In the middle of the night. Somewhere in the Forest of Fero. The man’s body has been spread out like a cobweb. Every part of his organs were exposed. All of his bones, including his skull, were nicely spread out around its web. 

He was bisected alive, beyond recognition. Even though he witnessed everything, he was still unable to comprehend that someone did this to him without injuring his vital points. As he lives and breathes, his wheezing voice can be heard.  

 

“He went… to the… Elves Cabin…”

“Good boy.” 

 

Said the woman with a praiseful tone like she was talking to a dog. Hands from behind, she stands upright in front of him. With his eyes pointed somewhere else, all he could see was her silhouette. 

 

“Please… I beg you… end me…”

 

The woman faintly smiled at him.

 

–

 

At the Elves Cabin. Inside the bustling tavern filled with men cheering and singing from different tables, a woman with racoon eyes and pointy ears wearing green clothes silently drinks her beer. Despite their lively voices cheering for anything they could cheer on, she remains the same. Isolating herself from the rest of their activities.  

Sitting alone at the table filled with empty mugs, she lies her head on it. She only raises her head whenever she gets the chance to drink. No one dares to sit next to her for a reason. Except for one. It was the person she met a few days ago. It remains to her memories like it was yesterday. She faintly smiles thinking when she’ll be able to meet him again. 

 

“!!”

 

The seemingly drunk elf from before was suddenly wide awake after she noticed someone’s presence that she’ll never forget. She suddenly stood up and quickly grabbed something from one of her belt pouches - a potion to make her sober right away.

 

**shing**

**shing**

**armor clanging**

**charing**

 

The people around her were alerted as well. They all drew out their sword not against the person coming from the tavern, but against the elf. The elf ignored their action and proceeded to drink the potion to sober up. Everyone in the room could hear her gulp the potion in one go.

 

** gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp **

 

To someone who just visited the Elves Cabin as a tourist, they may find this place to be a lovely place to stay for another day. 

But that’s only a pretext of what’s actually happening right now. The people around here are actually mercenaries finding a way to assassinate the elf and take her bounty. Those who belittled her and tried their luck are all dead. Thus, the only thing they could hope for is to wait for the right moment. 

The time inside the tavern suddenly stops. Only the deafening silence can be heard by everyone. They’re all on guard, wondering why the elf who was always drunk aggressively stood up. Back in the day, it’s always them that strikes first and not the other way around. People are getting anxious that this might be the day that she’ll be the first one to strike. 

 

“If you value your lives, run away to the back door.” 

 

Said the elf with a monotonous tone while her back is turned around them. Her raccoon eyes are dead set on the potion she just drank. The clerk heeded her warning and ran away to the back door along with the other staff. 

 

“Fifty men against you? Do you think you could take us all?”

 

Said the Pigman standing near the front door. 

 

“Yes, I wouldn’t be called the Sleeping Butcher of Elves Cabin if I couldn’t.”

“!!” Most of them backed away yet they remained on guard. 

“But don’t worry, I’m not after you. I’m after what’s coming through that door.”

“Hah! It must be one of our allies, Pal. I bet he's one of the famous heroes of the world. He’s finally here to bring some justice.” Said the human. 

“That person isn’t a hero nor a man.” Said the elf while emphasizing her last word with a monotonous tone. 

“??”

“Last warning before it’s too late. Run away.” 

 

One of them tucked their tail as he can no longer handle the heavy atmosphere getting intense by the minute. He desperately looked around his surroundings before sheathing his sword and ran towards the front door.

 

“Too late.” Said the elf. 

 

Someone opened the door from the outside. A woman was standing in the rain. Her crimson red hair and unusual eyes were the first thing they’d notice from her, followed by her faint smile. Wearing a feminine butler outfit with a red necktie, she was soaking wet from head to toe. Despite the heavy rain outside hitting her wide open eyes, she never blinked, unfazed by everything. Her face is considered to be emotionless except for her mouth that only smiles when she’s having fun, and eyes that widens even more when she’s starting to love it. 

 

“Hahahaha, you almost scared me.”

“...” 

“!! Mmmmm! **Spluckkkk**” The man in front of the door burst out his remains like a cobweb. 

“...”

“Aaaaaggghhhhhh!” The unrecognizable man from before screams in pain.

“...”

“Aaaaaaaaaaagggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

 

All of them were unable to comprehend what happened to the man before. She simply touched his chest and pushed him away. Everyone backed away from the front door except from the Pigman. 

 

“!! **oink, oink** Damn you!” The Pigman snorted before raising his sword against her.

“...”

“!! Mmmmhh! **Spluckkkk**”

“...”

“Waaaggghhhhhh! waaaaggghhhhh!”  He suffered the same fate as the first one.

 

**kata, kata, kata, kata**

 

She stepped inside the tavern. Aside from the sound of the rain outside, the sound of her footsteps can be heard. The two men from before are now screaming in agony from side by side. 

 

“!! IT’S… IT’S THE SPIDERRRR!” 

“?! Those are just children's stories!”

“But she’s real! She’s real!”

“Tsk.”

“Move away, move away! I’m getting out of here. We can’t take them both at the same time.” 

 

Half of them ran away towards the back door. 

 

“?! It’s already locked!” 

“Quick, open it already!”

 

The men running away tried to brute force their way through the back door. 

 

** crack, break **

 

!! 

 

As soon as they broke the door, they all tucked their tails when they saw some of the tavern staff had already been turned to cobwebs of their own remains. They stayed too long. 

 

“We should all take her out first before the butcher gets her hand on us!”

“Those who can cast their spell, cast them now!”

““Gaia, lend us your power and bring justice among those who…”” Those who have the power prayed before casting their spell.

“[Ice]!”

“[Flame]!”

“[Lightning]!”

“[Stone rock]!”

 

** Fsshhh, Fsshh, Swoosh… KABOOM! **

 

They all let out their powerful spells consecutively against her. Landing a direct hit on different parts of her body. The tables near her took the same damage as her and it splattered all over the room creating a dense fog of debris. 

 

“That was easy.”

“None would have survived that.”

“Hurraaa!”

 

Men cheered before they changed their stance against the Sleeping Butcher. 

 

“Hahahaha, we just killed The Spider, you are no match against us!”

“...” The elf ignored their taunt. 

“!! Hwaaaaaa!”

 

The man screamed and squeaked when he noticed someone’s hand was touching his shoulder from behind.

 

“I-I can’t move! Help!”

“Aaahhhhh! She’s still alive!”

“Save me!”

“Tsk. Cast another round for her. Cast everything you’ve got until she’s dead!”

“No, wait, don’t shoot! Save me first!”

““Gaia, lend us your power and bring justice among those who…””

“No! No! No! I still have children waiting at home! Don’t do this to me!”

“[Ice]!”

“[Flame]!”

“[Lightning]!”

“[Stone rock]!”

 

** Fsshhh, Fsshh, Swoosh… KABOOM! **

 

“Shoot again!” 

““Gaia, lend us your power and bring justice among those who…””

“!! Aaaaagghhhhh!”

 

The man the spider had caught before was screaming in agony while being controlled by her. His body filled with holes and severe injuries moved like a doll as if strings were suddenly attached to him. The Spider drag his body all over the room with great haste, ignoring his screams of pain. He aimlessly stabs and slash through his comrades. He begs as he kills them one after another.

 

“Aggghhhh…. Please I beg you, end me…!” 

“Aaagghhh. ** Spluckkk **”

“They’re getting closer!”

“Get out of the way!”

“We can’t get through the back door!” 

 

As they tried to push on towards the back door, the first men who went outside stumbled forming a small stampede. They piled after one another until they could no longer get through. Despair and fear were all etched to their faces. 

 

“Aaaggghhh!” 

“She’s coming!”

“!! Mmmmm ** Spluckkk **”

 

** Spluckkk **

** Spluckkk **

** Spluckkk **

** Spluckkk **

** Spluckkk **

** Spluckkk **

** Spluckkk **

** Spluckkk **

** Spluckkk **

** Spluckkk **

** Spluckkk **

Fifty men inside the tavern died and suffered. But most of them were kept alive, suffering in agony, screaming in pain louder than the heavy rain outside.

The Sleeping Butcher finally faced The Spider. The Spider was bathed in their own blood. Her fingers are filled with strings attached to her victims. They stood next to her, screaming for mercy. She pulled their strings and everything went silent.

 

“It’s already been five hundred years since the last time we met, Maya.” 

“Don’t call me by my name.”

“I’m glad that they still call you the Butcher of Elves Cabin.”

“Thanks to you.”

“How boring. You’re supposed to scream for the life of your friends like the last time.”

“...”

“Is this one of your tricks to force me to come out of my hole?”

“Was the earthquake I made with my friends five hundred years ago still bugging you? Because that would be great.”

“Heee~ You’re not scared like the last time.”

“After what you did, why would I? You destroyed the city I once lived in.”

“Guess what? I don’t care. This is my land and my land alone. You lowly elves don’t deserve this place.”

“This very land was a gift from Bell-sama himself. And I would do everything to take it back from you.”

 

The Spider’s faint smile gradually fades away as she turns serious. 

 

“That reminds me… I almost forgot why I’m here.”

“...”

“**sniffffff** He's clearly been with you before. The person with a blindfold on. Tell me where he went and I’ll spare you like always.” 

“That’s news to me. I never knew we liked the same guy.”

“...”

“Has your thing down there started to form some cobwebs?”

“!! Hmm…!”

 

She pulled some strings. Five men began flying forward against her. 

 

“Figures.” The Sleeping Butcher smirked at her.

 

** clang, spark, spark **

 

“Mmmm! Please… I beg you… end me.”

“...”

“End meeeeeeeeeeeee!”

 

** slash, splurt, fssshhhhh **

 

The Sleeping Butcher slit their throats all at once. Blood began pouring out of their neck and mouth.

 

“Mmm!! En Ush!”

 

Yet despite what she did to them, they still stand. Uttering illegible words begging for mercy. The Sleeping Butcher was unfazed as she was already used to the Spider’s method of attacks. She dodge them one after the other, slitting their throats. Hoping that this would end their misery sooner than later. 

The Spider hasn’t moved an inch since the fight started. She crossed her arms observing the Sleeping Butcher’s movements. She noticed the Sleeping Butcher hasn’t used her magic like the last time nor even cried out for her friends. She looks disappointed. 

 

“Time to end this charade. Huh?!” Said The Spider.

 

But as soon as she stepped forward a magic circle began to form underneath. Its light flashes a violet light through her wide crimson red eyes. The Sleeping Butcher immediately scraped out the wooden plank and hid under the reinforced trench she made a long time ago. 

 

“I’ve been fooled” The Spider whispered to herself.

 

 ** spark… voooooooooommm… BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM ** 

 

** CRUMBLE, TREMBLE ** 

 

** spark…. voooommm… BOOOM! **

** spark…. voooommm… BOOOM! **

** spark…. voooommm… BOOOM! **

** spark…. voooommm… BOOOM! **

** spark…. voooommm… BOOOM! **

 

The land of the Forest of Fero trembled as each consecutive bomb exploded directly at The Spider. Parts of her body flew all over the place. The Tavern that was lively before was blown into smithereens. 

Under the trench, the Sleeping Butcher patiently waited for the spell to finish. She crossed her arms and tucked her knees. Her raccoon eyes were unfazed on each impact. Debris began to fall under her. 

After the last bomb everything went still and silent. The Sleeping Butcher kicks out chunks of wood blocking her way out of the trench. The smell of Amaranthine mana fills her nose. It came from the magic circle she made. 

Looking around, the tavern from before was replaced by a huge crater. Everything was destroyed except her reinforced trench. The Sleeping Butcher smiled looking at the mess she made just to take her down. 

 

??

 

She was about to walk away, but something caught her eye. In the middle of the crater, there’s a magical core radiating violet light. A perfectly made one as if it was created by the Gods themselves. A spitting image of the Dark Knight’s core, but this one is far more refined than she has ever seen. 

The core flew above her and in a mere second. Strings flew all over the place. The Sleeping Butcher cut off the strings coming at her. 

 

** Splat ** 

 

!!

 

The Spider’s remains were pulled out towards the core, reforming her body. The Sleeping Butcher couldn’t believe the sight in her eyes. She is starting to lose hope as she trembles on how she’ll be able to win against her.

The Spider slowly lands in front of her. As soon as she landed, it rained again. Looking at her naked body, she only has first degree burns. 

The Spider faintly smiled at her as she sensed her fear. 

!! The Sleeping Butcher squeaks because of The Spider’s sudden move. 

 

“Mmmmm ** Spluckkkk **” She was turned into a cobweb of her own remains.

“...”

“Aaaagggghhhhh, aaaaaggghhhhh! Agghhhh-mmmm…”

 

The Sleeping Butcher was put to silence before the Spider spoke. 

 

“I’ll ask you this once again. Tell me, where did he go?”

 

She starts to remember about the man who first helped her, after all those years. Asking to herself if she should tell it to her or not. Lying upfront to The Spider is dangerous as she could literally sense their intentions. Thus, it’s useless.

 

“He went… to the Kingdom of… Arcadia. Woof.” Said the Sleeping Butcher while wheezing. 

“Good boy! You’re still obedient like before.” 

“Woof.”

“Good boy! Now, why did he go there?”

“I don’t know… Woof.”

“Good boy!”

 

No matter which one she tortures, she treats them all the same. They’re all treated as male dogs. Those who disobey are whipped into shape. Just like the Sleeping Butcher. 

 

** Shwaap **

 

The Sleeping Butcher went back to normal, dropping in all four.

 

“!! Haaaa… Haaaa… haaaa!” She catches her breath.

 

The Spider kneeled and caressed her head. 

 

“Good boy! Good boy! Gooood Boy!” The Spider was delighted for her honesty.

“Woof.”

“See. If you’re only a Good Boy, this wouldn’t happen from the start.”

“Woof.”

“Good boy! Good boy! Goood Boy!”

 

The Sleeping Butcher cried in shame as she obediently followed her master's orders.

 

The Spider talking to her dog.
Image reference was from "Chainsaw-man, Makima"