Floating Islands: SSS Gacha System-Chapter 135 - - Arachnyte Specters

And there it was, finally clear to see—the creatures they had been hunting. The elusive and perilous Arachnyte Specters.

[Arachnyte Specter Lv. 97]

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[Arachnyte Specter Lv. 99]

[Rare - Arachnyte Specter Lv. 121]

In the suffocating darkness of the cave, the only source of illumination came from the dim, unsettling glow of the monsters' many eyes, scattered across their grotesque, angular heads. Gradually, they began their descent, dangling from silken threads of webbing that shimmered faintly in the faint, shadowy light.

The team quickly prepared themselves, activating their party buff skills. Atlas joined in, enabling his own preparation abilities.

The Arachnyte Specters were versatile foes, capable of launching ranged attacks while also engaging in brutal close combat when their prey was sufficiently restrained by the webs they hurled.

Edrik took command, laying out their strategy with authority. "Focus on the same target, one at a time. Groups of five on each spider. They'll only attack from a distance at first, throwing webs. They won't engage in melee unless provoked by ranged attacks or when they feel cornered. That's when they'll come down—our opportunity to strike."

He continued, "Avoid their bites and the venom they can spit. If anyone gets hit, heal immediately or burn the webs and venom with fire to reduce the damage. Aim to inflict wounds directly on their bodies; their legs and webbing are distractions."

Team Cinder, consisting of 20 members, was already divided into four squads of five, a formation planned well in advance. Meanwhile, Edrik, Morganna, Baldric, and Atlas would face a single Arachnyte Specter on their own, taking the most dangerous role in the fight.

The cave grew tense as the team assumed their positions, their eyes fixed on the glowing forms of their targets. The battle was about to begin.

The spiders descended one by one from the vast ceiling of the cavern, their bodies roughly the size of an average human. Their movements were slow, methodical, and disturbingly deliberate, as though each one instinctively understood exactly where to position itself to trap its prey. Every subgroup of the team was already locked onto its chosen target, the hunt meticulously organized.

"Attack!"

With that command, arrows and fire magic filled the air.

Swoosh! Swoosh! BOOM! KABOOM!

Explosions of magic and projectiles struck one of the spiders, eliciting a piercing screech. The sound echoed throughout the cavern, soon mirrored by other spiders, as if the cry was a signal rallying them.

Then it happened.

Without warning, massive webs were launched from all directions, thick and glistening, aimed straight at the group.

Just as the sticky threads were about to entangle them, a surge of blazing fire erupted, burning through the webs in mid-air.

Baldric, standing near the center of the fray, sighed as he released another burst of flames.

"Oh... the precious threads," he muttered with mock regret.

More webs were hurled at them, forcing the troops to hack and slash through the sticky strands using weapons imbued with fire elements. The long-range attackers continued to rain down their assaults on the closest spiders, chipping away at their health, while the melee fighters worked furiously to keep the advancing webs at bay.

The fight dragged on, growing more chaotic. Some of the webs began to land, immobilizing a few of the team members.

"Help! I can't move!" one called out, struggling against the hardened threads.

"My hands are stuck!" another shouted, their voice tinged with panic.

The team worked tirelessly to free those caught, burning the webs before they could fully harden and trap their comrades. The flames flared repeatedly across the battlefield, creating brief moments of relief, but the spiders' relentless attacks were unyielding. The cavern was alive with the sounds of combat—clashing weapons, spells being cast, and the ominous hissing of the Arachnyte Specters.

They continued with the same strategy, patiently waiting for one of the spiders to lose its composure and descend to the ground. Eventually, it happened—one of the creatures, its web ignited by fire, fell from above with a screech.

Immediately, a subgroup sprang into action. The tank charged forward, bashing the spider with his shield while swords, spears, and arrows rained down in unison, landing precise strikes.

"Watch out for the venom!" Edrik called out.

The spider retaliated, spewing a stream of venom toward the frontline. The tank raised his shield just in time, deflecting most of it, but some of the venom splashed onto his face.

Panic set in as the tank stumbled backward, frantically wiping at his face while inadvertently dislodging his breathing apparatus.

"Help! Help!" he gasped, struggling to protect himself.

One of his teammates darted forward, quickly reattaching the device and securing it back in place. Meanwhile, another melee combatant stepped in, switching roles seamlessly to hold the line and keep the spider at bay.

The group regained their footing, their coordinated teamwork preventing disaster as they refocused on their relentless foe.

Several more spiders began to fall from their webs, and another subgroup, led by Garen, rushed forward to engage them.

On the other side of the battlefield, Morganna seemed to lose her patience with their cautious, methodical approach. Without a word, she dashed into the shadows, vanishing completely.

Moments later, she reappeared in mid-air, slashing furiously at one of the spiders still hanging from its web. Her strikes were relentless, shredding the creature as it screeched in pain.

[Baldric]: "Leave their bodies intact, Morganna! We need their threads..."

But the Vampire Queen didn't respond, continuing her brutal assault with cold precision.

More spiders began to drop, and the subgroups swiftly engaged in their individual battles. The remaining spiders, still suspended above, rained down webbing in an attempt to control the fight. Their relentless attacks forced the team to constantly balance offense and defense, doubling the difficulty of the already chaotic battle.

In the midst of this frenzy, pain was no longer a concern for the team. The bone-chilling cold that permeated the cavern ignited into fierce determination the moment their weapons were in hand and their skills were cast.

In a fight like this, hesitation wasn't an option. If they wanted to survive, the only path was to rise and fight back. Victory wasn't just an aspiration—it was the only outcome they could accept, and they were determined to claim it!

Another spider plummeted to the ground with a deafening, ear-splitting screech.

Atlas gripped his Legendary-grade Wavebreaker Spear, the weapon's intricate design glowing faintly as energy began to envelop him. A swirl of water intertwined with crackling gold lightning danced around his body.

He let out a faint smile—there was something invigorating about facing a battle head-on, something that made his body respond instinctively.

Without hesitation, he launched forward, his movements leaving a shimmering afterimage in his wake as the glow illuminated the area briefly.

Charging directly at his spider opponent, he spun his spear with precision, releasing an explosive burst of lightning energy as he struck. The spear's power connected perfectly, hitting the spider squarely on its head.

Atlas retreated as he waited for another opening to strike. But to his dismay, his attack didn't seem to have inflicted significant damage. The spider, now agitated, reared back and began firing webbing from its abdomen, large strands arcing through the air toward Atlas.

He moved with agility, rolling and leaping to narrowly dodge the sticky traps around him. But without mastery over fire elements—or any significant skills focused on fire—he had no way to burn through the webs if he got caught. This left him no choice but to stay razor-sharp, fully focused on evasion.

"Zefyros!"

A roar of crackling lightning and swirling water erupted in the air as Atlas's summon, Zefyros, materialized. The elemental spirit let out a booming cry before unleashing a torrent of water that crashed into the spider, accompanied by lightning that stunned it momentarily.

"Opening!"

He dashed forward once more, targeting the spider's weak spot—the part of its body between the abdomen and its main torso, the section most vulnerable to attack. With all his strength, he struck, landing a powerful blow directly on the creature's exposed area.

However, Atlas was just a fraction too slow. The spider, refusing to relent, lunged forward aggressively. Its gaping maw, large enough to swallow a human head whole, opened wide, and a jet of venom shot out with alarming speed, heading straight for him.

Atlas gripped his spear tightly, his mind racing. He had to dodge—but the attack was too fast, and the venom was already closing in.

In that split second, he realized with dread that there was no way to fully avoid it.

The venom was going to hit him—right in the face!