Free Web NovelChapter 18: The Rift’s Secret
The long leg of the spider crashed into the stone where Luke had been standing. Its power was enough to create shatter marks in stone that Luke wasn’t even capable of cracking.
He wanted to cast Defense Increase again, but he barely had enough mana for two more Frost Spikes.
The large spider created distance and prepared a mucus attack. Using the same strategy as the spitter spiders, Luke used this time to charge it.
"Frost Spike!"
His casting speed increased, as the spell tore through the air and pierced another of the spider’s eye.
Not letting the opening go to waste, he charged with the spear sending a thrust into its mouth. The tip bored into flesh. For a second Luke was sure it was dead, then it let out a point blank spitball.
He let go of the spear in an attempt to dodge, but the mucus ball slammed into his ribs. Pain burned through his side. Luke heard his rib crack on impact and the spider’s mucus was much more painful.
Now Luke lay on his back, the spider slowly approached with the spear still stuck in its mouth. The frost covering its face, twinkled in the light from the glowing moss.
This was it.
Luke could only cast, one more Frost Spike; not like the previous ones had an impactful effect.
His thoughts grew strangely quiet as the pain radiated through his whole body.
’I didn’t come to another world just to die in three days.’
He used every bit of strength left in his arms to crawl away. The spider just continued to slowly crawl after him, stalking its injured prey.
One last chance.
Luke mentally repeated the mantra in his head, drowning out the burning pain.
His plan wasn’t smart, nor was it sophisticated. Honestly, the plan was too risky, but he was past the point of worrying about risk.
Eventually his body gave out, he was past the point of no return and the spider eyed him hungrily.
The spider hissed as it stood over his body, its face dripping green blood. Seeing it up close, Luke wasn’t even sure how it was still alive. It didn’t matter how tough the monster was, as long it was F-Rank he was able to kill it.
Finally, the spider had been satisfied from toying with its prey. It lifted up its leg, preparing to pierce Luke’s torso, but it wouldn’t get the chance.
"F-Frost Spike." Luke barely managed to whisper as he conjured the spell.
He knew that the spell wouldn’t kill it, but that wasn’t the goal.
The spell hit the tip of the spear, dislodging it, and stunning the spider. The spear fell right into his hands. Using every ounce of strength he had and more, he gave one last thrust into the underside of the spider’s head.
Its ichor rained down on Luke’s face, dyeing him green. He felt as its weight slowly shifted off its legs and onto the spear, before the spear pierced through its skull.
The spider’s lifeless body was being held up by the spear. Luke used what was left of his strength to push it off him.
His mana reserves were emptied, leaving him with a splitting headache. One side of his torso was bruised blue from the spitball. His clothes were nothing more than rags, barely covering his manhood and his chest, the clip still attached to his breast pocket.
Yet as he lay in a pool of spider’s blood, he smiled.
Three days earlier, he was a normal college student. Now he had just defeated a monster capable of breaking stone with a single strike.
Slowly, the eggs started to disappear. The body of the giant spider slowly disappeared along with the scenery. Behind him, a piece of the cave wall turned invisible revealing a bright white room inside.
Luke wanted to get up right away, but his body was too battered and tired. Instead, he stared at the ceiling, recovering his mental strength.
Uncounted minutes flew by, before he had enough strength to stand up. Every muscle screamed in pain as he stood up, using the spear as a crutch.
His steps were painful and slow, but he didn’t stop to rest.
The white room glowed vibrantly, Luke couldn’t see whatever light source illuminated the room. Inside on a white pedestal rested a black orb, its inside identical to the entrance of a rift.
Lucius had memories that described where he was.
He was inside the nexus of a rift. Something that only regenerates randomly in stable rifts. None of the students should have entered a stable rift with a nexus, the academy would have made sure that every rift was at its easiest for the students taking the practical.
Before Luke could exit the rift, he would have to crush the nexus orb.
Luke placed his hand on the orb, using his hand to crush the nexus. Surprisingly, the moment he applied force to the nexus, it shattered.
He felt mana rush into his own core, increasing its capacity. On top of the podium appeared a leather bound book. Luke knew what it was: a spellbook.
Although it was only an F-Rank, getting a spellbook meant he beat the odds.
The moment he picked it up the podium retracted into the floor and an exact copy of the rift entrance appeared in front of him.
Using his spear to hold him, he pushed himself through the rift.
***
Valeria sat in a conference room with multiple other professors. They all watched the live image transmission from the students. Valeria and the other professors were only assigned to the group of students that were in rifts that started with six.
The image transmissions were displayed live using an illusion machine. A panel of 50 illusionary transmissions were playing. Valeria scoured the feed, finding that a familiar head of brown hair was fighting spiders.
She watched as a spitball hit him in the shin, then saw him cast an even more familiar piece of ice.
Another professor was also glancing at the feed, noticing Frost Spike.
"Wait, isn’t that Frost Spike. Look at student 687."
All the professors turned to watch Luke as he pierced the body of the first spider. Then they turned their gazes at Valeria, who couldn’t hear them.
Her mind raced, confused by what had just transpired.
She had casted that spell thousands of times.
The timing, motion, and adjustments were all the same.
She tightly gripped the armrests of her wheelchair.
’How?’
