Chapter 99: Silk
AN: I''m back!
Thanks to ShadowFangus, StarSmith, Ondo Gonzales, and Daniel Thomsen for the pat re on subscription.
Been pretty busy this holidays running around everywhere and being dragged to go everywhere.
s, the holidays are over and it''s back to work for me on Thursday.
It''ste but Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!
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<strong>Chapter 99: Silk</strong>
<span style="font-weight:400">“So…can someone exin what’s going on here?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Death just shrugged.
<span style="font-weight:400">“It’s simple. The Death of this world noticed my presence and came to visit.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...Why are you making it sound like a neighbor just came over?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Cause that’s pretty much it.”
<span style="font-weight:400">The other Death nodded.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Beings like us are singr in our universes. We govern a singlew that spans throughout the universe. So imagine my surprise when I felt the power of Death simr to mine suddenly appear. I was curious and decided to check it out.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...That’s it?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“That’s it.”
<span style="font-weight:400">The other Death shrugged.
<span style="font-weight:400">Death smiled.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Rx. If she wanted you dead, I would’ve done it instead.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...Is that supposed to reassure me?”
<span style="font-weight:400">What do you mean you would’ve done it instead? In times like this, you’re supposed to say something like ‘I’ll be the first one to protect you’ or something!
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin sighed.
<span style="font-weight:400">Honestly, he wasn’t worried about facing the Inheritors, but Death…or rather, these Deaths are too unpredictable and worrisome!
<span style="font-weight:400">Although he can trust the Death of his world, there’s no telling what the Death of this world would do!
<span style="font-weight:400">However, after thinking it through, he realized there was nothing he could do anyway if she decided to do something.
<span style="font-weight:400">After thinking that, Benjamin stopped caring and rxed.
<span style="font-weight:400">The other Death saw his expression change instantly and was amused.
<span style="font-weight:400">He’s indeed as peculiar as the other me said.
<span style="font-weight:400">She was used to seeing two expressions wherever she faced someone.
<span style="font-weight:400">Revere and fear.
<span style="font-weight:400">Towards Benjamin’s ‘I don’t care anymore’ expression, while certainly not the first time, there were few such existences who can show that expression despite knowing who she was.
<span style="font-weight:400">Of course, just that alone doesn’t interest her much. At most, she was just unused to such reactions.
<span style="font-weight:400">What interested her more was the fact that the Death of another universe would actually attach herself to this person.
<span style="font-weight:400">And it wasn’t just a simple attachment either.
<span style="font-weight:400">From the looks of it, her soul was basically bound to this man.
<span style="font-weight:400">She wondered what was different with this Benjamin and her curiosity slowly turned into interest.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Anyway, as long as you don’t want to harm me or anyone close to me, I don’t care what you do.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin gave up and shrugged.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh? And what if I do want to harm you?”
<span style="font-weight:400">The other Death asked teasingly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“In that case, I’ll have to resort to my hidden forbidden technique…”
<span style="font-weight:400">Death raised a brow at that.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You have something like that?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh, it’s pretty much me begging you to do something about it. I’m powerless against you guys after all.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...”
<span style="font-weight:400">The two Deaths were speechless.
<span style="font-weight:400">Suddenly, they burst intoughter.
<span style="font-weight:400">Seeing the twough, Benjamin sighed in relief.
<span style="font-weight:400">Good! They’re in a good mood! I should be safe for a while!
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin thought that as long as these two all-powerful beings were happy, they shouldn’t wreak havoc…right?
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin smiled wryly and turned to leave.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, I still need to deal with something so…I’ll leave you two to it.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Is it those worms? Want me to help?”
<span style="font-weight:400">The other Death asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“No, it shouldn’t be a problem. But…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“If you’re gonna ask me to resurrect those spiders that died before, I can only do so for the ones that originated from this universe. As for others, you’d have to ask the Death of their universe.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I see…”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin nodded.
<span style="font-weight:400">It was just a passing thought really.
<span style="font-weight:400">Since Death was here, he figured he might as well ask.
<span style="font-weight:400">As for whether he would actively go to each universe to ask Death for help…well, that’s too hard to achieve.
<span style="font-weight:400">To begin with, there’s no telling if every Death would be as easy to talk to as these two…
<span style="font-weight:400">After leaving the two Deaths by themselves, Benjamin went around the Spider-refuge to look for things to do.
<span style="font-weight:400">While walking, he heard some noise in a nearby room and went to check.
<span style="font-weight:400">Inside was a huge training area with numerous holes on all walls, ceilings, and even the floor.
<span style="font-weight:400">From those holes, several red balls could be seen shooting about here and there, making the scene quite chaotic.
<span style="font-weight:400">In the very middle was a figure dodging those balls by jumping, spinning, and shooting webs.
<span style="font-weight:400">It was Silk.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin wondred if this was a room to train their so-called Spidey Sense.
<span style="font-weight:400">But that should only react to danger, right?
<span style="font-weight:400">As if on cue, there was an explosion as Silk was hit by one of the balls at her back.
<span style="font-weight:400">…Oh, so that’s the danger.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin understood.
<span style="font-weight:400">The room stopped shooting balls as Silk groaned on the floor after being hit.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ugh…dammit…!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Silk gritted her teeth and angrily mmed on the floor.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin thought for a while before approaching her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“That looked like it hurt.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You…what was your name again?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Benjamin Freed.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What do you want?”
<span style="font-weight:400">SIlk frowned as she asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Nothing. I was just curious. You’re good at what you do but…you seem to be putting too much pressure on yourself. Is it because of your identity as the ‘Bride’?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Silk fell silent for a moment but still answered.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You don’t understand since you weren’t here when we found the Inheritors before…so many people died for my sake…I’m too weak.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“So you’re here training recklessly?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“So what if I am!?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Silk shouted angrily.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin chuckled.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Rx, I don’t mean anything by it. But isn’t it better if you have a sparring partner? No one helped you?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hmph! They’re all too weak to help me!”
<span style="font-weight:400">…This brat…
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin rolled his eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">“In that case, should I give it a try?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Silk looked at him from top to bottom.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You look weak.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin just smiled.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Is that so? Wanna make a bet?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Bet?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“1 hour. If you can touch even a hair on my body, you win.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Silk narrowed her eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh? What do I get then?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What do you want?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin asked in return.
<span style="font-weight:400">Silk grinned and pointed at him.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You’ll be myckey for life!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...Isn’t it a bit much to bet on something for life over this?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin rolled his eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Then a week!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Fine. What if I win then?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’ll be yourckey for a week!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...I don’t really need ackey but, oh well.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin shrugged.
<span style="font-weight:400">Anyway, he only proposed the bet to make it interesting. It’s not his fault for her setting the consequences.
<span style="font-weight:400">For a moment, Benjamin imagined what her expression would be when she find out she can’t win.
<span style="font-weight:400">At this moment, Silk was smacked at the back of her head.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ow!? Huh?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Silk turned around but found nothing.
<span style="font-weight:400">When she was about to turn back to Benjamin, she caught sight of a long white whip-like thing hurling at her.
<span style="font-weight:400">Silk quickly bent backward to dodge, followed by a backflip.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What!? Why didn’t my Spider Sense react!?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh, that? It’s easy, I just overpowered it with my own mental attack and temporarily disabled it. Now, let’s see how you’ll fare without it.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin didn’t bother moving from his spot but from his feet, white symbiote tentacles rushed towards Silk, attacking her from all sides.
<span style="font-weight:400">Silk no longer dared to be careless and quickly dodged as she attempted to rush at Benjamin to attack.
<span style="font-weight:400">However, Benjamin still remained unmoved.
<span style="font-weight:400">Every time she was about to get close, a tentacle would unknowinglytch onto her feet and hurl her back away again.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What’s wrong? I thought you said I was weak?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin chuckled as he goaded her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Shut up you tentacle monster!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“T-tentacle monster…”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin was speechless.
<span style="font-weight:400">Although he was indeed using tentacles…isn’t it a bit too much to call him a tentacle monster!?
<span style="font-weight:400">It sounds like something from a hentai anime!
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin snorted and attacked with more ferocity.
<span style="font-weight:400">Soon, Silk couldn’t take it anymore and copsed onto the ground, panting and sweating crazily.
<span style="font-weight:400">An hour had already passed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You lose.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Dammit…!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Seeing her look so frustrated, Benjamin chuckled and crouched down near her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Do you know what went wrong?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What? Aren’t you just absurdly annoying!?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin ignored her remark and answered.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You’re relying too much on your Spider Sense. Actually, it’s not just you, almost all the Spider people are like that. Because you’re relying on it too much, you tend to only react whenever it activates. While this may seem better for others, you’re different. Your instincts and talent are more powerful than the others. Yet you keep hindering yourself by relying on the Spider Sense.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Silk frowned.
<span style="font-weight:400">She could understand what he meant, but at the same time, not as well.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin continued.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Your Spider Sense is indeed quite reliable. However, if the danger is too fast, it would be toote to dodge. At times like this, it’s better to rely on your own instincts. Do not doubt yourself and overthink things.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin stood up and walked to a panel on the wall.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Now. Let’s try this again.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ah? W-wait!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Without waiting for her, Benjamin activated the room’s training course and red balls started to shot out of the holes once more.
<span style="font-weight:400">Silk wasn’t able to catch a breath as she quickly started to dodge.
<span style="font-weight:400">As she dodged, she started to think about what Benjamin said.
<span style="font-weight:400">Don’t rely too much on the Spider Sense…do not doubt yourself…do not overthink…
<span style="font-weight:400">Silk’s breathing stablized for a moment as she closed her eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">Focus, Cindy! You can do it!
<span style="font-weight:400">She ignored everything and only relied on her instincts as she moved.
<span style="font-weight:400">Right…left…jump…turn…flip…
<span style="font-weight:400">After a while, the room powered down and she opened her eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">As she did, excitement seemed to shine from her eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">She did it!
<span style="font-weight:400">Shepleted the course!
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin smiled as he approached her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well? Feel a bit stronger now?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah! I feel like I can take on 10 Morluns now!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Uhh, let’s not get ahead of ourselves…”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin shook his head.
<span style="font-weight:400">Then, he remembered something.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Forget about Morlun. You lost the bet so you’re myckey now. Go, fetch me some drink.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...”