140 Spider vs. Earth Dragon Aralba③

Within the world of accelerated thought, slowed to a crawl, I capture the future image revealed by foresight.

The future in which Aralba activates a spell.

At this class of monster, they employ magic in a straightforward manner.

Arc did as well. Possessing such intellect.

Naturally, an entity with such intelligence would not use a spell less efficient than a breath attack without calculation.

Evasion.

A sharp spike of earth erupts where I stood moments ago.

A dirt variant of the Dark Spear, perhaps.

Was it Earth Magic Level 3—Earth Spear?

Where the Dark Spear is fired directly at the target, Earth Spear causes the ground at the target location to instantly transform into a spear.

Had I remained there, I would have been impaled.

The difficulty with earth magic lies in its dual nature—physical destruction combined with elemental effects.

At first glance, it appears dull compared to fire or water, but its true form is a hybrid of physical and magical assault.

In terms of resistance, I take no damage from average magic.

But when physical destruction is added, the situation changes.

Alaba anticipated my evasion and summoned new earth spears in rapid succession.

As expected of one with mastery over precise magical manipulation, the speed of spell construction is exceptional.

Still, inferior to me.

My enhanced cognition and predictive capabilities render such magic ineffective.

Yet Alaba understands this.

Alaba's true objective is to eliminate my escape routes.

After evading spell after spell, skillfully guided to a location, a wall of earth already stood blocking three sides.

A wall sprouted instantly at the entrance I had just fled through.

Earthen wall—earth magic.

My escape route, now surrounded on all sides, leaves only one option: above.

And above, already exhaling breath, stood Alba.

Time until impact—fleeting.

Evade? Impossible.

Normally.

Teleport.

Once more, I teleport directly above Alba.

Second instance: dark projectile to the head—mid-breathe.

Hit.

The same scene unfolds beneath me.

Difference: Alba now leaps into the air.

Alba falling.

Counterattack: dark lance.

Yet, just before impact with the ground, Alba regains posture and sidesteps the oncoming dark lance with a light push off the earth.

Directly ahead, a cascade of poison descends.

Poison waterfall—maximized output, continuously activated, synthesized in rapid succession.

Alaba disperses the torrent of poison and paralysis with a single breath.

Splashing droplets of toxic fluid.

Did not expect damage—yet it is blown away by a mere, casual breath. Impossible.

Alaba fires continuous breath attacks toward me, airborne above.

Evade the anti-air barrage through spatial maneuvering.

Simultaneously, craft a net using universal thread and launch it with the projectile skill.

Fufufu.

Yes, I’ve finally obtained my long-desired projectile skill!

More precisely, it was a derivative of maxing out the throwing skill.

Well, it consumes MP and has low level, so it’s not particularly fast. Honestly, regular throwing would be more effective. But it’s a matter of mood.

The thread, compacted into a sphere, is projected forward and manipulated mid-air into a net formation before Alaba’s eyes.

Alaba remembered the wound inflicted by the thread earlier. She recoiled with exaggerated caution, avoiding the net with clear wariness.

The reaction was correct.

The thread used previously had been augmented with offensive properties. But the fundamental nature of spider silk remained capture.

This time, the thread had been saturated with adhesive properties.

Even Alaba would find escape difficult once ensnared by my thread.

Her vigilance was advantageous.

I dispersed the thread from above.

Alaba disliked it. She dodged, repelled it with breath attacks, and advanced directly toward me—the source.

Alaba closed in through spatial displacement.

Yes, come ahead.

The scattered threads appeared haphazard.

But they were all connected by threads so fine they were nearly invisible.

The foundation thread originated from within my feet.

Drag the bundle of threads in one motion with thread manipulation.

Simultaneously launch a dark sphere at Alba.

A web thread approaching from behind.

A dark sphere approaching from the front.

Avoid the dark sphere, and you will be caught by the thread.

Avoid the thread, and you take damage from the dark sphere.

What will Alba choose?

Alba chose.

Not either option.

Breath cancels the dark sphere.

Ignoring the shockwave, he charges forward.

Too late!

Just barely avoid the incoming fang attack.

A glancing hit—HP satiation stock decreases.

Close call.

Being tethered to the thread nearly cost me an evade.

Pulling that much thread naturally restricts movement.

Teleportation cannot be used spontaneously. The spell must be pre-cast. In a sudden situation like this, it is effectively unusable.

It appears I effortlessly evade the opponent’s attacks through displacement, but this is due to maximal utilization of predictive cognition and accelerated thought.

I predict the opponent’s movements via foresight, then immediately initiate spell construction using accelerated thought.

It seems instantaneous, but in reality, preparation occurs beforehand.

Alaba’s earlier action was slightly unforeseen.

I assumed either thread or dark projectile would prove effective.

I underestimated Alaba.

Regrouping mentally.

We both still have room to maneuver.

The battle continues.