Overgeared: Saharan Successor

Chapter 13: Spider Broodmother Dungeon

Eve was telling stories about the first episode or, better said, the encounter she had with Odin with a nostalgic and fond expression. Still, she ensured that throughout the story, she glanced at Alysha to gauge her reactions, taking great satisfaction at the points when she and Odin got closer and shared those moments. 

On the one hand, she felt childish for her age for gossiping about her lover, but against an 'enemy', it was all fair game in a war.

Since Odin went out busy with a little creature sharing his heart with her, it was only herself and the remaining members of the party who weren't on break. 

Reaching the final point of the story, the Boss Fight, which could be considered an epic climax to the dungeon, she was getting annoyed internally because it was a fight that Odin had made her feel 'weak' and also, in a way, humiliating her.

She didn't go too much into the details of the fight, just the gist of things, focusing more on the highlights of the Boss Fight. 

After clearing the various pockets she hadn't touched in case they needed to escape the Boss Chamber, she and Odin made their final preparations. With Odin taking the lead, he stepped through the final tunnel, which led to a closed door.

Opening this closed door, the released air was thicker than previously, filled with a decaying, more pronounced scent than Eve's lavender scent.

Entering the narrow passage leading to the Boss Chamber, one entered a vast, dimly lit chamber, where the walls were lined with sticky webs that glistered like silver threads in the faint light of the mana stones.

The ground was littered with the remains of past adventurers, their armor and weapons now trapped in the webbing. The eerie silence was broken only by the faint skittering of smaller spiders retreating into the shadows as the two adventurers advanced.

In the centre of the chamber, a monstrous figure loomed. The Cave Spider Broodmother was an imposing sight, her massive, bulbous body supported by eight powerful, chitinous legs that ended in razor-sharp claws. 

Her carapace was dark and glistening, covered in a pattern of intricate, natural armor that seemed almost impenetrable. Her multiple eyes glowed with a sinister red light, reflecting malice and cunning.

As she sensed their presence, the Broodmother turned to face them fully, her fangs dripping with venom that hissed as it touched the ground. A low, guttural hiss escaped her, reverberating through the chamber and sending a shiver down the spines of Odin and Eve.

Hanging from her abdomen were countless egg sacs, pulsating and ready to hatch at a moment's notice.

Eve's eyes widened at the sight, her hand tightening around her staff. "That's one ugly mother," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Odin nodded, but unlike Eve's reaction, he wasn't as shocked or overwhelmed by the spider's monstrous appearance. "Remember the game plan."

Eve took a deep breath and nodded, her nerves settling slightly at Odin's calm demeanor. Odin charged forward, his two-handed sword gleaming in the dim light as he initiated the fight with a powerful Heroic Strike. 

The blow landed squarely on the Broodmother's armored leg, causing her to screech in anger and pain. The strike also boosted Eve's morale, but remembering Odin's strategy for this boss fight, she held back, allowing him to fully grab the monster's threat and keep it linked to him.

Yet, this didn't mean she was a sitting duck, holding her hands in her pockets. Inspired by his craziness, she began getting in a spot that allowed her movability. While Odin was fighting 1 vs. 1 against the large Spider Broodmother, akin to some Hero from a Myth story, she was impressed with his precise control of his body and skills.

Watching him fight while also checking the monster's HP gauge, Mi-Jung wondered about Odin's identity outside of the virtual world. He showcased a high intellect that usual chumps and bums that would hit on her daily couldn't possess by the manner he was handling this entire fight.

'He has a handsome face for sure. He is tall as I like. I can't tell how his build is underneath that armor, but based on his face, he's lean. Mhmm, he's decent.'

Analyzing this man inwardly for all sorts of parameters women look for in men that they could find as possible 'partners, ' her brain got idle and wasn't as focused on the Spider Broodmother as Odin, who was handling himself like a gladiator facing a Gryphon or Manticore in the Colloseum of Titan.

She lazily placed two buffs on him, one that imbued his weapon with a 'Lesser Fire Attribute' while another a small 'Armor Enchant' that raised his defenses barely noticeable. 

In that moment of absent-mindedness, Odin, cleaving about 15% HP from the Broodmother, withdrew from her humongous side as it finally switched attack patterns, retaliating with her massive legs slashing through the air with deadly precision. 

"Your patterns are a readable, stupid spider. After daily sparings with that monstrous old fart, facing usual mobs is rather bland." murmured Odin as he deftly dodged and parried her attacks with ease, reflecting a portion of the damage back to the spider, triggering a series of shrieks.

Mi-Jung watched the spectacle like an audience member, his movements fluid and controlled. This observation stirred another theory in her mind regarding Odin's IRL identity. 

'I think he is a martial arts practitioner. Maybe he's doing MMA? He does have this brashness about him, and is quite rude.'

Odin's mana control was also exceptional, as he refrained from going all-out and gassing out when the Boss mob would transition into a Rage Phase. Switching his sword stance in a smooth fashion akin to a grandmaster in Kendo, he used Knight's Resolve to bolster his defenses and shrugged off a venomous bite that would have crippled a lesser warrior. 

'Whoa, he's good at fighting.'

"Snap back to the fight, magic gall. Can't you see that we're about to hit a transition phase? You can fire your spells at the monster. Don't hold back now."

"Huh? Ahh, finally, it's my time to showcase my Fire Spells."

"Uh-huh, just don't run out of MP in the first minute. Since we'll need you at the end."

He was revising his plans since he noticed this 'Eve' chick was more focused on him than the monster. He gave new instructions without breaking a sweat. 

Since all the aggro was on him, this allowed Eve to cast her spells without any interruption.

With the green card given, Eve unleashed a Flame Wave, the fiery torrent enveloping the Broodmother and several egg sacs, causing them to burst into flames. The spider screeched in agony, her carapace sizzling under the intense heat. Yet, she remained relentless, launching another barrage of attacks all on Odin, her spider eyes flashing with red light.

"Be mindful of the eggs, they might be traps to trigger new spawns."

Odin gave his orders in the voice chat and countered the Boss's attack by utilizing his own sword skill, Iron Slash. He targeted a weak point in her armor, and with a successful debuff, he managed to reduce her defenses. He then followed up with Courageous Charge, slamming into the Broodmother with the force of a Minotaur. She staggered back, giving Eve a clear shot.

"Eve, do the Fireball!" Odin shouted, his voice cutting through the chaotic noise.

Mi-Jung nodded, her mind getting focused on the fight instead of Odin, and with a professional focus she began chanting the intonation for the magic spell, a requirement for Wizards in Satisfy World. 

Channeling her mana into her Stave, the spell grew in intensity. The flames swirled around her staff before she released it, the blazing orb hurtling towards the Broodmother. It struck her square in the abdomen, the force of the explosion sending her reeling.

The Broodmother hissed in fury, turning to look at Eve as if a sign that she pulled aggro, and it was in that moment that she felt a chill on her back.

'Why did it had to Crit? Don't tell me I mess up the fight by pulling aggro?'

The Broodmother indeed got tagged by Eve with her huge blow, her movements becoming more frantic and erratic as she charged at the apprentice mage, yet its attempt at hurling itself at the mage was interrupted by a tall Knight who slammed himself using a sizeable body-size shield that did a knock-back.

Sensing her impending defeat, the Broodmother released a terrifying screech, causing smaller spiders to swarm from the shadows.

Odin didn't falter. "This is the final phase, Eve. Don't fuck up, and stay calm even when she appears to switch targets. Have your defensive cooldowns at hand, just in case."

"What about the adds? My Flame Wave is off cooldown. I can blast them with my AoE."

Odin, who was now wielding a one-hand sword along with the large shield, scoffed at this suggestion, making Eve furrow her eyebrows, but she snapped back when an enormous roar escaped Odin's throat, shaking the whole Boss Chamber. 

'Valor Shout'

The powerful roar echoed off the walls, reverberating through the dense webs and causing the swarming spiderlings to hesitate. Their attention was immediately diverted to the Knight. His presence radiated an intimidating aura that drew the aggro of all the spawned ads from the Broodmother, compelling them to attack him instead of Eve.

The smaller spiders scuttled towards Odin, their red eyes gleaming with malice, but he stood his ground, shield raised and sword ready. With a swift motion, he bashed an incoming spiderling with his shield, sending it sprawling back. He then swung his sword in a wide arc, cutting through the spiders with precision and strength.

"I'll handle the adds. Focus your spells on the Broodmother!" he commanded, his voice filled with authority.

Meanwhile, Odin switched back to his two-handed sword, signaling a change in tactics by him, and out of nowhere, he swung the sword horizontally, leaving an aura blade that cleaved through the smaller spiders, 

This skill reminded Eve of a sword attack from an anime she watched in her teenage years. 

Eve seized the opportunity, now free from the add's focus, and unleashed a torrent of fire spells. Flame jets and fireballs flew from her staff, engulfing the Broodmother in a blazing inferno as if she summoned the Fire Plane at her disposal.

Despite the chaos, Odin remained calm and composed, directing his movements with precision, barely giving the monsters a chance to hit him clean, while issuing commands to Eve in the voice chat, making the mage feel as if an AI was assisting her the entire time with the best choices.

'Without a doubt, he seems to be an professional VR E-sports player.' 

She had a spare room for senseless thoughts, only thanks to Odin's stellar performance and leadership, maintaining the upper hand of an A+ difficulty Boss. 

Soon enough, the Broodmother weakened and overwhelmed, struggled to defend against the relentless assault. Finally, with one last Retribution strike from Odin, the Broodmother's defenses crumbled.

As the Broodmother's health dwindled, her attacks grew more desperate. She launched herself at Odin with a frenzied fury, but he countered each strike, making her attempts instead hurt her back. 

His Knight's Resolve skill mitigated the damage from her venomous bites, and he retaliated with powerful blows that chipped away at her remaining health.

Finally, with one last coordinated attack, Eve and Odin struck the finishing blow. Eve's Fireball hit the Broodmother's head, and Odin's sword cleaved through her abdomen. The monstrous spider let out a final, ear-piercing screech before collapsing to the ground, defeated.

[❗]

[You have slayed the 'Cave Spider Broodmother', gaining the following rewards: 42,500 EXP, Broodmother's Venom Sac (1x), Spider Silk Cloak (Rare), Arachnid Guardian Shield (Epic). Arachnid Staff of Venom (Epic), Chitin Armor Fragment (3x), Spider Queen's Eye (1x), 28 Gold Coins]

[You have leveled up!]

[You have leveled up!]

…

..

Eve, exhausted but exhilarated, dropped to her knees, her mana being depleted by the final exertion to end the fight, but thanks to the level-up, she got her HP and MP recharged. She felt her body growing heavy. That was the invisible force surrounding each 'Chosen One' that stood no chance at avoiding the 'Stamina' Energy.

Breathing heavily while adrenaline was still pumped into her bloodstream, she allowed herself to feel excited by checking the list of rewards granted by the system. 

'No wonder all the items are great. You can't expect less from a Hidden Dungeon that only Intermediate Mage NPCs and above know. 

'No need for the gold coins, I will share the loot with this guy. Nice, my luck is actually great for once, and the Quest Item dropped in the first try. Finally, I can proceed with my Class Questline.'

'Huhh!? It's not in my inventory??'

[Loot Distribution Setting for the Party: All loot to the Master.]

'You don't tell me! He's trying to blackmail me like those parasites from the office?'

The realization hit her, and she started making all sorts of scenarios in her mind while her body didn't respond to her mental feeds. She panicked, not knowing how to approach the problem of the Quest item that was now under Odin's possession, but it didn't take long for her to be confronted by the mysterious man.

Approaching her still in his Plate Armor, unblemished, he removed his Helmet, revealing his onyx hair and mesmerizing dark-green eyes, along with a charming face that stirred up Mi-Jung in thinking that this guy was up to no good.

Her storm of thoughts was cut short by an extended hand. She looked up and down at him, then at his hand. Odin noticed the long pause in her response and tilted his head slightly.

"Upset much because of the Loot setting? You can't blame me for it, since I thought you'll die halfway in the fight. Umm, jokes aside, is one of my bad quirks of being in control of situations."

"So, which item from the loot list are you looking for?" he inquired, his tone surprisingly gentle compared to the authoritative tone he carried while fighting. 

Once again, Mi-Jung was surprised by how his voice sounded. It was captivating, too, fitting a possible orator. 

'Wait? This feels strange… Is he willing to give me the Quest Item for free? I thought he was some arrogant piece of shit whose only redeeming qualities are his gaming sense and his not-half-bad face.'

Eve swallowed hard, her mind racing. She had expected a tougher negotiation, perhaps some kind of leverage or demand. This straightforward question caught her off guard.

"It's... the Spider Queen's Eye," she finally admitted, her voice trembling slightly in a timid, uncertain manner.

She watched Odin from the floor as he put on a severe expression, most certainly checking out the quest item and scheming something for her. He wouldn't give her such an important item without strings attached. 

Odin raised an eyebrow, then chuckled softly. "And here I was thinking that it was an Alchemy Crafting material. Actually, it can also be used as an Jewel Crafting material since its imbued with the Mana of the Broodmother. You need it for a Quest?"

Eve nodded, still wary. "Yes. It's important for my Class Progression, without it I can't proceed with the questline. Don't make it hard for me, here."

Odin's expression turned thoughtful, and he rubbed his chin, clearly enjoying the moment. He let out a deep sigh as if pondering a monumental decision. Eve's heart pounded in her chest, anxiety and irritation rising within her.

"Well," he started slowly, "I've checked on the auction house and there's no such item placed for sell. Since it's an Hidden Boss Loot, I bet its quite a valuable item. I could get at least 3-5k gold or more if I do some mind games with the big whales."

"You know, looking at your gear, you give me the impression of a P2W folk. I could sell it for a high price or use it for some powerful crafting. It's not every day you get your hands on something like this."

'Here he goes. I knew it! I fucking knew it! My radar for assholes and jackasses works perfectly.'

Eve's eyes widened in frustration and desperation for the unknown. "Please, Odin. You don't understand how crucial this is for me. I... I'll do anything."

Odin's eyes gleamed with amusement but quickly masked it with another thoughtful expression. "Anything, huh? That's quite promising, you don't get to have a Fire Mage on a backcall. But, you see, I'm not the kind of guy to take advantage of a desperate situation."

He paused again, letting the silence stretch long enough to make Eve squirm. Then, with a swift motion, he retrieved the Spider Queen's Eye from his inventory and held it up, examining it closely. He turned it over in his hand, pretending to consider his options carefully.

"You know," he said finally, "I could make you work for it, afterall, you had no chance at clearing this Dungeon solo, and I bet you that if you teamed up with some random lowlives, you would be scammed harder of the loot."

"Soo, I suppose I can be generous just this once. Tag along with me, since I have planned 3 more dungeons in this region that have not been touched by any players. I also have loot prio."

Eve's heart skipped a beat as she watched him closely. Was he actually going to give it to her?

"Do you agree to my arrangement? I do need a satisfactory long-distance DPS, and you are up there after checking on your DPS meter with the TOP Ranking Mages."

Eve paused, considering his offer. This wasn't what she had expected at all. He didn't seem like the type to offer a fair deal, yet here he was, presenting her with an opportunity that was too good to pass up with the chance of leveling easily by tagging along with what she presumed to be a professional player. 

Her first impression of him was rapidly shifting. He sounded reasonable, not the asshole she initially thought he was.

"I... I agree," she said, finally extending her hand to shake his. "I'll join you for the next dungeons. And thank you."

Odin's smile widened as he effortlessly picked her up from the floor, giving her an up-and-down stare. Not even once did Eve feel him staring in a perverted way at her body. Then she saw the exchange window pop up with Odin handing her the 'Spider Queen's Eye along with the Wizard Staff, completed with half of the gold coins dropped.

He picked her up without a word, cradling her gently in his arms. She could feel the steady thump of his heartbeat, contrasting her racing pulse. Then, out of nowhere, she heard him say in a teasing tone.

"A good choice, magic gall. I'll make sure to work you to bones. Huhu, just continue tagging with me until I reach Titan, since I'm planning on forming a Guild with my friends."

As Odin carried her out of the chamber, Eve's stamina recovered enough for her to walk slowly, but she didn't mind his touch as they began forming a conversation on their way out.

Despite his occasional arrogance and sarcasm, Odin showed a more genuine side when she inquired about some of his IRL information, and so he fired some questions of his own, matching her flow. 

Back in the present, Eve, who finished the story of the Broodmother campaign, glanced at Alysha, with a thoughtful look on her face. "He did some unnecessary things, sure. But he was calm and confident, and that made all the difference. I wouldn't have been able to handle that fight alone, and for sure would have lost the chance of proceeding with the Pyromancer Questline with the Tower Master."

Alysha, intrigued and a bit jealous by how Odin carried Eve out of the Dungeon like a princess, leaned forward to avoid the ears of Noah and the other players who jumped back in the game. "So, were you trying to get him to fall for your tricks when you dropped down, Eve?"

Eve crossed her arms, a playful smirk on her lips as she met Alysha's curious gaze. "You think I planned that?" she teased, her tone light but with a hint of mockery. "Please. I'm good, but I'm not that good."

Alysha narrowed her eyes, a knowing smile creeping onto her face. "Oh, come on. I bet you knew exactly what you were doing. Dropping to the floor all weak and helpless? You must've known it would get his attention."

Eve chuckled, shaking her head. "Honestly, I got my Stamina exhausted, so you can imagine what followed next with my body functions shutting down. The whole fight drained me, especially trying to keep up with his pace. But... yeah, I wasn't exactly complaining when he picked me up."

Alysha grinned. "And you didn't mind one bit, did you? Being carried out of the dungeon like that."

Eve's smirk softened into a fond smile, her eyes drifting to a picture of Odin icon in the party window, who was now offline. "Not at all. It's funny, looking back now. I remember being so shocked by how he just... did it. No hesitation, no second thoughts. Just scooped me up like it was the most natural thing in the world."

Alysha leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with interest. "So that's when you knew, huh? That he was different."

Eve nodded slightly. "Yeah, I think so. He wasn't like the other guys I've meet IRL or in VR. He had this weird mix of arrogance and humility, like he knew he was good, but he didn't need to prove it to anyone. And the way he treated me... it wasn't what I expected."

Alysha's smile turned teasing. "And now look at you, all lovey-dovey. Who would've thought, right? I mean, I will be a hypocrite to not say, I'm not jealous of you. For all the time I've knew Odin, and my interractions with him at the Mansion, he's a perfect guy."

"Heh, perfect? He's not perfect, but who really is perfect? However, is a great man if given a chance to talk with and spend time with to find more about him."

Eve laughed, shaking her head. "If you'd told me back then that I'd end up with him, I would've laughed in your face. But here we are."

Alysha raised an eyebrow, her expression mischievous. "So, were you trying to get him to fall for you when you dropped down, by that 'accident'? Or was that just a happy coincidence?"

Eve rolled her eyes, though her smirk didn't fade. "It was definitely not intentional. But I guess it worked out in the end, huh?"

Alysha leaned back, looking thoughtful. "It's crazy how things turn out sometimes. From dungeon partners to lovers. And to think, it all started with him teasing you over some loot."

Eve smirked, about to respond when Odin's voice cut through their conversation, his figure flashing up as he logged back inside the game and quickly catching onto their gossip. "Did I miss any interesting stories?"

Both women jumped slightly, caught off guard by his sudden return. With his characteristic smirk, Odin walked in their direction, his arms crossed over his chest. His crimson eyes sparkled with amusement as he took in the scene of Mi-Jung, slightly flushed, and Alysha, whose face turned a shade of pink she couldn't entirely hide.

"Mathias, you're back already?" Eve stammered, her usual composure slipping for just a moment. She quickly recovered, shooting him a playful glare. "Eavesdropping, were you?"

Odin raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "Me? Eavesdropping? I would never," he said with a teasing lilt. 

His presence was commanding as always, and he glanced between the two women. "But you know, when I hear my name mentioned, I tend to get curious."

Alysha, still a bit flustered, tried to regain her composure by throwing Eve under the bus to embarrass her further. "We were just... talking about that time you two first met," 

Odin's eyes flickered to Mi-Jung, who fiddled around with her dark hair, his smirk deepening. "Ah, reminiscing about the good old days, huh? Did Eve tell you how she practically begged me to give her that Spider Queen's Eye?"

Mi-Jung cheeks flushed, and she shot him a warning look. "I did not beg! I was... negotiating."

"Is that what you call it?" Odin teased, his tone light but filled with warmth. He walked over to Eve, placing a hand on her shoulder, his touch gentle yet firm. "I seem to remember you offering me anything in exchange for it. Quite the negotiator, indeed."

Eve playfully swatted his hand away, her face now thoroughly flushed. "Mathias, you're impossible," she muttered, though there was no mistaking the affection in her voice.

Alysha watched the exchange with wide eyes and felt a slight pang of envy but quickly squashed it, replacing it with a genuine desire to be in Eve's place, if only for one moment.

Odin finally turned his attention to Alysha, his expression softening slightly. "So, Alysha, what's your take on all this? Eve was just telling you how much she appreciates my... generosity, wasn't she?"

Alysha caught off guard, stammered for a moment before finding her voice. "Uh, yeah... something like that," she said, glancing nervously at Eve, who was now burying her face in her hands in embarrassment.

Odin chuckled, clearly enjoying the reaction he was getting from the two women. "Well, I'm glad to hear I'm getting some credit. But really, you both give me far too much praise. It's not like I'm the one who had to deal with a raging spider boss and a swarm of minions all at once, right?"

Eve peeked out from behind her hands, shooting him a half-hearted glare. "Don't even start. You know I did my part."

Odin's smirk softened into a genuine smile. "I know, Eve. You were incredible, as always." He reached out, gently lifting her chin so she'd meet his gaze. "And I'm glad you decided to stick around with me after that. It's been... quite the journey, hasn't it?"

Eve's irritation melted away, replaced by a warmth that spread through her chest. She nodded, her eyes locked with his. "Yeah, it has."

Feeling a bit like a third wheel, Alysha cleared her throat awkwardly. "Well, um, I think everyone has returned back from their break. Shouldn't we probably get going with the Quests?"

Odin's gaze shifted to her, his expression still friendly. "You are right, we should get ready for the hunt."