This was an evolution path normal spiders didn't have. Similar to Elliot's [Rex Lapis Dragon Emperor], it was unique to Kumoko, likely requiring special conditions to unlock.
Evolving into [Zoa Ele] (Death Scythe) would allow Kumoko to maintain her small size while gaining powerful combat and stealth abilities. Like a nighttime assassin, capable of taking out targets from afar.
As for [Poison Taratect], that path mainly focused on increasing her toxicity, granting extremely potent poisons.
However, choosing the Poison Taratect path limited future evolutions almost exclusively to poison-focused types. It meant dedicating everything to [Poison] skills, with few other options.
"Hey, which evolution path do you think is better?" Kumoko explained the two choices to Elliot. She felt uncertain.
Right now, her strongest weapon was her poison. It was incredibly convenient. Many monsters far stronger than her died instantly after being hit with her custom-brewed toxins.
Creatures with ten times her HP would see their health rapidly drain to zero after being poisoned. That was the power of poison.
But [Zoa Ele] sounded very tempting too. It was a tough decision.
Elliot thought for a moment. "Go with [Zoa Ele]. Relying only on poison won't work against monsters with high poison resistance."
Plus, some monsters were poison specialists themselves and might be immune. There was also the saying, "the dose makes the poison."
Anything could be toxic in large enough quantities, even water. Poisons were generally less effective against larger creatures.
Her mother, the Spider Queen, was so massive that even if Kumoko evolved into the ultimate poison spider, her toxins would probably be insignificant to the Queen.
Poison worked great against these weaker monsters now, but she needed to think about the long term.
Kumoko's eyes lit up. "Right! And I want to keep my speed advantage! [Zoa Ele] seems better for that too."
No matter which path normal spiders took, they usually grew larger with each evolution. Kumoko didn't want to become huge and bloated like her mother.
"Okay, decided! I choose [Zoa Ele]!"
Having made up her mind, Kumoko began the evolution process, falling into a deep sleep. With Elliot guarding her, she didn't have to worry about being disturbed by other monsters.
Not long after, she emerged, fully evolved into the [Zoa Ele] form. Her stats received a significant boost.
While her HP was still a low 195, her Attack Power had jumped to 251! Her HP was actually lower than her Attack Power now.
Meaning, if she somehow attacked herself, she could technically one-shot herself. And since evolution reset her level to 1, she had enormous room for growth!
"Wow, such a big improvement..."
"My time has finally come!"
Looking at her new stats, Kumoko felt a surge of pride, almost getting carried away. Her biggest weakness had always been her low base stats, forcing her to rely on tricky abilities to painstakingly defeat stronger monsters.
Now, her front two pairs of legs had transformed into sharp, scythe-like appendages, giving her a distinct Grim Reaper vibe. The [Zoa Ele] evolution really lived up to its name!
Besides upgrades to skills like Poison Synthesis, she now had a new passive effect: [Paralysis]. Her attacks now carried a chance to paralyze enemies.
Most sane monsters were wary of poison, but paralysis? That was much harder to guard against. Even a tiny scratch could potentially paralyze a monster dozens of times her size!
Not only that, she also gained two incredible new skills: [Wisdom] and [Parallel Minds].
[Wisdom]: The n% power leading to godhood. Allows access to information about anything within one's perception range, up to Access Authority Level 1.
Also grants the ability to interfere with the MA field, surpassing the W system's limitations.
[Parallel Minds]: Allows the user to split their soul, creating additional independent consciousnesses.
And that wasn't counting various other skills like [Shadow Magic] that she also gained.
Too strong! Way too strong! Kumoko couldn't help but do a little happy dance. She had finally shed her former weakness! Now, she felt like she could actually stand toe-to-toe with powerful monsters!
Seeing Kumoko so ecstatic, Elliot nodded, knowing she must have acquired some powerful new abilities.
Alright, next stop: the center of the lava sea, to challenge the Lord of the Lava Sea.
But first, "sharpen the axe before chopping the wood." Kumoko was back at Level 1. Elliot decided to help her grind levels around the outer areas for a while. Once she leveled up a bit and got used to her new skills, then they would head to the center.
They sped through the area, encountering various Level 10-ish monsters. Now, Elliot didn't even need to lift a finger; Kumoko could instantly kill them with a single strike. The power of the [Zoa Ele] evolution was clear.
Soon, they arrived at a vast expanse of lava. Seeing numerous powerful creatures dwelling within, the two stepped onto the path leading into the fiery sea.
….
Stepping further into the lava sea region, the temperature spiked again significantly.
Fortunately, Kumoko's [Heat Resistance] was now Level 5, reducing the environmental damage to about a third of what it was before.
Combined with her upgraded [Base HP Recovery], she could manage, even with the increased heat.
As for Elliot? His massive HP pool made the heat negligible, like a mosquito bite. Seriously, who actually dies from a mosquito bite?
"This feels kinda like raiding a dungeon in a game," Kumoko remarked. As a gamer girl, she remembered playing many similar scenarios.
Elliot just shook his head slightly. Kumoko probably didn't realize yet that her memories might not be entirely accurate.
She wasn't really Wakaba Hiiro; she had just inherited some of Wakaba's memories during reincarnation and mistakenly believed she was her.
It was probably better she didn't know the truth; finding out might be deeply upsetting.
Putting those thoughts aside, Elliot focused on the task ahead and moved forward.
Just then, the system's voice sounded in his mind.
Because Kumoko was a reincarnator acknowledged by D, she often received strange skills seemingly out of nowhere.
Elliot, however, relied on his own system for skills. So, hearing the system chime unexpectedly was surprising.
"Elroe Labyrinth Middle Stratum. Recommended Entry Level: 20."
"Warning: Ahead lies the domain of the Middle Stratum Ruler, the Lord of the Lava Sea. Your current level is 15!"
Huh? The system suddenly spoke up just to warn him about danger? Well, that was normal, he supposed. Games often had level recommendations for areas and warnings if you were under-leveled.
But... in the original story, Kumoko managed to defeat the Lord of the Lava Sea by herself. Now there were two of them.
What was there to fear? Besides, his current stats, while maybe not quite matching the boss's, weren't far behind. With stats like his, level difference didn't mean as much.
So, Elliot basically ignored the system's warning.
However, he misunderstood. The system wasn't just giving a warning. It also presented a new quest.
"Quest Objective: Defeat the Lord of the Lava Sea located in the center of the Lava Sea (Team Kill)."
"Reward: Exclusive Weapon - Oath of Judah."
Exclusive Weapon, Oath of Judah? Elliot's expression turned strange. The moment he saw that weapon name, an image popped into his head: a small, white-haired loli who acted cute but was actually a 47-year-old grandma! Magical Girl Teriri!
Crap, why am I getting such a weird reward? Elliot had played both Honkai Impact 2nd and 3rd in his past life.
The original Oath of Judah from the earlier game was way more powerful than its 3rd iteration counterpart.
Back then, the phrase "Dual Judahs rule the world" was common. He wondered which version the system would give him.
Of course, regardless of the version, the reward was incredible. Weapons in this world provided extra attack power, other stats, and special effects.
Later on, Kumoko would get her own signature weapon, the White Great Scythe, which had a ridiculously high durability of 999,999Elliot practically indestructible.
That weapon basically had more HP than Kumoko herself! Getting a top-tier weapon this early would be a game-changer, like bringing a machine gun to a knife fight against other monsters and humans.
"Nice. Looks like this trip won't be wasted," Elliot thought, now fully committed. Since they were here, he wouldn't hold back. Time to go all out.
Within the lava sea, solid ground was scarce. Elliot and Kumoko landed on a small "island" where about a dozen Rock Dragonsaurs were gathered in a circle. They looked less like lizards and more like crocodiles. They had crawled onto the land to rest.
….
….
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