The Spider Queen

Chapter 187: Crunch! It\'s Finger-licking Good!

(Hydra Star System- Planet Sinetera)

(Artificial Island No.093)

“Delicious!” Astrid cried out happily as she tore into another mouthful of berries. 

The sweet juices flooded her mouth with bursts of flavour, and she could not help but reach for more.

The Mendolesa girl’s tail was wagging furiously as she lay down on the sandy beach enjoying the sweet sounds of the waves.

Astrid had always loved spending time at the beach so when the details of the midterm were revealed she was simply overjoyed. 

Anything would be better than having to spend days locked up inside that dreadful mage tower.

Casting magic was mesmerizing. 

The conversion of qi into mana that flowed along the circuits a mage would construct.

To be able to bend and warp reality using the very fabric that made up the universe gave a rush like no other.

But studying magic on the other hand was so freaking boring!

If Astrid had to see one more ancient tome written in some archaic language that was no longer spoken since god knows how many centuries ago….

She would lose it.

The only downside to this mini examination or vacation as Astrid would put it was that her friends would be on different islands.

She was really looking forward to spending some time with the girls since Cleo and Sophie had only just come back from their bounty hunting mission a few days ago.

The island was big, but Astrid felt no urgent need to go exploring and was considering dipping her toes in the water.

“Why not?” Astrid muttered and headed towards the beautiful ocean.

Sunlight gently hit the top of the waves and sparkled with a dazzling glow. 

Small fish-like creatures darted around the shallows.

They scattered immediately when the wolf girl approached the water, but Astrid just laughed happily.

She gingerly placed one foot in the water to check the temperature and was relieved to find out that the water was quite warm.

Coming to a decision, Astrid waded further into the ocean until the water reached her chest.

She relaxed her body and floated upwards using the motions of the waves to carry her along.

Screech! Screech!

Astrid looked up to see what looked like slug with wings soaring lazily through the blue sky.

Every once in awhile the larger ones would join with the tiny ones at the edge of the pack and fuse together.

The water was crystal clear so Astrid could see green sea plants swaying gently underwater with every passing wave.

This was the life.

Peaceful.

Calm. 

It truly was a picturesque scene…. 

If one could ignore the enormous figure of a twenty-foot-long sea beast just outside the shallow area watching the Mendolesa girl with a hungry gaze.

Two dark yellow eyes peered at the floating girl from the dark depths of the nearby marine trench.

This sea monster had a bulky frame with four powerful flippers that could propel its body at a high speed.

Its jaw could extend outwards and contained numerous rows of sharp dagger-like teeth perfect for ripping apart prey.

The sea monster had never seen a furry two-legged creature in his territory before, but her scent caused his blood to boil.

There was a reason that the instructors warned the students not to enter the ocean. 

While the animals on the island were brought in by the examiners….

No one knew what kind of ancient creatures were in the water nor how powerful they were.

Astrid ducked her head underwater and then shook her fur slightly as she rose up for air.

She had long noticed the sea beast staring at her location but was considering if to fight or make her way back to the shore.

Casting a standard surveillance spell was child’s play at this point and Astrid had one active at all times.

The mana consumption was fairly low as the spell would only alert the caster to the presence of a threat and vaguely hint at the location of the danger.

Fight or flee…

Astrid still couldn’t make up her mind.

Ahh what the heck.

The Mendolesa mage bared her fangs and started to move her mana in a strange pattern as she prepared to cast a series of spells.

Fighting was always the answer!

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(Nameless Raurqrill’s POV)

My kind have always been the rulers of the sea.

Eons have passed with new species and monsters rising up to challenge our status as kings.

And yet we remain.

Years of evolution and growth have made us the perfect apex predators.

The bones of our foes have long been scattered and turned to dust.

I move my body silently through the dark depths of the ocean. 

My prey treads the water blissfully unaware that she is already dead.

I am unable to enter the shallows without becoming stranded, so I patiently wait for the two-legged creature to drift further out.

One-minute passes….

Two minutes….

The two-legged creature starts to swim towards the deeper parts of the ocean.

How foolish.

My frontal flippers move quickly and propel by body directly under the prey. With jaws open wide, I prepare to rush upwards and swallow her in one bite.

The Raurqrill quietly swam into position and raised its enormous jaws for the final strike that would end his prey’s life.

All it would take is one blow to get this tasty meal into its stomach. 

Meanwhile Astrid had finished casting several spells and was fully prepared to do some fishing. 

Despite her apparent reckless nature, the young mage always had a backup plan to escape any situation. 

While the beast was hunting Astrid and waiting for her to arrive in just the right spot …. 

She was doing the same.

Now!

The beast rapidly swam upwards with startling high-speed using its two muscular back flippers.

It’s jaw unhinged and rows of jagged dagger-like teeth pierced the flesh of Astrid’s lower body.

She could only let out a brief gasp of pain before being dragged underwater with a silent scream.

Bubbles burst from her mouth as she desperately tried to get out of the beast’s mouth, but it was already too late.

Crunch!

The sea beast snapped the Mendolesa girl in half and quickly swallowed most of the remains before any scavengers could arrive.

All that was left of Astrid’s corpse was a torn off hand that sank slowly down to the ocean floor.

The Raurqrill chewed several times but could not help but feel that something was wrong. 

Why could he feel the body of his prey physically and yet there was no taste….

“My turn!” came a cheerful voice from behind the sea monster.

The creature turned around in shock to see the prey that he just killed floating peacefully underwater.

Astrid was surrounded by a transparent air bubble and stared at the beast with a mocking expression.

“Spatium transire ad caeli!” Astrid chanted as dark blue runes lit up her back in the shape of a mysterious pattern.

These were the last words that the monster heard before the world around him blurred and shifted.