Chapter 22: Zoa Ele
"If we take this guy down, we should be able to evolve again, right?"
"This one has a combat rating of 1000, after all."
"ROAR!"
A massive eel-like creature burst from the water, its emergence accompanied by an earth-shaking roar. It opened its cavernous maw, and a pillar of searing flames erupted forth.
*Whoosh—!*
Shirazawa dodged the attack with feline agility, and Shiro followed suit, flipping through the air in a graceful arc.
*Boom!*
A thunderous explosion shook the area as scorching magma surged upward, sending ripples of shockwaves through the air. Shirazawa and Shiro landed on the shore, flanking the beast.
"Tsk, tsk. You'll never hit me at that speed," Shiro said, standing with her front legs crossed as she looked down at the Fire Drake from the ledge.
The level of their mental skills was now on a completely different plane. To them, the opponent's movements were as slow as a snail's; they could predict and evade every strike with ease. Furthermore, they had the "cheat" skill
However, despite their advantage in speed, they were still technically at a disadvantage. The creature's attributes were insane, and it held the geographical high ground—or rather, the lava advantage. They couldn't afford to be careless.
"Drain its MP and force it to fight on land," Shirazawa analyzed calmly. "Its body is covered in Dragon Scales, so its defense is high. We need to find an opening to inject poison."
"Great idea!" Shiro's eyes lit up, and she agreed without hesitation.
As the saying goes: *One trick to rule them all.* The poison injection tactic never failed. By relying on lethal venom, the duo managed to pull off extreme "clutch" kills every single time.
If this Fire Wyrm had encountered any other monster, they likely wouldn't have even been able to pierce its natural armor. Unfortunately for the Wyrm, today it had run into two "vile outlanders."
"ROAR!!"
The Fire Wyrm bellowed in fury, its eyes bulging as it glared at the two tiny spiders. How dare these two weaklings challenge its dignity? They were asking for death!
*Rumble—!*
Flame breath surged continuously, turning the air into a furnace. Shiro and Shirazawa remained unfazed, utilizing their nimble forms to dodge every single one of the Wyrm's attacks. The opponent's MP was draining at a visible rate; it wouldn't be long before it became a lamb to the slaughter.
[Proficiency reached. Skills:
The Fire Wyrm had essentially become their personal trainer, providing a constant stream of proficiency points. Finally, under the pressure of their seamless coordination, its MP hit zero.
Taking a momentary breath, Shirazawa and Shiro locked eyes.
"Energy Conferment, Thread Control!" x2
In an instant, both spat out silk simultaneously, targeting the Fire Wyrm. Caught off guard, the Wyrm found its neck ensnared. Before it could react, a titanic force yanked it forward. It struggled with all its might, but it found itself unable to break free from the combined strength of the duo.
"Hah—!"
Shirazawa and Shiro leaped into the air, executing a dual over-the-shoulder throw that hauled the Fire Wyrm out of the magma and slammed it onto the hard ground. Shiro planted one leg on the Wyrm's back and another on its head, looking down with a smirk. "Drink up, big brother! It's time for your medicine!"
She bared a wicked grin and extended her front claw, manifesting a massive glob of thick, black venom.
*Glug, glug, glug...*
*Awooo...*
The venom flowed down the creature's throat and into its lungs. The Fire Wyrm let out a muffled scream, its body convulsing violently as its frame twisted into a grotesque shape. It whipped its tail frantically, trying to shake off the silk, but Shirazawa held its neck in a vice-like grip. It could only fruitlessly swallow the lethal liquid until the light left its eyes.
"Yahoo~! We won!"
Shiro jumped up in excitement and lunged into Shirazawa's embrace, hugging him tightly.
"Ow, ow, ow! Your carapace is stabbing me! Let go!" Shirazawa cried out in pain.
"Hehe," Shiro smirked mischievously, giving him a little nudge with her back on purpose. "We both have
"Ugh..." Shirazawa's face turned slightly red. "It's psychological!"
"I don't believe you!" Shiro gave Shirazawa's chest a playful punch—except "playful" for a spider with her stats meant Shirazawa went flying three meters backward.
"Hey! Are you trying to commit murder for my inheritance?" Shirazawa grumbled, limping his way back.
"Hahaha... that was too funny!"
Just then, the system notification rang out.
[Experience points have reached the threshold. Individual: Small Poison Taratect, Lv9→Lv10 (Max).]
[Attributes increased, skill proficiency increased.]
[Proficiency reached.
[Conditions met. Individual is ready to evolve. Please select evolution path.]
[Poison Taratect / Zoa Ele]
"Oh~! Evolution again!" Shiro's eyes sparkled. "Which one should we pick this time?"
Ignoring Shirazawa's disheveled state, she began browsing the system interface.
[Zoa Ele]
[Evolution Condition: A small spider-type monster with stats exceeding a certain value and the "Assassin" title.]
[Description: A small spider-type monster feared as a symbol of ill omen. Possesses powerful combat and stealth capabilities.]
"Ooh~ sounds like a ninja-type monster. But what does 'ill omen' mean?" Shiro tilted her head in thought. "Does it mean an ominous power? An ominous curse? Or maybe..." She paused, whispering to herself, "Anyway, it sounds like something incredible!"
"Let's evolve. Next, we'll finally be able to use magic, and our strength will at least triple!" Without a moment's hesitation, Shirazawa chose the Zoa Ele path.
"Wait, what if we get attacked while we're unconscious?" Shiro grabbed Shirazawa's arm. "Should we find a better spot?"
"No worries. Watch this."
Shirazawa took the carcass of the Fire Wyrm and rolled it into a... rather indescribable clump. A temporary shelter was complete! The hard Dragon Scales provided 360-degree coverage with no blind spots. Since the evolution wouldn't take long—about half an hour—it would be over before anything noticed.
"Uh... what a... unique house..." Shiro stared at the "Wyrm-ball" shelter with a twitching lip. The quality was fine, but the aesthetics left much to be desired.
Still, she had no better ideas. She crawled inside, closed her eyes, and waited patiently for the evolution to finish. Soon, the blinding light of evolution erupted.
*Clang! Clang! Clang!*
[Monster]: Zoa Ele
[Level]: 1
[Status]
HP: 200 / 200
MP:200 / 200
SP: 200 / 200 (410 / 410)
Average Ability: 250 (Speed: 1272)
[Key Skills]:
[Innate Skills]: