Souls Online: Mythic Ascension-Chapter 173: Death of the Snake

Once Adam went through the black portal, a chill went through his spine as he found himself in a dark, damp cave. The air was heavy with miasma and in front of him was a massive stone throne where a cloaked individual sat haphazardly on it.

"Took you long enough."

The voice was somewhat low and husky but was still undeniably feminine. Adam narrowed his gaze as with some disbelief called out

"..Arachne? Is that you?"

Clap Clap Clap

"Bingo! Good job Little Snake~! You figured it out~!"

The hooded figure sat up and began to clap their hands in an almost mocking manner.

"What the hell is going on here? Why are you appearing as my so-called instructor!"

Adam had so many questions and not enough answers but judging by Arachne’s body language, it didn’t seem like she was inclined to tell him.

"Now, Now~! Why would I want to ruin my fun Little Snake. I have come to you today as you have caught my eye and offered to teach you a skill that is unique to your own class~!"

Adam’s brow twitched at those words. What did she mean ’come to him today’? She was practically always with him. The way that she spoke was as if she was implying someone... or something was watching them.

"Now, shall we begin your training~?"

Arachne’s voice was filled with mirth as she lowered her hood. Adam flinched as the figure on the throne was unmistakably a female version of himself with red eyes. Her clear skin and short black hair that was slicked back gave a handsome roguish vibe while at the same time emitting a wild femininity that he lacked. If he didn’t know any better, she could pass for a twin sister!

Seeing Adam’s unnerved expression, she began to smile widely as she tilted her head

"What’s the matter Little Snake~? You look like you have seen a ghost~!"

Adam said nothing but the way he glared at Arachne was enough for her to guess what he was thinking right in that moment.

’Is that what you turned my body into when I was unconscious?!’

Arachne’s answer was a cold gleam and soft snort

’So what if it was?’

Adam tightened his grip on his dagger as he wanted nothing more in that moment than to smack the arrogant and warped version of himself.

"Enough messing around! I will give you a chance. Tell me what you think one of your many weaknesses are~?"

He reeled back for a second when Arachne suddenly switched to a somewhat serious tone.

’A weakness? What does she mean by weakness?’

"Let me put it into terms that even an idiot like you can understand. What is something you lack in terms of combat?"

That made Adam think of all the past fights that he had been in since joining the game. From the fights with the goblins all the way to the fights against the bosses in the Kobold Nest, he realized that there was something that he lacked most of all.

"I have been relying mostly on laying traps, regular attacks and my own passive skills of regeneration and my blood. I don’t have any active offensive skills!"

Clap. Clap. Clap

Another round of obnoxious clapping ensued. Arachne’s gaze was cold yet filled with mirth as she mocked.

"Good boy~! You aren’t completely stupid it seems~! As such, I will teach you an active skill~!"

Adam tensed up, his eyes narrowing as he took a defensive step back.

"You’re just enjoying this, aren’t you."

Arachne chuckled, still lounging lazily on the throne with one leg draped over the armrest.

"Of course I am. Watching you squirm is half the reward. But the other half is seeing how far you’ll go. And you, my Little Snake, have potential."

She twirled a few strands of her slick black hair around her finger, humming to herself. As the strands coiled tighter, they began to shimmer with an unnatural sheen. Then, slowly, they unraveled except they didn’t fall. Instead, the hair seemed to stretch, extend, and thicken into threads of glistening silk that wriggled like living things.

Adam’s eyes widened as the strands dropped to the floor and began to twist into shape. Limbs formed first, then the torso, then the rest. Within seconds, a second figure rose from the ground in front of the throne. A perfect copy of Arachne, right down to the roguish smile and piercing red eyes.

This one didn’t speak. It simply stood there, arms at its sides, as if waiting for a command.

"Now my Little Snake, how will you fare against a clone made from a few strands? What you learn here will naturally develop into an active skill that suits someone like you."

Adam scoffed as he got into a combative stance, believing that he was ready for anything that the sadistic Arachne could throw his way. freewebnoveℓ.com

"Bring it on you parasite! I will get a good kick out of beating up your clone for what you did to me!"

He shouted with annoyance, intending to vent his pent up frustration on the clone that Arachne had provided.

"Oh my~? Calling me a Parasite. How...Bold! I guess I won’t have to hold back then~!"

Arachne’s eye twitched in annoyance at Adam’s impertinent shout. Yet instead of standing up, she began to relax in her throne as a thin intangible web spread out, enveloping the entire area. A system chime rang out as if to confirm what this was.

System Notice: Arachne has opened up the Domain of Truth and Deception. To anyone within her Domain, the Truth is only what they permit.

Adam had no idea what that meant but it immediately put him on edge. The way that Arachne was relaxing right now as if she was about to watch a good show made him inexplicably feel nervous.

"Are you Ready~?"

She asked from atop her throne, her clone also getting into a fighting stance.

"Ready as I will ever be!"

He shouted back, gritting his teeth as he shifted his focus to his opponent.

"Okay~! Don’t break too fast~! Begin!"

"Huh?"

He blinked at the unexpected words but found that he couldn’t speak as his vision was spinning wildly.

That was until he noticed the headless body standing in place and the clone that had its back to it.

’What the fuck....’

Was the last thing he saw before his vision faded and he heard the words

[You have Died.]

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