He left the command tent and the boss room behind. Through the twisted corridor he passed through the silk curtains and into the commons. Thats when he was bombarded by the sounds of fat crackled over open flame, bursts of steam whistled through the air, and he heard a relaxed community. Tints and fires littered the dais. He thought they might as well have rung the dinner bell. Campfires were lit roasting the choicest parts of caught spiders. If he ignored the scent of feces in the air, he could mistake it for a lobster dinner minus the butter.

At least they kept the road clear, it was the most direct way into the dark. If he couldn't go to the next floor, then he'd power level and stack up skills. Even if they were spider based more skills couldn't hurt.

"Hey you're an officer?" A young boy said. Nero looked down at the spider carapace armor he wore. It was some of Jack's best work. His red cape gave the spider armor some much needed color. With a black helm crowning his head, he oozed authority. He looked like an ebony spartan all he needed was a spear and giant round shield.

Joshua lvl1

Barrier *

Defense 100

HP 10

Affiliation: Cult of Christ Julius

"I am. What's your name boy." The boy had a small book instead of a phone. He couldn't have been older than 12.

"Joshua, Reverend Julius said you were mean. I think you just look like a dark soul's boss." Nero could sense a sheen of light around Joshua.

"I'm certain your reverend wouldn't approve of that game." The boy looked down in shame. They were crossing into the heavily congested area. Large crosses made of spider legs attended the faithful stoically. In pots hovering over roaring fires spider blood was boiling.

"One of the heretics has a cooling skill. We boil the blood to kill anything harmful then she cools it down to drink. It helps to pretend its wine." Nero pulled a long golden chain from around his neck. On its end was metal cross.

"Wait why would you wear that?" Joshua asked.

Several of the flock looked upon it with shock. Nero shook his head. "Sometimes faith doesn't die no matter how much you want it to. Call it a habit." The faithful gathered in greater number. They were mindless drones possessed by another's values. Nero turned his attention to the boy.

"You seem like a smart kid. If your leading me into a trap your protection won't mean shit." The boy froze before a look of fury mutilated over his face.

"God protected me when my sister was taken. It was the officers that led us into this hell. If it was up to you, we would have been dragged further into this hell." Nero smiled. The crowd transformed into a mob.

Nero had long since accepted the fact that they were already dead. "Stop if we attack him then the reverend will be killed. Our protection will disappear. Check your phones there's a message from the reverend." A woman shouted.

"You heard her stand down and let me through." Nero shouted. For now, he had to play the game. He didn't really know what Julius's skill did. He did know that Francis could still bypass the defenses and barriers. In order to kill one of them, he needed to deal a blow equal to half their defense, wipe out their defense and hit them again. Their attack was equal to their defense. That made them dangerous especially in a crowd. Killing them would be ideal.

"Fine, we'll let you through. Go into the dark in peace. We hope you never come back." The woman said.

"Joshua if you stay here, you'll share the same fate as your sister." Nero said the words with all the sincerity he could muster. He slipped the cross back beneath his armor and walked down the road.

He stepped out into the darkness without a torch. Nero erupted with sky blue. His mana was at maximum and he wanted to power level his skills. Not three steps out of the light of the dais and they began to drop around him. This was his chance the barricade was closed behind him.

Purple halo's appeared in front of his hands firing out poison needles. No matter the level his fortune was incredibly low.

A trap door burst open and long legs wrapped around him ready to drag Nero in. It seemed the answer to every creature was the same. Powerful fangs scraped again hard carapace lined with his blood shield. Against the fangs of the trapdoor spiders he might as well have been invincible. He placed his hand on its head and fired 10 needles into its body. It pulled him into its den and dropped him to curl up and die.

Level Up

Nero lvl6

All his mana was back, and he was ready to get back to killing. He tossed the trap door up and repeated his kills. Every seven dropped a die which was great, but it wasn't what he was looking for. For a while every ten leveled his poison needle by one. Then it took twelve, fifteen, and twenty-five.

Level Up

Nero lvl12

14 stat dice

Rolling...

5D6 x 1D4 = 2 + 2 + 2 + 4 + 6 x 3 = Three of a kind (2 x 30) = 46 x 3 = 138 stat points

5D6 x 1D4 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 6 x 3 = 48 stat points

It was ludicrous. The difference that a few levels could make. Saving stat dice was definitely the way to go. He placed his new stat points immediately.

Constitution 1

VITALITY 12.1

STRENGTH 3

DEXTERITY 1

Agility 4

Magic 1

Intelligence 9

Wisdom 1

Luck 1

Stat points: 186

Constitution 1

VITALITY 12.1

STRENGTH 3

DEXTERITY 20

Agility 20

Magic 50

Intelligence 62

Wisdom 50

Luck 1

Stat Points: 0

HP 145.73

MP 315

ATK 13.39

DEF 13.13

SATK (79.38) 1,939.38/10s

SDEF 37.5

SPD 30 ACC 15.6

Forturne 13.13

Nero had to adapt, or he'd die like thousands before him. Skill dice were next, poison needle was great, but he needed more skills. Regeneration hadn't leveled since he'd acquired it. The skill didn't match his build, he didn't know how to feel about becoming a magic assassin. He selected 6 rows of six dice and rolled them.

Spider Dice Rolls 6: 5D6 x 1D2

1 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 6 = ((30 x 2) + 13) x 1 = 73 Common: Cling 1 + 1 + 1 + 4 + 6 = ((30 x 1) +13) x 2 = 86 Common: Ambush 3 + 3 + 4 + 6 + 6 = ((3 x 10) + (6 x 10) + 22) x 1 = 112 Uncommon: Acid Spray 2 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 4 = ((2 x 10) + (4 x 10) +15) x 1 = 75 Common: Stealth 3 + 4 + 5 + 5 + 6 = ((6 x 10) + 23) x 2 = 166 Uncommon: Toxic Blood 2 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 6 = ((5 x 30) +23) x 2 =346 Super Rare: Mystical Integrity

Cling I lvl1 – An insect type skill designed to allow giant Arachnids and insects cling to surfaces despite their weight and size. 5mp/s. AGL related.

Ambush I lvl1 – A predatory skill designed to catch prey unaware. Unlocks the action ambush. AGL skill

Acid Spray I lvl1 – A Acid type skill that unleashes a shotgun spread of caustic acid. Higher levels increase the range, amount of acid, and duration. INT skill

SATK Acid DMG = (INT x skill lvl) / (1s x skill lvl)

10MP/s

Stealth I lvl1 – A skill that allows predator and prey alike to remain undetected. The higher the level the greater the presence concealment. DEX skill

Toxic Blood I lvl1 – A feared skill among poison type monsters. Your blood is a powerful poison that can kill on contact. INT Skill

SATK Poison DMG = (INT x skill lvl x 10)

Mystical Integrity I lvl1 – A skill present in all giant insects and arachnids. Dependent on mana increases ATK, DEF, and SPD. MAG skill

+ATK/DEF/SPD = MP x 0.01 x skill lv

After killing a truly ludicrous number of trap door and wall spiders he heard something weird in the dark. Magic was an insane power to have. Just increasing his mana had manifested a new sense. Three purple halos appeared in front of his hand linked together. They were more a chain than a magic circle now. Three needles manifested at once and fired into the darkness.

Nero saw a flash in the dark and took a step back. The sound cleared, his needles flew faster, and the flashes materialized a woman. His mana worked better than his eyes. Through mana detection he reacted to trap door spiders, wall spiders, and the woman walking towards him.

Lines of needles covered her body and still she walked. Tear tracks gorged her face, long silky black hair defended her modesty, while bloody feet trudged her quivering form towards him. He couldn't conjure an excuse.

He covered his nose too late when the scent of rot hit him. It was even worse than the dais. The smell was a hit to the gut. It reminded him of maggot filled corpses, curdled milk, and watching someone vomit.

"My children are dead." She whispered.

"Is that why you killed yourself?" He gaged the words out. His empathy died with whatever caused the smell. It grew worse when she drew closer. He couldn't hide it anymore. Nero openly gagged and tried to evacuate his empty stomach.

"Why would I kill myself?" The creature stepped closer. In the dark he could finally make out her shadow. She let out a heavy sigh. "I can always make more. You killed them, didn't you? Perhaps, you'd become my mate."

Nero raised his hand while his stomach showed that it was the superior gymnast. If he had anything else inside it was gone now. Three purple rings spun before blasting the creature.

"Such meat on those bones." He rolled on the ground barely quick enough to dodge a long sticky strand of web. He refused to close the distance. If her stench made him choke from twenty yards, he didn't want a kiss. If there were demons in this world this creature was one.

He dashed about keeping his distance peppering her with poison needles. Then he heard her voice again.

"If you keep this up, you'll ruin my costume. It finally started attracting snacks." She moved too quick to follow with mana alone.

Nero held his breath and swung his dagger. His dagger tore through rotten flesh while his target danced away from the blade. He could see long legs poking out of the corpse. Flies buzzed all around him and he felt maggots wiggling on his blade through mana sense. He dry heaved on the spot and retreated from the monster.

There was only one way to solve this. Nero sucked in a breath and prepared for an all-out attack. Every breath tore at his sanity. He raised his hand and unleashed an acid spray. A tiny green ring unleashed a wave of green caustic acid on the monster.

"No it was finally the way I wanted it." The monster cried. Nero increased the mana supply. The scent of powerful magical acid was a breath of fresh air. With a full breath he could finally think about.

From the corpse a long thin creature slipped out. Bones clanged against the ground. The creature stood easily eight feet in height. It had a somewhat human face and long pointed ears. She had two human arms along with long spider limbs. Whatever this creature was Nero would not allow it to live.

"Acid and poison, we will make powerful children." Nero didn't say a word. He held up his knife and prepared to fight to the death.

Just as he could breathe again the horrible scent overcame the magic acid and filled the air.

"Fuck, what is that stench?" Nero yelled.

"Don't pretend you don't like it? Its my own special concoction." Nero raised his hand.

"Clearly you are a terror that must be destroyed." He blinked and she was on him.

A powerful blow knocked him across the ground. She was on him before he could react. Blow after blow rained down on him through the split in his breast plate. Spider legs ripped through the hole. He could feel her in his lungs. Nero opened his mouth and choked for air.

Stolen Lives 4/5

She was much faster than him but was she stronger. He grabbed ahold of the legs stabbing into him and struggled to push them out. Every breath made him gag and his lungs couldn't move. It hit him then his lungs were filling with blood. He had to get away.

Its was like trying to uproot a great oak in his own chest. More legs reached out and stabbed into him. He felt them pierce above his collar bone and exit through his hips. Nero was a broken pipe his blood spilled out but not a drop touched the ground; it was all absorbed by his death clothes.

Stolen lives 2/5

Undeath Clothes I lvl10 – (+2 VIT x item lvl) Mutation life has infused the undeath clothes changing them. The undeath clothes have begun merging with the user's body. The blood of enemies can be used to further enhance the death clothes.

Effects:

Blood Shield II = 2 x VIT x Item lvl = 362

Living Infusion I – The user can manipulate the fabric of their clothes. ATK = 1 x STR x item lvl

Mystical Integrity lvl5

Nero screamed out again this time from the undeath clothes. His body shook while the red cape split into dozens of long tentacles and cracked like whips. The suit was his skin spliting andreforming. Every crack frayed his nerves because he could feel them. From the thinnest of thread to the thickest of fabrics he could feel everything. Most of all he could feel his nerves connecting, tearing, and stitching back together. It was enough pain to drive a mad man sane.

Threads and fleshy tentacles dove into his wounds closing what they could. Long corded tentacles wrapped around the legs stabbing into him.

"The more we struggle the more monstrous we become." The words came from the woman in front of him. Her face looked more human than ever for a moment.

He needed to free himself from her. The fabric around his legs formed splints and wrapped around the armor pieces on his legs for support. Long stakes stabbed through the floor anchoring him to the ground. Nero gasped he couldn't out fight her.

A tentacle wrapped around life taker and sliced through the spider legs. She hissed and screamed blood splattered. He felt hungry. Tiny threads shot up and snatched the spilled blood from the air. Powerful blows smashed him but couldn't break his blood shield.

He raised life taker and stabbed her in the chest. When he pulled the knife free, she took a step back and let out a horrible shriek. His undeath clothes settled back into its normal state. It was starting to make sense. From the tip of his head to the soles of his feet he felt less human and more of something else.

If he didn't get to the end and solve this dungeon, then he'd end up just like this monstrous spider woman.