The last ape gets caught by my thread right in front of me.
The hand it reaches out with barely fails to reach me.
I wrap thread around that hand too, completely sealing off its movement.
I look around.
Apes are caught in threads everywhere.
Not a single ape is free.
Just to be safe, I do a quick scan of the ground within my field of view, but no ape reinforcements are coming.
Even with my ears strained, I can't hear anything that sounds like them.
I've finally rendered every last ape incapacitated.
I won. The thought makes me want to let my guard down, but not yet.
I've only incapacitated them. I haven't finished killing them all.
Below me are more apes tangled in thread than I could even be bothered to count.
Among them, I can see the form of one especially large Giant Ape.
The last Giant Ape is still struggling, trying to tear the threads apart.
The Giant Ape's strength genuinely exceeds what the threads can withstand.
It won't break immediately, but if I leave it alone, it'll work its way free eventually.
So each time, I've been adding more thread to restrain it all over again.
While fending off incoming apes and maintaining the Giant Ape's restraint at the same time.
It was tougher than I expected.
I'm glad I didn't relax after taking down two Giant Apes.
Because I'd dedicated so much more force than anticipated to restraining the Giant Apes, both my MP and SP are completely bottomed out.
The reason I didn't finish them off first and left the Giant Apes alive was simple — I just didn't have the breathing room to do it.
With apes bearing down on me, I had no time to stop and deliver the killing blow to the Giant Apes.
On top of that, the Giant Apes happened to be positioned right along the apes' route of advance.
If I'd tried to finish off the Giant Apes, I would have necessarily had to move toward the apes of my own accord.
There was no way I was pulling a suicidal move like that.
What I feared most was whether the apes would help the Giant Apes break free of their restraints.
With the Giant Ape's strength combined with the apes' cooperation, they might have been able to break through my restraints — I'd been quite anxious about that.
But the apes never did it.
These apes, who would prioritize efficiency even at the cost of their own lives, for some reason chose not to pick the most effective tactic available to them — helping the Giant Apes.
I was relieved, but the apes' behavioral logic remains a mystery.
Well, to be fair, this entire attack doesn't make much sense either.
They can't possibly see me as food, and I have no idea why they attacked me in the first place.
The most I can come up with is that I'd killed one ape in a counterattack not long ago, but whether that alone would push them this far… hmm.
Yeah.
No point dwelling on it.
There's no way I'd ever understand what Monsters are thinking.
Anyway, time to finish off the Giant Ape.
There's no way I have the nerve to bite something that dangerous directly with my fangs.
So just like with the other two, I create spider poison from above with Poison Synthesis and shove it straight into its mouth.
The moment it takes a literal mouthful of poison, the Giant Ape slumps and stops moving.
With my biggest concern out of the way, I go through the remaining apes one by one, finishing each off with Poison Fang.
Poison Fang does consume a tiny amount of SP, but it's never been a concern until now.
The cost is low, and I'd never been in a situation where I was running out of SP.
But even so, there are just too many apes.
Even trusty Poison Fang runs dry when you use it enough times.
Reluctantly, I eat some of the incapacitated apes midway through to recover stamina.
The immobilized apes seem to offer some last shred of resistance — they try to intimidate me as I approach.
There might have been a hint of fear mixed in, but who cares.
You lot picked a fight with me fully intending to kill me, so you'd better be prepared to die yourselves.
Don't come crying to me when it's your turn to bite the dust.
So without a shred of hesitation, I deliver the killing blow.
《Condition met. Acquired Title: Merciless.》 《Effect of Title Merciless: Acquired Skills Heterodox Magic LV1 and Heterodox Resistance LV1.》 《Heterodox Magic LV1 has been integrated into Heterodox Magic LV2.》 I got another Title.
Another one with a scary name.
This makes two Titles that grant Heterodox Magic.
I feel compelled to register my objection here.
I'm not that heterodox!
I'm really not!
Anyway, I'll check my new Skills later.
I've been leveling up and gaining new Skills left and right throughout this fight, so it'd be better to review everything when I have time afterward.
《Experience Points have reached the required threshold. Individual: Small Taratekt has risen from LV9 to LV10.》 《All base stats have increased.》 《Acquired Skill Proficiency level-up bonus.》 《Proficiency has reached the required threshold. Skill Poison Synthesis LV2 has risen to Poison Synthesis LV3.》 《Proficiency has reached the required threshold. Skill Throwing LV2 has risen to Throwing LV3.》 《Proficiency has reached the required threshold. Skill Magic Power LV1 has risen to Magic Power LV2.》 《Acquired Skill Points.》 《Condition met. Individual: Small Taratect can now Evolve.》 I leveled up while methodically dispatching the remaining apes.
Oh right.
Already LV10?
That's fast!?
I mean, my level was skyrocketing during the fight, but I can already do my next Evolution!?
《There are multiple Evolution candidates. Please choose from the following: Taratect Small Poison Taratect》 Huh?
The Taratect that drops "Small" from the name is about what I expected, but Small Poison Taratect?
With "Poison" in the name, it's probably poison-specialized?
Well, that can wait too.
There's no way I can Evolve in a situation this precarious.
I need to finish off every last ape.
《Condition met. Acquired Title: Monster Slaughterer.》 《Effect of Title Monster Slaughterer: Acquired Skills Brute Force LV1 and Toughness LV1.》 《Strength LV3 has been integrated into Brute Force LV1.》 《Durability LV3 has been integrated into Toughness LV1.》 Hm?
Another Title?
Another scary name.
An upgraded version of Monster Slayer?
Strength and Durability got integrated into different Skills?
I'd better not forget to check later.
After that, it was just the monotonous work of disposing of the apes.
Poison Fang, Poison Fang, an occasional meal, and reinforcing my threads here and there.
And then, from that spot, every life other than my own was snuffed out.