Vivian La Clasidus
Vivian had transformed from a human into a spider. To undergo such a metamorphosis, one needed either bodily modification or infection, both of which required a catalyst known as a “core.” This core could be any material imbued with mana, with mana stones being the most common example. While some might dismiss mana stones as trivial, Vivian’s case was anything but ordinary.
The mana stone within her body gradually became a core, akin to a heart or the center of magical power in humans. It absorbed, processed, and channeled countless flows of mana daily. Over time, the mana stone transformed into a kind of inner core, rich with deep mana.
Of course, it couldn’t compare to the divine cores of mythical creatures, but it was better than nothing. I feigned deep contemplation.
“Hmm. It’s a bit lacking.”
“What? Come on, give me a break. That’s really all there is.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
“Truly?”
As I kept questioning, Vivian’s face turned indignant, and she shouted.
“Ugh, you’re so frustrating! I told you, that’s all there is! If you don’t believe me, search for yourself!”
“But I want what’s inside you.”
I slowly pointed a finger at her body. Vivian followed my gesture, looking down at herself with a puzzled expression before turning back to me.
“Human male, I have a question. Do you have some peculiar fetish?”
“Fetish?”
“Yes, like mating with spiders or something…”
“Shut up.”
“Eek, sorry!”
I cut her off immediately. What on earth was she talking about? As my expression darkened, Vivian lowered her eyes and trembled. Watching her, I couldn’t help but feel a mischievous urge to tease her. But given the situation, I spoke calmly.
“I don’t mean I want to mate with you. I want what’s inside you.”
“Inside me…? There’s nothing useful in there. Do you want some silk?”
“No, no, that’s not it. You were human once, right?”
“Yeah.”
Vivian nodded obediently, making me feel a bit guilty for bringing it up. But I steeled myself and continued.
“If you turned into a spider, there must be a mana-infused catalyst.”
“Of course. I’ve noticed you’re quite knowledgeable… Wait, are you talking about the core?”
“Exactly.”
“You’re asking for my core? Are you insane?”
Whether she remembered it or knew it well from her own research and transformation, Vivian’s eyes widened as she questioned me. I nodded firmly. Seeing my determination, she looked dazed for a moment before regaining her composure.
“Are you joking?”
“I’m not.”
“Come on, it’s obvious you’re joking. Haha.”
“I’m serious. Hand over the core along with these things, and I’ll let you live. Promise.”
I held out my pinky, and Vivian’s face twisted. She backed away, shouting in a high-pitched voice.
“Are you crazy? Why would I give you that?”
“Don’t worry. You won’t die from losing it.”
“I know that! But would you give up your heart or magic circuits if someone asked? That’s absurd!”
“Of course not. But still, hand it over.”
“Stop asking for it so casually! No way!”
“Give it.”
“Just kill me! I’d rather die than give it to you! If I give it up, I’ll be…”
“Really? Well, that’s a shame.”
I took a step forward with my sword. Seeing my approach, Vivian shivered and retreated quickly. But in this workshop, there was nowhere to run. Realizing she was cornered, she spoke urgently.
“Wait, wait! Put the sword away. Let’s talk. Hey! I said don’t come any closer!”
Being the kind person I am, I obliged her request. I stopped and reiterated my demand in a clear voice.
“Let me say it again. Give me these things and the core inside you. We’ll call it even for your life.”
“That’s unreasonable…”
“Negotiations are over.”
Faced with my unyielding stance, Vivian finally exploded in frustration.
“You heartless bastard!”
“Oh, showing your true colors now, are we? This is getting tiresome. Maybe I should just kill you and take it myself. And while I’m at it, dissect your body…”
Humming a tune, I moved forward again, and Vivian looked at me in disbelief. Her face was a storm of emotions—resentment, fear, and helplessness. I almost wanted her to cry… What is wrong with me?
I shook off the stray thoughts and focused, channeling mana into my sword. The blade glowed, and my expression turned cold. Sensing the change, Vivian frantically searched for an escape, but it was futile. The workshop was filled with my killing intent.
Still clinging to hope, she tried to climb the wall to escape. I moved swiftly, slicing through one of her legs with a single stroke. She fell, writhing in pain, and rolled on the floor. Unfazed, I raised my sword over her head.
“Goodbye. You were quite amusing, though.”
“Wait! Just a moment!”
“Hmm? What is it? I’ll grant you a last request.”
Vivian, who had closed her eyes tightly, opened them slightly at my words. Realizing I had paused, she sighed in relief but soon remembered her predicament, her eyes trembling.
Finally, she seemed to understand I was serious. Her small lips parted.
“I’ll give it to you.”
“What was that? Speak up.”
“I said I’ll give it to you! Just don’t kill me, you bastard! Waaah!”
Watching Vivian break down in tears, I couldn’t help but smile. She was quite pretty, actually. I wondered what she looked like as a human. Grinning, I lowered my sword.
“Good choice. Haha.”
“Waaah! Oh, woe is me! Waaah!”
I helped the spider back up. She accepted my assistance but continued to cry, pounding the floor with her remaining legs. Watching her, I scratched my head. Had I been too harsh? Seeing her struggle to stand with three legs made me feel a bit guilty.
“Sniff… Sniff…”
“Hey, quiet down.”
My words came out harsher than I intended, but they seemed to have an effect. Vivian clamped her mouth shut, though she couldn’t stop her shoulders from shaking as she sobbed. Despite her tears, she looked at me with pleading eyes, as if asking, “Are you really going to take it?” Annoyed, I spoke again.
“Are you stalling? If you’re going to give it, do it quickly. Or should I just cut you open and take it myself?”
“Fine, damn it. I’ll give it to you… Waaah.”
Overwhelmed by her emotions, Vivian began to cry again as she pushed out her abdomen, preparing to expel the core. Once, twice, three times—her abdomen bulged as she pushed. Finally, with a look of despair, she glanced at me. I quietly raised my sword.
“Here it is! Sniff! You bastard! You awful person! Waaah!”
I shrugged at her curses. With one final push, a black, round orb emerged from her mouth, accompanied by a gush of liquid. It was larger than I expected, almost the size of an adult’s palm. I quickly checked its information.
“You have acquired the core of Alchemist Vivian.”
Having expelled the core, Vivian collapsed, her face blank with exhaustion. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she lay there. Satisfied, I reached for the core. Vivian’s small voice reached my ears.
“Sniff… It’s poisonous. Sniff! If you touch it, you’ll die.”
Even now, she was worried about me. This girl was something else. Chuckling, I picked up the core with my hand. Vivian’s expression shifted to one of mixed concern and anticipation as she watched me. To tease her further, I pretended to clutch my hand and shouted.
“Gasp. It feels like poison is spreading through me. Ugh. I’m dying.”
“What, what? Hey! So, I… Ah, this isn’t right. Oh yeah! Serves you right!”
I casually summoned a flame in my hand and infused it with my will. My intention was to purge the
This was the advantage of being at the mythical level. While those at the flame level could only burn, the mythical level allowed for precise control according to the user’s will. Vivian watched the process with a curious expression. Once I finished the purification and tucked the core back into my pocket, she stared at me blankly. I grinned and said, “I was just kidding.” Her lips pouted again, and she eventually burst into tears. I couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight.
After the commotion settled, Vivian sat down with a defeated look. I spoke to her, having already pocketed all the items she had laid out.
“Congratulations. As promised, I’ll let you live. Haha. Don’t think too badly of me. By the way, a piece of advice… You should leave this dungeon as soon as possible. The dungeon’s details will be revealed soon, and the city inspectors will come to investigate.”
“Mind your own business!”
“You’ll die if you stay here.”
“Without the core, I’ve lost most of my power anyway! Whether I die here or out there, it’s the same… Ugh!”
Vivian, who had been spitting out her words with a fierce expression, suddenly grimaced in pain. It seemed she couldn’t control her insides due to the loss of the core.
“Ugh… It hurts… It hurts!”
Vivian looked at me, pleading for help, but there wasn’t much I could do. If anything, I could only offer her a quick death. When I pointed to my sword with a nonchalant face, she turned away, trembling with betrayal.
“You bastard… I gave you everything… Ugh… Ahhh!”
“What nonsense.”
I snorted and watched Vivian. Then, I was a bit surprised by what happened next. Her body began to twist involuntarily, and soon, her legs started to detach one by one. It was as if she was being disassembled like a robot, her body twisting and falling apart. I watched with a curious eye. Could this phenomenon be…
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Royujin. It’s been a while since I’ve done a continuous update. Writing over 10,000 characters feels like my brain is on fire… Haha. What exactly is happening to Vivian’s body?
Originally, I planned to let Vivian live and then kill her later, but I decided to change direction after thinking about how Suhyeon revealed some of his true nature by twisting the neck of user Jeong Jiyeon. Vivian, please thank the readers.
And so, the long dungeon exploration comes to an end. In the next chapter, we’ll return to Mule. Haha. If anyone missed recommending or commenting on the previous chapter, please go back and do so. Your 30-second investment gives me the strength to write for 30 hours.
『 Reader Comments 』
TragicLife: Haha, look forward to the next chapter. Congrats on being first.
LikeTheWind: It’s been a while! Please leave comments occasionally. Haha.
GradeRown: I’m curious to see what happens to Vivian in the next chapter. Hehe.
ShadowlessRain: It’s not that he’s abandoned it… he’s just become indifferent. He’s not a madman who loves killing, but he can become one if necessary.
HumanLife: Honestly, I felt sorry for Vivian while writing this. Haha. If she survives, she might team up with Sol… ^^
Ain’tJay: Suhyeon will make sure such a situation doesn’t arise. Haha.
Yuirana: Surprisingly, Vivian is quite popular. Thanks to the sacrifice of user Jeong Jiyeon, Vivian’s life has been extended a bit. Let’s see what happens next. Haha.
Bash: Hehe. Vivian’s true nature is human… oops!
3d33d: As originally set, cases of stat boosts are extremely rare. More details about the core will be revealed in the next chapter. Haha.
LegendaryUser: Indeed. With the ruins’ lab and the cave of screams still left, there’s plenty of exploring to do. Haha.
I always read all the comments repeatedly. Please don’t feel too disappointed if you’re not mentioned in the reader comments. If you’re really curious about something, send me a message, and I’ll reply! (Please leave lots of comments! And recommendations… ☞☜)
That’s all for today.
I hope you always read my work with a relaxed mind.
Favorites, recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.