Read So I'm A Spider, So What? :: Volume One: Part 2

There’s a mountain of things I want to know, but I have no way of finding out.

Ahh, if only this were a novel or something, I’d probably have an Appraisal skill that would help me figure it out…

Whoa. What? …For real? A mechanical voice completely devoid of emotion suddenly echoed in my mind. That’s surprising in more ways than one.

First, that I’m hearing voices at all.

Secondly, that these “skills” exist here.

Obviously, there’s no such skill system on Earth, and I’ve never heard any voices announcing things in my head before now.

So does that mean this isn’t Earth? Probably, yeah.

I guess that gives my “I’m a monster” theory a lot more weight.

Being a monster in a parallel world seems like a recipe for death, but let’s not think about that. Nope, nope, nope.

More importantly, it’s really real. The Appraisal skill actually does exist! Whoo-hoo! Now we’re talking! Finally this is starting to feel like a proper fantasy reincarnation story! Obviously, my answer is “YES!”

<[Appraisal LV 1] acquired. Remaining skill points: 0.>

Apparently, that used up all my skill points, but I decide not to worry about that for now.

Forget! About! That!

It’s time to use my brand-spanking-new Appraisal skill to examine the crap out of my surroundings!

I pick a nearby rock at random, trying to think [Appraise] as I focus on it.

It worked! Information flows smoothly into my mind.

<Stone>

…Hmm? Wait, what? That’s all?

No, no, no.

That can’t be right, can it? I probably just failed because it’s my first time. Let me try again…

<Stone>

…Huh? Is that seriously it?

No, no, no, no.

It must be that this stone doesn’t have any valuable information because it’s just an ordinary rock! This time, I decide to test my skill on a wall. Maybe that’ll tell me something about the area I’m in. If I could get an area name like “Such-and-Such Cave” and a little description or something similar, I’d definitely feel a lot better.

<Wall>

………I’m not even going to say anything.

I should’ve considered the fact that the skill name, [Appraisal LV 1], went out of its way to mention its level.

For all intents and purposes, this seems to mean a level-1 skill won’t provide me with any useful results.

Maybe raising the level will improve it, but I’ve used up all my skill points.

Argh! I can’t believe I blew everything on a useless ability!

I don’t know what other skills were available, but for all I know there might’ve been some that would’ve actually been useful at level 1!

No, I should look at it the other way. If this is what Appraisal is like at level 1, surely any other level-1 skill would’ve been just as ineffective. Yeah, let’s go with that. Otherwise, I won’t be able to live with myself.

Ugh. Unreal.

At this point, I figure I might as well Appraise myself.

Hmm? I knew it would say “Spider,” of course, but why “Nameless”?

“I am a spider. As yet I have no name.” Is it a Natsume Souseki kinda thing?

I mean, I had a name in my previous life, but I guess I don’t anymore, since I’m a spider now.

I better put aside my useless Appraisal skill for the time being. If anything, it’s only increasing the number of mysteries.

Such as the skill points I used to gain the Appraisal skill. Presumably, I could acquire more skills by saving up more points. I have no idea how to go about acquiring any, though.

Between levels, skills, and skill points, this world feels very video game–esque.

I mean, that could be kinda fun, right?

Although I don’t know if I can afford to have any fun at the moment.

Whatever. I’m getting hungry.

There’s no point in hanging around the same place forever, so I’ll just have to get a move on and see if I can find something to eat.

I thought I’d just walk around for a while, but this cave is WAY too big!

This is all relative to my size, of course, but the ceiling is so high I can barely make anything out, and the width is just as absurd.

The random scattered rocks help give a little sense of variety, at least, but it still seems pretty darn spacious for a cave. Eventually, I find a path that branches off.

Climbing onto a fairly sizable rock, I try squinting down the path. There’s something there…! From what I can tell, it’s a bunch of monsterish creatures milling around.

<Deer> <Deer> <Deer> <Deer> <Deer> <Deer> <Deer> <Deer> <Deer> <Deer> <Deer> <Deer> <Deer> <Deer> <Deer> <Deer> <Deer> <Deer> <Deer> <Deer> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Bat > <Bat> <Bat> <Bat> <Wolf> <Wolf> <Wolf> <Wolf> <Wolf> <Wolf>…

Ouch! Was that a migraine?! My stupid Appraisal skill must’ve gone off on its own, because that sudden explosion of information made my head hurt.

I mean, they do seem kinda like deer if I look real hard, but I don’t remember the deer in my world having such shiny, sharp-looking horns. And the “bats” flapping around in the air look more like hideous rodents sprouting devil wings. The wolves, at least, seem normal…except now I see that they have six legs.

Am I supposed to pass through here? Yeah, right. I’m just a tiny newborn spider. The difficulty level is way too high.

I stealthily crawl back down from the rock.

So…there are real monsters. This really isn’t Earth.

Not to mention, if those so-called deer and wolves are the same size as they would be on Earth…

Don’t think about it! Don’t think about it!

Okay, now what?

Ahead of me is a gauntlet of monsters. Behind me is spider hell. Is this for real? Am I in checkmate?

Okay, okay. Calm down, please.

I thought this kind of thing might happen, so I prepared an alternative strategy for just such an occasion.

Well, it actually isn’t anything that fancy. I just happened to find a different path earlier. The smaller side road would have been easy to miss because it was right next to this huge one, an unassuming little hole in the wall. Nevertheless, it’s about ten feet around, so I’ll fit through without a problem.

On that note, I still need to look for food. Hopefully I’ll find a way out of this cave, too.

With that decided, time to head out!

This triumphant departure on the next leg of my journey is going great, except that I immediately get lost.

Hoo, boy. Can I say it again? This cave is way too big! Seriously, what’s with this huge labyrinth?

Why are there so many freaking paths branching off everywhere?

How many, you ask? I gave up counting after it went past ten.

I’m encountering more than my fair share of monsters, too. And since I immediately run away each time, I’ve completely lost track of where I came from.

Ugh…unreal.

If I want to get anywhere in this labyrinth, I’ll seriously need a map. No way am I going to find an exit at this rate.

And then I discover something totally crazy.

There’s footprints on the ground. Human footprints.

I can distinctly make out a couple sets of footprints. Which means people have passed through this place. In fact, this is proof that humans exist in this world at all. The big revelation is making me a little emotional.

But now I’m noticing something a little bit…no, more like reeeally alarming.

My body is so much larger than these footprints.

Judging by the size of whoever made these tracks, my own body must be at least three feet tall…

Nah, I’m sure it’s just dwarf footprints.

That’s got to be it! Ah-ha-ha!

…Can’t believe this. Nope, nope.

Well…then again.

I started to suspect when I saw that giant spider before, to be honest. No matter how I look at it, I’m unquestionably a monster. Thanks a lot!

Ugh, I’ve been trying to avoid it, but I finally have to face all the facts.

Being reborn as a spider is shocking enough in itself, but I’m a monster spider, too.

This is messed up. So messed up that some people might despair and even end it all. I’m definitely not considering death myself, but this is still kind of a bummer. Well, no use sitting around and sulking, though.

Since this world is clearly different from my own, I don’t know what kinds of dangers to expect. For one thing, there’s no guarantee that there won’t be more gigantic monsters like that spider. And going by my own size, that thing must’ve been a hundred feet long…

Are humans even able to take down a creature like that? Probably not, right? If there are any boss monsters here, the giant spider is definitely one of them.

So that makes me the offspring of a boss monster, then.

Sounds pretty bad, doesn’t it?

Actually, doesn’t that mean that if I run into people, they’ll try to kill me?

It’s to-o-o-tally possible. Actually, chances are good that’s exactly what’ll happen.

Suddenly, I see something lying on the ground near the footprints.

What’s that?

After a closer look, I recognize it as the dismembered remains of a spider.

Yep, the same species as me.

Wow, what skillful dissection. This was probably the work of humans, huh?

I do not like where this is going!

If any humans find me, they’re definitely gonna murder me!