“Drip…”
“Drip…”
The sound of water droplets dripping onto rocks resounded continuously from around me.
Besides that, there were only my own footsteps and heavy breathing.
Everything was eerily quiet.
I had already passed through several crossroads.
There was practically nothing around here, and no traces of any monsters had ever appeared either.
It’s really strange…
While whispering to myself, I kept exploring forward.
At this time, I found a patch of glowing green moss up ahead, extraordinarily eye-catching in the dark environment.
So I walked over in that direction.
Reaching it, and after staring at it for a bit, I took a fancy to a stone covered in moss, plumping my butt right down on it.
Oh, it’s actually pretty soft.
…
Phew…
I stared blankly in the direction I had just come from, beginning to re-examine my own line of thought.
Mm…
maybe my goal was wrong?
Back then, when I had the idea of traveling through this labyrinth all alone, I took it for granted that I needed a place to settle down first.
But I overlooked one point: lizards don’t possess nest-building abilities like spiders.
In other words, I don’t have the power to create a safe space for myself.
All I can do is endlessly wander and hunt, and danger will forever loom around me.
There’s no telling if I might get ambushed by other monsters when I’m not paying attention, and then get eaten just like that…
…What on earth should I do?
As I thought this, my tail twitched about uneasily behind me.
How about learning some skills first?
Mm…
At this point, there probably isn’t a better option than this.
Speaking of which, what skills would be good to learn?
Nearly fifty thousand skill points are enough for me to go on a spending spree, but I also need to use them reasonably, making them bring out the greatest maximum value.
Learn skills as powerful as possible—I must choose carefully!
But ones with negative effects…
Better try my best to avoid them!
Take the “Seven Deadly Sins” and “Seven Heavenly Virtues” skills from the original story, for example.
While those skills have insanely powerful effects, they also come attached with dedicated “Ruler” titles and authorities.
Crucially, they can be learned simply by spending skill points.
Even though they bring a certain degree of mental pollution more or less…
If I can’t survive, talking about all that is pretty useless anyway.
In the original work, Kumoko only found out such skills existed when she obtained high-level Appraisal and browsed through the list of learnable skills.
And for such ridiculously overpowered skills, they were actually stacked right alongside those completely mundane skills…
Talk about having zero prestige~
Another point to keep in mind is: learning these kinds of skills will raise one’s <Taboo> level.
In the human world, people possessing the <Taboo> skill are viewed as absolute heretics, and their final fate is naturally inescapable death.
That’s why practically no one in the human world of the original work possessed these kinds of skills.
Oh right…
Speaking of these skills, another thought popped into my mind.
The “Seven Deadly Sins” and “Seven Heavenly Virtues” skills are all unique.
Only one person in the entire world can hold them at a time, unless the previous holder dies or no longer exists within the system.
Which means…
I mentally recited the word.
«Currently possessed skill points: 49,020.
Skill <Pride> can be acquired for 1,000 skill points.
Acquire it?»
Just as I thought…
That’s right, I just mentally recited the word “Pride” in my head, and the system immediately gave a response.
This can only mean one thing: right now, no creature possesses this skill yet.
This way, I can roughly deduce the timeline I’m currently in.
<Pride> was a key skill Kumoko obtained during her early stages, so looking at it like this, there are two possibilities:
First, Kumoko might not have reincarnated yet, or hasn’t grown into a Small Poison Taratect yet.
In that case, my timeline is in or before the year 840 of the Kingdom Calendar.
Second, the current timeline might already be during the “Shiro” period—the timeline where Kumoko broke free from the system’s constraints and lost all her skills.
Ugh…
Hope it’s the former.
If it’s the latter, so many interesting early plots would be missing…
In that case, let me try again!
«Currently possessed skill points: 49,020.
Skill <Wrath> can be acquired for 5,000 skill points.
Acquire it?»
Oh~ Looks like the former is much more likely then~ Though…
Why is this one so expensive…
…
Speaking of which, I remember <Pride>’s skill effect was insanely powerful, which was also one of the key reasons why Kumoko’s strength could leap forward drastically in a short time in the early stages.
A bit tempted…?
No, no!
If I learn <Pride> now, and it causes problems in Kumoko’s future growth path because she lacks this skill…
It wouldn’t be fun anymore!
Mm!
Definitely can’t do that!
Oh right, speaking of this, there is actually another “Seven Deadly Sins” skill whose effect is also super powerful.
It allows the holder to plunder a portion of the slain creature’s power—including stats, skills, and EXP.
That is…
<Greed>.
Plus, the crucial part is: even if I learn this skill, it won’t cause too much of an impact on the original timeline.
Mm, I choose you!
«Currently possessed skill points: 49,020.
Skill <Greed> can be acquired for 100 skill points.
Acquire it?»
Oh?!
This one is so cheap!
Nice, nice…
Acquire!
«Successfully acquired <Greed>.
Remaining skill points: 48,920.»
Awesome!
«Conditions met.
Acquired title <Ruler of Greed>.»
Mm-hmm.
«Based on the effect of title <Ruler of Greed>, acquired skills <Stupefecation> and <Super-Thought Acceleration LV.10>.»
Whoa…?
Looks like a pleasant surprise!
<Super-Thought Acceleration>, and at max LV.10 at that!
A skill that lets you perform long periods of thinking within a unit of perceived time—equivalent to giving me a much longer time to react to external things.
And if I remember correctly…
Kumoko wasn’t able to max this skill out until she became a god.
«Proficiency reached a certain level.
Skill <Taboo LV.1> leveled up to <Taboo LV.2>.»
«Proficiency reached a certain level.
Skill <Taboo LV.2> leveled up to <Taboo LV.3>.»
Ugh…
<Taboo> really leveled up too, and even leveled up twice in a row.
Though this thing is just meant to intimidate people, holding no actual function whatsoever.
Alright!
Then ignore it!
I tried activating <Super-Thought Acceleration> in my mind.
Although there wasn’t any direct sensation on my body, I could feel that everything around me had slowed down to the extreme.
My own body had also become unusually sluggish.
The trickling stream of water from the rock crevice stagnated like viscous glue.
At this moment, a single water droplet fell from the stone crevice in front of me.
By the time it hit the ground, I couldn’t even clearly remember how much time had actually passed.
A bit terrifying…
But if used well, it’s a super useful skill!
Mm!
Let’s keep learning skills in the <Super-Thought Acceleration> state!
Ugh…
still about 48,000 skill points left…
Ugh, ugh, as for other “Seven Deadly Sins” skills…
<Envy>…?
It’s indeed good.
While being able to seal an enemy’s skills, it also grants the Ruler extremely powerful resistance effects!
Its main manifestation in the original work…
Seemed to be sealing <Wrath> in the later stages…
If I learn it now…
Then the timeline problem…?
No, when the time comes, I’ll step in just the same!
Mental pollution…?
Who cares about all that…
I want to learn more skills!
They’re all mine…
I want to become stronger, to grow at the fastest speed!
Relying on my own power…
To write the world!
Go for it~
…
«Successfully acquired <Envy>.
Remaining skill points: 48,820.»
«Conditions met.
Acquired title <Ruler of Envy>.»
«Based on the effect of title <Ruler of Envy>, acquired skills <Root of Evil> and <Divine Scales LV.10>.»
«Proficiency reached a certain level.
Skill <Taboo LV.3> leveled up to <Taboo LV.4>.»
«Proficiency reached a certain level.
Skill <Taboo LV.4> leveled up to <Taboo LV.5>.»
…
«Successfully acquired…»
«Successfully acquired…»
…
«Remaining skill points…»
«0»
…