The sound of the spider's roar was very painful to the ears, like a sharp blade scraping old wood.
They then covered their ears tightly, either with Mana or with their hands. Before everyone could react further, the spider's body jumped down and then moved one of its legs, which had claws as sharp as a dagger, towards Adam.
"Damn it, why me first?!"
With his large sword, Adam parried the attack with all his might. Sparks glowed, and their eyes were momentarily blinded by the spray from the clash of the claw and the sword blade.
Adam was pushed back three steps, then he did not hesitate to kick the troublesome young man away. He gnashed his teeth, now launching an attack.
Realizing that an ordinary attack was likely meaningless against this spider, Adam immediately coated the large sword blade with fire magic. A bright red color was so brilliant inside the cave.
Instantly, the temperature increased as the fire on the sword blade grew. Accompanied by a booming scream, Adam slashed from right to left.
Kraaakkk....
"Kaaaahhhkkk!" The spider shrieked in pain as the claw on one of its legs snapped off.
Alioth did not stand still, he also charged while the monster's attention was focused on Adam. After a few steps forward, the spider turned its body while spraying thick, sticky webs in all directions.
If Alioth hadn't reflexively distributed Mana to his feet, then crouched and dashed, he would surely have been a victim of the web.
"Ah, so distributeing Mana to my feet can make me faster?" he thought, impressed with his own doing.
In the back, panicked shouts were heard, but Claire had raised her staff and created a greenish dome of wind around them, protecting the woman and the two other men who had been hostages.
"Don't worry about us!" Claire shouted loudly.
Alioth's and Adam's spirits grew. Adam launched a second attack with his sword, which was still covered in fire, he slashed the cave floor until it felt like an earthquake. Then, from the crack in the ground, a powerful fire burst forth, successfully burning one side of the spider's face.
The monster screamed again.
Alioth sneaked under the monster, unleashing his Shadow Slash move with his sword raised high. When he arrived right under the spider's belly, he stabbed the sword and then dashed backward, creating a deep, long wound on the monster's body.
"Kaaahhkk!! Kaaahhkk!!"
The monster, in immense pain and anger, moved wildly. It kicked randomly, destroying its own nest and causing several elemental crystals on the ceiling to collapse.
Adam and Alioth tried hard to avoid all of that. They rolled, leaped, and occasionally had to split the cave rocks they couldn't avoid in time.
"Alioth, just a little more! It's already blind on one side from my fire!"
Alioth was currently behind the angry spider's body. Since he could only master one move, Alioth again unleashed Shadow Slash, but this time with two weapons, the gift knife in his left hand.
The dark blue aura in his left hand was larger than in his right hand, which held the sword. Alioth dashed again under the spider's body. He alternately swung both weapons to slash the two left hind legs. Then he unleashed Shadow Slash again and slashed the two left front legs.
In the process, it looked so beautiful. Flashes of blue light streaked like shooting stars in the night sky.
As a result of his actions, the spider roared, and its body collapsed to the left because all four of its left legs had been minced.
Its head automatically became lower, and Alioth shouted, "Decapitate it!"
Adam raised his sword, fire blazed brightly. Swung forward, a red light blazed, carrying splatters of blood.
The head rolled before hitting the wall and fell silent forever, as did the large body that was no longer moving.
For a moment, the six people in the room took a deep breath after the incredible tension that had just occurred. They had just succeeded in killing a giant monster. More precisely, two novice adventurers who had just officially joined the Adventurer's Guild.
Unfortunately, in the game Aetherion Chronicle, there was no such thing as adventurer rankings. All adventurers, from junior to senior, were equal, so if the guild found out about this, they might only be astonished and give gold coin rewards.
Alioth was the first to sheathe his sword. "Are you sure you only officially became an adventurer yesterday?" he asked Adam.
The young man also sheathed his sword and then smiled awkwardly. "The same question for you."
For a moment, the two looked at each other, then burst into laughter.
Claire had stopped her wind dome magic, but the girl looked quite exhausted. She still couldn't control the magic very well and now had to sustain it for a considerable amount of time.
The woman who had just laughed, a woman in her thirties, placed her hand on Claire's shoulder, and then a bright golden light appeared.
"You fought well," the woman said with a sincere smile.
"H-healing magic?"
The woman only smiled.
It was natural for him to be surprised because healing magic was very rare. It couldn't be learned by anyone. That magic could only be obtained from being born lucky, there was no other way.
On the other hand, Alioth and Adam took the monster core crystal from the severed head. The crystal was dark red, almost black. The two of them silently stared at the object.
"Take that, it's dark red so it should contain a powerful fire element," Alioth muttered, glancing at Adam.
Adam also glanced at him. "You can have it too."
"Huh, what for? You can see for yourself that my elemental magic isn't fire."
Adam smiled faintly. "First, I would have been overwhelmed if you hadn't helped. Second, even if you don't have fire magic, you can sell this at a high price."
That remark drew a chuckle from Alioth. "If you can use it, why should I sell it? Hurry up and take it before I change my mind."
Adam scratched the back of his head, which wasn't itchy, then took the object. "Thank you."
After that, he immediately shattered the crystal. Dark red stars flew around him and then entered his body. Adam's eyes widened when he felt the effect of the crystal.
"I feel a little stronger and my Mana has increased a lot."
"Try to perform an attack with your fire."
Adam nodded. He drew his sword and then performed a slash. Everyone there was stunned because Adam's fire was now brighter, almost white, which indicated his fire element was getting hotter.
"T-this... is incredible...," he stammered, witnessing the change in his own power.
Alioth smiled sincerely. "Congratulations, Adam."
The young man looked at Alioth with gratitude and thanks. "I won't forget this."
"S-so... we are safe now, right?"
The one who said it was the young man who had hysterically shouted and woken up the spider.
Hearing that voice, Adam's eyes narrowed sharply. Then, with quick steps, he approached the young man, grabbed the collar of his shirt, and yelled, "We almost died, you jerk!"
If it weren't for Claire trying to calm him down, the young man's face might have been ripe blue from several of Adam's punches.
***
Aetherion is a place located at the center of the world, specifically in the Land of Erdania, the most prosperous and affluent place in the entire world within the game.
Far above that place, a giant island with a magnificent palace floats. No one knows who lives under the pointed roofs of that palace, but everyone believes that because of the existence of that palace, the world remains safe from danger. That floating island and palace is named Aetherion.
Many people believe that the gods live there, so that is where humans direct their prayers and hopes for something.
However, Alioth still remembered the words of the pro players that Aetherion was difficult to explain. A part of Alioth was convinced that they just didn't want to spread spoilers, and Alioth was grateful at the time. Now he was cursing them out because of that secret, Alioth had no clues at all regarding Aetherion.
Alioth was still only on Chapter 7 in the game, and Aetherion would only be touched upon in Chapter 8. However, before he even reached that chapter, he was thrown here and had to find out for himself.
"What is actually stored there...?" Alioth gazed at the eastern sky, far away, there was a single, very bright star. That was the reflection of the moonlight on the majestic Aetherion palace. "Does my arrival in this world have something to do with that place? Ah, it must."
He heard footsteps from behind, even without turning, he knew they were Claire's footsteps.
The girl sat down next to him without asking, also gazing at the eastern sky.
"That brightest star is Aetherion, the dwelling place of the gods."
"I already know."
Claire's lips pursed annoyedly.
Silence lasted for a few more minutes, finally, Alioth opened the conversation first. "Aren't you sleeping?"
The girl shook her head. "Not yet." Instead, she took out a scroll from her small bag and handed it to Alioth. "I actually bought this for my father because it's a move that is very suitable for close-combat fighters. But it seems my father won't mind if I give it to you since you saved my life twice."
Alioth stared at the scroll in silence. So it was true, the incident was like the main quest. He would get two rewards: a skill and coins.
Alioth's hand reached out to accept it. "Are you sure you're giving it to me?"
Claire nodded with her usual sweet smile. "Absolutely sure!"
Her cheerful attitude made Alioth manage a faint smile. "Thank you," he said. "I will study it."
The girl looked happy, her smile widened even more.
Until late at night, they forgot that it should have been too late to be awake. Instead, the two of them were busy debating about the stars, the night sky, and tomorrow or the day after.
Alioth liked it, he hoped that his life this time would have a relatively light genre.