ZERO SHIFT

The tension in the cave thickened as the low, ominous hum intensified. All eyes were drawn to the shadows, where an enormous figure emerged, its monstrous form dwarfing the already formidable Gene Spider.

This new spider was a behemoth, at least five times the size of the first. Its body seemed to shimmer with an almost metallic sheen, and its eight legs moved with an eerie, predatory grace. The six glowing eyes on its face burned with rage, each one locked onto Josuke as if he were the only thing in the world worth targeting. The air around the creature seemed to vibrate with its fury, a silent promise of destruction.

"What the hell…?" Arthur muttered, his voice barely audible over the pounding of his heart.

The mother spider let out a piercing screech, its deafening cry echoing off the walls of the cave. The sound sent a chill down everyone's spine, and even the smaller Gene Spider seemed to tremble in its presence.

Josuke tightened his grip on his flaming sword, his muscles coiled and ready. "So now there are two?" he growled, frustration lacing his tone.

Without warning, both spiders lunged. The smaller one moved with incredible speed, its venomous legs striking out like blades. The mother spider, despite its massive size, was no less agile. It charged with terrifying momentum, its powerful legs cracking the stone floor beneath it.

The unit scattered, each member dodging the initial attack. The smaller spider seemed content to lash out at anyone within range, but the mother's focus was singular: Josuke.

Josuke barely managed to roll out of the way as the mother spider's leg came crashing down where he had been standing moments before. The force of the impact sent shards of stone flying in every direction.

"Why is it only after me?!" Josuke shouted, leaping back to avoid another strike.

As if in answer, Chaos's voice echoed in his mind, his tone dripping with amusement.

"Ah, I forgot to mention," Chaos said, his voice calm despite the chaos around him. "Gene Spiders live in pairs usually a mother and a child, or a male and female. In your case, you're dealing with a mother and her child."

Josuke's eyes widened as he ducked under another attack. "You've got to be kidding me!"

Chaos continued, unfazed by Josuke's panic. "Since you attacked the child, the mother has decided you're the biggest threat. And, well, in your transformed state, you're basically the juiciest prey she could ask for."

Josuke gritted his teeth, narrowly dodging a swipe from the smaller spider. "Any chance you could've told me this before we walked in here?!"

Chaos chuckled darkly. "Where would the fun be in that?"

"Great," Josuke muttered, slicing at the smaller spider as it lunged toward him. His blade sparked against its hardened exoskeleton, barely leaving a scratch.

"By the way," Chaos added, his tone turning smug, "you might want to use that wrist comm of yours. You know, the one every unit was given? It has all the information you need about the spiders' weaknesses. Unless, of course, your brain is just compressed air and you'd rather keep bothering me."

Before Josuke could retort, Chaos's voice vanished, leaving him alone with the two monstrous spiders.

Josuke growled in frustration, his mind racing. The mother spider lunged again, forcing him to leap back. As he landed, he glanced down at his wrist comm. For a moment, he hesitated. He had been so focused on fighting that he hadn't even thought to check it.

"Fine," he muttered under his breath, activating the device. A small holographic screen flickered to life, displaying detailed information about the Gene Spiders.

His eyes scanned the data quickly. Then he froze.

"Their weakness… it's on top of their abdomen?" he muttered, his eyes narrowing. He glanced back at the spiders, their hulking forms moving with terrifying precision. The top of their abdomens was smooth and slightly lighter in color, almost unprotected compared to the rest of their diamond-hard bodies.

"Guys!" he shouted, turning to the rest of the unit. "Their weak spot is on top of their abdomen! Aim for that!"

The response was immediate and not what he expected.

"We know!" Arthur snapped, his voice tinged with exasperation as he deflected a strike from the smaller spider. "Maybe if you'd checked your wrist comm earlier, you'd have figured that out!"

Josuke blinked, momentarily stunned. "Wait, you all knew?"

Lily, dodging a venomous strike, shot him a quick glare. "Of course we knew! We read the briefing! Did you?"

Josuke sighed, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Okay, point taken."

"Just get over here and help us already!" Arthur shouted, his using his sword as he blocked another attack.

The spiders, meanwhile, showed no signs of slowing. The mother spider let out another ear-piercing screech, its massive body twisting as it lunged toward Josuke once more.

"Alright," Josuke muttered, his grip tightening on his sword. "Let's do this."

He charged forward, his transformed state giving him an edge in speed and strength. The mother spider reacted instantly, its legs slashing out with deadly precision. Josuke ducked and weaved, his blade igniting the air as he struck back.

The others moved in unison, each member of Unit Zero targeting the spiders with everything they had. Lily hurled explosive projectiles, their blasts momentarily stunning the smaller spider. Silver used his shadow manipulation to distract the creatures, his movements fluid and precise. Hinata fired off rapid, precise energy blasts, forcing the spiders to divide their attention.

But despite their coordinated efforts, the spiders were relentless. The mother's sheer size made her a nearly insurmountable obstacle, while the smaller spider's speed kept the team constantly on edge.

Josuke's focus remained on the mother. He leapt onto a nearby rock, using the height to aim a strike at the weak spot on her abdomen. His blade connected, the flames scorching the unprotected area. The spider let out a deafening screech, thrashing wildly as it tried to dislodge him.

"Got it!" Josuke shouted, holding on for dear life as the spider bucked beneath him.

But his triumph was short-lived. The smaller spider, sensing its mother's distress, turned its attention fully to Josuke. With blinding speed, it launched itself at him, its venomous fangs bared.

The last thing Josuke saw was the glint of its fangs before the world tilted.

The chapter ends with Josuke being thrown from the mother spider's back, his body hurtling through the air as the smaller spider closed in, its venom dripping in anticipation.