Crunch. A sharp spider leg plunged down from above, piercing through the floor.
“......!”
Cover was yanked backward, dragged violently by something.
Between shards of debris, the videotape player he hadn’t been able to grab floated up into the air.
Thud!
“Urgh!”
Eun Woojeong wrapped a chain around Cover’s waist, yanked him over, and flung him beside him.
“What are you doing?”
Eun Woojeong asked irritably.
Cover didn’t answer. His gaze remained fixed on the player.
It flew far off amid the debris—and in front of it stood Shelob.
Karrlk. Shelob bared its fangs wide and trembled, letting out a threatening screech.
“Is that what this is about?”
“.......”
“You’re risking all this for a damn videotape? Is that thing more important than your life?”
“It’s not that.”
Cover paused, then answered.
“I’m going to take it if I can.”
“Well, at least you’re not spouting crap about it being worth more than your life.”
Eun Woojeong sneered and snapped his fingers.
Snap—at the sound of his fingers colliding, the chains filling the space began to move in earnest.
Clatter!
The silver sheen that streamed from the chains flashed brilliantly in the dark room.
The chains, once loosely strung together, tightened violently and coiled around the massive body of Shelob.
KIIIIAAAK!
As the chains touched the monster’s body, white sparks erupted and the creature let out a shrill scream.
From the points of contact, a nauseating burnt stench and sticky fluid sprayed out. It was clear these weren’t just ordinary chains.
Seeing that, Cover realized again that Eun Woojeong had been going easy on him during their earlier fight.
Shivering, Shelob wiped its face with its front legs, then raised its limbs like a mantis and thrashed wildly.
Chaang!
The sparking chains couldn’t withstand the monster’s violent struggle and began to snap one by one. In the end, to deal real damage, they had no choice but to engage in close combat.
“Cooperate properly. I want to get out of here in one piece.”
“Got it.”
With a sharp retort, Cover gripped his sword and shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bowstring.
He leapt over or kicked off the visible chains as he rapidly closed the distance with Shelob. The same chains that had sparked violently under the monster’s touch remained tame beneath Cover’s.
Despite the countless chains summoned throughout the room—so many they were hard to count with the naked eye—his timing was flawless.
It showed just how thoroughly Eun Woojeong managed his chains.
‘There’s a reason he’s S-rank.’
Thunk! Cover stepped on a taut chain and launched himself into the air.
His hat flew off in the gust, and his blonde hair scattered. The silver glint flowing from the chains caught the edge of his blade, which slashed cleanly in a wide arc.
Ka-gak!
The blade clashed with the spider leg.
It slid across the hard shell but sliced clean through one of the joints with a razor-sharp edge.
‘That’s the weak spot...!’
The underside of the frontmost leg was severed, and a torrent of deep purple fluid gushed out.
“Kh!”
A chain flew like a snake, wrapped around Cover’s arm, and yanked him back.
Thanks to that, he avoided the toxic fluid that rained down over his head—and while Cover was thrown aside, Eun Woojeong filled the gap.
He climbed the chains connected to the ceiling, positioned himself above Shelob’s head, and spread his palm.
At once, five chains shot out from all directions and struck Shelob.
Ka-gak!
The chains dug into the severed leg. The hooks at the ends burrowed deep into the cracks, anchoring firmly.
As Shelob writhed in pain, more of that thick, dark fluid sprayed out in all directions.
“We’ll have to drive them in deeper.”
Eun Woojeong muttered and snapped his fingers again.
The chains embedded in the leg pulled in opposite directions, tearing the joint open even further.
Crunch, crack!
A grotesque sound spread as the thick shell twisted and the flesh was ripped away.
KIIIIEEEEK, KIIIIK!
A piercing scream rang out.
One of Shelob’s eight legs was torn completely off and slammed onto the floor.
The monster staggered, flailing with the seven legs it had left. Its raspy screeches alone sent chills down their spines.
Cover got up, panting hard, and adjusted his grip on his sword.
‘That bastard’s been flinging people around like ragdolls from the start.’
Dealing with Shelob was simple.
You either hacked off all its legs like they just did and rendered it immobile, or you dove under its massive body and tore open its belly.
The monster’s entire body was covered in hardened shell, but its underbelly was its biggest weakness. Of course, attacking the underbelly of a monster thrashing that violently was no easy task.
Which was why hacking off all eight legs was the safer route. Painfully grueling, but safer.
‘At least we got one.’
Now that he knew targeting the joints made the legs easier to rip off, the only thing left was to keep rolling around and sever the remaining seven.
Just as Cover gripped his sword and started moving back toward Shelob—
KIIIIEEEE!
Shelob, as if enraged, hunched down and violently shook its body. The chains that had been holding it snapped in rapid succession.
Shaking off the chains, Shelob raised its head high and let out an eerie, drawn-out cry.
The piercing pain stabbed into their skulls—Cover and Eun Woojeong staggered, clutching their foreheads.
And then—
Skitter, skitter, skitter, skitter, skitter!
...A sound that should not be heard echoed throughout the room.
It was similar to Shelob’s movements, but faster, more frequent.
And it wasn’t just one or two.
A dreadful premonition swept over them.
Cover, now pale, turned his head—and saw new monsters emerging one by one.
At first, he thought it was a wave of black water surging forward.
But no. The truth was far worse... it was a swarm of spiders. Dozens—no, hundreds—each the size of a large dog.
Even the ceiling offered no safety. Spiders descended from above in lines.
Realizing what had happened, Eun Woojeong clicked his tongue.
“She’s already laid her brood.”
Shelob laid eggs when she determined there was enough food. And this time, the number was outrageous.
‘Even so, this is excessive.’
Judging by the number, she’d ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) probably laid eggs twice already.
“Shit! This is disgusting!”
Even Cover, who’d barely reacted to anything before, recoiled at the sight of the crawling horde and swung his sword in revulsion.
Eun Woojeong, riding the chains high above, killed the spiderlings leaping at him and considered his options.
‘I didn’t know Shelob could summon her brood... Is it because this one’s ranked higher than the A-grades we’ve seen before?’
Either way, things just got worse.
It was already tough enough for the two of them to rip off the legs. Now they had to face hundreds of swarming spiders?
This could very well be their grave.
Eun Woojeong looked down at Cover, who was swinging his sword while retreating.
‘Every time I get involved with that man, it’s a goddamn mess.’
It was almost impressive how Cover seemed to attract one disastrous situation after another.
“Hey! Quit just watching and help out already!”
Cover shouted up at Eun Woojeong while dodging, biting his lip hard.
‘What do I do?’
Just like Eun Woojeong, Cover realized how fast the situation had spiraled now that the spiderlings had emerged.
He quickly ran through his inventory.
Healing herbs—just for stamina. Useless here.
Wings of Skywalk—sure, five minutes of flight, but what good would that do in this place? Pass.
Escape through Death? If he fell asleep in the middle of that swarm, it really would be the afterlife.
What was left: Charm Buff Talisman and Tower of Trials Entry Ticket. Both completely useless right now.
‘I’m going to lose it!’
Eun Woojeong’s skill was excellent for fighting single monsters, but against hordes like this, it was severely lacking.
What they needed now was someone like Ryu Sunghyun with AoE skills—or Kang Haeil to flood the whole place with water.
‘Wait.’
That was when a face suddenly flashed through Cover’s mind.
‘...That’s the only way, huh?’
Thump, thump!
In the meantime, Shelob finished summoning all her spawn and began to move again.
Cover barely had time to swat away the spiders clinging to his legs, and now the massive creature was stomping and shaking the ground.
There was no time left to hesitate. Cover swung his sword in a wide arc, slicing away the clinging spiders, then pivoted.
He charged straight toward Shelob without pause.
Behind him, the horde rushed in. Ahead of him, Shelob raised its leg to crush him.
‘Is this bastard doing it again?’
Eun Woojeong furrowed his brow and quickly moved the chains to intercept Cover’s reckless charge.
He aimed to grab at least Cover’s legs and stop him—
“Wait!”
“......!”
At the firm command, Eun Woojeong froze.
Cover used the momentum to slide across the floor.
He slipped in under the spider’s legs in a blink and reached out toward the videotape player.
“Gah!”
At the same time, a spider leg stabbed down at him and grazed his shoulder.
Even though it only brushed the edge, the leg was so massive that it gouged a deep wound.
Blood poured out—but only for a moment.
Cover clutched the videotape player to his chest—and a dazzling black shadow burst up around him.
Screeeeech!
The shadow gathered together and formed a black bird.
As the bird soared upward, Cover’s eyes gleamed.
‘Cha Sahyeon! Help me!’
With hope in his eyes, Cover waited for his brother to appear before him.
But—
Even after the shadow rippled off the floor and the bird flapped through the air...
Cha Sahyeon did not come.
“......?”
Cover couldn’t hide his confusion.
The bird, flapping anxiously in front of him, let out a dispirited cry.
Creak... kree.
Meanwhile, in a ruined building—
It wasn’t visible to the eye, but it was definitely where the hidden dungeon’s exit lay. Cha Sahyeon sat down near it, staring.
Thanks to the item’s effect, he still looked like a child. Knees drawn up, he rested his chin on them.
“Hyung... hurry up and come back......”

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