—-

[This state…it should be impossible! That’ll damage him.] ​​

Unfortunately, once again Azridan’s words fell on deaf ears. Throughout his words, Apollo continued to utter one word in a crazed manner as his pupils took on a crimson glow inside the violet hue.

Just as the Widow Queen was boiling over with rage, so was Apollo. His thought process became clouded by the murderous thoughts invading his mind. Furthermore, the ghastly, purplish-black aura once again appeared. Only this time, it was thicker in appearance.

“Kill…I’ll kill… Murder,” uttered Apollo as his eyes remained glued on the Widow Queen now frantically dashing towards him. Its movements carried with it a trace of disorder seeming to be affected by the aura Apollo was currently leaking.

[Lad, recover yourself. If you act hastily, you’ll end up losing yourself within that rage. Heed my words; wrath is something that shouldn’t be easily trifled with.]

“No… I’ll kill. No more… No more pain,” uttered Apollo as he kicked off his back foot splintering the ground. If one looked closely it would seem his speed had increased. However, in reality, that wasn’t the case. He was subconsciously utilizing it properly beyond what he could achieve earlier.

‘Screeeeech!’

Spitting its venom at Apollo, the Widow Queen attacked on two fronts immediately following up with a shot of toxic threads. Reacting before it reached him, Apollo’s senses once again entered that sensitive state. Twisting his body, he performed a weird step that seemed like he would fall at any moment. Naturally, he didn’t.

Instead, he accelerated further and stab the Vantablack Knife into the abdomen of the Widow Queen. Sadly, it was leagues above the others. Rather than the puncture Apollo was looking for, only a scratch appeared. It wasn’t a Variant for nothing.

Clicking his tongue, the madness in his increased, “Break! Break! Break!” roared Apollo as his arms turned into a flurry of blurs continuously attacking the same spot. Each successive attack caused a deeper scar. Until finally a crack appeared. However, retaliating, the Widow Queen stabbed its leg into the ground aiming at Apollo.

Leaning to the side, he avoided most of it. However, the razor-sharp attachments mutilated his shoulder once again. Only, this time he didn’t seem to react. Rather than doing so, his eyes remained on the cut he made until it shifted to a seemingly weak area before him.

[He’s berserk right now. But how could that be that case? He isn’t a demon yet. He shouldn’t be able to tap into these powers; something seems out of place here. Could it be because of that? I see..]

Spinning the Vantablack Knife to a reverse grip, Apollo stabbed and slashed the exposed connecting joints of the spider’s legs. Horrible pained screeches sounded. In its mind, it couldn’t understand how this little human wasn’t dead and it instead stood here continue to bestow pain upon it. It was unacceptable!

‘Splich!’

A short moment later, it lost one of its legs as a viscous blue liquid seeped from the wounded. Meanwhile, Apollo waved the leg attempting to damage the Widow Queen fatally. But its increased capabilities from being a Variant came to light. Closing its legs before its vital area, it avoided the damage Apollo sought.

«You have dealt 52 damage.»

Scoffing, he ducked under its torso.

‘Pucht!’

Stabbing the Vantablack Knife through the exposed wound on the exoskeleton, Apollo’s actions garnered the reaction he sought. Acting haphazardly, the Widow Queen began flailing its legs seeking to tear him apart. Through a small window, he made his move!

Using the leg in his hand as a weapon, Apollo slashed it horizontally. While he didn’t reach them all, he dealt with most of its eyes. However, due to this damage, the beast changed its course of action.

Firing its webs at the wall, it remained suspended at least 10 meters in the air. Looking up Apollo frowned and shook his head. From this position, he was at a disadvantage. It was out of his reach and also midair. He didn’t possess the physique of Zul Warrior or even the Peak Mortal Rank to reach that high.

[It seems you have come in contact with a situation you’ve never been in before would you like my advice?]

“Yes,” coldly responded Apollo with eyes that screamed bloody murder.

[This will only work in your current state. You’re left with 2 options and 3 things to do. First, let me reveal the easiest way. However, if you do it this way; there’s a chance that beast may simply repeat its actions or try to deal with you.]

“What is it?” questioned Apollo impatiently. He felt Azridan was taking too long to reveal the information and as he was now; he couldn’t muster the answer himself.

[You can pile the corpses together and form a platform high enough for you to reach it. Though, if you do that, the beast can simply retaliate by destroying it and you’re back at square one. So as far as I see it, that option should be thrown out the window.]

“I agree.”

[That leaves option two. Look at its spinnerets. They’re all occupied. I suggest you destroy them all. While the fall won’t deal large damage, it should turn the battle in your favor. But… that’s only if you follow my next instructions. Those of which would leave you in a horrendous state soon after. So you have a time limit—2 minutes.]

“Time…limit? Why?” questioned Apollo as he retreated and moved his feet. The Widow Queen had begun attacking with shots of venom. Hence, he was unable to stay rooted in one spot.

[We’ll be acting upon your current state and deepening. But there’s a catch, I’ll be monitoring you. After all, how can I allow you to perish? Your journey has yet to even begin.]

Dropping his stance, Apollo listened to the words that Azridan was speaking into his mind. The mantra seemed to aggravate his conscience and force him into an even deeper rage. A torrential murderous aura encased Apollo. In exchange, he felt more power as his muscles swelled and his hair flared.

[Two minutes! That’s all you have. Act now!]

After Azridan’s order, Apollo dashed, turning into a phantom. Waving his arms after making multiple abrupt stops, a plethora of spider legs entered the air before flying and shredding the threads holding the beast in the air to pieces. Soon enough, there was only a single thread remaining.

‘Fwoosh!’

Throwing the last legs, it was ripped apart as the Widow Queen plunged. A resounding bang was heard as its heavy body made an impact crushing multiple eggs. In turn, multiple notifications sounded again. The second blessing occurred as Apollo reached Level 71.

«Congratulations, you have reached Level 71.»

“Increase Strength,” uttered Apollo before pouncing on the Widow Queen with lightning-quick movements.

«Strength: 44.1 → 44.6»

«Zuls: 146 → 147»

While the increase was small, with the way he advanced every increase counted. Immediately after, the disorientated Widow Queen felt a world of pain. Its legs one by one were cut off and stabbed through its eyes and even its mouth. Apollo didn’t hold back in the slightest.

In fact, he was beginning to take pleasure in what he was doing.

‘Splich!’ ‘Pucht!’

Soon enough, its lifeless body fell limp as a screen of messages appeared before Apollo.