Chapter 184: Graduation Ceremony (8)

There existed three families among the Floating Spiders, similar to the Aristocratic and Royal Families in Marble City. They were the Web Family, created by Rhachis Ancestor Web, the Warlord Family, created by Rhachis Ancestor Warlord, and the Puppet Family, created by Psychic Ancestor Puppet.

Having adopted many customs and practices from the humans, the three Families of the Floating Spiders conformed to the same, i.e. possessing an Unranked Skill per Family. They possessed three Unranked Skills in total, created by each Ancestor respectively.

The oldest and the most witnessed Unranked Skill among them was Web World. Only Developer and higher Tiered Floating Spiders were able to inherit this Unranked Skill, a Warrior-based Skill. Using the Unranked Skill, a Floating Spider was able to create a sphere of silk, with innumerous interlining pathways and patterns within, each of them possessing their own functions.

Once created, an environment suitable for the habitation of the Floating Spiders was created within, raising their livelihood. Also, it was a powerful fortress, one that was mobile, governed and controlled by Floating Spiders situated in relevant locations, protecting the rest of the populace living within.

The fortress itself was capable of attacking and defending, the control lay within the Floating Spider that created it. Also, the Floating Spider could delegate partial control over some areas to its subordinates, creating an organised vehicle.

Also, Espers from the same Tier were unable to penetrate the silk fortress using their psychic arms.

Thanks to the environment it could create inside it, its attacking, defensive, and mobility capabilities, and finally, its ability to shield the inside from psychic energy, it was commonly referred to as a Spider World.

All the Floating Spiders in the Wilds lived inside a Spider World, only coming out in search of prey. Everything else they needed to live was present inside the Spider World. Thanks to the robustness of the spider silk created by the Unranked Skill, Web World, the size of the Spider World usually extended beyond the individual control of the Floating Spider that had created it.

'The Spider World created by a Developer.' Vishen Walta furrowed his brows, his falling body stepping along the sides of the rock pillars and using the rebound to zigzag to the ground. Deactivating his Tier 2 Skill, Vishen Walta gazed in the direction where he spotted the Spider World, feeling the thumping of his heart uncontrollably accelerate.

'There wasn't supposed to be a Tier 3 Frenzy Beast here. This was what they said. Also, it had been the case for every other Graduation Ceremony. Why have they changed it now?' He slammed his fist on a rock pillar, quickly hiding behind a nearby pillar, watching a couple of Floating Spiders fly past.

'The fact that they are present here means the military academy wants to test our preparation against the unexpected. Also, the fact that they have left a Developer that possesses an Unranked Skill speaks volumes about their stance.' He crouched on the ground, retracting every vestige of aura exerted by his body, masking his presence.

'They wouldn't have stopped at the Floating Spiders, considering the balanced situation here, with no race trying to annihilate one another. At the very least, a Tier 3 being should be present in the other three major races.'

He massaged his forehead, feeling the pressure. At Tier 2, Warriors lacked the means to attack any beings in the air. Their only mode of attack was by using their robust foundations to leap high into the sky and attack their targets. Though, against their nimble foes that were capable of manoeuvring through the air, it would only serve to paint them as easy targets. Their other option was to throw projectiles from the ground.

Their bodies weren't developed to the extent at Tier 2 that they could just breeze through everything. Even Rakh Veera, the strongest in their batch with a movement-based Tier 2 Skill could only leap from one rock pillar to another to reach his foes in the air. Even then, the range of his jump was limited to eight metres at most.

'The Spindle Bees can fly, they also move in groups, and stay inside the beehive for the rest of the time. The Floating Spiders are also capable of flight and are safe within the Spider World. The River Whales swim in a column of water that flows above the rest, shielding them from attacks, and giving them a good vantage point. All three of them are difficult targets for the current us.' Vishen Walta felt helpless.

Such situations no longer existed from Tier 3, with the Espers developed to the extent capable of lifting their bodies and flying through the air. They were also able to carry others around.

At Tier 2, with a Sync Rate of 100 percent, an Area Controller could create two psychic arms, with each psychic arm capable of lifting a total weight of 10 kilograms, move it at a maximum speed of 10 metres per second, and have a maximum operable range of 10 metres around themselves.

At Tier 3, with a Sync Rate of 100 percent, a Wave Controller could create three psychic arms, with each psychic arm capable of lifting 100 kilograms, move objects at a speed of 100 metres per second, and have a maximum operable range of 100 metres around themselves.

This was enough for them to carry themselves and two others and fly through the air. Also, some Developers nurtured Tier 3 Skills that allowed them to fly, through a variety of means. There also existed the Unranked Skill, Flight that allowed them to fly.

'I had hoped to not encounter such a situation until I obtain an Unranked Skill.' Vishen Walta sighed, but he didn't express any regrets. Even though he had long since accumulated enough Credits to exchange for the Unranked Skill Flight, he refused to obtain it.

After all, he didn't wasn't to waste his prospects by getting an Unranked Skill whose sole function was to enable the ability of flight. There were many methods available for them to fly, the simplest of which was to tag along with the Espers. The Unranked Skills, the ones in his knowledge also imbued in the wielders the ability to fly, despite possessing all-rounder capabilities.

Every Unranked Skill that had been created in Marble City focused on the aspects of attack, defence, movement, recovery, and scouting, with varying levels of focus in each domain. Unranked Skills like Flight were generally not preferred unless one had no choice.

Though, due to the ease of access and low requirements, the Unranked Skill Flight was still used by countless Warriors. Also, it had the sole advantage of requiring only one anchor point. Meaning, even Observers were able to inherit the Unranked Skill after sacrificing their Tier 1 Skill.

Vishen Walta pulled out his sword, crouching low as he took in deep breaths. His other hand entered the small pouch strapped around his belt, fishing out an energy biscuit. It was dry, compressed to withhold plenty of nutritional content, enough to satiate a Tier 2 Warrior's appetite with a single biscuit.

It was rectangular in shape, brownish-gold in colour, spanning the side of his index finger, weighing about 200 grams each. He had about 10 of them stored in his pouch, more than enough for the 24 hours stay.

He had consumed a fair amount of his Heart Crystal's energy by repeatedly using his Tier 2 Skill before. By consuming the energy biscuit, his energy reserves would recover completely in about two hours, thanks to the Nurturing speed of his Wisdom Parasite.

Vishen Walta proceeded north, trying to bypass the region under the control of the Tier 3 Floating Spider. He didn't want to come face-to-face with a being of such calibre, one that had an Unranked Skill.

Rock pillars erected haphazardly passed by him one after another, his pace slow, crouched low to avoid being spotted. He picked up a body part from every Floating Spider he came across and had killed, using the available web to tie them to his body.

His current form looked even uglier than a Floating Spider, the effect magnified thanks to his hulking size. Vishen Walta hid behind a rock pillar, having spotted a group of Floating Spiders proceed north. He had not once deactivated his Tier 1 Skill, allowing him to react upon a moment's notice.

Thoughts spun in his mind, his senses detecting for the presences of any auras in the vicinity, causing him to sigh a moment later. 'Thankfully, there aren't any Tier 2 beings here.'

He looked to his left, gazing towards the south, spotting a dense cluster of spider webs interwoven around the rock pillars. Most Floating Spiders just rested by weaving small cocoons along the sides of the rock pillars, interconnecting two or more, blocking any path of traversal.

Before he could take a step forward, the ground beneath him parted way as a worm-like creature emerged, its revealing mouth biting at his left leg. The three circular rows of teeth, shaped into bizarre triangles in its circularly opened mouth, the folded grooves and the hairy texture on its skin, not to mention its mottled appearance, they painted a grotesque sight.

An intense stench akin to poop, one that had been enhanced to the limit assaulted his nose, overthrowing his senses. Thanks to his Tier 1 Skill, he perceived it better, the stench he sensed rumbling his stomach, the nausea beyond controllable levels.

A reflex action, one practiced to the extent executable during sleep was enacted. His Tier 2 Skill was activated, the effect focusing on defence, with the entirety of the effect converging on the area of attack.

'A Ring Worm.' He thought, watching the Ring Worm bite his left leg, unable to cause significant damage thanks to him raising his defence in the area. His hand holding the sword swiped down, swiftly beheading the Ring Worm, one whose girth was slightly greater than the thickness of his leg.

His sword slashed along the body line of the part attached to his leg, severing it into two, freeing its hold on his leg. He then noticed the section of armour on his leg cracking, revealing the skin beneath.

Four small holes, varying between 2 and 4 millimetres in diameter were visible, arranged in a semi-circular pattern, oozing out blood. The skin surrounding it had become a faint shade of yellow, forming pus.

Vishen Walta removed a piece of cloth from his pouch, overlaying it along the wounded parts. He took out a knife and swiped, peeling off the damaged skin, also scooping out the poisoned muscle portions.

His eyes turned red at the pain, the leaking grunts controlled under his tremendous willpower. He tied the cloth around the wound, watching the blood seep out in a steady stream. 'There goes my scouting down the drain.'