Chapter 277

277 – Baby Araenie

Once we’re finished eating, I decide to watch over the remaining mountain of grafant meat from a distance . Searching for an abyss isn’t feasible, but luring them out with food should be easy .

In order to find their nest, I need to catch an abyss and have it guide me . So my strategy is to lure one out with meat before weakening it with a long-range [Wind Slash] .

『…I wanted to eat a bit more』

My partner’s eyes are fixed on the remaining scraps of meat… That bit’s near where the abysses were eating, you know?

『Guu… But, fire, it was cooked…』

You’ve already eaten plenty . My stomach feels heavy already .

『I’m fine』

We have the same body though . I glance sideways to see the spiderlings rolling around, their bellies engorged… I’m happy to see they’re satisfied, at least .

While I’m watching the spiderlings frolic about happily, two abysses appear accompanied by unpleasant rustling sound . I wait for the moment they attempt to taste the remains of the grafant meat, then flap my wings to fire off two [Wind Slashes] .

The blades of wind hit the ends of their bodies . A direct hit would have killed them, so I intentionally aimed for their lower halves . The abysses are blown through the air, leaking body fluids, before rolling across the ground and colliding with trees .

“Ve, ve…”

The two abysses stagger to their feet . For both of them, most of the legs on one side are gone .

Now then, let’s have you lead us to your nest . As I triumphantly approach them thinking that, the spiderlings suddenly rush towards them… Eh? What are they doing?

While I’m too taken aback to react, the eight spiderlings surround a collapsed abyss and bite at it . Desperate to escape, the abyss bites in every direction . If it responds poorly, there’s no mistake that the spiderlings are capable of killing it .

However, it’s not like the abyss has lost all its combat strength . If they receive its counterattack head on, it’s capable of killing them .

“Veeeeh!”

The abyss shakes its body, sending the spiderlings flying . Fortunately, it looks like it only put in enough strength to shake them off, as it doesn’t look like any of the spiders are heavily damaged .

…But unwilling to give up, the spiderlings expel thread onto it to limit its movements . The abyss easily tears through the thread, its huge mouth gaping as it moves to attack them .

Aro seemed to be flustered, unsure of what to do, but finally sets her eyes on the spiderlings as though she’s made up her mind . I think she understood that I damaged the abysses in order to take them prisoner .

She moves to run towards the abyss that’s about to reach the spiderlings, but I stop her with my foreleg . I send a [Wind Slash] towards its head .

【88 experience points have been acquired . 】

【Due to the Title Skill [Walking Egg: Lv -], an additional 88 experience points have been acquired . 】

…W-well, there’s still one left, so it’s fine, right? The moment strength fades from the abyss’ body, the spiderlings swarm over its corpse . What’s with their appetites? Won’t their bodies burst?

I sigh thinking that, and the spiderlings charge towards the other abyss . They stop two steps away from it and fire thread towards its thin legs . They must have learnt from being sent flying earlier .

With half its body gouged out, the abyss struggles to avoid them, but becomes surrounded by the eight of them and is unable to resist . The thread flows and flows until finally two of its legs are stuck together and none of its remaining legs are able to move . With its movements completely sealed, the eight spiderlings carefully launch attacks from its blind spots .

Have you guys still not eaten enough!? Or what, is it some kind of instinct? When they see a weakened monster, do they feel a need to prey on it while they can?

Before I have a chance to stop them, the second abyss becomes a white thread dumpling… Ah, it’s their emergency rations . The area around its mouth moves feebly up and down . Seeing that, one of the spiderlings reinforces the thread .

They really are merciless… For that matter, it’ll be a problem if you kill it… Well, the spiderlings are only E-rank monsters in the end . With the difference in status it’ll be hard for them to inflict a lethal wound, so once they’ve calmed down I’ll extract it and rescue it…

【63 experience points have been acquired . 】

【Due to the Title Skill [Walking Egg: Lv -], an additional 63 experience points have been acquired . 】

Abyssssss!! It died by suffocation! That would happen, yeah! Hey, I’m begging you, spiderlings! I want to take an abyss alive! I’ll have to catch one again!

If I don’t educate them, they really won’t be able to leave my hand . They’re only low rank now, so it’s fine, but once they’re grown up, if they attack the Lithovars it’d go beyond just a joke . How should I go about implementing a spider education?

The spiderlings look away from the balled up abyss and sway as they move around restlessly… Hmm, could this be…? I’m getting a bad premonition…

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Species: Baby Araenie

Condition: Normal

Lv: 12/12

HP: 9/30

MP: 1/28

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It’s gone and reached evolution… No way, is it all of them? It’s got to be all of them, since they all took the same actions . With this timing… As E-ranks, I knew they’d evolve right away if I had them hunt an injured abyss, but to do it now…

No, when I’m in the abyss nest, I need them to be able to defend themselves when we’re separated for a bit, so if they were just E-ranks I’d be anxious . In that sense it might be just the right time .