Chapter 530: Chapter 253: Unlucky Academy Squad (2)

"We can fight it."

As she spoke, she drew her long Rapier and held it ready before her.

"Is it coming? The captain’s ultimate skill!"

As the team’s Ranger watched in anticipation, a golden light flared up from the Rapier’s blade and shot toward the sky.

Eve’s figure flickered as she shot straight toward her opponent. She easily dodged the massive spider leg’s attack and flashed past the Crystalized Spider Queen’s side.

The next moment, golden light blazed as a colossal phantom Sword descended from the sky, striking the Crystalized Spider Queen before her.

"CRACK—"

The phantom Sword pierced through the thick carapace, followed by a sickening, grating crunch.

Black blood splattered everywhere, and the Crystalized Spider Queen’s massive body slumped.

However, an attack of this magnitude was clearly not enough to kill it.

The Crystalized Spider Queen quickly recovered, its rage burning as it glared at the tiny human before it. The next moment, it opened its massive maw and spat a stream of crystal-colored silk at Eve.

Eve was incredibly fast and dodged the attack with ease. She countered with a slash of Sword Qi that struck her opponent.

The Sword Qi shattered the Crystal Armor on the Crystalized Spider Queen’s leg. Although it had broken through its defenses, it clearly hadn’t caused any significant damage.

Eve frowned. The Crystalized Spider Queen swung its thick limbs, repeatedly trying to stomp on her.

The ground cracked and split apart. The massive body rampaged about, creating an Earth-Shaking tremor that made it hard for the members of the academy team to keep their footing.

"What a terrifying Demon!"

A battle of this caliber was already beyond their ability to interfere.

While they weren’t weak—most were Level 5 and above, with some even at Level 6 or Level 7—it was nearly impossible for them to pose a threat to a Level 10 Demon like the Crystalized Spider Queen.

"It’s no use. I can’t pierce it..."

The Ranger drew his bow again. The Arrow from his full-powered shot struck the creature, and while it managed to pierce the Crystal-like Armor, it couldn’t penetrate any deeper.

"Oh no, look over there!"

The team’s Assassin suddenly spotted something and pointed into the distance.

At the edge of their vision, a vast swarm of Crystalized Spiders was rushing toward them. A quick glance revealed at least a dozen of them!

"This is bad, we have to go now!"

Mi Lan instantly realized this was a situation they couldn’t handle.

"Eve, we can’t fight anymore! More Crystalized Spiders are coming!" she shouted.

Eve frowned. She had noticed the situation over there as well. Besides, she’d been fighting for so long without being able to secure a victory; killing the Demon before her was proving to be extremely difficult.

So, she had no choice but to give up for now and retreat.

In truth, with her strength, she had a good chance against a regular Level 10 Demon. The odds would be at least 60-40, maybe even 70-30 in her favor.

But the Crystalized Spider Queen was no ordinary Demon.

Among Initial Lord Level Demons, the Crystalized Spider Queen was considered one of the very strongest.

Not only was it powerful, but it also possessed an enormous body.

This made inflicting a fatal blow significantly more difficult.

Take Eve’s first strike, for instance. It was an Epic-level Skill. If a normal Level 10 Demon had taken that hit head-on, it would have definitely been injured, affecting its subsequent combat ability and allowing Eve to seize the advantage.

For the Crystalized Spider Queen, however, although the attack broke through its defenses and caused considerable damage, it hardly affected its ability to continue fighting.

"Let’s go!"

She returned to her companions’ side and turned to flee.

But just as they were about to retreat the way they came, they discovered that Crystalized Spiders had appeared in that direction as well—and in even greater numbers!

"We’re doomed..."

Mi Lan bit her lip, starting to panic.

In this situation, breaking through would be extremely difficult.

They were surrounded!

The Crystalized Spiders weren’t slow. The encirclement tightened, forcing the students to retreat backward—toward the Crystalized Spider Nest.

But everyone knew that was a dead end!

"Eve, maybe you should just escape on your own," Mi Lan said in despair.

"With your strength and speed, you should be able to break through and get out of here..."

Everyone fell silent.

All eyes focused on Eve in the center. They knew Mi Lan was right. With Eve’s power, she had at least a ninety percent chance of escaping alive.

But if she stayed to fight, given the number of Demons before them, their chances of survival were probably less than ten percent.

But what about them?

If Eve stayed, they had at least a ten percent chance—or even a five percent chance—of survival. But if Eve left, the outcome for them was certain: only death awaited.

Under their gazes, Eve finally shook her head. "I am the team captain. I can’t abandon my teammates and leave."

"Everyone, retreat toward the Crystalized Spider Nest! We’ll kill the spiders guarding the nest first to prevent being attacked from both front and back!"

Even at a time like this, her thinking remained crystal clear, and she quickly found the best possible solution.

Inside the Crystalized Spider’s Nest, they would only have to face Demons from one direction. Moreover, by fighting in the Demons’ home, there was a chance the creatures would be more hesitant, unwilling to destroy the nest they had worked so hard to build.

"Alright!"

Dudon, a student from the Warrior Academy standing beside her, immediately responded.

"That’s our Boss Eve for you! Let’s fight these beasts to the death!"

"I’m all fired up! It’s not over ’til it’s over!"

"..."

The once-somber atmosphere instantly became lively again. These academy students were young, in the prime of their hot-blooded youth. They were also all geniuses from their respective hometowns, and each possessed their own pride.

People like them wouldn’t give up so easily in the face of hardship.

They expertly divided the labor. Those with high Agility carried those with low Agility, and they all charged toward the Crystalized Spider Nest at top speed, following Eve’s strategy.

"We’re almost there!"

Finally, they saw the huge, pitch-black entrance.

Just as they were about to charge in, they saw a group of Adventurers walking out to meet them.

"Huh?!"

Dudon stopped dead at the nest’s entrance, completely stunned.

’Why are there Adventurers here?’

"Holy crap, I was wondering why those Crystalized Spiders would suddenly return during their feeding time. So someone was raiding their nest!"

The student from the Ranger Academy next to him was the quickest to react and blurted it out.

Instantly, the students’ gazes toward the Adventurers filled with resentment.

Luke scratched his head awkwardly. "Boss, what do we do now?"

Deke, however, didn’t see any problem.

This was how adventuring in the wild was. It was full of unexpected dangers. Encountering a situation like this could only be called a coincidence, or perhaps, that they were just unlucky.

’Of course, it might not be unlucky after all...’

"Looks like these spiders got back a lot faster than we expected."

Lin Mo also walked out of the cave and looked at the students before him.

"What a coincidence. We meet again."

"Ah, it’s those people from the camp last night!"

Seeing Lin Mo, Mi Lan finally realized that they had just met these Adventurers the previous night. They had even slept together (on the same patch of open ground).

"Quite a lot of them..."

Lin Mo stroked his chin as he watched the immense, ever-approaching swarm of Crystalized Spiders.

Eve watched his reaction, feeling a little curious.

’It looks like he doesn’t find these Demons threatening at all?’

’He’s not the least bit nervous. He even seems a little... happy.’

The Adventurers beside him were the same—chatting and laughing, looking completely relaxed.

It was true that anyone who dared to venture into the middle levels of the Giant Stone Mine couldn’t be weak. But the Crystalized Spider Queen was arguably the strongest Demon in the middle levels. With so many other Crystalized Spiders, even an Elite Level expert would have a tough time dealing with them.

’Are these people really that strong?’

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