Remembering Kumoko's soul contained a fragment of a supreme god's soul, Ryu Takeno understood. Even a small fragment was invaluable, enough to elevate Kumoko's abilities significantly.
Honing one's abilities is simply breathing, inhaling and exhaling energy, expelling impurities, and absorbing purity.
The world's ambient energy is called "MA energy," the world's life force.
[Proficiency reached a certain level. Skill acquired: Energy Absorption.]
[Experience points reached a certain level. Individual—Lesser Taratect leveled up from lv7 to lv8.]
[Various base stats increased.]
The meditating Kumoko was startled from her meditative state by the sudden system notification.
Eh? Could energy absorption also increase experience?
Kumoko was surprised by her sudden level-up. She hadn't expected that Ryu Takeno's method would also grant experience.
That meant she could get stronger just by focusing her inner strength?
Wasn't this the life every otaku dreamed of?
"Let's go."
Ryu Takeno interrupted the daydreaming Kumoko. His body was itching; his shedding had begun, and he couldn't stay there.
After snakes shed their skin, their bodies grow, requiring a lot of food to replenish themselves.
"Oh~"
Kumoko snapped out of her daydream and followed Ryu Takeno.
A snake and a spider searched for the path to the middle layer, Ryu Takeno rubbing against rocks and using protrusions to shed his old skin.
He'd considered asking Kumoko for help, but considering her size, he dropped the idea.
Rubbing against the rocks, Ryu Takeno finally shed all his skin.
Kumoko looked at Ryu Takeno's enormous shed skin and tried biting it with her fangs.
Mmm!
Bekkō da rō!!. Even his shed skin was so strong.
Her fangs didn't pierce the skin, showing its toughness. After all, Ryu Takeno's defense was over a thousand; his shed skin having such defense wasn't strange.
"What are you doing?"
Ryu Takeno saw Kumoko rolling up his shed skin, looking puzzled.
Kumoko, her rear end in the air, explained while rolling the skin, "Let's keep it; it might be useful later! It could be used for armor."
"You reminded me."
Kumoko's words reminded Ryu Takeno.
He pressed down on his shed skin, tearing off a piece and placing it on Kumoko. He wasn't sure how high its defense was, but it was certainly higher than Kumoko's.
Kumoko felt disheartened.
I'm weaker than even the boss's shed skin? I'm so weak!
…
Middle layer of the Elroe Great Labyrinth.
After searching for a while and eliminating several monsters, they finally found the path to the middle layer. The first thing they saw was a sea of red-hot magma; it was incredibly hot.
Though Kumoko was prepared, seeing the endless sea of magma startled her.
Her HP started dropping from the heat.
Dying! Dying! Dying!!
She panicked, running back towards the passage they'd come from.
Ryu Takeno felt nothing; he found the temperature comfortable, neither hot nor cold, just right.
He even wanted to soak in the magma.
It was far hotter than "a little hot." Kumoko's spider silk caught fire within seconds on the red ground. Standing on the red ground wasn't hot; it was painful, like a spider on a hot plate.
No wonder Kumoko ran back.
But I promised Takeno-kun I'd stay with him; I can't back down! I finally found a companion; should we part ways like this?
No! I don't want to!
Kumoko refused to give up. She didn't want to break her promise to her companion.
Besides, she had a way to survive here. By raising her HP regeneration skill, she could balance HP loss and gain, allowing her to move in the middle layer.
And taking enough damage would grant damage resistance.
With resistance skills, she wouldn't fear the heat.
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