Chapter 65
Dane used the formless armor, or Kitsune, to extend multiple serpents to grab hold of the gorge walls that were near him as he descended and passed the thick fog , and because the creatures swarming the place were trimmed, some creatures were wary of his presence as their instinct to remain motionless activated, assuming it was the same enemy that killed most of their kind.
Dane knew what was under the fog and took out his gun blade and prepared to strike the web trap under it. As soon as he passed the fog, with a smooth slashing motion, he cut the huge spider waiting for him. As it fell down, a serpent quickly came out and pierced its body, plucking out its core. Then another serpent opened its mouth and began to increase in size like it was made of rubber and swallowed the dead spider. The web where Dane landed was thick and mixed with different elements like trees and vines, making it difficult for any living creature to escape.
While he stood on the spider's home, he was able to gauge the fog thickness from top to bottom, and the calculation was similar to what he gained from Kitsune, Serpent, and Owl's form investigation. Dane saw the gorge was not actually pitch black or dark; the assumption that the fog covering the place would make the entire area dark was false. Different sizes of illuminating crystal are all over the place.
The formless armor had to upgrade and became now an Amorphous Metallic Armor. Shape-shifting was more fluid and seamless, allowing Dane to adapt to any situation with ease. The armor now provided enhanced protection and versatility; the three current forms were the serpent, the horned owl, and the fox made him think again about who was making the other two forms function, because Ward and Miko were currently unavailable.
Was it a subconscious control that came from his own mind, so the fox was his child representation? The formless armor he was created and copied from the real one that was sealed on the fiftieth floor.
Like what Dane knows about him, he was doing it again. He was overthinking a situation he can't explain and desperately trying to have a reasonable answer to it, and then after a few minutes of pondering, he completely ignores this and continues what he was doing.
He notices this whenever he sees a confusing pattern in his thoughts, like about the formless nature of armor. Then, in a snap, Dane forgets that particular thought, and a silent notification comes toward his status armband saying,
"LOGICAL INTENT NEUTRALIZE."
"SUBJECT DEVIANCE NOW STABLE"
Dane used the structures that the spiders use to make their home. It was a large structure all entangled in the web these countless spiders created. The wall of the gorge supported the web as if it were a natural fortress. Dane marveled at the intricate design and wondered how the spiders communicated to build such a structure together. The way they worked in harmony to create their home was truly fascinating to him.
Because this was not part of the gorge feature, so once again the creatures' natural state was altered, or they just freely evolved to think outside and change the landscape to adapt. As he swung and ran above the web, Dane was using his new forge gun blade with precision and deadly force.
The slice his blade created was simultaneously bombarded with rapid-fire bullets, instantly killing the target, and with a quick stabbing motion, the formless armor moved to extract the core and store the remains inside Dane's dimensional storage. While this was happening, Ward and Miko knew certain things about Dane that they could not explain to him openly.
They notice that the remnants of the separated system that created his dead body made a fail-safe command to protect Dane's awareness by blocking any reasonable questions Dane could think of. Because he tends to spend all his time and focus on just pondering and seeking answers to his question , a feature that is now helping him to move forward
And because Ward and Miko were created prior to the regeneration of Damon Lazarus's old body, it wasn't able to fully control all parts of his mind. The separated system was already removed, but the automatic fail-safe mechanism was still in place, causing Dane to forget his reason for thought.
But openly telling this to Dane would activate it. It was created to stop his savant syndrome , and they now know how it came to be, seeing it was created to let Dane maintain normal congenital function and not get swallowed by focusing too much on a question and answer. It might be seen to be a protective measure, hindering Dane's savant syndrome is needed so he can move forward.
Meanwhile, Dane was harvesting as much material and mana core as he could get. This was a full frontal assault, as the swarm of spiders as huge as a cow was attacking him from all angles. The formless armor was making adjustments as Dane's footing was also exposed to attacks; casting fire attack bombardment spells might burn away the web holding up their home. A large structure fell when he used the fire bullet, and a few spiders burned the web threads holding up what looked like a roof of a house. Human remains were also seen dangling on these web threads, adding to the difficulty of the situation.
Dane's poison needle was ineffective against the spiders moving along the bundle threads. That was created by hundreds of spiders for may hundreds of years. Dane quickly realized that a different approach was needed to combat the spiders, as his current tactics were proving to be ineffective. He decided to continue using his gun blade.
And falling and debris rushing down with him wasn't a smart idea, and the collection was gaining momentum. They were not that strong, but a hunt is a hunt.
In doing so, these monsters were able to wound him in different parts of his body. Without the Tier 3 healing skill, he would already have bled out. The spiders' legs were sharp, and not to mention eluding the poison projectiles from their mouths was very challenging. As he struggled to fend off the creatures, he realized he needed to come up with a new plan quickly, so Dane changed his magical attack into lightning. As his gun sliced the enemy, a strong electrical jolt flowed freely into the spider's body, killing it as it burned its brain.
Kitsune was managing the formless armor effortlessly. The serpent's movement and elasticity were no longer, and the force of its bite crushed the spider's body like it was made of sponge. Dane's tactical clothing slowly changed and began to turn into a long coat with intricate patterns that slightly glowed with electricity on the right side and fire on the left.
Dane's eyes now have two different colors, symbolizing his affinity to the two elements that have changed. The horned owl that detached from his body became more agile, and its speed and attack patterns were no longer predictable. The tree is a manifestation of Dane's inner mind. What made that change as Dane's body was growing and gaining strength from the elements? The transformation was complete, and Dane now embodied a powerful fusion of electricity and fire, with his companion owl by his side. The attack he unleashed was fire and electricity; it was an unconscious reaction as he was being swarmed by hundreds of spider monsters big enough to eat an adult person's head in one bite.
Dane noticed the change and assumed it was a normal matter , like what happens inside a game. It was just the effect of the upgrade finalizing its transformation. The number of mana cores he was obtaining from the spiders had reached 80 and was growing continuously. Suddenly the spiders stop attacking him; they just stop moving when a voice enters his mind, asking him a very peculiar question.
"Why are you killing my newborns?"
"Huh! These spiders are just newborns…"
"They are just hungry and looking for food. They are not attacking you out of malice, but out of necessity." The realization hit Dane hard, making him question his actions and consider a different approach to the situation.
"I never expected these younglings to be your offspring, Melgil, the Demon Queen of Spiders."
"Why do you know my name?"
"You shouldn't be here! You are far from your home,"
"Who are you! Why do you know these things?"
"Your very presence makes my body tremble, as if my soul recognizes you."
"Please recall your offspring, as I do not kill those who are born from sentient beings such as yourself."
"Ah! Sadly, I am the last of my kind, as the dragons eradicated my race a long time ago…"
"My newborns sadly are just ordinary creatures that submit to their natural instinct."
"My apologies for killing them."
"Great one, you haven't answered my question. Who are you, and why do you know my name?"
Dane could not openly say he designed and created her alongside his former teammate Michel Baudin as an overpowered monster boss that rules the western mountain thousands of miles from the empire of Karion. Melgil, the Demon Queen of Spiders and Insects, she was created to be the first monster that will either become a goddess and protect life equal to the God of the Forest, Rillifane, or become the chief commander and subordinate of the Chaos Bringer.
Dane was curious to see what his creation looked like in reality. So with a soft tone he politely asks her to show herself to him, the large and wide hanging web structure. Hundreds of meters above the gorge floor. The broken parts that made this place their home were all mismatched items, from wood to stone and dirt. The silk thread was strong and durable; it held an entire broken tower that looked like it came from the abandoned Anchorage Castle.
The silk treads were woven together like steel cables as the items were held together and hung under the fog, and above the gorge floor was massive and somewhat intimidating. The intricate design of the web structure was a testament to the spider's skill and craftsmanship, creating a sense of awe and wonder in the onlooker.
Dane finally saw the entire place the moment the newborn spiders stopped attacking him. The very place Dane was standing on was dirt and rock held together by the web. Soon Dane sensed a being that was ten feet tall and had an upper body of a woman and a lower half that was a spider. It was Melgil. Dane smiled under the Netherborn mask he was wearing.
He greeted Melgil ,and Dane showed no killing intent , seeing his creation that was inspired by the first book character he came to like. Made him happy. Her face and upper body were beautifully designed to resemble a goddess, while her spider legs were powerful and intimidating. Melgil seemed to recognize Dane's admiration and approached him cautiously, intrigued by his presence in her domain.
Dane stores his gun blade inside his dimensional space and closely watches Melgil. He could only utter to himself, Seeing my creation made to resemble the beauty and harshness of a woman's persona is the basis of her design and the embodiment of my admiration for the character that inspired her. Dane couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and accomplishment as he stood before Melgil.
There was no prompt notification from his armband, meaning this meeting was not part of the scenario, given the fact she is thousands of miles from her real domain. As she got near Dane, she just stopped and smiled and lowered her stance and spoke.
"You are here , the one that will free us. I am one of those who have suffered and waited."
"You might not be aware of your current standings, but I can see remnants of the past in you,"
"What is your name, O great one?"
"You may call me Netherborn."
"Ah, a fitting name that will shatter the chain that binds us."
"I am just an adventurer seeking true freedom."
When Melgil heard Dane speak of freedom, she expressed concern. She became light as she was filled with hope that their liberation was finally within reach. As she spoke to Dane, Melgil gave Netherborn some information about what she saw in him. Dane was a bit confused and taken aback seeing her to be this highly intelligent and perceptive. She seemed to understand his true nature and purpose more than he did himself.
As Dane asked Melgil, she could only add that his physical form was a result of destiny getting tampered with, to fit with the current narrative. His choices will affect the tower in a profound manner. Melgil smiled and thanked Netherborn and forgave him for taking the lives of her newborns, but they were getting restless as they were still hungry, so she asked to leave as her control over them was wavering, as hunger had already consumed their minds, and they had lost the opportunity to gain a slight sense of control. She knew that the consequences of their hunger could be catastrophic if not addressed promptly.
So she decides to just kill all her newborns and stop reproducing. As her current mate was inadequate , she saw a better partner to continue her bloodline with. As Melgil gently pushed Dane, who was standing edge of the roof of their home, she promised to meet him again when she was in an appealing and suitable condition. She knew that her survival depended on making strategic decisions, even if they were difficult and heart-wrenching.
As she will remain above Dane Fall again and begin to reassess the information he got, he wasn't even concerned about hitting the ground, as Kitsune made sure to protect him by making a ball-like shell to protect him from the impact.
"Did Melgil think I was the chaos bringer?"