Interlude: Through the Eyes of a Spider

Hello there everyone! It's me, the one this should be about, remember? Everyone's favorite little spider! I guess things might be pretty confusing since I've been doing my own thing for so long. But in summary! I died because of some mysterious light in the middle of class, and when I woke up I found I'd been reincarnated as a spider somehow! And for who knows how long I've been surviving in this labyrinth as best as I can.

I thought I would have it easy once I made myself a fancy home, but then some jerk adventurers burned it down and chased me all the way into some pit! What's with that?! Can't a girl be left in peace to have it easy in her home?

After falling into that pit, it just got even worse! I had to fight my way out through a whole swarm of bees while trying to avoid a scary Dragon named Araba. I thought "Mother" was terrifying for as little time I saw her, but this one… I can't forget how afraid I felt when I came across Araba. It's something that, maybe, I'll have to deal with when the time comes. But not now, not yet. Much less worse though is what happened before I made it here, monkeys. I don't know what their deal was, but I killed one of them and then suddenly a whole horde came after me! Good thing for me every time I level up in this world, I regain all my core stats! It took a while but all those monkeys died and I got a ton of EXP out of it!

And that was how I came to find myself here in the Middle Stratum. A spider's worst enemy, fire. And an entire floor of it no less! I don't know who designed this place, but I'm convinced whatever god runs this world hates spiders. Why else would I be thrown into a place full of monsters that might as well be built to take me out like it's nothing?! I can't even use my webs properly for now because I don't have the Skills built up to get around this problem. It's unfair I tell you, unfair!

But I mean, I'm still finding ways to do well. I'm crazy fast and with the Skills I do have, I can get around those weaknesses anyway! I've already taken down enough of these new monsters I've even gotten a fancy new evolution that just makes me all the better! At this rate, nothing will be stopping me!

"Hey Information Brain, you sensing anything?" Body Brain speaks up. Ever handy that is now, having a Skill like Parallel Minds to divvy up my thought processes.

"I mean of course. Detection is catching plenty. There is one odd thing I caught recently. Think we should check it out?"

"Obviously! More EXP means more levels, meaning we get stronger and it's easier to survive!"

"Good point!"

Rocketing off across the stone and following my ever now useful Detection, I come across two things. One, another eel like I'd just recently fought. They're big and tough, but I can take them down easily enough with my poison skills. And the other is a… hmm, I've never seen a monster like that before. It doesn't even look like it belongs here! Some kind of dragon looking thing, though it's way smaller than Araba was. Black scales and these unnerving pale blue eyes. Creepy. But man it's gotta be at least as strong as the eel, the things are going at it hard!

And is it using magic?! I only just got that myself but this thing's using spells I haven't seen before! What gives? Is this just the world mocking me again?

Still, it's kind of worrisome. How strong are these things that they're going at each other that fiercely? Good thing I'm not in the middle of that mess! Hmm, maybe I can pick off the winner for some easy EXP and a meal. That sounds like a good plan!

So I sit and I wait, watching the fight play out. Eventually both stop using magic, and the eel gets out of the lava to fight on the shore. The black lizard doesn't even let up on it even with the size different. Uwaaa, I think I'd actually hate to fight it. It doesn't even need to use magic to do that kind of damage by the looks of it. And if its strong enough to fight the eel like that, getting close is a bad move even with these fancy new scythe arms. Hmmm…

"Information Brain pay attention! The lizard's doing something!"

Looking back to the fight, what I see first is a flash. The blade that lizard has on its tail suddenly glows as it lunges for the eel, and in a bright gleam of light, it almost takes the thing's head off in one cut. It augments its attacks with magic too?! Talk about dangerous! But hey, its weakened so I should be able to…

But instead, just as I think its safe to sneak up on the lizard, it glows for a moment. Eh? I know that… Its skin peels away like its shedding, and now suddenly gone is the wounded lizard and it looks like it hadn't even fought at all. HEY! That's my gimmick, why can you do it too?! Well, an Appraisal should tell me plenty!

Black Basilisk LV12 Riku Shiratori
Status Appraisal Blocked

Eh? EH?! Blocked?! Blocked by what?! And is that… why does this basilisk have a Japanese name? What's even going on?! Is it… is that thing like me? No way, it couldn't… maybe. Ahh whatever! Now I'm mad, so attack it is! Body Brain let's go!

"Gotcha!"

Leaping from my perch, I conjure a ball of poison and send it flying. The oddly named Basilisk dodges the glob as it whips around, and my second one is dodged too. I knew you'd be fast after seeing that fight but come on! As I land and move in, he pauses for some reason, like he's contemplating something. Look, if you're just going to sit there and give me an opening then…

"Hello! Can you hear me?!" A boy's voice suddenly rings out in my head. Eh?! Eh?! Japanese?! It just spoke Japanese! Well, I guess not really spoke as much as… what's going on?! "You can, can't you? I don't know if you have telepathy yourself, so you'll have to tell me you can understand somehow. You… you understand Japanese, right? You're a reincarnation too?"

What on earth is going onnnn?! I thought I'd be running into some new fight and instead I run into another reincarnation?! Is this luck or am I just cursed! This is just confusing the heck out of me!

"I'm just going to take a wild guess here but… you wouldn't happen to be one of my classmates, would you?" So you are from the same class as me! So then uh, who are you? "I'm Shiratori Riku. If you can even remember. We were in Oka-sensei's class. Look just… nod your head if you understand me." I mean not like I have other options, so I give the most vigorous nod I can. "Alright, one answer. And, what about being a reincarnation?" And nod again! "Then that confirms it, I think anyway… uh, do you by chance happen to have the Skill points to buy Telepathy yourself? Trying to communicate solely through nods or shakes isn't going to work out."

Hmm, well okay it wouldn't hurt to check. If this does right then… well let's just see how much it would cost first!

Skill Points Currently in Possession: 600
Skill Points needed to purchase Skill [Telepathy LV1], 100. Purchase Skill?

Might as well if it's going to be that cheap!

Skill [Telepathy LV1] acquired.
Remaining Skill Points: 500.

Turning around and clearing my throat – well whatever passes as one – I suppose it's time to do a thing I never did back in my old life: Talk to a classmate. Oh boy… I think I remember this guy being a bit scary, like he just had this look in his eyes. But ahh, I don't have another choice! Alright, here goes…

"I… y-yes, I remember… a bit."

A/N

I'd been contemplating whether or not I was going to do an Interlude from Kumoko's perspective here or not, and, well, settled on doing so. Sense I apparently did her justice from Riku's perspective I sure as hell hope I did well when actually writing her myself... and now I just hear Aoi Yuki's voice going off in my head anyway. Hah.