Arc | Chapter. 48: Surpassing the Limits (Patreon)

Chapter. 48: Surpassing the Limits

For some reason, I found the presence of the Immemorial Emera Spider oppressing, but I still braced myself as I raised my sword only for the red spider to immediately hit⁠— I felt my entire being recoil in pain before I was launched through the Black Forest, shattering through trees. I felt my heart rushing and for a moment, I was lost.

I didn’t understand how the Ancient Emera Spider became an Immemorial one instead, and I hardly understood why it was stronger than me⁠— no that was untrue. In training, monsters of the same Tier were always stronger than me, so there was no reason for an SS Tier monster to not be stronger than me, however…

I landed, my boots gritted through the grass and ground destroying the dirt, freezing it over as I looked onwards. My skill [Avatars of Frost] ended, and the ice armor covering me had fallen apart already, just from the aftershock of the hit alone; sure it was in a rough state but I still found it surprising. The spider was stronger than its Ancient version, by quite a margin.

And it was something that shocked me. It was something that made my heart rush, reminding me of my times in training; not the enjoyable thrill of battling, but the other side.

The struggle for survival.

I took a deep breath and summoned an ice spear, the weapon I was most familiar with. And after a blink, the Immemorial Emera Spider arrived, swiping its serrated limbs at me. I raised the spear diagonally to block, and the limbs, hit⁠— I felt the ice nearly crack on the spear as the ground around me shattered.

My arms throbbed in pain as I muttered⁠ numerous skills. Every single buff to the weapon was applied, and then, the spider hit again, this time diagonally as my feet gave out, sending me crashing into a tree as I simply wore a frown.

I didn’t like any of this, but I had no choice. I couldn’t run, I had to fight an enemy that I was actually unsure if I could even overcome; I had to survive. The spider came and before I could even try to attack, I was hit by a frenzy of attacks.

I parried, the first that came for my neck, the second came for my head as I was forced to raise the spear high⁠— the ground shattered once more as my arms quaked in pain, then came low which I barely deflected as I nearly lost my balance. I pushed myself to the limit, until finally I had a chance and I used one of my most familiar skills⁠—

[Frenzied Whirlwind]!

I stabbed, hundreds of times forward and the spider’s chitin merely cracked as it charged for me⁠⁠—

“[Deft Thrust], [Repulse]— [Armor Breaker]!”

The spear blurred, and it instantly hit the Immemorial Emera Spider; the ground exploded, numerous trees shattered as the red spider was thrown far away with an echoing hiss of pain.

At that moment, I lowered my spear, letting out a breath.

For some reason, I felt my breath growing short and my heart racing faster. My breath was shaky, and then I paused as I realized that my arms were red⁠— I was bleeding under my clothes. It was clear that I was outmatched as far as physical attributes go, and even the [Armor of Perma-frost] had long been bypassed.

It was… unreal.

I didn’t understand what I was feeling, but it was something along the lines of apprehension, apprehension to fight this⁠—

And I paused.

It was fucking fear.

I was fearful of the Immemorial Emera Spider because I did not understand it, it felt like being thrown a new enemy in training which I had no previous experience with⁠— or even expected to face. And not only that, but it was so strong that I was sure I’d be quite incapacitated if the thing got a single clean hit on me.

I had all the reasons to be fearful, and yet…

I couldn’t accept it. Memories of the training flashed, of every single victory, of every smile after a long hard battle, even during the times I was fearful I’d eventually collect myself and win. In that sense, this was no different than the training. I had pushed it back had I not?

Then, there was no reason why I had to give an ounce of respect to the spider, because in the end, the gap could be crossed.

I regripped my spear, and the spider came in a blink and this time, it tried to do the same flurry attacks, except I wasn’t going to let it⁠—

[Quick Step].

In a single moment I found myself on top of the spider and with the spear in hand I used the same combination of skills as before⁠— the spear blurred and the Immemorial Emera Spider drew a hissing squeal as it was slammed into the ground⁠— dirt exploded all around as I regripped.

Again.

But before I could slam the spear, the spider flipped. I was thrown back into the ground and web enveloped me; the silky string immediately began to freeze but the Immemorial Emera Spider flung⁠— I was sent crashing against numerous trees before bounced back to the monster who was waiting with its wide open fangs⁠—

And the web shattered, another spear formed in my hand as I called the most desirable skill in this situation⁠, [Repulse]⁠— and I threw the spear. It impacted the spider as it was thrown flying back in a single instant.

Then, I made another spear, reinforcing it with [Blessing of the Ice God] before the spider came. I frowned barely dodging the swipe, and then it opened its mouth and⁠— shot. [Quick Step] was used before part of the forest was consumed by a deadly red mana breath, one that evaporated things without a trace.

As much as I would’ve loved to use fancy skills against the spider, I knew they probably would be ineffective. I was better off whittling down with my basic skills and conserving my mana for a final blow, but⁠.

Was that the right thing?

I asked myself as I engaged in another fruitless battle against the Immemorial Emera Spider, I could feel my body slowly giving out; not out of mana but physically. I knew I was barely a match for the attributes of the spider after using enhancing skills. But, the real question was:

Could I endure it long enough in order to finally kill it off?

I ducked under a swipe before calling out.

“[Ice Creation]!”

A pillar below the spider, one that was shattered in no time⁠— a lot of my ice skills were ineffective against it too. So what were my options? Hope I’d triumph in the end? That sounded a bit stupid and yet⁠—

I was forced to block another hit from the unrelenting spider, feeling my bones tremble under the strength.

Was it really my only option?

I needed something new, [Avatars of Frost] wouldn’t work, nothing in my arsenal would work. So I had to create it…?

Two new skills in a single day…?

And I smiled.

“Why not?”

I immediately focused on my thoughts as I went through plausible variants of every single one of my strong skills. Whether it was a different version of [Frost Domain], a different way to use [Judgment of the Ice God] or a single target focused [Everlasting Glaciation]. I went through everything, as my body was slowly worn down.

This time, I was cut, this time I was thrown around like a ragdoll as I felt ribs break, this time, it was hardly a battle as it became one sided, but I ignored it all because I knew, this was part of overcoming my limits.

This was the reason I had survived training.

My mind parsed through things as I realized I kept hitting the same realization over and over again. I had to use [Stasis], my strongest skill, but it was so mana intensive that using it on an SS Tier being just for a second would completely drain me in my current state, given I was at one-fourth of mana remaining.

I knew I had to modify it, but… how?

I gritted my teeth, returning to fight as I pushed the spider back. It fought tooth and nail with me, even if I threw it back, its dexterous limbs would keep it moving, its joints would give it flexibility I couldn’t match⁠—

And I had a realization as the spider landed a clean hit on me. My entire sleeve was torn as I was thrown into a thicket of trees, my left arm heavily bled as it clicked.

Why couldn’t I use it on just parts of its body?

That wasn’t enough however, I still needed it to be more efficient in the mana department. I still had to optimize it, and make it. Then, the spider came once more, this time I only managed to deflect a hit before I was thrown back; one of my arms was entirely useless and my mind distracted.

But as I landed bleeding heavily, I couldn’t help but smile.

I rose from the ground, as I extended my arm in the general direction, it was a bit of a mouthful, but as I felt it in the tip of each of my fingers, grasping the air itself, just like [Stasis] but more limited, more specific.

Of course, that wasn’t the end of it, far from it⁠. Skills were used as my senses expanded to the limit hearing everything, even what was happening in Ranedale, and within my hand, I truly felt it; the connection I was seeking. I thought about the body of the spider, how each of its joints moved, and I grinned.

The spider arrived, swiping its serrated leg for my head, and I closed my hand, grasping the strands of air and bringing them together as I called:

“[Shattered Stasis].”

And the limb cracked freezing for intermittent moments ⁠— milliseconds ⁠— as I easily dodged, its movements turned hundreds of times sluggish as I backed off, easily dodging the spider. My right hand clutched onto my left arm, quickly freezing the wounds before making another spear of ice.

I pulled back, feeling nothing but exhilaration as I spoke a deluge of skills outloud, every single skill I knew that could make the spear stronger was used once more. And then, as I saw the sluggish and stiff spider, I grinned.

“It’s time for payback.”

And I threw it.

A large part of the Dark Forest immediately froze as a haunting squeal echoed, marking the beginning of my revenge.

* * * * *

Gisele gritted her teeth in anger. The Dragon of Flames was intervening, and even though it was S Tier, she was at best his match. She couldn’t understand it, and she hated it. Her flawless plan was being meddled with by a random hero she had never seen before and the supposed neutral Dragon of Flames?

It was ridiculous.

She hated it all.

Gisele swiped, her arm transforming into the limb of an Ancient Emera Spider, and a shield of flames appeared; it barely cracked and then a deluge of flames was breathed upon her. She was pushed back, gritting her teeth in pain.

She didn’t have many spiders left, otherwise she would’ve already made short work of the Dragon of Flames, and she hated it. She hated that now she had to wait for the Ancient Imera Spider to kill the Hero of Frost ⁠— which was an uncertainty without her control ⁠— and then for it to come back after its frenzy was done.

She was after all, it’s mother so there was an instinctual draw that would make it come back⁠— but she couldn’t force it to come back.

Otherwise the Dragon of Flames would’ve long died. Gisele hated it! If anything, the only way she could get rid of it was using her trump card.

She gritted her teeth. “How dare you intervene! Are you that insecure about your master dying?!”

“No, but it is part of my duty!”

The dragon retaliated with another breath of flames, one that Gisele struggled to deal with as she continued to curse him out.

“If it weren’t for you, she would be dead! And now you leave me no fucking choice!”

She really didn’t want to do it, but it was a necessity. The only way for her to win was to kill all of her spiders and use their reduced experience to move to the next Tier, she was a mere five levels away. Simply killing the Ancient Emera Spider would be enough, but she didn’t want to do it.

Gritting her teeth, she reinforced her decision.

“I hope you repent in the afterlife, and as for your puny hero, once it's two against one she will stand no chance,” she hissed, continuing. “[Command of the Spider Deity: Peri⁠—]”

And she saw a red shadow, Gisele covered her face as the ground next to her exploded. And when it cleared, she saw it⁠, she sensed it—

[Immemorial Emera Spider. Tier: SS]

I-Immemorial…? Her mind nearly froze, it was a genetic lottery and a masterpiece, but the spider was nearly beaten to death. Which meant…

And she heard the cracking of knuckles.

“You know, I really didn’t need Regis’ help.” Gisele turned only to see the white haired woman walking towards her, cracking her neck. “I alone could’ve dealt with both of you, but it doesn’t matter.”

Gisele could barely register it⁠— somehow and in some way, the Immemorial Emera Spider had been beaten this badly. Sure, the Heroine of Frost was extremely beat, part of her skin was missing and one of her arms was bent the wrong way, but… By her calculations, almost no hero should be able to touch it, and yet…

And before she could react, Arc appeared next to her and kicked.

Gisele felt her ribs break and location change as she fell to the tiled ground. Around her there were shattered buildings, and people taking shelter.

It was the town she attacked.

And then, the crackling of ice brought her attention back to the Heroine of Frost, who was now wearing a magnificent armor of ice covering her full being. She stood over Gisele, looking down and then she spoke in a pleasant whisper, raising her arm.

“I had a good fight, thank you.”

Gisele paused, and the Heroine of Frost brought her arm down as the judgment of Ice fell on them. Ending her current life right then and there, and Ranedale cheered for her demise.

◇ ◇ ◇

Gisele awoke to a deluge of notifications and throbbing pain. She was in a dark cave, and finally when her eyes refocused a loud angry growl left her.

[ Bloodline Succession has been used. ]

[ Bloodline Succession has entered a cooldown of: 6 Years, 364 days, 23 hours and 59 minutes… ]

[ You have leveled down. ]

…

“Heroine of Frost, I will fucking kill you!” she screamed looking with her night vision into the egg-filled cave with anger.

It was her hatchery, and for the first time in decades it was nearly completely empty. She had sacrificed so much just to make that Ancient Emera Spider, and it even became an Immemorial Emera Spider only for it to immediately fucking die.

Somehow and in some way, the Heroine of Frost had overcome it, even though⁠— Gisele didn’t understand it.

She stomped her foot. “I will kill you, even if it’s the last thing I do, I swear I will dance on your corpse, and then find you again and kill you for good so I can dance some more!”

“That is quite insane, isn’t it?”

Gisele froze hearing a familiar voice, and turned only to see the same bloodied Heroine of Frost.

“How did you⁠⁠—?”

And the woman interrupted, walking forward. “I didn’t know the use of a revival skill would still send a notification, but no matter.” Her eyes narrowed standing before her. “I will just kill you again, this time for good.”

Gisele shivered, and before she could react, she was punched into the wall, numerous bones breaking.

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