Chapter 18 - The Web of Intrigue

Riva Blazeheart had resigned herself to what promised to be a thoroughly dull day. She and Nyra Frostclaw had been assigned by Lord Anansi to spy on some nobody Level 1 from a virtually unknown Familia—a task that seemed a complete waste of time. Yet, orders from their god, Anansi were non-negotiable.

Riva stood tall and striking, her fiery red hair flowing freely in loose waves, cascading around her shoulders and down her back. Her piercing green eyes scanned the bustling lobby of Babel Tower with sharp intensity. She wore medium armor that was practical yet stylish, covering most of her body but still accentuating her feminine curves. The dark blue sheen of her armor contrasted beautifully with her hair, giving her a fierce yet elegant look.

Beside her, Nyra Frostclaw, a werewolf was the epitome of lithe grace. With her snowy white hair cascading down to her shoulders and her bright blue eyes sparkling with mischief, she looked every bit the playful wolf girl she was. Her light armor was designed for agility, showing just enough of her form to be alluring without sacrificing functionality. Her wolf-like ears twitched in time with the flow of adventurers around them, and her tail swayed lazily behind her as she leaned against the wall, trying to mask her impatience.

"Ugh, I'm so bored," Nyra complained, her voice tinged with frustration as she absently toyed with the hem of her adventurer dress, which dipped just enough to show a bit of cleavage. "Do you think those rumors about this Level 1 are true? Could he really have defeated Loki Familia's Level 5 Crusher?"

Riva sighed, crossing her arms over her chest and glancing at the elevator, which Peter and his white-haired companion had taken up to the tower. "It's impossible for a Level 1 to even last ten seconds against a Level 5. And I heard this Peter guy registered as an adventurer less than a week ago. Maybe he's a veteran from outside Orario, falsifying his level."

Nyra considered this, still absently twirling a strand of her white hair around her finger. "Still, it's incredibly difficult to level up outside Orario. Did you notice the spider emblems on his strange armor? Maybe that's why Anansi is so interested in him."

Riva nodded thoughtfully. "Spiders are definitely his thing. Could be a coincidence, but you know how Lord Anansi is—crafty and cunning, always finding amusement in the strangest places. He thrives on curiosity."

Nyra's ears perked up as she rolled her eyes. "Curiosity or not, I'd rather be doing almost anything else. I suppose it beats cleaning up after those giant spiders in Anansi's chamber though," she remarked with a bored expression, glancing towards the entrance lobby where adventurers of all sorts milled about, preparing for their dungeon dives. Nyra and Riva, both strikingly attractive, inevitably drew appreciative glances from the people milling about.

Nyra noticed a blond guy in heavy armor eying her and winked at him mischievously. Riva watched with a slight frown as the adventurer blushed and quickly turned away.

"Must you always flirt so shamelessly?" Riva muttered, shaking her head.

Nyra chuckled. "It's harmless fun, Riva. Lighten up."

Nyra was getting increasingly restless after waiting for almost two hours. "What can be taking them so long? What do you think they're doing?" she asked impatiently.

Riva shrugged, trying to suppress a smile. "Probably shopping for weapons and armor."

"Can't they do it any faster?" Nyra huffed.

Riva raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in her eyes. "Didn't you take an entire day to select this armor?"

Nyra pursed her lips defensively. "That's different. A lady needs to look her best in all situations. Why would men need so long?"

Riva chuckled. "Maybe they're comparing swords. You know, size matters in the dungeon."

Nyra smirked. "As if you would know anything about that. Have you ever been with a man?"

Riva folded her arms defensively. "That's none of your business."

Nyra laughed teasingly. "So, you're still a virgin?"

Riva flushed, retorting, "I have had my experiences."

Nyra remained skeptical. "Uh huh, with whom?"

Riva shot back, "Like I said, none of your business."

Nyra's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Hey, speaking of the guys we're following, aren't they both kinda cute? If you had to choose between Peter and his white-haired buddy, who'd it be?"

Riva frowned, "Nyra, can't you think about anything other than guys for even a minute?"

Unfazed, Nyra pressed on. "Oh, come on! Would it kill you to loosen up a bit? Who would you pick?"

Blushing, Riva muttered, "Fine, the white-haired one. He's kind of cute, alright?"

Nyra's grin widened. "So you're into younger guys, huh? Good to know!"

Riva's face flushed a deeper red. Desperate to divert the topic, she shot back, "Alright, who would you choose?"

Nyra pondered for a moment before replying mischievously, "I'd choose... both of them. I always wanted to have two men do me at the same time."

Riva blushed deeply. "Eww, Nyra!"

Nyra grinned devilishly. "What? Can't handle a little adventure?"

Riva shook her head, still blushing. "You're incorrigible."

Just then, Nyra noticed Peter and his companion stepping out of the elevator. She whispered to Riva, "Don't turn back. The Spider and the Rabbit are back."

Riva smirked knowingly. "Spider and Rabbit, huh? Interesting choice."

Nyra nodded with a sly grin. "It suits them, don't you think?"

After waiting for both of them to enter the dungeon, Riva and Nyra began to follow at a discreet distance. As they entered the first floor, Riva turned to Nyra and asked, "You picked up their scent, right?"

Nyra smirked confidently. "Of course I did." As a werewolf, Nyra possessed a keen sense of smell and was an excellent tracker, which was precisely why Anansi had chosen her for this spying mission.

Riva and Nyra continued to trail Peter and his companion through the dungeon, keeping a cautious distance. As seasoned level 4 veterans, they swiftly dispatched any monsters that dared to approach, shattering their crystal cores with precise strikes that reduced the creatures to dust in an instant.

By the time they reached the tenth floor, Riva's spyglass had proven invaluable. A cherished gift from her sailor father, the golden and compact device folded down to just four inches. Intricate hieroglyphics etched into its surface granted it a unique charm: the ability to reveal its target in darkness or through fog, as long as they were within line of sight. This enchanted spyglass was why Riva was Anansi's go-to scout—or, as she humorously referred to herself, his "designated peeper."

The tenth floor was shrouded in thick fog, but Riva's spyglass easily pierced through the haze. Whispering to Nyra, Riva pointed the spyglass towards Peter, observing him with enhanced clarity even from their concealed position. "Look at him," Riva murmured, adjusting the focus as Peter deftly trapped monsters with his webs before easily dispatching them. "He's really spider-like, isn't he? No wonder Lord Anansi is so intrigued."

Nyra glanced at her with a hint of envy. "I would be able to see him if you actually let me use your damn spyglass once in a while," she muttered, holding her hand out expectantly.

Riva moved her spyglass away protectively. "This is the only thing of my father's I have left. I'm not letting anyone touch it," she said firmly.

Nyra huffed in irritation, folding her arms and muttering something under her breath. Despite the tension over the spyglass, Riva continued to observe Peter's extraordinary abilities.

Riva watched intently as Peter expertly webbed the feet of a hulking Orc, causing it to crash to the ground with a heavy thud. With a swift, practiced motion, he plunged his sword into the monster's brain, dispatching it instantly. Despite his ruthless efficiency, Peter's demeanor remained almost casual, indicating he was there more to support his white-haired companion than to seek glory himself. His sharp awareness was evident as he quickly turned, webbing a pair of Imps sneaking up behind his partner. He dragged them effortlessly toward himself and dispatched them without breaking a sweat, his movements fluid and precise.

Meanwhile, the "Rabbit" guy, Peter's white-haired companion, was clumsily locked in combat with another Orc. Riva, peering through her enchanted spyglass, noted the stark contrast in their fighting styles. The Rabbit guy's swordplay was unrefined, lacking the finesse and grace expected at this depth of the dungeon. His awkward movements hinted at inexperience, yet he somehow managed to bring down the Orc, albeit with significantly more effort than Peter.

Riva, adjusting the focus of her spyglass to pierce the thick fog that blanketed the tenth floor, remarked, "Isn't their Familia quite new? I heard it's less than a month old."

Nyra's wolf-like ears twitched with curiosity as she nodded. "Yeah, I heard Anansi mention it's only two weeks old. Why do you ask?"

"It's strange," Riva continued, her tone laced with suspicion. "Not only is the Spider guy handling himself well, but even the Rabbit guy is managing down here. It took us over a year to reach this floor, and they're already here?"

Riva fine-tuned her spyglass, closely observing Peter's companion as he awkwardly parried another attack. "He's definitely awkward with his sword," she observed, noting the clumsy, unpolished movements. "Almost like he's never held one before. But he's still holding his own against these monsters. He's nowhere near as skilled as the Spider guy, though."

Nyra, who couldn't see the adventurers clearly through the dense fog, commented with a hint of disbelief, "So, the Rabbit guy can actually defeat the monsters here? Even though he fights like he's barely had any training?"

Riva's brow furrowed in concentration as she continued to scrutinize the duo through her spyglass. "Yeah, his sword strikes are clumsy, but he's surviving. It's surprising, really. It's almost as if he's accustomed to wielding a different weapon, his movements are surprisingly fluid and don't quite match his current fighting style."

Suddenly, Riva exclaimed, "Whoa!" Nyra turned to her curiously, prompting Riva to explain. "The Spider guy just jumped up to avoid a sonic blast from a bad bat behind him. He somersaulted mid-air, and in the middle of his flip, captured the bat with his web, dragging it down to the ground. It's like he has eyes in the back of his head. Even the captain couldn't have pulled off a move like that."

Riva and Nyra continued trailing the two rookie adventurers until they entered a tunnel. The tenth floor was mostly composed of open areas, unlike the upper floors of the dungeon, which featured more tunnels.

Riva glanced at the dark passage ahead. "Do you know where this tunnel leads?"

Nyra shrugged, her ears twitching. "I haven't gone this way before."

"Should we follow them or wait here?" Riva asked, a note of uncertainty in her voice.

"No way am I standing around aimlessly for hours again," Nyra said firmly. "For all we know, this tunnel might have another exit. I say we follow them."

The girls waited a bit, giving the adventurers a head start before following them into the tunnel. With Nyra's keen sense of smell, there was no risk of losing their targets.

Peter led Bell into a side tunnel on the tenth floor, following a brief consultation with Jane. He had scanned detailed maps of the dungeon's upper floors from the library into Jane's database, and his preparation was now proving invaluable. This tunnel led to a small, secluded cave—a perfect location for their next move.

Upon reaching the cave, Peter began to damage the dungeon walls.

Bell, confused, asked, "Why are you doing that?"

Jane's voice chimed in through the suit's speakers. "Damaging the dungeon walls forces the dungeon to focus on repairing itself rather than spawning monsters. It's a common strategy adventurers use to take breaks."

Peter nodded and added, "Exactly. This will give us some time to eat lunch and, with any luck, draw our pursuers in here so we can confront them."

Bell looked intrigued. "Pursuers? You mean those girls following us?"

Peter smiled. "Yes. One of them is a redhead who's been spying on us with a telescope, and the other is a werewolf."

Bell frowned in confusion. "What's a telescope?"

Peter explained, "It's a collapsible tube used to see things far away."

Bell's eyes lit up with understanding. "Oh, you mean a spyglass!"

Peter chuckled. "Exactly."

Peter removed his mask, sitting down with Bell a short distance from the cave entrance while keeping it within view. They quietly enjoyed their simple lunch of sandwiches, the secluded spot providing a brief, much-needed respite.

As they ate, Peter suddenly raised a hand, signaling Bell to stay quiet. His gaze locked onto the cave entrance, eyes sharp with focus. In a few moments, two figures emerged from the tunnel's shadows.

Without hesitation, Peter swiftly shot webs, ensnaring the intruders and sealing off the entire cave entrance in a sticky barrier. As he completed his work, he took a moment to observe their captives. The girls were strikingly beautiful, even by the high standards of this world, where many seemed to possess a supermodel's allure.

As the girls struggled against their web bindings, each had a distinct reaction. The redhead sputtered, "Ewww, gross!", while the white-haired werewolf, eyeing the webs with a mischievous glint, quipped, "Kinky!"

Peter, feeling distinctly uncomfortable with the werewolf's attitude, approached them with a serious expression. "Why were you following us?" he demanded in his best menacing voice.

The redhead instantly denied it, "Following you? Don't be ridiculous! We were just… heading in the same direction."

The werewolf, snorted. "Right, because guys usually chase after us, darling. We don't do the chasing."

Peter raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Convenient coincidence, then. You just happened to be exploring this remote corner of the dungeon after spotting us all the way back in Central Park and then waiting for hours in the entrance lobby of Babel Tower?"

The werewolf shrugged nonchalantly. "I have no idea what you're talking about. By the way, are you going to release us or are you planning to take advantage of us?" she added suggestively.

Peter insisted, "We'll release you as soon as you tell us who you are and why you were following us."

The redhead retorted, "You must have us confused with someone else. We just came into this cave to take a break."

The werewolf smirked and leaned in closer. "Oh, I think I know why you captured us. Do whatever you want to me, but don't touch my friend. She's still a virgin."

The redhead's eyes widened as she blurted out, "I am not a virgin!" Her face turned crimson as she realized what she had admitted to complete strangers.

The werewolf's smirk widened, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "So, what's the plan here? You gonna have your wicked way with us while we're all tied up, or are you the chivalrous type who's just going to let us go?" She smirked, eyes twinkling with mischief. "You know, tied up like this, you can do anything to us. We're completely at your mercy—no complaints from me, of course."

Bell's face turned a deep shade of red. "W-We're going to release you," he stammered, fumbling with his knife. "I mean, right now!"

The werewolf pouted teasingly, "Aw, such a gentleman. I wouldn't have minded a bit more… excitement," she winked at Bell, sending shivers down his spine. Her redheaded companion also blushed at her suggestive remark.

Bell, clearly eager to steer clear of the werewolf's flirtatious banter, hurried over to the redhead to 'rescue' her. Peter, meanwhile, felt increasingly awkward about the werewolf's bold attitude. He pondered whether to stop Bell from freeing them before finishing his interrogation, but doubted his ability to question the werewolf effectively; she seemed too much of a nymphomaniac for a serious conversation. Besides, he didn't have concrete proof that they were actually following them—he couldn't exactly show them Jane's surveillance footage. So it was just his word against theirs.

Remembering Bell's dream of being a dungeon hero rescuing a damsel, Peter couldn't resist pulling a prank. Just as Bell was poised in front of the redhead to cut the webs, Peter quietly dispelled his magic, causing the webs to vanish instantly.

Bell turned to Peter with a look of hurt and betrayal, his expression akin to someone whose life's aspirations had just been shattered. Peter fought to maintain a serious demeanor as he focused on the girls, trying desperately not to burst into laughter at Bell's crestfallen face.

Peter directed his question firmly at the two girls, "Who are you, and which familia do you belong to?"

The werewolf sauntered closer, invading his personal space with a mischievous grin. She leaned in close, her voice a low purr near his ear. "Now that would be telling, darling. You'll have to try harder if you want to find out my name and address."

Peter maintained his composure, deadpanning, "Don't get the wrong idea, 'darling'. I already have a girlfriend."

The werewolf dramatically pouted, "Too bad, all the good ones get taken." She draped her arm around Bell's shoulder and turned to him with a playful gleam in her eye. "What about you, darling? Are you available?"

Bell blushed furiously, struggling to form coherent words. "T-there's someone I like," he managed to stammer out.

The werewolf girl purred teasingly, "That's a shame. No point in wasting any more time here." With a swift movement, she grabbed the redhead's arm and led her towards the exit, leaving Peter and Bell standing there, slightly bewildered by the encounter.

Bell turned to Peter once the girls were out of earshot. "We didn't find out anything about them. Should we follow them?"

Peter waved off the concern. "No need. Jane, send out the drone and track them."

Jane's voice emanated from Peter's suit, "Sure thing, Peter."

Bell's eyes widened as he watched the golden spider emblem on Peter's chest liquefy, revealing a black spider symbol beneath it. The symbol detached from the suit and began hovering down the tunnel.

"Whoa! What is that?" Bell exclaimed, both amazed and confused.

Peter, now donning his mask, replied with a smirk, "It's a drone. Perfect for spying."

Bell, still baffled, asked, "So... you've had a living thing on you this whole time?"

Peter shook his head, chuckling. "No, Bell. It's not a living thing. It's an artifact."

Bell, rubbing the back of his head, sheepishly added, "Oh, right. Sorry, still getting used to all this."

Bell continued to pepper Peter with questions, but Peter silenced him with a quick gesture, focusing intently on the video feed from the drone displayed on his HUD. He watched as both girls effortlessly dispatched monsters shrouded in fog, swiftly destroying crystal cores with precise strikes that made slaying giant Orcs seem as effortless as swatting flies. Within moments, the entire area was clear of all threats.

Observing the interaction between the redhead and the werewolf through the drone's audio feed, Peter furrowed his brow. The redhead asked the werewolf with exasperation, "Nyra, why do you always have to act like such a slut?"

Nyra's response was smug. "I got us out without having to fight them or answer any questions, didn't I? You wouldn't have managed the same. You'd probably end up blurting out your entire life story."

The redhead pouted defensively. "No, I wouldn't have. I could have broken out of those webs if I had tried hard enough."

Nyra retorted, "Maybe, but they wouldn't have stood around idle if you had tried to break free. How do you think they knew we were following them from Central Park? We kept our distance."

The redhead sighed in frustration. "I don't know. That spider guy seems to have eyes in the back of his head. Maybe it's a skill. One thing's for certain—he's not just a Level 1, at least not an ordinary one. And please, don't let Lord Anansi know we got captured by him."

Nyra chuckled knowingly. "Do you think we could hide it even if we tried? Anansi is too intuitive and smart. He'll see right through us."

The redhead nodded reluctantly. "You're right. Lord Anansi will be even more intrigued when he hears how easily he captured us. It's embarrassing we got caught by a Level 1."

Nyra replied with amusement, "No wonder Anansi is so interested in him. Being the god of Spiders and all, do you think he might try to snatch this Spider guy into our familia?"

The redhead speculated, "Who knows? Given his obsession with spiders, I wouldn't be surprised if he did."

Meanwhile, Peter kept the drone following them until they reached the entrance to the ninth floor. At that point, he recalled the drone, knowing it would be challenging to spy on them without the cover of fog and the lower ceilings of the upper floors.

Peter quickly briefed Bell on everything he had learned. "Do you know about the god Anansi?" he asked.

Bell shook his head. "Never heard of him. Maybe we can ask Eina when we get back to the guild."

Peter nodded. "Sounds like a plan. But let's spend some more time gathering crystals. I want to see how much we can earn today."

Freya scowled as she peered into the dungeon through her mirror. Her plans seemed to have backfired. She had hoped that an easily manipulated deity like Apollo or Tlaloc would take an interest in Peter after hearing the rumors. Instead, she saw the children of Anansi spying on Peter and Bell—her destined Odr. If Anansi managed to entangle Peter in his web, extracting him would be no simple task.

She hadn't directly interacted with the trickster spider god until now, as they inhabited completely different sections in the heavens. Anansi had only descended to the lower world a few years ago, but his reputation preceded him. Back in heaven even the elder gods were wary of him, recognizing his uncanny ability to outmaneuver adversaries far stronger than himself. Dealing with Anansi was like trying to handle a venomous spider: one wrong move, and you were caught in his web.

Contemplating her next move, Freya reluctantly resolved to attend tonight's banquet of the gods. She usually shunned such gatherings, finding them tedious and frivolous. However, if Anansi made an appearance, it could be her best chance to get close to him and learn his intentions.

Author's Note: Once again, a big shoutout to Zanstel for beta reading this chapter and offering invaluable feedback that helped refine it.

Your reviews are greatly appreciated! Please take a moment to share your thoughts on this chapter. Let me know what you liked or didn't like!