Chapter 78: Webfiends (1)

Chapter 75

Orion was indeed thrilled right now.

Ever since discovering just how much his strength had improved after his Reawakening, he had felt a deep urge to test his newfound power. It was almost like an itch he couldn’t scratch, a persistent desire to engage in battle against a powerful creature and discover just how far his abilities could take him.

He wanted to fight and experience the difference between his former self and the person he had become. Most importantly, he wanted to find out whether the ridiculous power he had discovered while examining his abilities could truly live up to his expectations in actual combat.

And it seemed he was finally going to get his wish.

A dungeon break was occurring nearby, with countless monsters pouring into the city. For most people, that was a terrifying calamity, an impending disaster that threatened the lives of everyone in the surrounding area.

For Orion, however, it was an opportunity.

A rather convenient one, at that.

Orion rose from his bed and headed outside.

The hospital was buzzing with activity, or rather, it was in complete chaos. People were running everywhere, their faces filled with panic as they hurried to escape the impending disaster. Nurses and other hospital staff were desperately trying to direct everyone toward safety, while patients who were capable of moving scrambled to leave as quickly as possible.

The atmosphere was thick with anxiety, and fear was practically tangible in the air. Nobody wanted to remain in a hospital when a dungeon break was about to unleash countless monsters upon the surrounding area.

However, unlike everyone else, Orion wasn’t in any particular hurry to flee. Instead, he headed toward the clothing room in one part of the hospital, knowing he needed something suitable to wear before venturing outside.

After all, he couldn’t possibly go into battle wearing hospital clothes. Apart from being uncomfortable, they were hardly appropriate for the kind of movement he intended to perform, and the last thing he needed was for his clothes to tear apart at a crucial moment.

He searched through the available clothing and eventually found something that fitted him. It was elastic enough to accommodate his movements without tearing easily, which was precisely what he needed.

Once he had changed, Orion examined himself briefly before turning toward the exit.

Everything was ready: his new body, his newfound powers, and a dungeon break full of monsters waiting outside.

What more could he ask for?

A playful yet calm smile settled on his face as he stepped out of the hospital. The chaos surrounding him did little to dampen his excitement, and he had no intention of wasting this opportunity by hiding in a bunker with everyone else.

It was time for some fun.

...

Meanwhile, back at the dungeon break, Katherine’s eyes narrowed as she faced the monster standing directly across from her. One word immediately came to mind.

Trouble.

Indeed, this was trouble.

The creature before her was a Webfiend, a monster that was exceptionally difficult to deal with even under normal circumstances.

Its upper half resembled that of a human, although that description was only relatively accurate. Scales ran along its body, covering portions of its flesh with a rough, unnatural texture, while its muscular arms and overall build possessed a disturbing combination of humanoid and monstrous features.

Even its head, despite looking somewhat humanlike at first glance, was deformed and eerie. Its facial structure was twisted in a way that made it difficult to look at for too long without experiencing a sense of discomfort.

However, its lower half was the truly ghastly part.

Instead of human legs, it possessed the body of a gigantic spider, with eight enormous limbs extending from its lower body. Each limb ended in a sharp, pointed tip that gleamed with a sinister light, and every movement those limbs made seemed capable of tearing through flesh and piercing armor.

The creature stood before Katherine, its monstrous form radiating an oppressive aura. Then, without warning, that aura exploded outward, making the already tense atmosphere even more suffocating.

Katherine’s expression grew more serious as she immediately understood that the battle ahead would be far more troublesome than she had initially expected.

The problem wasn’t simply that Webfiends were dangerous monsters, nor was it merely the fact that the one standing before her was a B-Grade monster at Level 16.

Although that alone was enough to make it a formidable opponent, Katherine wasn’t someone who could be intimidated by a single monster of that level. She was Level 18, and with her abilities, she could fight against powerful opponents with a reasonable chance of victory. She was confident that she could eventually bring this Webfiend down.

The problem was that she couldn’t end the battle with a single strike.

That meant she would have to spend time dealing with it, time she desperately needed for everything else.

Because the monster standing before her wasn’t the real reason she felt such a strong sense of apprehension.

No, it was the army that would undoubtedly follow.

As though responding to her thoughts, the rift behind the Webfiend suddenly shook. The darkness within it rippled violently, its surface twisting as something stirred on the other side.

Then, one after another, monstrous figures began pouring out.

Dozens emerged, followed by hundreds, until Webfiends were streaming from the rift in a seemingly endless swarm. Their grotesque bodies crowded the area, and the growing horde spread out around the entrance as more monsters continued to appear.

Some were smaller than the creature standing before Katherine, while others possessed bulkier frames and more imposing auras. The weakest among them were around Level 10, while the strongest reached Level 13.

And the monster standing directly before Katherine was still the strongest of the group.

However, the hundreds of other Webfiends presented a far greater problem than any single opponent.

Katherine’s face darkened.

Damn it!

This was becoming a nightmare.

She couldn’t simply focus on the Level 16 Webfiend and ignore the others. If the weaker monsters managed to break through the defensive line, they would pour into the city and begin slaughtering everyone in their path.

She had to stop as many of them as possible.

But how?

There were simply too many.

Katherine tightened her grip around her sword, and the green flames surrounding its blade suddenly roared to life. They swirled furiously as the wind gathered around them, building into a powerful current that made her weapon glow with increasing intensity.

Then she swung.

A wide arc of blazing green fire swept through the air, propelled forward by a powerful gust of wind. The attack tore through the battlefield with astonishing speed, heading straight toward three Webfiends caught in its path.

Before they could react, the flaming arc sliced cleanly through their necks.

Their heads flew into the air, and their monstrous bodies collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Three Level 11 monsters had been killed in a single strike.

Katherine didn’t even spare them another glance. She was already moving toward her next target, determined to eliminate as many enemies as possible before the horde overwhelmed the defensive line.

However, before she could launch another attack, her instincts suddenly screamed at her.

Danger!

Katherine reacted instantly, shifting her body and dodging through the air as though the space beneath her feet were a solid surface. A sharp attack tore through the spot she had occupied only a moment earlier, narrowly missing her.

Without wasting any time, she twisted in midair and launched a counterattack.

Flames erupted around her leg, and with a powerful kick, she struck the face of the Webfiend that had attempted to ambush her.

BOOM!

The impact sent the monster skidding backward several steps, its body staggering under the force of the blow.

Katherine, meanwhile, was already moving again. She rode through the air as though gravity were nothing more than a suggestion, her movements smooth and precise as she shifted from one position to another.

Her sword flashed, then flashed again.

Her blade danced through the horde, cutting into the bodies of the Webfiends with terrifying efficiency. Each swing was directed toward a vulnerable point, and she wasted no movement as she continued cutting down the monsters surrounding her.

Yes, Webfiends were fiends, and dangerous ones at that.

But when it came to slaying monsters, Katherine herself was a fiend, a monster among monster slayers.

Her blade erupted with annihilating flames as she began moving through the battlefield, and what followed could hardly be described as an ordinary fight.

It was a dance, a deadly dance of wind and fire.

Her movements were so smooth, precise, and graceful that it almost seemed as though she were performing a beautiful routine rather than slaughtering monsters. Her feet balanced effortlessly in the air, and she moved through the swirling winds as though the very atmosphere belonged to her.

Every step flowed naturally into the next, every turn created an opening, and every swing of her sword carried lethal intent. Her movements possessed a grace as gentle as the air itself, yet her strikes were deadlier and faster than lightning.

The green flames followed her movements, twisting around her body and blade in beautiful yet destructive patterns. Wherever her sword passed, the fire swept through the air, leaving the Webfiends little opportunity to defend themselves.

To anyone watching, the sight was breathtaking.

Several warriors couldn’t help staring at her in admiration and awe. They had known that Katherine was powerful, after all, she was a Level 18 warrior, and her reputation as Sky Dancer was not without reason.

But watching her fight in person was an entirely different experience.

She moved through the battlefield as though she were dancing upon invisible stairs, never once losing her balance despite the chaos surrounding her. Her sword seemed to appear wherever a monster was about to attack, intercepting its movements before delivering a devastating counterstrike.

Webfiends fell one after another. A head was severed, a limb was sliced apart, and another monster was engulfed in flames before it could even reach her.

For a brief moment, the warriors watching her felt their confidence rise. With someone like Katherine leading them, perhaps they really could survive this disaster.

Unfortunately, that confidence wouldn’t last long.

Although Katherine managed to cut down several more Webfiends, her assault was interrupted when the Level 16 monster charged toward her once again. Its bladed limbs swept through the air with tremendous force, forcing her to turn her attention away from the surrounding horde.

Katherine’s sword immediately moved to intercept the attack.

CLANG!

The weapons collided, sending a violent shock wave outward from the point of impact. The force was so great that Katherine’s body was knocked slightly off balance, disrupting her movements in midair.

However, she didn’t panic.

Her skill, Sky Step, activated almost immediately. She stepped onto the air as though it were a staircase, stabilizing herself before rapidly moving upward.

One step, then another, followed by a third.

Her figure climbed through the air with astonishing grace before she suddenly accelerated forward. In the next instant, she appeared directly behind the Webfiend, having used her skill to reposition herself before the monster could react.

Her sword rose.

At first glance, it seemed as though the blade itself had grown larger, but that was nothing more than an illusion created by the green flames gathering around it. The flames burned hotter and brighter, rising into the air with an overwhelming, consuming wrath.

The wind feeding the fire grew increasingly violent, causing the flames to stretch along the length of her sword. The energy gathered around her weapon continued to intensify as she prepared to unleash a decisive attack.

Katherine’s eyes gleamed.

A battle cry escaped her lips as she brought the sword down with all her strength, intending to sever the Webfiend’s head from its neck in a single strike.

However, her instincts screamed before the blade could reach its target.

Danger!

Katherine reacted without hesitation and spun in midair, bringing her sword around just in time to intercept an attack coming from behind.

CLANG!

Another Webfiend had appeared behind her in a flash, its bladed limbs crashing against her sword with terrifying force.

The collision unleashed a tremendous shock wave that shook the surrounding air. Katherine’s body was struck downward, and the force of the impact rattled her internal organs, sending a sharp pain surging through her chest.

She gritted her teeth as a drop of blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

Her expression darkened.

This is becoming worse.

She quickly steadied herself and looked at the two monsters now standing before her.

Both were Level 16.

Both were B-Grade.

And both radiated immense power.

Katherine’s eyes narrowed as she assessed the two Webfiends, realizing that her situation had become far more dangerous than she had initially anticipated.

Two B-Grade Level 16 monsters.

And yet, neither of them was the dungeon boss.

There was no doubt about it anymore.

This is an A-Grade dungeon!

Only a dungeon of such a high rank would normally produce this kind of anomalous situation, with monsters appearing in such numbers and possessing such terrifying strength.

Katherine’s expression grew increasingly grim as she considered the implications. If she had to make another guess, she would wager that the dungeon boss was around Level 17.

Perhaps even an A-Grade monster.

Just thinking about it made her head ache.

An A-Grade Level 17 monster...

Even she wouldn’t be able to handle such a threat easily, not with two powerful monsters already keeping her occupied.

Her current situation was troublesome enough. If the dungeon boss appeared while she was still fighting these two Webfiends, the consequences could be disastrous.

She needed to kill them.

Both of them.

And she needed to do so before the dungeon boss showed up.

Otherwise, she might find herself facing three powerful monsters at once, with hundreds of other Webfiends rampaging through the surrounding area.

That was a situation she absolutely couldn’t afford.

Katherine landed on her feet, her sword held firmly in front of her. She didn’t waste a single second contemplating her options, knowing that hesitation would only make things worse.

Without saying another word, she charged toward the two monsters and engaged them in close combat.

The sound of their battle echoed through the skies.

CLANG!

BOOM!

CLANG!

Her sword clashed repeatedly against their bladed limbs, each collision sending powerful shock waves through the air. Green flames surged around her weapon as the wind howled through the battlefield, scattering dust and debris beneath the force of their exchanges.

The two Webfiends attacked from different angles, attempting to overwhelm Katherine through sheer numbers and coordinated strikes. One pressed forward with its bladed limbs, forcing her to defend herself, while the other sought opportunities to attack whenever her attention was occupied.

But Katherine refused to back down.

She moved with incredible speed, blocking one attack while evading another, then retaliating whenever she found an opening. Her movements were sharp and controlled, allowing her to survive the relentless assault even as the two monsters attempted to trap her between them.

Every movement was calculated, and every strike was decisive.

Yet, despite her extraordinary skill, the situation was far from favorable. She was fighting two powerful monsters at once, and neither seemed willing to give her even a moment of respite.

The battle was rapidly becoming a test of endurance.

And she couldn’t afford to lose.

...

Meanwhile, the other twenty or so warriors were also locked in a desperate battle against the Webfiends.

Unfortunately, there were simply too many of them, and to make matters worse, the monsters were all powerful in their own right. Even the weaker Webfiends were dangerous enough to threaten the Basic-Level warriors, while the stronger ones could easily overwhelm those who lacked sufficient combat experience.

The warriors fought desperately, trying to hold the defensive line they had established. At first, they managed to keep the monsters at bay, striking whenever an opening appeared and blocking the Webfiends from advancing while attempting to eliminate as many of them as possible.

However, the sheer number of enemies gradually began to wear them down.

Their movements slowed, their breathing grew heavier, and their defensive formations became increasingly disorganized. The warriors were being forced to spend more energy with every passing moment, and the relentless pressure left them with fewer opportunities to launch effective counterattacks.

One warrior stumbled backward after blocking a powerful strike, struggling to maintain his balance as the impact traveled through his arms. Another was forced to retreat when two Webfiends attacked him simultaneously, leaving him unable to defend himself against both opponents.

A third managed to kill his opponent, only to discover that three more monsters had already taken its place.

There was no end to them.

No matter how many Webfiends they killed, more continued pouring out of the rift, filling the space left behind by their fallen companions. The warriors could barely catch their breath before another wave descended upon them, forcing them to raise their weapons and fight once again.

Eventually, the defensive line began to collapse.

One section broke, followed by another as the warriors struggled to cover the widening gaps. Their formation crumbled under the relentless pressure, leaving them exposed to attacks from multiple directions.

Before long, they found themselves struggling simply to survive.