, and he nearly lost his mind. There was no mercy—only torment.
In the end, after a long time, or perhaps a short one, the violent backlash finally subsided. The area fell silent. His body stopped trembling, his twisted expression relaxed, and his breathing gradually steadied.
A small puddle of sweat and blood had formed beneath him. Slowly, very slowly, he opened his eyes—empty of any spark of life—and stared at the clear, star-filled sky through a small gap in the webs above.