Legacy of the Tarot (Laoyon)

The group pressed forward after the revelation at the Undead Altar. Yet, one lingering question gnawed at Dominic's mind—what was the indestructible piece of paper doing in the altar? His thoughts churned as he tried to make sense of its presence, but there were no immediate answers. The only certainty was that something larger was at play.

Arden, leading the way, suddenly raised a hand, signaling the group to halt. His sharp eyes scanned the clearing ahead. Two huge Spiders, each twice the size of a grown man, lurked just beyond the tall grass, their many legs twitching as they sensed the intruders.

With practiced ease, Arden gave quick hand signals. Leigh would accompany him on the left, while Dominic and Selva would take the one on the right.

There was no hesitation.

The group moved with swift precision, rushing in before the spiders could react. Arden met his target with a crushing downward strike, his Wyvern Blade tearing through its armored hide like parchment. Leigh, dancing between strikes, used Venya and her Celestial Wand, delivering both blinding slashes and bursts of holy magic, keeping the beast from retaliating.

On the other side, Dominic and Selva worked in tandem. The Giant Spider lunged at them, but Dominic conjured an arcane shield, deflecting its attack just long enough for Selva to slip underneath. With a powerful upward slash, she drove her blade into the creature's underbelly, slicing through its softer chitin. A final blast of energy from Arcane Magnus sent the spider crashing to the ground, lifeless.

Selva flicked her sword clean and smirked. "Guess Giant Spiders aren't that hard to kill after all, huh, Sir Magician?"

Dominic, however, didn't share her amusement. He raised a single finger for silence, his expression dark. "This is way too easy. I think something is controlling them."

The group tensed, their battle instincts flaring as movement stirred in the distant trees. The air grew thick with an unnatural stillness. Then, the ground trembled beneath their feet.

From beyond the canopy, a monstrous shape began to rise.

A Giant Spider—towering above the very trees—emerged from the darkness, its grotesque form draped in thick, pulsating webs. Its many hollow eyes gleamed, locking onto them with a terrifying intelligence.

Selva swallowed deeply. "Me and my stupid mouth."

Arden's grin widened, eyes gleaming with unrestrained excitement. "I almost feel disappointed."

Leigh sighed, rolling her eyes. "Everyone, ready yourselves."

The monstrous spider struck first.

A blast of silk erupted from its fangs, faster than expected. Arden dodged, rolling to the side as the webbing turned rock-hard upon impact with the ground. "That's new!" he shouted, swinging his Wyvern Blade in a wide arc to keep the creature at bay.

Leigh's Celestial Wand flared with power as she raised it toward the sky. "Divine Barrage!" she chanted, unleashing a storm of golden light that crashed down upon the spider's legs. The beast screeched as its chitin burned under the celestial force, but it did not fall.

Dominic, seeing an opening, extended Arcane Magnus, and a surge of violet energy spiraled forward. "Let's see how you handle arcane fire!" The flames wrapped around the beast's limbs, restricting its movement. "Selva, now!"

Selva dashed forward, her sword igniting with raw battle intent. "You're not the only one with fangs!" she roared, slashing straight through one of the spider's limbs. The severed leg fell with a sickening crunch, but the beast retaliated, swinging one of its massive remaining legs toward her.

"Selva, get back!" Arden barked, lunging forward with the Wyvern Blade. The impact of his slash sent a shockwave rippling through the clearing, knocking the beast off balance. "That should give us an opening!"

The spider screeched, its eyes glowing with a sinister light. It reared back, gathering an eerie green energy in its fangs.

Leigh's eyes widened. "Poison attack incoming!"

Dominic made a snap decision. "Leigh, shield us! Arden, let's take it down before it can fire!"

Leigh extended her arms, a barrier of celestial energy forming around them just as the spider spewed a massive wave of venomous mist. The poison splashed against the barrier, sizzling as it tried to eat through the divine magic.

Arden wasted no time. "Time to end this!" He charged straight through the dissipating mist, his Wyvern Blade crackling with power. He leaped, twisting in midair before driving his sword straight through the beast's head.

The spider screeched one final time, its massive form convulsing violently before collapsing, sending a gust of wind rushing outward. Its hollow eyes dimmed, and its colossal legs curled inward as its body fell lifeless.

Silence settled over the battlefield.

Arden landed gracefully, flicking venom from his sword. "One down. Four hundred and ninety-nine to go."

Leigh exhaled, lowering her wand. "You sound way too excited about this."

Selva smirked. "At least now we know they can bleed."

Dominic adjusted his cloak, his golden eyes narrowing as he studied the fallen creature. "If the Giant Spider is this huge, I wonder how big the Abyssal Weaver is."

Selva, who had just finished wiping her blade clean, froze mid-motion. Her face paled slightly as she turned to Dominic. "You just had to say that, didn't you?" she muttered, rubbing her temples. "Now I can't stop imagining it."

Arden rolled his shoulders, already stepping forward. "Let's continue hunting, got to meet the quota for the day. The hunt has only just begun!"

They pressed onward, deeper into the heart of the Southern Plains, spotting more summoned creatures and Giant Spiders in the distance. Without hesitation, Arden charged forward, his Wyvern Blade gleaming under the dimming sky. Confident in his friends' abilities to cover him, he ignored the looming spider summons and struck down the first Giant Spider in a single, precise swing, his blade carving through its massive form with sheer power, instantly killing the creature. As its body collapsed, the remaining summoned spiders let out an eerie screech before vanishing into thin air, dissolving like mist.

Leigh shouted, "Arden, are you insane?" Arden smirked, giving Leigh a confident wink. "Relax, I know you've got my back."

Leigh huffed, crossing her arms as a faint blush crept onto her cheeks. "You're impossible."

Dominic chuckled, shaking his head while collecting the loots. "Let's keep moving while we still have daylight."

Selva, still stunned by the sheer speed of Arden's strike, muttered in awe, "Unbelievable…" She watched the trio banter, realizing once again that she was adventuring with beings far beyond ordinary warriors.

The group pressed on, relentlessly cutting down Giant Spiders as the sun dipped toward the horizon. By sunset, they had slain eleven more, bringing their total count to thirteen. Satisfied with their progress for the day, they made their way back to the Viewing Platform, where they set up camp for the night. As the fire crackled and the scent of their meal filled the air, the group sat together, sharing stories, laughter, and strategies for the battles yet to come. Despite the exhaustion, a sense of camaraderie and excitement for the hunt ahead remained strong.

As the early morning mist settled over the plains, Arden and Dominic ventured out to hunt for breakfast, their footsteps muffled by the damp earth. Meanwhile, Leigh and Selva took turns using the Portable Shower Room—a luxurious magical tool they had purchased from The Emberforge Furnishings. The enchanted device allowed them to shower and change effortlessly, a rare comfort in the midst of their relentless hunt.

By the time Arden and Dominic returned, Arden wasted no time showcasing his cooking skills once again, using the Portable Kitchen he had bought at the same shop. As the rich aroma of sizzling meat and freshly baked bread filled the air, the group sat down for a hearty breakfast.

Selva took a bite, savoring the flavor before smirking. "Sir Fool's cooking is really amazing. I'm starting to envy the Star."

Leigh, in the middle of taking a sip from her tea, coughed slightly, her cheeks tinged pink. "Not you too, Selva!" she huffed, looking somewhat annoyed.

Dominic chuckled, enjoying the exchange while helping himself to another serving. "At this rate, we'll have to start calling him the Gourmet Arcana instead."

Arden leaned back with a smug grin, glancing at Leigh with amusement. "Go ahead. I don't mind the title. After all, my future wife should enjoy the best meals." He shot her a teasing wink.

Leigh nearly choked on her tea, her face flushed deep red. "Arden!" she huffed, glaring at him like a child caught in an embarrassing situation. "Will you stop saying nonsense?!"

Selva smirked, shaking her head. "At this rate, you two might as well just get married already."

Leigh groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I swear, I can't deal with you people this early in the morning…"

The group had a hearty laugh marking the eight day of their training in Laoyon.

Before they went hunting, Arden took the time to demonstrate the most efficient ways to defeat a Giant Spider, pointing out their weak spots and emphasizing how teamwork would be key in eliminating them quickly. "These things are deadly alone, but if we keep them from using their webs, they're just oversized pests," he explained, smirking.

The group split into pairs—Arden and Leigh, and Dominic and Selva—each moving in different directions across the plains.

As Arden and Leigh encountered a pair of Giant Spiders, Arden took the lead, charging forward with Wyvern Blade at the ready. "Keep up, Star!" he called playfully.

Leigh rolled her eyes but smirked. "Just don't get in my way, Fool!"

The first spider lunged, but Arden met it head-on, dodging its fangs and slicing clean through one of its legs. The creature screeched, stumbling back just as Leigh channeled divine energy into Venya, unleashing a radiant slash that burned through its carapace, ending it in an instant.

"Well, that was easy," Leigh said, flicking her blade clean.

Meanwhile, Dominic and Selva faced their own opponent. The Giant Spider attempted to ensnare them in webs, but Dominic countered with a burst of arcane wind, dispersing the silk before it could bind them. "Selva, now!" he called.

Selva, moving in sync with his command, rushed beneath the spider's exposed belly, her sword glowing with focused energy. With a swift, clean strike, she impaled the beast through its weakest point, bringing it down instantly.

Dominic smirked. "You're getting faster."

Selva smirked back, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Or maybe these things just aren't as tough as they seem."

With their teamwork improving, they continued hunting, slaying more Giant Spiders as they ventured deeper into the Southern Plains of Veyne. By the time the sun began to set, they had reached a total of 105 kills, marking one of their most productive days yet.

On the ninth day, the hunt continued, the group refining their tactics with each battle. As the sun reached its peak, they took a brief rest under the shade of a large boulder.

Selva stretched her arms. "I never thought I'd say this, but I think I'm getting used to the smell of these things."

Leigh groaned. "Don't remind me. Even my magic can't cleanse this stench off."

Dominic smirked, tallying their kills. "Well, we've made some serious progress—265 down."

Arden leaned against his Wyvern Blade, grinning. "Not bad, but we're aiming for at least a hundred more tomorrow."

On the tenth day, the spiders became noticeably more aggressive, as if they understood their numbers were being wiped out.

Arden swung his Wyvern Blade, severing the legs of a lunging Giant Spider before finishing it off in one clean strike. "They're getting desperate."

Leigh dodged an incoming attack, countering with Venya, her celestial energy slicing through a spider's thick carapace. "That's because they know they're losing. They're trying to fight smarter."

Dominic unleashed a wave of arcane fire, clearing out multiple smaller spiders swarming toward them. "Then we make sure we finish the job. How many does that make?"

Selva, driving her sword into another fallen enemy, looked over at Dominic. "That puts us at 397. We're almost at the final stretch."

Arden wiped sweat from his brow, grinning. "Then let's break 400 before the sun sets."

On the eleventh day, after an intense battle, they finally reached 499 Giant Spiders defeated. However, as the sun began to set, an unsettling realization crept upon them.

Selva groaned, wiping sweat from her forehead. "We've searched everywhere… where is the last one?"

Leigh exhaled, frustration evident in her voice. "We've covered the entire area. It's like it just vanished."

Dominic crossed his arms, his brows furrowed. "No, it's hiding. There's no way we only encountered 499 if the records say there are exactly 500."

Arden leaned against a rock, looking up at the darkening sky. "If I were a Giant Spider, where would I go to stay out of sight?" He smirked, already having an idea. "Well, no point overthinking. Let's rest and figure it out tomorrow."

With no other leads, the group made their way back to the Mountain Viewing Platform, setting up camp for the night, though the mystery of the missing spider loomed over them.

As they sat around the fire, enjoying their dinner at the Mountain Viewing Platform, a lingering sense of frustration hung in the air. They had spent the entire previous day searching, yet the final Giant Spider remained elusive.

Selva stabbed her fork into her food with a sigh. "I still can't believe it. We've killed 499 of them, and yet, the last one is nowhere to be found."

Leigh tapped her fingers on the table. "It doesn't make sense. We've scoured the entire area—there's nowhere left for it to hide."

Dominic exhaled, his golden eyes narrowing in thought. "Unless… it's not in the plains anymore."

Arden, who had been silent until now, suddenly smirked. He closed his eyes, extending his spiritual sense through Langi, the Heavenly Realm. His perception spread wide, covering vast distances, and after a few moments, he felt movement—not in the plains, but far to the west.

A single peak. Isolated. Hidden.

"Hmm… interesting," Arden murmured, his smirk widening.

Selva, Leigh, and Dominic were still deep in thought, trying to piece together the puzzle. Arden let out a small chuckle and leaned back, resting his Wyvern Blade on his shoulder.

"Hey guys," he said casually, looking at them with a knowing grin. "Let's go mountain climbing tomorrow."

Leigh blinked. "Excuse me?"

Selva raised an eyebrow. "Mountain climbing? Arden, we're talking about the missing Giant Spider."

Arden grinned. "Exactly. And I just found where it's hiding."

Dominic sighed, shaking his head with a smirk. "Let me guess. The last one is sitting on top of that peak, isn't it?"

Arden nodded. "Bingo. You in, or what?"

Leigh groaned, rubbing her temples. "I swear, you enjoy being dramatic."

Selva sighed but smirked. "I expect no less from my mentor."

Arden laughed, standing up. "This is going to be fun."