Free Web NovelChapter 25: The Cost of Karma
As Lucas watched the Queen Spider charge toward him, his soul nearly left his body.
"Protect me!" he shouted.
The moment the words left his mouth, a sharp pain stabbed through his chest.
His vision swam.
He staggered sideways, barely keeping himself upright.
He knew exactly what it meant.
His Innate Karma was almost depleted, but that also meant his skill had worked.
The Burrowing Spider stepped forward, looking like it was ready for war.
The Queen Spider crashed into it a moment later.
BOOM!
The impact shook the cavern.
Despite the Queen’s larger size, the Burrowing Spider held its ground, locking both arms against hers.
The Queen immediately let out an enraged screech.
She drove her forehead into the monster’s face.
CRACK!
The Burrowing Spider folded backward and smashed into the cavern wall.
Stone exploded around it.
But before the dust could settle, it surged back to its feet.
Its fist slammed into the Queen’s jaw.
The punch forced her several steps backward.
The two monsters collided again and again. Each step made the cavern tremble.
Each blow sent shockwaves through the air.
Lucas could feel the pressure on his skin even from a distance.
’This is insane...’
He turned and ran.
The fight was too dangerous.
At any moment, one stray attack could kill him.
Suddenly the Burrowing Spider was hurled through the air.
It crashed into the ground directly in front of him, the impact nearly flattened him.
"Don’t lose!" Lucas screamed.
"Fight harder!"
The words escaped before he could stop them.
Instantly another wave of dizziness hit.
This one was far worse.
His knees buckled.
He collapsed onto the ground.
Yet the Burrowing Spider slowly rose again.
Its damaged body trembled.
Then it charged the Queen Spider with renewed ferocity.
Lucas’ eyes widened.
’Shit’
’I used my skill again’
The realization had barely formed before blood burst from his mouth.
He doubled over.
A large amount splattered onto the ground while his heart hammered violently against his ribs.
Every beat felt like it might be his last as pain flooded his entire body.
Far worse than any injury he had ever suffered.
’So this is what Carol meant...’
He remembered her warning about exhausting his Innate Karma.
’I’m actually going to die’ freeωebnovēl.c૦m
Another cough.
More blood.
The world around him grew darker and his hearing became distant.
Muffled.
The sounds of battle faded away.
Then something rolled across the ground and stopped a few feet away from him.
Lucas forced his eyes open.
It took a moment to understand what he was seeing.
The severed head of the Burrowing Spider.
Its lifeless eyes stared blankly into the darkness.
Lucas felt something sink inside his chest.
’It lost... After all that...’
His vision finally went black.
’I guess there was nothing we could do against that monster after all...’
And then he lost consciousness.
"Give me everything you’ve got," Carol said, stretching out her arms.
"Okay."
Elena placed both hands against her back.
She had awakened just in time to witness the impossible.
Two monsters of the same species fighting to the death.
A subordinate challenging its own queen.
It made no sense.
Yet that absurd battle had bought them the time they desperately needed.
Energy poured from Elena into Carol.
Carol could feel the power building inside her
The Queen Spider stood over the corpse of the Burrowing Spider.
Victorious.
Unaware of the attack being prepared behind her.
Carol slowly raised her second hand.
Her eyes focused on a damaged section of armor.
A small crack.
One of the few wounds the Burrowing Spider had managed to leave behind.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Then she fired.
This projectile was far larger than anything she had launched before, and when it pierced the monster, it exploded the creature apart, sending chunks of flesh and chitin flying in every direction.
System messages immediately began appearing before her eyes, but Carol barely spared them a glance.
Her attention was elsewhere.
"Ms. Carol, what is happening?" Elena asked between heavy breaths, "Why were they fighting each other?"
"I don’t know," Carol replied absentmindedly as she hurried toward Lucas.
"Inform the team of our whereabouts."
She knelt beside him and quickly checked his pulse.
’Still alive’
A small wave of relief washed over her before she could stop it.
Without hesitation, she lifted him onto her back and carried him over to Elena.
"Is he okay?" Elena asked.
"No. Fix him."
The sharpness in Carol’s voice made Elena flinch.
"I-I can’t. That last attack used almost everything I had. Besides, this looks like Innate Karma exhaustion. If I want to help him, I’ll need to force energy into his body."
"Then do it."
"I’ll need another source."
Carol immediately stretched out her hand.
"Use mine."
Elena stared at her.
"But Ms. Carol, after an attack like that, your own Innate Karma must be running low."
"I don’t care."
"B-But—"
"Just do it."
The finality in her tone left no room for argument.
Elena blinked in surprise.
She had worked with Carol for more than a few days and had never seen her willingly put herself at risk for anyone, not even her.
"Do it," Carol repeated. "Or I’ll kick you out of my house."
"O-Okay."
Elena quickly grabbed Carol’s hand and placed her other palm against Lucas’s chest.
The transfer began immediately.
A wave of dizziness struck Carol.
Her vision blurred for a moment, but she gritted her teeth and remained standing.
As long as he woke up, it didn’t matter.
Minutes later, Elena finally let go.
"He should be fine now. His body just needs time to recover."
Carol silently nodded.
---
Hours later, Lucas still hadn’t awakened.
The room was quiet except for the faint sound of his breathing.
Carol sat beside the bed, arms crossed.
She had originally brought him home simply because it was safer than leaving him somewhere else.
At least, that was what she kept telling herself.
Her eyes drifted toward his sleeping face.
He wasn’t particularly handsome.
He wasn’t especially muscular either.
If anything, he had a talent for attracting trouble wherever he went.
So why was she here?
She glanced at the clock.
This was the fourth time she had checked on him.
Or maybe the fifth.
Not that she was counting.
Her frown deepened.
Ever since the day they met, Lucas had somehow managed to occupy a corner of her thoughts.
When he was in danger, she found herself caring far more than she should.
It was irritating.
Her gaze lingered on him for a moment longer.
Then she sighed.
"...What’s wrong with me?"
The words slipped out before she could stop them.
She leaned back in her chair. A ridiculous thought crossed her mind.
’Could this be a crush?’
The possibility made her immediately shake her head.
"No way."
Yet the more she thought about it, the less certain she became.
After another minute of staring at him, she abruptly stood up.
"Elena already fixed him. He’ll wake up eventually."
Carol took one last glance at Lucas before leaving the room.
Unfortunately, she knew she’d probably be back to check on him again before long.
