Chapter 31 -31-My Plan failed

Chapter 31: Chapter31-My Plan failed "Left!" I shouted, veering to the right myself. Ethan nodded and dashed to the left path, while I took the right. The spider hesitated for a moment, confused by our sudden change in direction. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears as I pushed myself to run even faster. The forest blurred around me, but I forced myself to focus. Every step was crucial. If I could just keep it distracted long enough for Ethan to escape, we might have a chance. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw the spider had chosen to follow me. Its massive form moved with surprising agility, leaping from tree to tree. Acid dripped from its fangs, sizzling as it hit the forest floor. Why is it chasing me? I thought it might chase Ethan instead, and I know that sounds cruel because if the spider went after him, he would definitely be killed. But I don't care whether he lives or dies—my life is more important. I value it more than anyone else's. So, why should I care? But let's focus on the main question: why is the spider chasing me? Did I do something wrong? I can't remember doing anything to provoke it. When did I—wait! Those mini spiders... Were they its children? I looked back and saw the spider's twisted, furious face. It was angrier than ever. I also noticed scars on its body, probably from rushing through the tree branches. She was so relentless in her pursuit that she literally ignored her scars just to catch me. If I ever fall into her hands, forget about living—my bones might disappear along with my body. Shit, I made a huge mistake. I have to get away from it and put some distance between us, or it will catch me. But how? My mind raced as I scanned the terrain for anything I could use. Ahead, I spotted a fallen tree, its trunk half-rotted and covered in moss. I sprinted towards it, hoping to use it as a temporary barrier. With a final burst of speed, I vaulted over the tree and ducked behind it, pressing myself flat against the ground. The spider landed on the other side, momentarily disoriented. Taking advantage of its confusion, I grabbed a nearby branch and hurled it at the creature. The spider hissed in anger, its eyes locking onto me once more. It lunged, but I rolled to the side just in time, narrowly avoiding a spray of acid. The ground where I had been lying sizzled and smoked. Gotta keep moving, I told myself. I can't let it pin me down. I darted through the trees, weaving in and out of the underbrush. The spider followed, relentless in its pursuit. My breath came in ragged gasps, but I forced myself to keep going. Suddenly, I emerged into a small clearing. Desperation clawed at me as I realized I was running out of options. Think, Michael, think! I urged myself. An idea flashed through my mind. It was risky, but it might just work. I quickly unlatched my belt and tied it around a sturdy tree branch, creating a makeshift snare. As the spider burst into the clearing, I taunted it, "Come on, you ugly brute! Is that all you've got?" The spider lunged at me, and at the last second, I dived to the side. The creature crashed into the snare, and the branch snapped back, entangling its one leg. For a moment, it struggled, caught in the trap. I didn't waste any time. I had to do something. Its legs were giving me a real headache. I staggered backward, scanning my surroundings for anything useful, and saw a fallen branch. Quickly, I picked it up, clenched one of my daggers between my teeth, and shoved the other into my back pocket. Gripping the branch tightly, I hurled it at the spider's head with all my strength. The spider used all its legs to block the branch, then returned to its normal posture. I found my opening. I took the dagger from my mouth and threw it at the spider's underbelly. Just as I expected, it used all its legs to defend itself, giving me a few precious seconds. I quickly took the other dagger from my back pocket and hurled it at its eye. With its legs occupied, I thought I had won—until the spider spat its black liquid at the dagger, diverting its path and melting it completely. A huge smile spread across my face. "Got you," I muttered. I grabbed a handful of dust and threw it at its underbelly. Predictably, the spider used all its legs to defend again. Seizing the opportunity, I picked up another fallen branch beside me and swung it at the spider's head. This time, it was too late for the creature to defend itself, and the branch struck its head. The impact sent a tremor through my arms, causing me to drop the branch. Is its head made of steel? I wondered, shaking my stinging hands. But I saw the spider flinch from the blow, indicating it felt pain even if no visible damage was done. The spider staggered, momentarily dazed. The creature shrieked in pain, thrashing wildly. I knew the trap wouldn't hold it for long, but it had bought me precious seconds. With the spider momentarily incapacitated, I took off again, sprinting through the forest. I didn't know how long the spider would stay tangled up, but I hoped to escape before it got too close to me. Anyway, I was a bit happy that my plan had worked out. While running with Ethan, I noticed something strange about the spider: it always took a few seconds' break after spitting acid. I figured it might take time for the acid to form inside its body before it could spit it out. I found the first clue during our chase, and the second while I was fighting it. Whenever I threw my daggers or branches at it, aiming for a specific spot, it defended itself by using all its legs to create a shield to protect that area. I also noticed that it treated any object I threw as a harmful weapon. To test my theory, I threw dust instead of an actual weapon at its belly. As I expected, the spider reacted by protecting its underbelly, leaving its face exposed. Since I had already made it spit out its acid, I knew I could seriously injure it if I hit it hard. But my plan failed at the last moment when I realized that its head was protected by a layer as hard as steel. The pain in my hand from the tremor earlier was now joined by a throbbing pain. As I sprinted through the forest, relief washed over as looked back to see no one chasing me. But suddenly, another pain assaulted me, and I fell face-first into the ground. "What the fuckkkkk?" I shouted through clenched teeth. I grimaced and pulled my right leg closer to inspect it. There was a hole in my cargo pants, and when I looked closer, I saw black liquid stuck to it. It had melted away my skin, showing my inner thigh muscles. When did I get hurt? I was paying attention the whole time, so how did this happen? After thinking about it carefully, I realized it must have been when the spider spat acid at my dagger. Some of the acid must have bounced off and hit my pants. I was so focused on my plan that I probably didn't notice the pain right away. Without hesitating, I opened my bag and grabbed a Gold-rank healing potion. I drank it quickly, and I could feel it start to work right away, easing the burning feeling on my thigh. While I waited for my thigh to heal completely, I checked my inventory. I noticed I had only two more Gold-rank potions left; the rest were either bronze or Iron. It was a relief to have them, but I knew I had to save them for emergencies. Lying on the forest floor, I concentrated on calming my fast-beating heart and controlling my breath. The pain slowly faded away, and I took the opportunity to compose myself before I started running again. *** After running for what felt like another 25 minutes, I finally stopped in the middle of the path, breathing heavily. I put my hands on my knees and checked my watch—it read 3:20 P.M. I had been running for almost an hour straight. "Huh, huh, huh." The sound of my tired breath escaping my lips filled the air. Exhaustion made my legs and hands shake, and sweat streamed down my face. A burning sensation in my chest made it hard to catch my breath. Thinking of resting, I noticed a tall tree nearby. Judging its height, I estimated it to be around 60 feet tall. In the Ambros forest, known for hosting some of the world's largest trees like Hyperion and General Sherman, finding such tall trees wasn't surprising. These enormous trees were usually found in dangerous, Restricted areas, not in the safer parts like where I was now. Approaching the towering tree, I felt relieved, ready to rest and catch my breath. Just as I was about to sit down, a sudden noise shattered the calm. I jumped back, startled, only to see the spot where I stood moments ago covered in dark, ominous liquid. With a creeping sense of dread, I looked up and saw the Monkey Spider high in the branches. Darn, it got me quicker than I thought it would. It pounded its chest, letting out a chilling laugh that echoed through the forest. Is it mocking me because I couldn't escape even after trapping it? This guy... Frustration started to bubble up, but I kept myself calm. Fighting it directly won't lead to victory... What are my options? In the last battle, I discovered that its head is protected by a layer as hard as steel. So, its primary weakness is now useless. The only vulnerable spot left is its underbelly, but it will probably shield it again before I can strike. Another crucial point is that I'm unarmed. How can I even begin to fight it? In situations like this, there's only one effective strategy: "Uhhh, here we go again," I muttered quietly, realizing I couldn't stay there. Run.. My heart sank as adrenaline surged through me. Quickly, I turned and ran away from the danger, pushing my exhausted legs to their limit.