59 Defense Battle at 100 Meters Above Ground, Part 5

Apes advance.

I continue to lay threads.

It resembles the first reconstruction.

But there are differences.

The apes understand the nature of my threads.

They know escape is impossible once caught.

Thus, the lead ape deliberately spreads its body wide and enters the thread-infested area.

To attach threads over a broader range.

To ease the burden for those following.

As a result, multiple apes are pinned flat against the wall.

They grip the wall tightly, prepared for the collapse of the thread network.

The path formed by these apes is traversed by those behind.

Each following ape, upon being caught by my threads, immediately throws itself forward.

A reckless, self-abandoning tactic—driven by madness.

Yet, to devise such precise strategies up to this point—truly impressive.

Honestly, this is annoying.

Yet, no matter how many measures were taken, as long as it was built upon sacrifice, the number of apes would decrease the further it progressed.

No new reinforcements have arrived since the giant ape appeared.

If this continues, the apes will be eradicated before they reach me.

If the giant ape does not move.

Constant vigilance against the giant ape.

While engaging the ape, constant vigilance on your part remains necessary.

A task that wears down the nerves.

As a result, the skill level for concentration has increased once more.

And finally, movement stirred within the great ape.

The one that moved was the lowest-ranked among them.

She spins around and retreats backward into the shadows behind.

It would have been better if you had just left as you were. But the world is not so kind.

The giant ape turned toward them and charged straight ahead.

Impossible!?

My intuition sounded the alarm. This possibility was not beyond reason.

Immediate countermeasures initiated.

My anticipated worst case had materialized.

The giant ape accelerated, leapt over the mass of threads.

Using its formidable leap, it closed the distance to me in a single bound.

I barely managed to throw the net in time.

Mid-air, evasion was impossible. The ape was caught without resistance.

Caught in the net, its trajectory shifted slightly downward.

It collided directly with the wall beneath me.

A dull impact. Entangled in thread, it adhered to the wall.

Even in this state, the ape recovered quickly. It thrashed violently, attempting to free itself from the threads.

I added more threads while preparing another batch of poison, then dropped it directly into the giant ape’s wide mouth.

The beast writhed under the dual torment of threads and poison.

A slight frustration flared—single dose of spider venom would not kill it—so I prepared another round of poison synthesis.

The droplets of poison were cleanly drawn into its massive maw.

[Experience points reached threshold. Individual: Small Taractect, Level 7 → Level 8.]

[Base stats increased.]

[Skill proficiency level-up bonus acquired.]

[Proficiency reached threshold. Skill 'Vision Expansion LV1' upgraded to 'Vision Expansion LV2'.]

[Proficiency reached threshold. Skill 'Acid Resistance LV3' upgraded to 'Acid Resistance LV4'.]

[Skill points acquired.]

The increase in level confirmed that the giant ape had exhausted its strength.

Hastily discarded the shed skin.

No time for relief.

Turning toward the invading apes, another giant ape was already present.

The previous giant ape had arrived via the same route, having climbed upward using the same path as the apes.

Fast?

It had been on the ground moments ago, yet now it was nearly upon me.

The apes along its path were crushed without mercy.

With such leg strength and grip, it had traversed the entire route in an instant.

I hastily launched a thread toward the giant ape.

Despite being on a vertical wall, the ape evaded with agility.

But there was no path for apes ahead.

My thread covered the entire wall surface.

The giant ape adhered to the wall.

Struggled to pull free immediately, but even the giant ape’s strength could not easily sever my thread.

Yet before the thread, the wall itself began emitting sharp, unstable sounds.

Of course, I would not allow such a thing indefinitely.

Immediately released additional threads across my entire body.

This should hold for a time.

Turned my gaze back immediately.

If the second had moved, the third must be moving as well.

The prediction was correct.

I located the third immediately.

Its massive jaws closing in on me at that very moment.

!!?

There was no time to speak of falling.

In fact, I moved without conscious thought.

Leapt from the platform into empty space.

Could not avoid it—the entire right leg and part of my torso were crushed.

HP dropped sharply.

Consciousness flickered, overwhelmed by unbearable pain.

But if I lost consciousness here, I would not awaken again.

Hastily cast a thread into the air.

The thread anchored to the wall, halting my fall.

Yet the recoil slammed me against the wall, and consciousness wavered.

Clenched my teeth, anchoring my mind to stay awake.

[Skill acquisition: Stun Resistance LV1 unlocked.]

The effect of the new skill—somehow, I maintained awareness.

Focused vision upward, toward where the platform had been.

The third giant ape had destroyed the platform, its body entangled in the remnants of the platform's thread.

Expected.

I would not have created a platform without purpose.

In case of need, I had designed it as a trap.

I had not anticipated it would be destroyed in a single strike.

I moved upward.

I moved upward, using the thread to lift myself as my legs were half-destroyed.

I ascended past the struggling giant ape.

I used the thread to bind the giant ape’s body, forcing its mouth open and holding it in place.

I synthesized spider venom through poison synthesis and guided it into the creature’s mouth.

Experience points reached threshold. Individual: Small Taratokt, level 8 to level 9.

Base stats increased.

Skill proficiency level-up bonus acquired.

Proficiency reached threshold. Skill 'HP Auto-Recovery LV2' upgraded to 'HP Auto-Recovery LV3'.

Proficiency reached threshold. Skill 'Life LV1' upgraded to 'Life LV2'.

Proficiency reached threshold. Skill 'Explosive Speed LV1' upgraded to 'Explosive Speed LV2'.

[Proficiency reached threshold. Skill 'Endurance LV1' upgraded to 'Endurance LV2'.]

[Acquired Skill Points.]

Level-up triggered molting.

Phew.

Thought I was done for.

That was genuinely dangerous.

If I hadn't leveled up now, I might have died for real.

But this is enough.

The second one is about to break free from the thread restraint, so add more threads.

The remaining ape has not advanced as far as expected—its path was crushed by the giant ape.

The delay from handling the giant ape can still be recovered.

No hidden advantage remains, though—if this continues, the apes have no chance of reversal.

Still, no complacency.

I’ve been burned too many times to let my guard down.

No matter what, I won’t relax until the end.