Arachne Raid (2)
The high-speed glide shells easily pierced through the spiderwebs that Arachne had spread out in all directions.
From the beginning, high-speed glide shells had been created to penetrate thick enemy armor and explode inside, so they effortlessly tore through the webs hanging everywhere.
Moreover, these were not webs infused with Arachne’s mana, but ordinary webs spread out simply to build her nest, so they offered almost no stopping power.
Crack! Boom!
KWA-KWA-KWA-BOOM!!
The high-speed glide shells that had pierced through the webs all embedded themselves into Arachne’s body and exploded.
Flinch.
Given Arachne’s immense size, it was only natural that these explosions did not deal fatal damage.
However, they were enough to make her flinch.
If compared to a human, it was like being pricked repeatedly with a small but sharp needle… but the problem was that this stinging attack continued without end.
Swooooosh, BOOM! KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA-BOOM!
Because the three K9Xs were firing high-speed glide shells once every three to four seconds, shells were constantly raining down on Arachne.
Being pricked by a needle once or twice might just make one think, ‘That stings,’ and brush it off… but when it happened dozens or hundreds of times, it went far beyond a mere sting.
Kiiiiiiiik.
Eventually, after being struck by dozens of high-speed glide shells, Arachne began to move slowly.
First, she spewed out webs in order to block the continuously incoming shells.
Shwaaaaaa!
The webs imbued with mana were different from ordinary webs.
However, the high-speed glide shells fired from the K9X were not ordinary munitions either.
Not only did they gain tremendous kinetic energy while arcing through 20 kilometers, but their very shape was similar to armor-piercing rounds, specialized in penetrating armor.
Just like now.
Drdrdrdrk! KWA-KWA-BOOM!
The glide shells tore through even the mana-infused webs and embedded themselves into Arachne’s body.
At this point, Arachne could no longer ignore it.
Even now, shells were continuously falling from the sky, steadily accumulating damage.
KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!
In the end, Arachne’s aggro was fully drawn.
Having clearly designated her attack target, Arachne began moving her massive body toward the direction from which the glide shells were flying.
Grrrrr, grrrr.
Leaving distinct tracks across the white salt plain, Arachne slowly advanced.
And yet, the high-speed glide shells continued to adjust and rain down upon the moving Arachne.
The reason this was possible was that Seon Yul, observing Arachne through Spike Crow, was modifying the firing parameters input into the K9Xs in real time.
Seon Yul’s objective was singular: draw Arachne out of her nest and lure her into Kambalda, his own territory.
All preparations in Kambalda West had already been completed, so he believed that as long as he could lure Arachne there, victory was more than feasible.
And that was precisely why he had prepared three K9Xs.
The three K9Xs continued spewing fire without rest.
In truth, the shells Seon Yul was firing were by no means cheap.
Firing them by the hundreds would consume several kilograms of intermediate magic stones, but right now it was far more important to deal damage to Arachne and secure her aggro than to worry about consumption.
Watching Arachne’s movement through the observer (Spike Crow), predicting her path and speed, and adjusting firing data accordingly… Seon Yul, who had effectively become a one-man artillery unit, fired diligently just as he had practiced.
After this continued for over ten minutes, Seon Yul had completely secured Arachne’s aggro, and as a result, Arachne left her nest and slowly began approaching Kambalda West, where Seon Yul was.
From Arachne’s perspective, no one had dealt this much damage to her in recent memory. A few years ago, some mana users had entered her nest and attacked her, but each time she had eliminated them without much difficulty.
But today was different.
At first, she tried to ignore or casually block the attacks. However, the enemy’s strikes were sharper than expected and difficult to intercept.
And most decisively, they came in relentless succession.
An attack this powerful and continuous was something Arachne had never experienced before.
The enemies Arachne knew, mana users, used mana, an energy with a clear limit.
Therefore, the continuity of their attacks also had an obvious limit.
But the enemy currently bombarding her showed no such limit.
Thus, Arachne had no choice but to directly approach the enemy.
She was aware that she had left her nest.
But she did not consider that a serious problem.
Step. Thud, thud!
At last, leaving Lake Lefroy behind, Arachne stepped into Kambalda West.
Her eight enormous legs, matching her colossal body, slowly stepped into Kambalda West one by one… and even at that moment, high-speed glide shells continued to fly toward her.
Arachne stared precisely toward the direction from which the attacks were coming.
She spewed webs in that direction.
Shwaaaaaaaaaa!
Now that she had discovered where the enemy was, she began moving in earnest to catch and devour it.
‘She’s here!’
Meanwhile, after confirming that Arachne had fully entered Kambalda West, Seon Yul immediately ceased fire.
As if perfectly timed, Arachne hurled masses of webbing toward the large Absolute Space entrance Seon Yul had opened.
Papapapapap!
The web masses adhered to the entrance and layered over it several times.
‘Trying to block the attack like this? Too bad… I’m done with the bombardment anyway.’
Seon Yul immediately closed the Absolute Space entrance that had been opened for artillery.
Seeing the hole she had been attacking suddenly vanish, Arachne was briefly startled and activated her super-sense, scanning the surroundings to locate the enemy.
Ziiiiiiiiing.
But nowhere could she detect the enemy.
Arachne’s super-sense was capable of detecting even the slightest movement of a single ant.
And she could exercise this ability within a 3-kilometer radius centered on herself, so unless the enemy had instantly fled beyond 3 kilometers, this situation made no sense.
Kik, kiiiiiik!
Sharararararak!
For the time being, Arachne began spreading webs throughout Kambalda West, intending to turn it into an area similar to her own domain.
Though Arachne looked exactly like an ordinary spider, she was in fact an SS-grade raid monster. As such, she was capable of ‘thought.’
High-grade monsters were as intelligent as humans, so she believed the enemy who had attacked her was still nearby.
Even though she had failed to detect the enemy with her super-sense, she judged it highly likely that the enemy was hiding while evading her detection.
And even if the enemy had fled, she considered it not a bad choice to spread webs throughout Kambalda West.
Naturally, her judgment was correct.
Seon Yul had not fled. He had simply entered Absolute Space to evade her super-sense.
After completing additional preparations inside Absolute Space, Seon Yul opened another entrance.
This entrance was not the one used for the initial bombardment. It was the second entrance, opened behind Arachne.
Specifically, toward the golf course area, she had already trampled.
The second entrance was of ordinary size, and Seon Yul stepped outside through it.
Naturally, he was fully equipped.
The moment he emerged, he immediately opened Absolute Space [Tatto] on his right palm and activated all of his level perks.
Because super-sense was not constantly active, Arachne had not yet realized that Seon Yul had emerged behind her and continued scattering webs everywhere.
Meanwhile, Seon Yul set up the enchanted GAU-19 inside the Absolute Space he had opened behind Arachne, then quickly ran off in another direction.
After widening the distance to some extent from the Absolute Space entrance where the GAU-19 was set, Seon Yul pressed himself against the side of a building located a bit away from the golf course.
He then draped the Mithril Cloak of Concealment over himself and hid.
With preparations complete, Seon Yul activated the pre-set GAU-19 while remaining concealed.
Click, whirrrrr! Dudududududududududududu!
Having frequently operated weapons inside Absolute Space from outside, his proficiency had improved considerably, allowing him to fire very quickly now.
Brrrrrt!
Arachne, who had been spreading webs, was startled by the sudden attack and turned her massive body.
Kukukukung!
Because of her enormous size, she crushed nearby buildings as she turned… and in doing so, she spotted a single hole in the air, wildly spewing bullets.
Seeing an attack method similar to the one she had initially detected, Arachne confirmed the enemy had not fled and once again spewed webs at the hole.
Shararararar!
Papat, papapapat!
The tough, mana-infused webs layered over the Absolute Space entrance and sealed the hole.
Boom, brrrapraprap!
Even the GAU-19’s firepower could not break through the web seal.
Having sealed the hole, Arachne then vibrated the webs, causing them to emit mana imbued with a razor-sharp energy that seemed capable of slicing through everything in the world.
This was the technique called ‘Web Blade,’ by which Arachne had cut down the mana users who had come to hunt her.
However, the sword-like energy flowing from the webs could not enter Absolute Space.
While concealed, Seon Yul used a Real Painting [The Door] he had drawn to move deeper into the residential area of Kambalda West.
After further widening the distance, he immediately closed the Absolute Space entrance that had been installed to attract attention. As a result, the Web Blade, attempting to infiltrate Absolute Space, was completely blocked and dissipated.
‘This should make her fully aware of my presence, right?’
Seon Yul knew very well that Arachne was not a mindless monster driven solely by carnivorous instinct.
So after firmly imprinting his existence upon her, he had continuously provoked her to lure her to the real battlefield he had carefully prepared: Giles McPherson Park in the residential district of Kambalda West.
Seon Yul had made numerous preparations in this densely packed residential area.
After establishing the initial camp atop the recreation center, he had come here and worked diligently for more than half a day.
Therefore, if he could lure Arachne here, the raid would be half… or rather, 80 percent, successful.
At present, Arachne was approximately 1 kilometer away from Seon Yul.
At this distance, the weapon that could inflict the most certain damage on Arachne was… the main gun of the K3 stealth tank.
Ziiiiing!
Seon Yul opened another Absolute Space entrance.
Since he had no intention whatsoever of considering intermediate magic stone consumption in this raid, he opened and closed entrances without hesitation.
After opening the entrance, he concentrated his mind and set up the K3 stealth tank.
For more precise and powerful attacks, he would normally need to enter Absolute Space and prepare by inputting firing data.
But right now, quickly drawing Arachne closer was more important than anything else, so Seon Yul simply fired without preparation.
BOOM!
The distance was only about 1 kilometer, and the target itself was the enormous Arachne, so even rough aiming was sufficient.
Swoooosh, KWA-BOOM!
The fin-stabilized discarding sabot armor-piercing round tore through the air and embedded itself in Arachne’s rear body, exploding.
KIIIIIIIK!!
Having sealed one hole only for another attack to strike her from behind, Arachne felt the impact and turned her body again, clearly enraged.
And finally, in her sight, she saw not just a hole… but the enemy.
KIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!
Having identified the enemy, Arachne charged toward Seon Yul faster than ever before.
Thud, thud-thud!
With her enormous body bulldozing everything in her path, Arachne closed the distance in an instant.
Yet Seon Yul remained where he stood, continuing to fire the K3’s main gun calmly.
No matter how powerful the rounds fired from the K3’s main gun were, they were not sufficient to stop Arachne’s charge or deal fatal damage at this stage.
And yet Seon Yul watched Arachne with a relaxed expression.
Ultimately, Arachne nearly covered the entire residential area of Kambalda West with her massive body and reached directly in front of Seon Yul.
To Arachne, Seon Yul looked like a human looking at an ant.
A trivial, insignificant existence. She considered how she should painfully kill this insignificant being that had dared to annoy her.
And at that very moment…
That insignificant-looking insect(?) suddenly snapped his fingers.
Snap.
A trivial gesture…
But what happened after that was anything but trivial.
Ruuuuuuumble!
As he snapped his fingers, Seon Yul infused mana into the Real Painting [Black Hands] that he had previously drawn.
It was not just one or two drawings of Black Hands.
There were forty in total. Forty drawings painstakingly prepared over several hours… all infused at once with Seon Yul’s mana.
As a result, Seon Yul used every last bit of the mana he possessed, leaving nothing behind. However, since his main ability, Absolute Space, did not consume mana, it was not a major issue.
Of course, he felt slightly dizzy as his mana was drained in an instant… but even as he felt that dizziness, hundreds of shadowy hands were already bursting endlessly from the ground beneath Arachne’s feet.
And all of those Black Hands latched onto Arachne’s massive body, gripping her tightly.
‘Okay, got you.’
The true beginning of the raid, as Seon Yul envisioned it…
Would start from the moment he firmly seized Arachne’s colossal body.
Comments (0)