It’s okay because it’s not human

Chapter 14: I Have Arachnophobia (01)

Wrapped head to toe in spider silk, I started being dragged somewhere.

"So it was real... A dangerous monster..."

I thought I would suffocate with my face covered in webbing, but fortunately, the spider silk allowed air to pass through, so I could breathe and be dragged along.

"Do they keep their prey alive to ensure freshness?"

In other words, if I were dragged to a spider's den, I'd be eaten alive.

Considering the massive spider's mouth from earlier, I'd probably be devoured headfirst.

"If only I could grab my Mana Saber, I could cut this webbing..."

The spider silk wasn't as tough as I initially thought. A bit of strength might be enough to tear it, but the problem was that my arms were bound in a way that made it impossible to exert any force.

Luckily, I had been caught while touching the Mana Saber. If I could just adjust the angle slightly, I might be able to slash the silk. However, if I miscalculated, I might end up cutting through my thigh instead, so I couldn't move recklessly.

"Ugh!"

On top of everything, I was being dragged with my pants halfway down. Exposed and tied up in the silk, at least the spider was careful not to damage... 'that area' while pulling me along.

Creak, crack.

The creepy sound of the spider's legs moving made my skin crawl. I tried wiggling my fingers to tear the webbing and free myself, but my body refused to cooperate.

"Ugh!"

As I was being dragged, I kept hitting rocks along the way. If the spider silk hadn't cushioned the impact, I might've died from internal injuries.

"Where's Mollang?"

Mollang, my trusty slime companion, had been startled and returned to her slime form to try melting the spider silk. Unfortunately, the spider caught me too quickly, and we were separated.

Creeeeak...

As I was dragged along, I calculated the distance and took steady breaths, readying myself to activate my Mana Saber at any moment. I was prepared to lose a leg if it meant breaking free.

It had been around 15 minutes.

Judging by the damp and chilly air, I was in a shaded area. I could feel thin spider silk brushing against my exposed skin, sending shivers up my spine.

Screech, screech!

The screeching of spiders echoed, not just one or two, but dozens.

"I was prepared to sacrifice a leg if it was just one spider, but this is a whole group. Without mobility, I'm doomed."

My body was suddenly lifted into the air. After reaching a certain height, I was placed on what felt like a soft hammock made of spider silk.

"I've been laid on a spider web."

Realizing I was moments away from becoming their meal, I focused all my strength on creating a small gap near my thigh.

"Just a little more..."

The webbing was elastic rather than rigid, so I managed to pry it apart with my fingers. Finally, I found an angle to draw my Mana Saber without cutting through my thigh.

"Good. I'll wait for the leader to approach and strike when it tries to eat me!"

The plan was to cut down the leader and use the confusion to escape. Monsters typically panicked or scattered when their leader was killed.

The web trembled, vibrations signaling the approach of spiders.

"From the vibrations, there are two... I'll strike one and immediately go for the other."

Through the hazy light filtering through the webbing, I saw shadows approaching. Seizing the moment, I activated my Mana Saber.

Vwoom!

The webbing around my thighs was sliced cleanly. I used the leverage to cut through the rest of the silk binding me.

"Ah!"

As I tore off the web covering my face and prepared to strike, I froze.

"A... person?"

At first glance, she looked like a mature woman adorned with jeweled ornaments. She was also completely nude.

But her lower half revealed the truth—she had the body of a spider. The "jewels" on her head were actually glowing, blue eyes.

"Arachne!"

My hesitation gave her the opportunity to fire spider silk from her abdomen, binding my arms. Soon, other spiders joined in, shooting silk from a distance to further restrict my movements.

"No!"

I tried reigniting the Mana Saber to cut myself free, but my hands were so coated in sticky silk that I couldn't move my fingers. Trapped and helpless, I was completely captured by the Arachne.

Creak...

The Arachne smirked at me, her lips curling upward as if mocking my struggle.

"An Arachne? An A-class monster? What's it doing here?"

Arachne were intelligent monsters. They wouldn't recklessly attack a group of 200 knights, but someone stupid enough to wander into the forest alone, like me? That was a different story.

"Sigh..."

The silk wasn't covering my face, so I could meet the Arachne's gaze. My arms and legs were completely immobilized, my ankles stuck to the spider's web.

"Her... breasts are huge."

From what I knew, breasts developed in mammals to feed their young. So why did an arthropod monster like Arachne have such prominent ones?

"Ugh..."

Despite myself, I felt a pang of arousal.

Her upper body exuded a sultry, aristocratic allure. But the sight of her spider-like lower half immediately killed any inappropriate thoughts.

Though her human-like upper body was enticing, her arachnid lower half disgusted me. My preferences didn't include spiders.

I tried not to focus on her as she sensuously waved her hands, brushing against my exposed lower half through the webbing.

Creak.

'You're mocking me, aren't you? You're definitely mocking me right now.'

I felt my pride as a man taking a hit. The Arachne held my groin in her hand and started rubbing it.

"Ah!"

Why... why was the Arachne doing this?

Moreover, her hand, made of hardened exoskeleton, was anything but pleasant to the touch. Instead, the rough texture caused so much pain that tears started welling up in my eyes.

'But why is she doing this?'

Was it similar to how humans might harvest eggs or certain organs from captured prey? Did Arachnes, who consumed humans, have a custom of extracting semen before eating their prey?

With her lower spider-half hidden from view, I could only see her upper half. If I ignored the burning eyes on her head, her face and chest alone were...

Beautiful. Seductive.

That made it even more confusing and disorienting.

Flinch.

My lower half started responding involuntarily.

'No way... I mean, I'm not into spiders, but since her upper body looks human, it might barely be within bounds...'

"Urk!"

Suddenly, the Arachne raised her abdomen and exposed her venomous stinger, pointing it directly at me. She clearly intended to paralyze me before feeding.

'I have to avoid this...'

Thud!

The stinger punctured my left thigh with precision. Immediately, my body turned cold, and the tension that kept my lower half somewhat resistant dissipated entirely.

'Paralytic venom?'

The venom seemed designed to prevent prey from resisting. I lost sensation in my lower body, except for one specific area—my groin.

I glared at the Arachne as she grinned smugly, her mandibles twitching. However, the venom continued spreading, sapping all the strength from my body. Even my hands, barely gripping the Mana Saber, fell limp.

Thankfully, the spider silk holding the sword to my hand kept it in place, but I no longer had the strength to wield it.

As numbness spread throughout my body, the only sensation remaining was centered on one place: my groin.

'At this rate... I'll die young, in my prime. Guys, if you ever find yourself in these woods, don't even think about relieving yourself here. It'll get you killed.'

At least, I thought, if I were to die after experiencing one last great moment, it wouldn't be the worst way to go.

And being paralyzed to the point of feeling no pain seemed like a merciful end.

Click.

'The venom must be affecting my head... Why am I seeing two Arachnes?'

From beyond the web, the Arachne approached. But strangely, she seemed to have split into two figures.

One appeared mature, like a woman in her thirties, exuding confidence and poise. The other seemed younger, hesitant, and awkward, like a girl my age.

'This isn't just a hallucination, is it?'

The mature Arachne gently led the younger one toward me. The younger Arachne looked terrified, her hands trembling. The older one whispered something to her, holding her hand as she guided it toward me.

Grip.

The younger Arachne hesitated but eventually touched me. Unlike the rough texture of the older one's hand, hers was surprisingly soft, though still slightly unsettling.

Flinch!

"Ugh!"

As the venom intensified, my body grew weaker, but the sensations around my groin became painfully vivid. It felt as though all my energy was pooling in that one area.

The younger Arachne tilted her head curiously, as if studying me. She brought her fingers to her mouth, biting them nervously, before leaning closer with a mixture of fear and curiosity.

Her face came close to mine, and for the first time, I saw her clearly.

'Her face... Why does it look so human?'

Unlike the older Arachne, the younger one's features felt entirely human. There was no unsettling sense of alienness—just the image of a shy, blushing girl.

Hoping to confirm, I glanced downward. Her lower body wasn't visible, but what I saw were legs that appeared human, lightly touching the webbing near my body.

'Wait, is she not an Arachne?'

As my mind clouded further, the girl leaned in and opened her mouth slightly, her lips brushing against mine.

"Mm…"

She exhaled a sweet, intoxicating fragrance into my mouth, feeding me something warm and fluid-like. As I swallowed, my tongue stung momentarily, then my entire body felt as though it were on fire. Energy surged through me—but only in one direction, downward.

After finishing the strange kiss, the girl hesitated briefly before climbing on top of me.

'Wait, hold on... Is she...?'

And then, as if surrendering to instinct, the girl collapsed onto me.

A Special Thank You!:

I want to extend my deepest gratitude to [Matthew], for supporting me on Patreon!