Daniel scoffed inwardly, narrowing his eyes at the monstrous spider resting arrogantly in her silken domain.
"Tch. Just like an arrogant queen. She won't even lift her legs off that throne of hers. Why would she? The monsters come to her willingly. Or maybe… they just end up becoming her food themselves."
He stood still, watching her from afar — motionless, calculating.
And then — movement.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a Goblin — small, jittery, and visibly nervous — shuffling forward on the path that led directly to the spider's lair.
Daniel's eyes gleamed.
A wicked grin spread across his face.
"Now that... gives me an idea."
Without wasting a second, he sprinted across the underbrush, his movements swift and silent like a panther. In seconds, he closed the distance and appeared right beside the unsuspecting Goblin.
The Goblin flinched as Daniel casually placed a hand on its bony green shoulder.
"Hello, bro. What's up?" Daniel said with mock cheer.
The Goblin whirled around with a start, eyes wide — and when it saw a human standing there, it screeched in rage, sharp yellow fangs gleaming.
With an enraged howl, it lunged at him.
Too slow.
Daniel's fist connected with its gut before it even fully leapt, sending the Goblin crashing into the dirt like a ragdoll. It groaned, trying to get up, only to see Daniel's silhouette towering over him.
A chill ran down the Goblin's spine.
That punch. That strength.
This wasn't prey. This was a predator.
Realizing the futility of resistance, the Goblin dropped to both knees and bowed its head low, submitting completely.
Daniel watched, amused, a devilish smirk curling his lips.
"Good boy," he muttered under his breath, his eyes now glinting with something far more dangerous.
He had a plan.
And the Goblin… was about to become the bait.
---
A while later, the trembling Goblin approached the edge of the silk-covered zone. Beads of sweat rolled down his green forehead as he stared at the monstrous Silk Spider ahead of him.
His knees felt weak.
His breath hitched.
He swallowed hard, trembling fingers reaching into the pocket of his ragged shorts.
From it, he pulled out a small glass vial — the one Daniel had handed him.
Taking a deep breath, the Goblin popped the cork and drank the contents in one gulp, shuddering as the liquid burned down his throat.
Then, with newfound resolve, he stepped forward — directly into the Silk Spider's territory.
The enormous arachnid stirred.
A second later, it began to move.
Skittering forward with terrifying grace, it approached the trembling Goblin and—without hesitation—lunged, sinking its fangs into his body.
Crunch.
Rip.
Tear.
The sound was sickening.
So much so that Daniel, watching from a distance, turned his face to the side in disgust.
"My friend… your sacrifice won't be in vain," he said solemnly, placing a hand over his heart. "May God bless your soul."
Then, closing his eyes in mock reverence, he whispered, "Amen."
After a moment of silence, his lips curled into a mischievous grin.
"Alright, let's see if it worked."
He turned back to the scene.
At first, nothing happened.
The spider — monstrous, cold, regal — simply sat there, undisturbed, as though nothing had changed.
Minutes passed.
Ten…
Twenty…
Thirty.
Daniel frowned. "Huh. Maybe the poison didn't work…"
He was about to speak again when, without warning—
Thud.
The spider released her grip on the web and collapsed to the forest floor.
Her legs twitched violently, then slowed to a weak tremble.
Daniel's expression lit up instantly.
"Oh ho ho! There it is!" he laughed, dashing toward the beast.
Standing before her crumpled form, he clasped his hands behind his back and leaned forward with a smug grin.
"Hello, Spider. Not feeling well? Ate something you couldn't digest?"
He chuckled loudly, throwing his head back.
Then, in a softer, more ominous voice, he said:
"You couldn't resist it… because that was poison from the Serpent God, Selena. Only beasts of divine rank can withstand it."
The spider began to convulse — violent tremors shaking her giant body. Then came the retching. A thick, black fluid spilled from her maw as her limbs slowly lost all strength.
She was dying.
But Daniel didn't seem concerned. Instead, he crouched before her massive head, his voice calm, tempting.
"I'll give you a choice. Die now… or live as mine. Become my pet, and I'll heal you. I'll make you stronger than ever before."
At first, the spider remained still.
Then — a subtle twitch.
A spark of resistance.
And finally… surrender.
In that moment of death, she submitted.
A bond formed.
Bright blue glyphs shimmered in the air as a system notification appeared before Daniel's eyes:
---
[Taming Successful]
[Congratulations! You have obtained a new pet!]
[Name your pet: ____________]
---
Daniel grinned.
"Now… what should I call you, my little queen?"
As Daniel stood there, watching the twitching spider with a gleam in his eyes, a series of glowing messages began to pop up in his mind one after the other.
---
[Naming Successful]
[Bonding with Timi Successful]
[Now you are bonded with Timi]
[You gained 1000 EXP]
---
Daniel smirked and looked down at the massive, weakened arachnid.
"Timi," he said softly.
"Yeah... Timi suits you. Welcome to the team, partner."
Suddenly, something unexpected happened.
Timi's monstrous body began to tremble — not with pain this time, but transformation.
A strange red glow began to pulse beneath her chitinous shell. Her dull, black exoskeleton started shifting — forming new, vibrant patterns across her back and legs. The pattern was intricate, almost tribal in design, and as it finished forming, Daniel's eyes widened.
It was the exact shape of his bird-shaped locket.
The same crimson phoenix that dangled from his neck — ancient, divine, burning.
He instinctively touched the pendant around his neck, feeling it grow slightly warm.
The spider hadn't just bonded with him — it had branded itself with his mark, as if acknowledging him not just as a master…
---
A short distance away, chaos erupted—screams, heavy footsteps, and the panicked shuffle of dozens of goblins fleeing for their lives. A massive spider loomed over them like death incarnate, its long crimson-patterned legs crushing anything in its path. Some goblins dared to fight back, but their weapons were useless. The spider moved with terrifying precision, squashing them like ants beneath its limbs, one after another, until the ground was littered with broken bodies.
And yet, a few meters away from this massacre, Daniel lay sprawled comfortably on a large stone boulder. One leg crossed lazily over the other, his arms folded behind his head. His expression was peaceful, as if he were sunbathing on a beach. A pair of earphones nestled in his ears, muffling the screams as he hummed softly along with the music.
He didn't even glance toward the carnage.
Because he already knew what was happening.
And more importantly—he had planned it.
Inside the observation room, gasps filled the air. A group of elite heroes from various guilds stood in front of a wide holographic screen, their expressions frozen in a mixture of awe and disbelief as they watched the scene unfold.
"What the hell… is that even allowed?" one of them muttered, eyes glued to the spider brutally mowing down goblins and other monsters.
Another, older man with silver streaks in his hair, shrugged. "Technically, he tamed it. It's part of his abilities now. Nothing in the rules says you can't bring a monster to fight for you."
A third observer exhaled sharply. "Still… that level of strategy. He's not just strong—he's smart."
Miss Lisa, Daniel's homeroom teacher, stood quietly at the back, arms crossed, her eyes fixed on the screen where Daniel appeared completely unfazed by the slaughter.
"A smartass and a badass…" she whispered under her breath. Then her eyes shifted toward another screen—Justin. "And we've got some truly promising candidates this year."
One by one, she flicked through the remaining screens, watching other contenders fight, fall, or survive.
But in the back of her mind, a single thought lingered:
This boy… Daniel… could be more dangerous than any monster in that jungle.