Chapter 14: I Have Araophobia (01)

  ed head to toe in spider silk, I started being dragged somewhere.

  "So it was real... A dangerous monster..."

  I thought I would suffocate with my face covered in webbing, but fortunately, the spider silk allowed air to pass through, so I could breathe and be dragged along.

  "Do they keep their prey alive to ensure freshness?"

  In other words, if I were dragged to a spider's den, I’d be eaten alive.

  sidering the massive spider’s mouth from earlier, I’d probably be devoured headfirst.

  "If only I could grab my Mana Saber, I could cut this webbing..."

  The spider silk wasn’t as tough as I initially thought. A bit of strength might be enough to tear it, but the problem was that my arms were bound in a way that made it impossible to exert any force.

  Luckily, I had been caught while toug the Mana Saber. If I could just adjust the angle slightly, I might be able to ssh the silk. However, if I miscalcuted, I might end up cutting through my thigh instead, so I couldn’t move recklessly.

  "Ugh!"

  On top of everything, I was being dragged with my pants halfway down. Exposed and tied up in the silk, at least the spider was careful not to damage... 'that area' while pulling me along.

  Creak, crack.

  The creepy sound of the spider's legs moving made my skin crawl. I tried wiggling my fio tear the webbing and free myself, but my body refused to cooperate.

  "Ugh!"

  As I was being dragged, I kept hitting rocks along the way. If the spider silk hadn’t cushiohe impact, I might’ve died from internal injuries.

  "Where’s Molng?"

  Molng, my trusty slime panion, had been startled auro her slime form to try melting the spider silk. Unfortunately, the spider caught me too quickly, and we were separated.

  Creeeeak...

  As I was dragged along, I calcuted the distand took steady breaths, readying myself to activate my Mana Saber at any moment. I repared to lose a leg if it meant breaking free.

  It had been around 15 minutes.

  Judging by the damp and chilly air, I was in a shaded area. I could feel thin spider silk brushing against my exposed skin, sending shivers up my spine.

  Screech, screech!

  The screeg of spiders echoed, not just one or two, but dozens.

  "I repared to sacrifice a leg if it was just one spider, but this is a whole group. Without mobility, I’m doomed."

  My body was suddenly lifted into the air. After reag a certai, I ced on what felt like a soft hammock made of spider silk.

  "I’ve been id on a spider web."

  Realizing I was moments away from being their meal, I focused all my strength oing a small gap near my thigh.

  "Just a little more..."

  The webbing was estic rather than rigid, so I mao pry it apart with my fingers. Finally, I found an ao draw my Mana Saber without cutting through my thigh.

  "Good. I’ll wait for the leader to approad strike when it tries to eat me!"

  The pn was to cut down the leader and use the fusion to escape. Moypically panicked or scattered when their leader was killed.

  The web trembled, vibrations signaling the approach of spiders.

  "From the vibrations, there are two... I’ll strike one and immediately go for the other."

  Through the hazy light filtering through the webbing, I saw shadoroag. Seizing the moment, I activated my Mana Saber.

  Vwoom!

  The webbing around my thighs was sliced ly. I used the leverage to cut through the rest of the silk binding me.

  "Ah!"

  As I tore off the web c my fad prepared to strike, I froze.

  "A... person?"

  At first gnce, she looked like a mature woman adorned with jeweled ors. She was also pletely nude.

  But her lower half revealed the truth—she had the body of a spider. The "jewels" on her head were actually glowing, blue eyes.

  "Arae!"

  My hesitation gave her the opportunity to fire spider silk from her abdomen, binding my arms. Soon, other spiders joined in, shooting silk from a distao further restrict my movements.

  "No!"

  I tried reigniting the Mana Saber to cut myself free, but my hands were so coated in sticky silk that I couldn’t move my fingers. Trapped and helpless, I was pletely captured by the Arae.

  Creak...

  The Arae smirked at me, her lips curling upward as if mog my struggle.

  "An Arae? An A-css monster? What’s it doing here?"

  Arae were intelligent monsters. They wouldn’t recklessly attack a group of 200 knights, but someoupid enough to wander into the forest alone, like me? That was a different story.

  "Sigh..."

  The silk wasn’t c my face, so I could meet the Arae’s gaze. My arms and legs were pletely immobilized, my auck to the spider's web.

  "Her... breasts are huge."

  From what I knew, breasts developed in mammals to feed their young. So why did an arthropod monster like Arae have such promi ones?

  "Ugh..."

  Despite myself, I felt a pang of arousal.

  Her upper body exuded a sultry, aristocratic allure. But the sight of her spider-like lower half immediately killed any inappropriate thoughts.

  Though her human-like upper body was entig, her araid lower half disgusted me. My preferences didn’t include spiders.

  I tried not to focus on her as she sensuously waved her hands, brushing against my exposed lower half through the webbing.

  Creak.

  'You're mog me, aren't you? You're definitely mog me right now.'

  I felt my pride as a man taking a hit. The Arae held my groin in her hand and started rubbing it.

  "Ah!"

  Why... why was the Arae doing this?

  Moreover, her hand, made of hardened exoskeleton, was anything but pleasant to the touch. Instead, the rough texture caused so much pain that tears started welling up in my eyes.

  'But why is she doing this?'

  Was it simir to how humans might harvest eggs or certain ans from captured prey? Did Araes, who ed humans, have a of extrag semen before eating their prey?

  With her lower spider-half hidden from view, I could only see her upper half. If I ighe burning eyes on her head, her fad chest alone were...

  Beautiful. Seductive.

  That made it even more fusing and disorienting.

  Flinch.

  My lower half started responding involuntarily.

  'No way... I mean, I'm not into spiders, but since her upper body looks human, it might barely be within bounds...'

  "Urk!"

  Suddenly, the Arae raised her abdomen and exposed her venomous stinger, pointing it directly at me. She clearly inteo paralyze me before feeding.

  'I have to avoid this...'

  Thud!

  The stinger punctured my left thigh with precision. Immediately, my body turned cold, and the tension that kept my lower half somewhat resistant dissipated entirely.

  'Paralytiom?'

  The venom seemed desigo prevent prey from resisting. I lost sensation in my lower body, except for one specific area—my groin.

  I gred at the Arae as she grinned smugly, her mandibles twitg. However, the venom tinued spreading, sapping all the strength from my body. Even my hands, barely gripping the Mana Saber, fell limp.

  Thankfully, the spider silk holding the sword to my ha it in pce, but I no longer had the strength to wield it.

  As numbness spread throughout my body, the only sensation remaining was tered on one pce: my groin.

  'At this rate... I'll die young, in my prime. Guys, if you ever find yourself in these woods, don't even think about relieving yourself here. It'll get you killed.'

  At least, I thought, if I were to die after experieng o great moment, it wouldn't be the worst way to go.

  And being paralyzed to the point of feeling no pain seemed like a merciful end.

  Click.

  'The venom must be affeg my head... Why am I seeing two Araes?'

  From beyond the web, the Arae approached. But strangely, she seemed to have split into two figures.

  One appeared mature, like a woman ihirties, exuding fidend poise. The other seemed younger, hesitant, and awkward, like a girl my age.

  'This isn’t just a halluation, is it?'

  The mature Arae gently led the younger ooward me. The younger Arae looked terrified, her hands trembling. The older one whispered something to her, holding her hand as she guided it toward me.

  Grip.

  The younger Arae hesitated but eventually touched me. Uhe rough texture of the older one’s hand, hers was surprisingly soft, though still slightly uling.

  Flinch!

  "Ugh!"

  As the venom intensified, my body grew weaker, but the sensations around my groin became painfully vivid. It felt as though all my energy ooling in that one area.

  The younger Arae tilted her head curiously, as if studying me. She brought her fio her mouth, biting them nervously, before leaning closer with a mixture of fear and curiosity.

  Her face came close to mine, and for the first time, I saw her clearly.

  'Her face... Why does it look so human?'

  Uhe older Arae, the younger one’s features felt entirely human. There was no uling sense of alienness—just the image of a shy, blushing girl.

  Hoping to firm, I gnced downward. Her lower body wasn’t visible, but what I saw were legs that appeared human, lightly toug the webbing near my body.

  'Wait, is she not an Arae?'

  As my mind clouded further, the girl leaned in and opened her mouth slightly, her lips brushing against mine.

  "Mm…"

  She exhaled a sweet, intoxig fragrao my mouth, feeding me something warm and fluid-like. As I swallowed, my toung momentarily, then my entire body felt as though it were on fire. Energy surged through me—but only in one dire, downward.

  After finishing the strange kiss, the girl hesitated briefly before climbing on top of me.

  'Wait, hold on... Is she...?'

  And then, as if surrendering to instinct, the girl colpsed onto me.

  AnnouA Special Thank You!:

  I want to extend my deepest gratitude to [Matthew], for supp me on Patreon!

  Ultimate-Harem-fan