Extra Chapter (For Completing 300 Power Stones.)
….
Elroe Kingsnake LV 30
Appraisal Failed!
Such a terrifying level! Kumoko, even at Level 28, wasn't sure she could win against an Elroe Kingsnake.
This type of snake monster was also a high-tier creature that had undergone multiple evolutions, probably second only to Earth Dragon Araba in power within this stratum.
"Hiss— A monster like this... not easy to mess with. Normally, I'd run as far away as possible. But right now... my SP is almost gone. And... that snake actually looks kinda tasty," Kumoko calculated internally. She was truly starving.
Monsters she'd usually avoid now looked appetizing.
Even a pig will bite when hungry, let alone a spider! She thought about just charging in and taking a chunk out of the Kingsnake, consequences be damned! So, Kumoko tensed up, ready to attack!
But what Kumoko didn't know was that this Elroe Kingsnake was already prey for another, even stronger creature.
Earth Dragon Araba. The most powerful monster in the Elroe Labyrinth besides the Queen Taratect herself.
His Level 31 status put him above almost everything else.
As an Earth Dragon, his base stats were naturally much higher than other monster types, making him nearly unbeatable in the labyrinth.
Kumoko's fated enemy had finally arrived!
The inherent nobility and power of the Earth Dragon race were fully embodied in Araba. He emerged from the darkness, lifting his proud head, his eyes holding an almost human-like arrogance as he looked towards the Elroe Kingsnake.
"...It's him! Earth Dragon Araba! That Earth Dragon even stronger than Elliot! What's he doing here?!" Kumoko, who was about to attack the Kingsnake, froze. She never expected Araba to show up here.
Kumoko used her Appraisal skill on him, but as expected: [Appraisal Failed].
Kumoko felt a little speechless. "Am I unlucky or lucky today? Two powerful monsters show up at once, but I can't beat either of them."
"If only Elliot were here... With our combined strength, we might not lose to Earth Dragon Araba."
"But I don't even know where he is now, or if he's still alive..."
While Kumoko was lost in thought, the Elroe Kingsnake launched an attack against Earth Dragon Araba.
For the snake, devouring Araba would grant an immense power boost. There was even a small chance of obtaining the [Earth Dragon Bloodline]! For an ordinary creature, gaining even a trace of pure Earth Dragon blood was like a carp leaping over the dragon gate granting them draconic talents and racial abilities.
Abilities like [Reverse Scale], which resisted 99% of magic damage, or [Dragon Might], which intimidated weaker monsters powers exclusive to dragons. So, for the Elroe Kingsnake, eating Araba represented a massive potential upgrade.
But in Earth Dragon Araba's eyes, the Elroe Kingsnake was just... lunch.
The battle between the two behemoths caused tremendous vibrations. Even Kumoko, some distance away, felt the tremors.
"Ah... stop fighting, stop fighting! If you wanna fight, go fight in a dance studio!" Kumoko sighed. If these two kept fighting, they might attract the Queen Taratect, revealing her location.
Fortunately, the battle ended quickly. The Earth Dragon won with overwhelming strength, completely crushing the Elroe Kingsnake.
The monster that seemed so powerful to Kumoko was just a slightly fancier meal for Araba.
"Phew— It's finally over. The Earth Dragon should leave now, right?" Kumoko swallowed nervously. Although she was extremely tempted by the Kingsnake's meat, trying to steal food from Araba's jaws was way too difficult. Better just (hold back/be patient).
In her current state, she was definitely no match for the Earth Dragon. Her main goal was still defeating her mother; she had no intention of picking a fight with Araba right now.
However, something unexpected happened. After killing the Elroe Kingsnake, Earth Dragon Araba didn't take a single bite, nor did he leave. Instead, he turned his head with clear interest towards Kumoko's hiding spot.
"What? What do you want?"
"I have no intention of stealing your food!"
"Don't look at me! I'll leave right now..." Kumoko felt incredibly small. Knowing she wasn't Araba's match, she decided to act meekly, hoping not to anger him.
In this labyrinth, Kumoko knew exactly who was boss and who was number two. She currently lacked the power to challenge the Earth Dragon.
But... even as Kumoko planned her retreat, the Earth Dragon showed no signs of letting her go. He slowly opened his mouth, aiming directly at Kumoko's location, preparing to fire!
"No way! I didn't even taunt or provoked you! Why are you attacking me?!" Seeing the Earth Dragon open its mouth, Kumoko was terrified.
Seeing the Earth Dragon open its mouth, Kumoko turned and bolted, wishing she had extra legs.
Having spent time with Elliot, Kumoko knew firsthand how terrifying Earth Dragons were.
High base stats, plus various special dragon-exclusive skills this race was naturally leagues above others.
Just moments ago, the Elroe Kingsnake, another powerhouse of the labyrinth, was effortlessly defeated by Araba.
As the overlord of the Elroe Labyrinth, the Earth Dragon was supremely arrogant.
A blazing stream of dragon breath erupted. Even from a distance, Kumoko felt the intense heat.
The powerful wave surged forward, the terrifying beam of light instantly engulfing Kumoko's position. Her speed couldn't outrun the dragon's breath; she was caught in the blast.
Kumoko felt the world spin, everything illuminated by the intense light. Then, her body slammed hard against rock, heavy debris piling on top of her. The Earth Dragon's single breath attack instantly depleted her HP.
But then... [Perseverance] Activated! Her HP locked at 1 point.
Without the [Ruler of Perseverance] title and the [Perseverance] skill, she would have died instantly from that attack.
"Damn it! Damn it all!"
"I didn't want to fight you! Why did you attack me?!" Kumoko ground her teeth in fury. Even though she was weak from hunger, she had been rational enough not to try and steal food from a dragon.
She even backed off when Araba noticed her, showing she meant no harm! Yet, despite all that, the Earth Dragon still wouldn't let her go and attacked her without provocation!
If she didn't have [Perseverance], she'd be dead! That's why Kumoko was so angry. She showed weakness, and instead of being ignored, she was treated as easy prey.
The Earth Dragon hadn't intended to eat the Elroe Kingsnake. Instead, this little spider had piqued its interest.
To survive its breath attack... in this labyrinth, only its own kind or the Queen Taratect should have been able to do that.
He was completely surprised Kumoko could withstand his attack. This sparked his curiosity.
With her escape route cut off, Kumoko knew a fight with the Earth Dragon was inevitable.
[Divine Domain]
[Appraisal]
[Evil Eyes]
Kumoko instantly activated three skills, enhancing her sensory abilities. Now, she could finally see the Earth Dragon's stats clearly.
First, she confirmed her own stats:
[Shinigami's Shadow LV 28]Name: None
HP: 1/1400 (Green)
MP: 12110/12110 (Blue) + 1700 (Bonus)
SP: 850/2413 (Yellow) | 500/500 (Red - likely indicates the Perseverance HP-to-SP conversion pool)
Average Attack Power: 2394
Average Defense Power: 998
Average Magic Power: 11158
Average Speed: 7440
….
Extra Chapter on every 300 power stones.
&
If you want to read 15+ chapters ahead and unpublished fanfics you can check out my patreon or just take a visit.
[P].[A].[T].[R].[E].[O].[N]
http://patreon.com/Kazuma_trash
&
you can join my discord server: https://discord.gg/5Y7uZ2kN2Y
Or in short just click in join via invite link in your discord and enter this code: 5Y7uZ2kN2Y