Natsuyu continued to check the appraisal details for the other monster drops:
[Poison Gland (Freshness: 99%, rots in 10 days): Low-tier raw material.
Can be used for animal toxins, alchemy, and cooking.]
[Effects upon consumption: Enters a poisoned state.]
[Evaluation: Absolutely inedible even after cooking!]
[Spider Silk: Crafting material.
Tough spider thread, can be used to weave armor and weapons.]
Natsuyu looked around, realizing that among the Round-Headed Spider’s drops, only Spider Silk was immediately useful.
Monster Meat had nasty debuffs, and Poison Glands were for alchemy and medicine, which he hadn’t unlocked yet.
Might as well hoard them for now!
Natsuyu pulled out a Stone Crafting Table, crafted a 3rd [Simple Backpack], and stored all the spider drops inside.
While doing so, he also destroyed the remaining web structures to harvest more silk.
[Simple Backpack]: Spider Silk x5, Monster Meat x2, Poison Gland x1.
While gathering loot, Natsuyu carefully examined the rewards granted by the Combat Achievement Tree:
[Weapon Crafting]!
In the weapon blueprints, there was the sword he had been looking forward to, as well as a shield:
[Wooden Sword: 2 Logs, 1 Twig.]
[Wooden Shield: 6 Logs.]
He could also craft stone swords and stone shields by replacing logs with stone.
As for [Armor Crafting], it included four pieces:
Boots: Approximately 5 Logs, 5 Cut Grass.
Leggings: Approximately 7 Logs, 7 Cut Grass.
Chestplate: Approximately 8 Logs, 8 Cut Grass.
Helmet: Approximately 4 Logs, 4 Cut Grass.
In addition to wooden armor, stone armor models were also unlocked, requiring stone to replace logs.
The straw components could be replaced with cloth or Spider Silk for added warmth and comfort.
Furthermore, Natsuyu could customize armor sizes and chest contours by adjusting material quantities.
This was extremely thoughtful.
Armor tailored for Natsuyu’s 1.79-meter height would barely fit Yukino and Kiana (around 1.60m), and would be impossible for Emma and Kushida (around 1.55m).
At the same time, Kiana and Kushida possessed generous busts, making standard male armor impossible to wear comfortably, whereas Yukino and Emma… This chapter was taken from novelping(.)com without permission.
cough, had no such spatial concerns and could wear streamlined armor effortlessly.
Natsuyu memorized the new recipes but wasn’t in a rush to craft gear just yet.
He put away the workbench, looked at the remaining empty slot in his second backpack, and tried putting his first backpack inside it.
No effect.
It seemed backpacks couldn’t be stacked like Russian nesting dolls—which matched standard game rules.
“HISSS—!!!”
Natsuyu and Yukino both looked toward the distant forest.
A Round-Headed Spider hung upside down from an oak branch, its crimson compound eyes glaring in their direction.
Yukino sighed with a slight headache:
“As expected, there is more than one spider nest in this forest.”
However, Natsuyu considered it a great discovery!
Low-tier spiders were easy Exp pinatas.
As long as there were spiders in the forest, it meant a steady stream of free Exp was waiting for him to claim!
Remembering Kurumi Tokisaki’s requirement for a live creature, Natsuyu stared at the spider in deep thought.
‘Should I chop off its legs and bring it back alive?’
‘Nah, that doesn’t sound safe.
It spits venomous silk, and if it bites me or Yukinoshita-san, we’re in big trouble.’
‘I need to craft a proper cage container to hold live monsters safely.
For now, since dark is still hours away, let’s kill it for Exp!’
Natsuyu checked the Combat Achievement Tree.
The [Low-Level Monster Hunter] achievement required hunting 3 low-level monsters.
Even though he had killed 3 spiders earlier, the first one counted toward the prerequisite [Time to Attack!] node, leaving him at 2/3.
This Round-Headed Spider arrived at the perfect time!
Natsuyu smiled, feeling as if Goddess Fortune was secretly favoring him—sending a spider right when he was one kill away!
“Yukinoshita-san, hand me another weapon.”
Yukino handed him a Stone Pickaxe while drawing her own Wooden Axe.
Holding his second weapon, Natsuyu smiled confidently:
“I’ll attack, you cover my flanks.”
Yukino eyed him suspiciously from the side.
Given his monstrous physical strength, she suspected he might be taking advantage of her.
She tucked the wooden axe back into her backpack, grabbed Natsuyu’s shoulders with both hands, and took a deep breath:
“I am ready.”
[Activate: Cat Transformation!]
This was the first time Natsuyu had witnessed Yukino’s transformation up close with his own eyes.
Furry black cat ears sprouted from her silky hair, vertical cat pupils formed in her eyes, and a sleek black cat tail swished out from behind her skirt!
“Focus on the task at hand, peeping-tom Natsuyu-kun.”
Yukino remained expressionless, but the tail behind her wagged even more vigorously, indicating her excitement.
‘Shy Nyukino is so cute~’
Natsuyu looked away with a smile, stepping forward confidently toward the spider.
With Cat-Girl Yukino at his side, they were invincible!
“HISS—!”
The spider’s eyes glinted with aggression as it skittered rapidly down the tree toward Natsuyu.
Natsuyu rolled up his sleeves, ready to finish it off before it got any closer.
Rustle, rustle…
Patter, patter, patter!
A dense tapping sound like heavy rain hitting a roof grew louder!
Natsuyu and Yukino immediately looked into the distance.
In the dense forest, black shadows flickered across the foliage—a massive horde of Round-Headed Spiders crawling over the trees, forming a fan-shaped encirclement!
Over 15 spiders, with more swarming behind them!
Natsuyu’s eyes widened.
‘These damn spiders have no honor!
They called their entire guild!’
“RUN!”
Both of them instantly lost any desire to fight, turning around without hesitation to make a strategic retreat.
With their top-tier stats, they leaped over the stream with ease.
The horde of spiders couldn’t catch up, screeching as they spat a rain of white silk!
“Yukinoshita-san, take the lead!”
Hearing flying silk behind them, Natsuyu immediately shifted behind Yukino to shield her body!