Chapter 16 – Web of Screams
Northwestern Camp, Manaus City
A soldier dashed through the military outpost, weaving between crates and camo tents like a man late to his own wedding. No one stopped him—his expression was enough to say this ain't a coffee break.
He flung open the canvas flap of a command tent. Inside, maps, scattered papers, and a single bare bulb gave the place a war-time urgency. A man sat at the table, his uniform crisp, his eyes sharper than a whetted blade.
Major Eduardo raised a brow at the intrusion. "What happened that you came barging in without knocking?"
The soldier snapped to attention, breath short, voice tinged with dread. "Sir, we lost contact with the team sweeping the western sewer grid."
The major's brows drew together like thunderclouds. "How many men?"
"Ten, sir. All armed. All gone silent."
Eduardo clenched his jaw. "Any last reports?"
The soldier hesitated. "Only one, sir. Said the sewers were… full of spiders. Lots of them."
A heavy silence hung in the tent. The major drummed his fingers against the table.
"They were only Level 1 soldiers, but still… a ten-man squad disappearing like that is no joke." He stood up, the chair behind him groaning.
"Evacuate the western region near the sewer grid. Get all civilians out of there. Assemble the squads, and send smaller teams to cull monsters on the outskirts."
"Understood, sir."
"And one more thing," the major added, his voice dropping. "It's confirmed—killing monsters with guns gives no experience. From now on, encourage the troops to use melee or blunt weapons. Clubs, batons, blades—I don't care. We need strength, not noise."
The soldier nodded grimly. "Understood, Major. I'll handle it."
He turned and left, leaving Eduardo alone with the weight of a city slowly being pulled into the unknown.
---
Amazon Forest
A red wormhole spiraled open with a hiss, like a soda can being cracked by the gods. Out stepped a blood-soaked young man with a grin that could rival a lottery winner's. Perched on his shoulder was a small dragon-like creature, tail wagging and eyes sparkling with joy.
"Man," Evan stretched, "fighting that giant anaconda was so worth it."
He opened his status window like a proud student checking grades after definitely not studying.
---
[Status]
Name: Evan
Level: 10
EXP: 195 / 10000 (1%)
Race: Human
Class: {None}
Titles: {None}
Health: 300/300
Energy: 40 / 240
Stamina: 130 / 420
Hunger: 0 / 100
Fatigue: 49 / 100
Strength: 29
Agility: 26 (+3)
Vitality: 15
Defense: 16
Spirit: 13
Unallocated Stat Points: 2
Coins: 1300
Skills:
• Energy Blast (E) – Level 1
Pet: Luma (Level 6)
---
But Evan's real prize wasn't his new level. It was what he was wearing.
He glanced down proudly at his fresh kicks.
---
[Ashleap Boots]
Grade: Uncommon
Durability: 50/50
Effect: Agility +3
Description: Forged in volcanic dust. Grants minor resistance to heat while boosting speed. Made for dancing through fire—literally.
---
"Stylish and effective. I should be sponsored," Evan chuckled. "Though… I feel dead tired."
He flopped down under a tree, using Luma as a personal heater. "Leveling up clears hunger, but fatigue? That's another story."
---
20 minutes later
Evan opened his eyes to find Luma nose-to-nose with him, breathing like a wheezing fan.
"GAAH—!"
He jolted up and flung Luma into the air like a startled pancake. The poor dragon yelped mid-flight before landing with a huff.
"D-Don't do that again!" Evan gasped, hand over chest. "I nearly reincarnated!"
Luma gave him a look. The kind only pets give. You know the one.
After some half-hearted scolding, a splash of water on the face, and a quick sword wipe, Evan was back on track.
---
2 hours later
Evan was starting to notice the quiet.
Too quiet.
Not a monster. Not a squirrel. Not even a paranoid mosquito. Just spider webs—everywhere.
And then he saw it.
A massive web strung between two ancient trees. Easily the size of a trampoline. Evan squinted.
"Yeah, that's not a local."
He rubbed his neck. "Maybe I should start carrying bug spray instead of swords."
Still, he avoided the web, not keen on poking whatever spun that silk monstrosity. Evan noticed a faint trail—signs of people. Footprints. A trampled path.
Civilization!
"Oh sweet, stinky human society!"
He sped up, practically skipping until he reached… a sewer tunnel.
Gross? Yes. Hopeful? Also yes.
But before he could scream "Hallelujah," something moved in the corner of his eye. A spider. The size of a 10-year-old child.
"Oh come on."
It didn't move. Just… stared. Like a haunted animatronic at a discount Halloween store.
Luma dropped to the ground, tense and growling.
Evan slowly edged closer. At two meters away, the spider suddenly scuttled into the sewer like it forgot it left the oven on.
"Alright. Good riddance—"
A scream.
Faint, but human.
Evan's back straightened. "...Guess I am going into the nasty sewer."
---
Inside, webs were everywhere. Thick, sticky strands that clung like forgotten New Year's decorations.
"We've got a family reunion down here."
He inched forward, careful to avoid crunching. The silence was oppressive.
Suddenly—
A spider dropped right in front of his face, mandibles twitching, ready to plant a kiss.
"OH HELL NO!"
Evan's blade flashed. One clean arc.
---
[You have killed a Nestborn (Level 1): +10 EXP]
---
But he barely had time to read the notification.
Dozens of eyes began blinking in the dark.
Crawling.
Skittering.
Scuttling.
From every hole, vent, and pipe.
Swarms of them.
It was at this moment Evan knew...
He had royally f***ed up.
"Luma…"
A soft whimper behind him.
It sounded a lot like: Yeah, we're so dead.
The first spider was an appetizer.
The next wave? A full-course buffet from hell.
Eight-legged nightmares dropped from the ceiling like cursed piñatas. Evan barely dodged one that landed a hair's width from his boots. Its mandibles clacked in annoyance like it had just missed a juicy steak.
"Oh, you want these Ashleap specials? Too bad!" Evan yelled and stomped forward, slashing wildly.
Swoosh—Thud!
One down.
Thwack—Splat!
Another sliced, guts decorating the sewer wall like macabre wallpaper.
Luma joined in, letting out a high-pitched battle screech that sounded halfway between a whistle and a hiccup. He leaped onto a spider's back, chomped down, and zapped it with a small crackle of lightning. The creature hissed once—then flopped like a popped balloon.
[You have killed a Nestborn (Level 1): +10 EXP]
[Luma has killed a Nestborn (Level 1): +10 EXP]
"Nice!" Evan grinned, backhanding another spider that tried to sneak up his leg like it paid rent. "Let's get that EXP buffet, buddy!"
But for every spider they killed, more crawled out—like the whole sewer was a damn maternity ward.
Evan's stamina bar was crying.
"I'm not dying in this stinkhole, not until I get a goddamn bath first."
One of the bigger spiders leapt from the wall—Evan ducked and whispered, "Energy Blast!"
A pulse of blue light shot from his palm like a cannon.
BOOM!
The spider exploded mid-air, legs flying like popcorn. Two others behind it caught the blast and got slammed into the wall, twitching and crushed.
[You have killed 3 Nestborn (Level 1): +30 EXP]
"Oh, now we're cooking!" Evan grinned, eyes wild. He flicked his sword toward another group crawling out of a pipe. "Come on, you eight-legged disappointments!"
Two crawled too close—Evan slashed one, then used the other as target practice. "Energy Blast!"
BOOM!
Direct hit. Its remains painted the ceiling in brown-green horror. Luma gagged. Evan looked proud.
"That's two-for-one baby!"
But he felt the drain. His Energy bar was dipping fast. He couldn't spam it.
"Alright… small brain, big boom—use it when they group up."
And the universe delivered. Ahead, five spiders emerged from a crack in the wall, crawling over each other like a sack of limbs.
Evan didn't hesitate.
He charged a stronger blast this time. Energy crackled in his hand like a blue mini-star.
"Go back to Spider Kindergarten, you cretins—Energy Blast"
BOOOOM!
It blew half the tunnel wall apart, spider parts flying, a fireball of sewer dust and limbs blasting outward. Even Evan stumbled back, coughing and laughing.
[You have killed 5 Nestborn (Level 1): +50 EXP]
He waved the smoke off dramatically, sword in one hand, Luma on his shoulder.
"Ladies and gentlemen... I present to you: Pest Control Supreme."
And then came a hiss.
A deep, gurgling hiss that vibrated through the floor.
From the far end of the tunnel.
Evan froze.
Luma tensed, growling.
"…I think mama spider just clocked in for her shift."