After finding the entrance to the Middle Stratum, I made the area right beside it my temporary base.
Ever since then, I’ve been shuttling back and forth between the lava lake and my base every day.
When I’m not eating delicious food, I’m resting against the rocks—life couldn’t be more wonderful!
The only flaw in this paradise is that the temperature nearby is a bit too high, making it unsuitable for glowing moss to grow.
This has caused my sleep quality to drop significantly compared to before, with the stones beneath me constantly digging into my back.
Uh, well, there’s no helping it anyway.
You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
As long as I can feast on delicious catfish and eels, I don’t really care about all that!
…
Even though my recent daily routine has been pretty lazy, thanks to the effect of [Ruler of Greed], I can still guarantee a steady growth in base stats and the accumulation of skill EXP even without leveling up much.
Right now, there are basically no monsters in the Upper Stratum that can defeat me.
Although my leveling speed is a bit slow, it’s just a matter of time before my next evolution anyway—my strength is still steadily growing.
Oh, right, there’s also that skill that made me feel uneasy last time—[Contamination LV.2].
Even though the skill description was a bunch of gibberish and I couldn’t make out what it was talking about, the general idea seems to be…
spreading something onto another object?
By the way, what exactly is this “something”?
Could it be a status effect?
Or maybe a thought?
Is that what it means…?
Why does it feel kind of like a zombie virus, or to some extent…
almost like an evil cult?
Hmm…
Hmm…?
“Objective entity”?
Does that mean as long as it’s matter that exists in this world, it can be affected by my skill?
Looking at it this way, the effect of this skill is insanely powerful…
Thinking this, I picked up a piece of moss with my left claw and a rock with my right claw, then silently activated the skill in my mind.
The next moment, a bizarre thing happened—the rock in my right claw actually became as soft as the moss!
I tried squeezing it, and it easily deformed just like playdough!
When I deactivated the skill’s effect, the shape of the rock didn’t change, remaining squished the way I had pinched it, but it seemed to have returned to its previous hard texture.
I tossed it forward casually.
Clatter!
The squished rock landed on the ground, making a crisp sound.
isn’t this seriously cheating?
Uh…
“Objective entity”…
And as long as I don’t deactivate the skill, the “contaminated” object will continuously remain in a “contaminated” state…
“Entity”…
“Entity”, huh…?
This skill seems absolutely absurd…
feels like it has a ridiculously high ceiling…
Looks like I definitely need to develop its uses a lot more…
…
Recently, a major event happened that forced me to put everything I had on hold.
That is…
the Queen Taratect seems to have already arrived in the Upper Stratum, and what that implies naturally goes without saying.
Earlier, while I was on my way to search for the Middle Stratum entrance, I heard a massive boom coming from deep within the labyrinth.
But back then, I didn’t pay much mind to it, assuming it was just some guys in the Lower Stratum fighting.
Later, I noticed that almost all the monsters in the Upper Stratum were exhibiting an abnormally panicked state.
Even the dim-witted Elroe Ferects, who usually wander around alone, were all huddling inside their nests with their doors firmly shut, as if avoiding some terrifying entity.
To be honest, it was really hard for a lizard not to naturally connect these two things together: the recent monster anomalies, combined with the strange, massive noise from the depths—the only logical explanation was that the Queen Taratect had come to the Upper Stratum to lay eggs.
I leaned against the wall, a special emotion flickering in my eyes.
Since the Queen has already started laying eggs, that means very soon, another Little Spider who can turn this labyrinth completely upside down will reincarnate into this world.
I’ll be able to see Kumoko very soon!
It would be a lie to say I’m not excited, but inside, I’m still feeling immensely conflicted.
The main reason comes from the so-called “butterfly effect”—my every single move could potentially have a massive impact on the future of this world.
Hmm…
rather than saying I’m worried about the future of the world, it’s more accurate to say I’m worried about Kumoko’s future.
When I, a third party, truly interfere in this world, just what kind of things will happen?
I can’t guarantee anything, but in my heart, I’ve already quietly made a decision…
…
Mm…
just how should I approach and interact with Kumoko anyway? This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
After all, Kumoko is a true, absolute super introvert!
Could it be that I just pop up abruptly, walk up to her, and say, “Konnichiwa”?
No, no, no…
that’s way too awkward…
Then what on earth should I do?
Am I supposed to make a sudden hero-to-the-rescue entrance right when Kumoko is in danger?
“Oh, this spider lady seems to be having some trouble.
Then allow this humble one to lend you a hand!”
Ugh…
that feels like it’d make me look like a total idiot…
Forget it, forget it!
No point overthinking so much—I’ll find the Queen’s habitat first and go from there~
Though I’ve got to be extra careful—if I catch her attention…
I might just lose my little life right here!
…
Th-This must be the place, right…?
Hiding behind a boulder, I timidly poked half of my small head out, looking forward.
The cave ahead stretched all the way into a massive hollowed-out area, and right inside that space sat a spider of impossibly huge proportions, surrounded by ring upon ring of numerous pinkish-white spider eggs.
Just a single glance was enough to make a lizard feel an almost suffocating sense of pressure.
How terrifying…
Is this the Queen Taratect…?
At the moment, she seems to be crouching in the center resting, having not noticed me.
Ugh…
or maybe it’s just because I’m way too weak and not even worth noticing?
And so, I just hid there in silence, quietly waiting…
…
“WOAH!”
“I’M!”
“FREE!”
…
…
— (COMP)