Chapter 188: Hekhekshilshillshiiik
【Pururu】─Crazy!!! Our little friends are dead!!!
【Mysticism】─😱😱😱
【Yumi】─What should we do…?
【Bubble Bubble】─What do you mean? We have to revive them.
【Luna-chan】─They can revive anyway, so don’t worry!
【Pururu】─Ah. I feel dizzy.
【Pururu】─How much pain must they have felt when they died? My heart feels like it's being torn apart.
【Hwang Mir】─Poor Dog Spiders. ㅠ
【Rizenova】─Hmm. The reaction is worlds apart from when Lionheart died.
Revival Site.
Countless Dog Spider corpses kept falling.
[Beep, beep-boop.]
The Medical Angel immediately released a pink liquid to revive the Dog Spiders.
[As a special favor, I shall bestow my honey. Apply it to your body or consume it, and your mind and body will find peace.]
Queen Mellifera generously shared her honey, ensuring the Dog Spiders' stability.
Meanwhile, Ravager Hellcrown stood blankly beside her, picking his nose.
【Bubble Bubble】─What's with him?
【Hwang Mir】─If you're not going to help, then get lost. You're in the way.
【Pururu】─He really has no sense of the mood.
【Mysticism】─😠
【Rizenova】─Everyone seems quite sensitive…
【Pururu】─Of course, we are! Our cute little mascots just died!
【Hwang Mir】─This situation is completely different from when Lionheart died.
【Luna-chan】─Poor Lionheart-chan.
The Dog Spiders were still in a dazed state.
I quickly scanned them, counting their numbers.
“They’re not all dead yet.”
There were fewer bodies than the number of Dog Spiders I had tamed.
That meant some were still alive.
To check on the surviving Dog Spiders, I used Iris’s ability.
—[S-Siiik!]
—[Run away!]
A transparent screen rose above the crystal ball like a hologram.
On the screen, the Dog Spiders were running frantically, their eight legs flailing in fear.
Then, from beyond the screen, a sharp, monstrous screech rang out.
—[Shaaaaah!!!]
The source of the screech was not reflected in the crystal.
Instead, black threads surged from an unseen place, mercilessly piercing through the Dog Spiders' bodies.
—[S-Siiik…]
—[Siiiii…]
In an instant, the Dog Spiders were impaled by the threads and collapsed, lifeless.
【Pururu】─You bastard! Stop killing our little friends!!!
【Hwang Mir】─Ugh. That’s brutal…
【Mysticism】─😡😡😡 That’s too much! Evil monster!
【Rizenova】─Hmm.
【Yumi】─So the one attacking just now was that SS-rank monster, Hekhekshilshillshiiik or whatever? I knew SS-ranks were different, but seeing it firsthand… The Dog Spiders are S-rank monsters, but they’re dropping like mere minions in one hit…
The Dog Spiders perished.
And then, the monster that killed them finally appeared on the screen.
A vicious-looking canine face.
A monster with eight fur-covered legs.
Aside from its ability to spit threads and having eight legs, it barely resembled a spider.
Unlike the vaguely canine-faced Dog Spiders, this one had a perfectly formed dog's face.
“So that thing must be Hekhekshilshillshiiik.”
【Bubble Bubble】─That thing is Hekhekshilshillshiiik? It looks way more savage than a Dog Spider.
【Pururu】─That thing isn't cute at all. That means it deserves the death penalty. For the crime of killing our little friends, take your punishment, you fake little friend.
【Luna-chan】─Acting like you're the one who's gonna take it down. Pfft.
【Mysticism】─🤬 Evil spider-dog!
【Yumi】─Phew. Good thing Kino didn’t evolve like that.
I had confirmed its appearance.
To break through the blocked exploration area, I stepped into Cave No. 2 in pursuit of Hekhekshilshillshiiik.
Naturally, the SSS-rank monsters were with me.
Even if it was just an SS-rank monster, I couldn’t afford to be careless.
You never knew when or where an unexpected variable might arise.
And so, we advanced into Cave No. 2.
Alongside the SSS-ranks, I brought a few other monsters as well.
***
### Deep inside Cave No. 2.
After walking for quite a while, we arrived at a wide cavern with sharp, angular walls.
This was the place where the Dog Spiders had met their end.
And then.
—[Shaaaah!]
Hekhekshilshillshiiik was still there.
Since it hadn’t moved elsewhere, this must be its territory.
【Pururu】─You're dead now.
【Mysticism】─😠
【Bubble Bubble】─How dare you bare your fangs.
【Yumi】─You need to taste Kang Geon’s fist to come to your senses.
【Luna-chan】─Gauntlet Punch! Gauntlet Punch!
As soon as it saw me, it flinched, its eight legs trembling as it cautiously backed away.
It had a ferocious temperament, attacking any opponent on sight, but as expected of an SS-rank monster, it could accurately gauge the difference in power between itself and its opponent.
Each time it stepped back, I advanced one step forward, maintaining the distance.
“At least it has the red spots, too.”
—[Shaaaah…]
I had no intention of killing it.
For now, I planned to tame it.
I needed to figure out why its personality had changed.
Just as I pushed off the ground to approach it quickly—
—[Father.]
Kino’s voice called out to me, making me pause my actions.
I slightly turned my head to look at Kino.
［Can I be the one to face that creature?］
“You?”
［Yes. I’d like to test my skills against it.］
“Well… if you want to fight, go ahead.”
［Thank you.］
Wanting to duel.
I readily accepted Kino’s request.
An uncertain battle.
In other words, a fight where victory wasn’t guaranteed was something I normally avoided…
But in this case, it was fine.
With my current body, I could step into their battle in an instant.
If Kino found himself at a disadvantage, I could intervene quickly.
I was more than confident that I could protect Kino without him getting hurt.
‘And to be honest, I’m curious who would win if they fought.’
Kinogine Arachne.
Hekhekshilshillshiiik.
Both started as Dog Spiders but evolved into different beings.
Naturally, I was curious to see which of the two was stronger.
［Then, I’ll subdue it quickly and be right back.］
Kinogine Arachne passed by me and stepped forward.
Seeing that its opponent had changed, Hekhekshilshillshiiik no longer backed away.
Did it consider Kino an opponent it could handle?
Instead, it stepped forward, curling its lips into a sinister smile.
【Pururu】─What are you grinning at?
【Mysticism】─😠
Shaaah—
A white thread sliced through the air.
Kino’s first attack flew precisely, but Hekhekshilshillshiiik’s black threads intercepted it.
Zzzzt—
Black and white threads clashed midair, causing space itself to crack slightly.
Whoosh— Pop!
Hekhekshilshillshiiik’s eight legs moved all at once.
Black threads burst from its body, spreading in all directions and filling the space.
Before I knew it, the cave was covered in a tangled web of black silk.
Ah, of course.
None of the black threads reached the spot where I was standing.
With a casual wave of my hand, I had erased all the incoming threads.
【Hwang Mir】─ㄷㄷ Just waving his hand nullifies the attack.
【Luna-chan】─Sugoi. o_O
【Mysticism】─😮
Kinogine Arachne moved with elegance.
White threads fluttered like dancing ribbons, nullifying the black threads one by one.
［Shaaaah!!］
Hekhekshilshillshiiik spewed out even more black threads.
Everything they touched melted away.
Not just stalactites, rocks, and pebbles—
Even the sturdy cave floor itself was dissolving.
It seemed that its threads carried not only a neutralizing power but also a destructive force.
［…At least your thread production speed is impressive.］
［Shaaaah!!］
Black threads poured out endlessly.
Faster. Even faster.
Hekhekshilshillshiiik’s thread production speed overwhelmingly surpassed Kino’s.
Its neutralizing power was inferior—
But before I realized it, the entire cave, except for the spot where I stood, had turned into a jungle of black silk.
Kino’s movements became even more graceful.
Her ample chest bounced softly, while her spider legs danced across the ground like a tap dancer.
She dodged the black threads while continuously spitting out white silk, compressing it.
She wasn’t in a rush.
Slowly, very slowly.
‘Looks like I don’t need to step in.’
I folded my arms and silently observed the battle.
Kino didn’t seem to be at a disadvantage.
Even though black threads filled the space,
She moved with ease, patiently preparing a decisive move.
［Alright… This will end it.］
At last, Kino launched her counterattack.
The compressed white silk was flung toward the ceiling.
The spiraling silk shot upward—
Then gathered midair into a small orb.
It was an extremely condensed ball of silk.
Suspended in the air,
It began absorbing the power from the surrounding black threads.
The power of the black threads.
The power of Hekhekshilshillshiiik itself.
As all that energy was siphoned into the silk orb, Hekhekshilshillshiiik’s movements slowed.
［Sha… Shaaaah…］
Its legs trembled violently.
And then—
The power of the black threads was completely extinguished.
As soon as the black silk vanished,
The floating silk orb expanded rapidly, transforming into a shining white cocoon—
And in an instant, it engulfed Hekhekshilshillshiiik.
The slowed creature couldn’t dodge.
［Sha… Shaaaah…］
Trapped inside the cocoon,
It didn’t even struggle.
It simply fell into a peaceful slumber.
【Hwang Mir】─Ooooh! It won!
【Pururu】─Little friend wins in a landslide!
【Yumi】─Kino, that was amazing!
【Mysticism】─😃😃😃
【Rizenova】─The result was inevitable.
【Bubble Bubble】─They're both SS-rank, but it looks like Kinogine Arachne is slightly stronger.
【Luna-chan】─Never underestimate a special evolution! >.<
***
■ Hekhekshilshillshiiik
─ Danger Level: SS-rank.
─ Ability: Black Thread Generation.
As I placed my hand on Hekhekshilshillshiiik’s red spot,
The Artpega Unibicorn finished recording the monster in the encyclopedia.
And at that moment—
The Elephant Merchant, who had been sniffing and muttering to himself,
Finally seemed to remember something and let out a small sigh.
［Ah… I finally remember. Fortunately, my memory of its abilities is still intact.］
The Elephant Merchant turned to look at me.
［Explorer, the reason Hekhekshilshillshiiik’s personality changed— It must be the work of that one I mentioned before.］
“That one? Who are you talking about?”
The Elephant Merchant glanced around.
As if checking for the gaze of the Ancient Labyrinth.
Then, he slowly opened his mouth and answered.
［I’m talking about the one I seek revenge against.］