Chapter 7: Danger in the forest
When morning's first light filtered through the dense canopy above, Mitch finally succumbed to exhaustion.
His bloodshot eyes, kept vigilant throughout the endless night, could no longer resist the pull of sleep.
The memory of the spider's crimson gaze haunted his dreams, but his body demanded rest after hours of fearful alertness.
Upon awakening, the sun hung high overhead, casting dappled shadows through the ancient trees.
Mitch ventured deeper into the forest's heart, his newly enhanced senses as a tier 2 mage picking up the subtle vibrations of life around him.
The wilderness seemed to pulse with opportunity and danger in equal measure.
The first creatures to challenge him were laughably overconfident.
A pack of horned rabbits burst from the underbrush, their ivory horns gleaming as they bounded toward him with reckless abandon.
Their erratic movements made them frustrating opponents, leaping unpredictably from tree to tree, darting between his legs, their small forms difficult to track. But their courage far exceeded their capabilities.
[4 x Tier 1 Horned rabbit core converted into 10 xp]
Crows descended next, their harsh cries echoing through the forest as they dive-bombed him with wild fury.
Their beady eyes held an unsettling intelligence, but their fragile bones snapped easily under the force of his mana-enhanced strikes. Black feathers drifted to the forest floor like dark snow.
[6 x Tier 1 Mad crow core converted into 10 xp]
The venomous snake proved the most cunning adversary. It struck from the shadows of a fallen log, its scales shimmering with an oily green sheen that warned of its deadly nature.
Mitch dispatched it with a well-aimed mana ball, but he dared not approach the corpse. The way its fangs still dripped with venom even in death made his skin crawl.
[1 x Tier 1 Venomous snake core converted into 10 xp]
He carefully harvested the rabbit meat, wrapping it in large leaves he found nearby.
The gamey flesh would serve him well in the days ahead, though the constant hopping had made the creatures lean and tough.
As a tier 2 mage, Mitch's mana sense had evolved beyond his previous limitations.
Where once he could barely feel the magical energy of nearby creatures, now he could detect the subtle emanations of life and magic within a fifteen-meter radius.
The ability felt like having a sixth sense, invisible threads of energy painting a three-dimensional map in his mind.
He practiced this newfound power constantly, sweeping his awareness in slow arcs as he moved through the forest.
The technique proved invaluable for detecting threats before they could ambush him. Most creatures radiated a dim, animalistic energy signature, but what he discovered next was entirely different.
A massive oak tree stood alone in a small clearing, its trunk easily three meters in diameter.
But unlike the other trees, this one pulsed with concentrated mana, its bark seeming to shimmer with barely contained magical energy.
The sight made Mitch's heart race, he'd read too many tales of carnivorous trees that mimicked normal vegetation to lure unsuspecting prey.
"That's definitely not normal," he muttered, keeping his distance.
Rather than approach, he raised his hand and channeled his power. "Mana ball!" The sphere of crackling energy struck the trunk with a thunderous impact.
The tree shuddered but remained standing. Two more spheres followed in rapid succession, each one carving deep gouges in the mystical bark.
Finally, with a groan that seemed to echo through the forest, the ancient oak toppled.
The ground shook as it crashed down, sending startled birds fleeing from nearby trees. But no screams of pain emerged, no writhing roots or snapping branches. It was, mercifully, just a tree.
Mitch approached cautiously and activated his [Inspect] ability, focusing his mana into his eyes until the world took on a faint blue tinge.
[Tier 1 Bronze Tree – A sturdy tree infused with natural mana, highly prized for crafting tier 1 magical items. It has great mana conductivity.]
"Now we're talking," Mitch grinned, running his hands along the exposed wood. The material felt warm to the touch, almost alive with potential.
"Create weapon," he commanded, pouring every ounce of his mana into the spell. The effort left him dizzy and drained, but the results were spectacular.
The wood responded to his magic like clay in a master sculptor's hands.
It flowed and reshaped itself, fibers realigning and hardening until an elegant sword materialized before him.
The blade was a deep, rich brown with veins of lighter wood running through it like rivers of gold.
When he lifted it, the weapon felt perfectly balanced, as if it had been crafted specifically for his grip.
[Tier 1 Bronze Wood Weapon - A masterwork blade with exceptional mana conductivity. Its edge holds enchantments longer than steel and channels magical energy with minimal resistance.]
Unlike the crude wooden weapons he'd created before, this blade possessed a keen edge that drew a thin line of blood when he tested it against his tier 2-enhanced skin.
The upgrade was remarkable, where his previous weapons had been little more than branches, this was a true instrument of war.
The mana infusion process revealed the weapon's true potential. As he channeled his magical energy into the blade, it began to glow with a soft, amber light.
The enhancement didn't dissipate after mere minutes like his previous attempts.
This time, the mana remained stable for over an hour, and the weapon's durability and sharpness increased dramatically.
Working methodically despite his exhaustion, Mitch crafted several more weapons: two additional swords and a bat.
Each piece was a work of art, imbued with power that made his previous armaments seem like toys. He discarded his old weapons without a second thought, scattering them among the fallen leaves.
"Now I'm ready for that damn spider," he said, admiring his new arsenal.
As darkness crept through the forest like a living thing, Mitch prepared for his inevitable confrontation.
He'd learned from the previous night's terror, sleep would be a luxury he couldn't afford until the spider was dead.
He selected a massive tree with a wide trunk that could protect his back, then settled into position with his finest sword across his knees.
Even with his eyes closed, his mana sense painted a detailed picture of his surroundings.
Every rustle of leaves, every scurrying rodent, every breath of wind registered in his magical awareness.
The wait stretched endlessly. Minutes felt like hours as he maintained his vigil, muscles tense and ready for action.
Then, in the depths of night when even the insects had fallen silent, a new signature entered his detection range.
This presence was different from the tier 1 creatures he'd fought during the day.
The mana signature was dense, complex, radiating the focused intelligence of a true predator. It moved with deliberate patience, circling his position like a wolf stalking wounded prey.
Mitch forced himself to remain perfectly still, controlling even his breathing as the creature conducted its reconnaissance.
The spider took its time, studying him from multiple angles. It was learning his position, his posture, looking for weaknesses.
When the signature finally began its approach, Mitch felt his heart hammering against his ribs.
The creature moved with absolute silence, its steps so light they didn't disturb a single leaf. Without his mana sense, he would have been completely vulnerable.
The spider crept closer, closer, until it entered striking distance. Mitch could almost feel its breath on his skin, could sense the tension in its muscles as it prepared to attack.
That's when he struck.
"Mana ball!" Mitch's eyes snapped open as he thrust his hand forward, channeling every ounce of power he could muster.
The spider reared back in shock, a nightmare creature the size of a large horse, its obsidian carapace gleaming in the moonlight.
Eight eyes like crimson jewels reflected his mana ball's blue glow in the instant before impact. The creature's fangs, each as long as a man's thumb, dripped with venom that hissed when it hit the ground.
The mana ball struck the spider's center mass, exploding in a brilliant flash that lit the entire clearing.
The force of the blast hurled the creature backward, its legs scrabbling wildly as it tumbled through the undergrowth.
"Mana ball!" Mitch pressed his advantage, launching another sphere of crackling energy.
But the spider had recovered with frightening speed.
A web of silk, strong as steel cable and white as bone, intercepted his attack. The mana ball detonated against it, shredding the web but leaving the spider unharmed.
The creature leaped with inhuman grace, bounding from tree to tree with fluid movements that defied its size. It spun as it moved, launching volleys of web at Mitch with mechanical precision.
"Mana ball!" He destroyed each web as it came, turning the silk to vapor with controlled explosions.
"Stop running, you coward!" Mitch roared, frustration mounting as the spider continued its hit-and-run tactics.
The creature was intelligent, he realized. It had learned from their first exchange and was now using the forest itself as a weapon.
Every tree became a launching point, every shadow a potential ambush site. The spider fired webs not just to attack, but to control the battlefield, forcing Mitch to fight on its terms.
The chase led deeper into the forest, where the very air seemed to thicken with menace.
Mitch's focus on the fleeing spider had blinded him to his surroundings, and by the time he noticed the change, it was too late.
White strands began appearing on the trees around him, first just a few scattered threads, then entire sections of bark covered in silk.
The webs grew thicker and more frequent as he pursued his quarry, until the forest floor itself was carpeted with the stuff.
"Shit," he breathed, realizing his mistake. He'd been lured into the spider's territory, its carefully prepared hunting ground.
His foot caught in a particularly strong web, the silk adhering to his boot with incredible tenacity. As he struggled to free himself, the spider vanished into the white-draped depths of its domain, leaving him trapped and vulnerable.
"Damn it!" Mitch sliced through the web with his bronze sword, the magical blade parting the silk cleanly.
But he could see more webs stretching in every direction, creating a maze of deadly traps.
The deeper he ventured, the more the forest transformed. What had once been green and alive was now a monochromatic nightmare of white silk and pale, desiccated trees.
The webs covered everything, trunks, branches, even the ground itself, creating an alien landscape that seemed to pulse with malevolent life.
Smaller spiders, tier 1 creatures no bigger than his fist, began emerging from hidden nooks in the web network.
They moved with coordinated precision, attempting to overwhelm him through sheer numbers. But his sword cut through their fragile bodies like a scythe through wheat.
After twenty minutes of careful navigation through the silk-draped hellscape, Mitch discovered the spider's true lair.
A stone tower, ancient and crumbling, rose from the center of the web network like a monument to death.
Every surface was covered in layers of silk so thick they formed architectural features of their own, bridges, platforms, and tunnels that transformed the structure into a three-dimensional maze.
At the base of the tower, arranged like trophies, were several human-shaped cocoons. Most were old, their contents long since consumed, but one caught his attention immediately.
The webbing was still fresh, and through a gap in the silk, he could see pale skin and white hair.
Mitch approached cautiously, his mana sense detecting a faint but steady life signature from within the cocoon. The person inside was tier 2, like himself, but their magical energy was weak and flickering.
"Hey, wake up," he whispered, gently shaking the figure through the webbing.
The cocoon stirred, and a woman's voice emerged, weak but desperate. "Please... save me..." Her words were barely audible before she lost consciousness again.
Mitch reached for his sword, prepared to cut her free, when agony exploded through his left foot.
He looked down to see a black, chitinous leg piercing clean through his boot and into his flesh. Blood sprayed across the white webs as the spider's limb withdrew, leaving him gasping and stumbling.
"You bastard!" he snarled, spinning to face his attacker.
The spider had used its own territory against him, emerging from a hidden tunnel in the web network to strike from below.
But Mitch's reflexes were above the spider's. Even as pain lanced through his wounded foot, he was already channeling his power.
"Mana ball!" The sphere of energy erupted from his palm, striking the spider's cluster of legs and shattering three of them in a shower of chitin and ichor.
The creature shrieked, a sound like breaking glass that echoed through the webbed forest.
Destabilized by its injuries, it could no longer run through the trees. Instead, it resorted to desperate web attacks, launching volley after volley of silk at its prey.
But Mitch had learned from their previous exchanges. His bronze sword sliced through the air, its edge parting the webs like smoke.
Each strand fell harmlessly to the ground, severed before it could reach him.
"Mana ball! Mana ball!" He pressed his attack, launching sphere after sphere of crackling energy.
The spider's head, already damaged from their first encounter, began to crack under the assault.
Pieces of its carapace fell away, revealing the soft tissue beneath. Dark fluid leaked from multiple wounds, staining the white webs black.
The final mana ball struck true, punching through the creature's skull and exploding inside its brain. The spider's massive body convulsed once, then crashed to the ground with a sound like falling timber.
Silence fell over the forest. After what felt like an eternity of struggle, the nightmare was finally over.
Mitch stood over his fallen enemy, breathing heavily as adrenaline slowly faded from his system.
The wound in his foot throbbed with each heartbeat, but his tier 2 constitution was already beginning the healing process. He channeled a small amount of holy mana into the injury, accelerating the natural regeneration.
The spider's core was massive, easily three times the size of any tier 1 creature he'd encountered.
The crystalline structure pulsed with concentrated magical energy, and he could feel its power even through his pocket as he stored it away.
Turning his attention to the trapped woman, Mitch carefully cut through the layers of webbing and rope that bound her.
She was young, perhaps in her twenties, with striking green eyes and white hair matted with spider silk.
Her clothes were torn, but they indicated she had been a traveler or perhaps an adventurer like himself.
He carried her away from the tower and its web-shrouded surroundings, finding a small clearing where normal trees still grew.
There, he built a proper camp with a fire and shelter, then settled in to wait for her recovery.
With nothing else to occupy his time, Mitch prepared the last of his boar meat, seasoning it with wild herbs he'd found during his travels.
The rich aroma filled the clearing, a welcome contrast to the sterile smell of spider silk that still clung to his clothes.
"Ugh... can I have some?" The woman's voice was weak but clear, her large green eyes fixed on the roasting meat with unmistakable hunger.
"Of course," Mitch replied, cutting off a generous portion.