144 Spider vs. Earthworm Alaba⑦

Time passed while they stared at each other.

Alaba waited for MP recovery.

I waited for poison to take effect.

Each second favored the one who endured longer.

But Alaba’s MP would recover faster than my poison.

Alaba moved.

But did not breathe.

Alaba understood, as before, that his breath would miss me.

Alaba ran.

Along the wall surface.

The wall surface ignited again.

Alaba reached the height above me, directly beside.

A wall of flame-wrapped earth rose vertically from the wall.

The earth wall extended to the opposite wall, forming a bridge in midair.

Alaba ran across the wall surface, building bridges one after another.

To eliminate my escape route.

The sky filled with burning earth.

The scene resembled a web of spider silk.

Never expected to be trapped by an enemy employing a technique similar to my own.

Alaba dashed at high speed across the countless flaming bridges, each one completed in succession.

Despite the gravitational distortion from the Reversal Eye, no sign of fatigue appeared in her movements.

She crossed the bridge, leapt upward.

Claws closing in.

In the narrowing space, she evaded the claw.

Alaba landed silently on another bridge.

Again, she ran.

From another direction, another attack launched.

She evaded.

Landed. Noted the MP recovery. Added another bridge.

If this continues, her escape routes would gradually vanish—cornered.

Since earlier, the enemy had been destroying bridges with Dark Projectiles.

The Dark Projectiles surpassed the Dark Spears in destructive capacity.

The true strength of the Dark Spear lay in sustained damage after penetration.

Effective against living targets, but for inanimate objects, Dark Projectiles are superior.

Yet if I attempt to destroy the bridge, Arava will interfere.

That alone is acceptable.

At the instant I fire the Dark Projectile, Arava will strike.

I immediately shift target to Arava—deterrence.

Simultaneously evade.

It would be faster for Arava to build a new bridge than for me to destroy the old one.

It is painful that a single Dark Projectile fails to bring the bridge down.

I require a more powerful spell.

[Proficiency has reached threshold. Skill 'Dark Magic LV3' upgraded to 'Dark Magic LV4'.]

The system acknowledges my intent—the skill level of Dark Magic increases.

I immediately begin constructing the newly added spell.

The generated Dark Magic strikes the bridge directly—destroys it.

Sever it.

Dark Magic Level 4 spell: Dark Blade.

Ah, no good—this won’t work.

Cutting it won’t destroy it. Meaningless.

If I do this, Alaba can repair it instantly.

Retract Dark Blade. Continue destroying the bridge with Dark Bolt.

But I can’t catch up.

More precisely, the range Alaba can escape into is narrowing significantly.

Alaba’s leap.

Future Sight reveals Alaba’s claws closing in—shows the tail waiting ahead, already positioned to strike after dodging the claws.

Even if I try to barely avoid it within the current escape range, it’s impossible.

Damn it.

No choice.

Dodge Alaba’s attack widely, land on the bridge where flames are rising.

Hot!

Retreat immediately.

Synthesize medicine to create water, extinguish the fire on my body.

Simultaneously, medicine’s effect restores HP.

Hmph. Don’t think I’ll keep enduring poison and losing HP forever.

I’ve confirmed it now—landing on the bridge causes only minimal HP loss, for a brief moment.

Using medicine synthesis to simultaneously extinguish flames and restore HP renders wounds negligible.

The issue lies in whether Alba will allow the sequence to repeat until he extinguishes the flames.

Alba attacks again.

This time, avoiding damage entirely is impossible.

Dodge Alba’s assault and land on the bridge.

At that instant, Alba unleashes a breath attack targeting the bridge itself.

Evade.

The sound of the bridge collapsing echoes behind.

But there is no time to focus on that.

Flames burn my body without mercy.

Even with rapid recovery, HP depletes at a significant rate.

I want to extinguish it immediately, but Alba follows up without delay.

Dodge Alba’s attack—medicine synthesis—then Alba’s next assault.

Dangerous.

Panic sets in.

Medicine synthesis—failed.

Dodging Alba’s attack consumes all focus. No room for synthesis.

No chance of activation under these conditions.

Problem.

HP decreases.

Satiety stock depletes.

Alba’s follow-up attack does not cease.

HP reaches zero.

Endurance activates.

MP decreases gradually.

Due to Endurance’s activation, both HP fast recovery and the maximum magic recovery effect from Arcane Mastery reduce damage taken.

Still, MP decreases steadily.

Dangerous.

But barely enough.

Alba’s movements slow abruptly.

Enhancement skills dissipate.

The momentum from earlier vanishes. Alba staggers, weakened.

My poison—finally puts Alba in check.

My poison—laziness.

[Idleness: 100% of the power required to reach the divine. Significantly increases the rate of reduction for numerical values within the system, excluding the self. Also grants interference rights over the MA domain, surpassing the W system.]

In other words, all entities except me experienced accelerated depletion of HP, MP, and SP.

HP and MP recover automatically.

SP does not.

The more Alba fights, the more they push themselves, the greater the depletion.

Constant SP consumption through the Divine Combat Technique makes Alba a perfect target for Idleness.

Alba, lacking any form of detection, has no means to perceive this.

Only when the state reaches an irreversible point does Alba finally notice the hunger consuming them from within.

Alba’s SP is nearly exhausted.

The outcome is decided.