AN: I'm back!

Thanks to ShadowFangus, StarSmith, Orlando Gonzales, and Daniel Thomsen for the pat re on subscription.

Been pretty busy this holidays running around everywhere and being dragged to go everywhere.

Alas, the holidays are over and it's back to work for me on Thursday.

It's late but Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!

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Chapter 99: Silk

“So…can someone explain what’s going on here?”

Benjamin asked.

Death just shrugged.

“It’s simple. The Death of this world noticed my presence and came to visit.”

“...Why are you making it sound like a neighbor just came over?”

“Cause that’s pretty much it.”

The other Death nodded.

“Beings like us are singular in our universes. We govern a single law that spans throughout the universe. So imagine my surprise when I felt the power of Death similar to mine suddenly appear. I was curious and decided to check it out.”

“...That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

The other Death shrugged.

Death smiled.

“Relax. If she wanted you dead, I would’ve done it instead.”

“...Is that supposed to reassure me?”

What do you mean you would’ve done it instead? In times like this, you’re supposed to say something like ‘I’ll be the first one to protect you’ or something!

Benjamin sighed.

Honestly, he wasn’t worried about facing the Inheritors, but Death…or rather, these Deaths are too unpredictable and worrisome!

Although he can trust the Death of his world, there’s no telling what the Death of this world would do!

However, after thinking it through, he realized there was nothing he could do anyway if she decided to do something.

After thinking that, Benjamin stopped caring and relaxed.

The other Death saw his expression change instantly and was amused.

He’s indeed as peculiar as the other me said.

She was used to seeing two expressions wherever she faced someone.

Revere and fear.

Towards Benjamin’s ‘I don’t care anymore’ expression, while certainly not the first time, there were few such existences who can show that expression despite knowing who she was.

Of course, just that alone doesn’t interest her much. At most, she was just unused to such reactions.

What interested her more was the fact that the Death of another universe would actually attach herself to this person.

And it wasn’t just a simple attachment either.

From the looks of it, her soul was basically bound to this man.

She wondered what was different with this Benjamin and her curiosity slowly turned into interest.

“Anyway, as long as you don’t want to harm me or anyone close to me, I don’t care what you do.”

Benjamin gave up and shrugged.

“Oh? And what if I do want to harm you?”

The other Death asked teasingly.

“In that case, I’ll have to resort to my hidden forbidden technique…”

Death raised a brow at that.

“You have something like that?”

“Oh, it’s pretty much me begging you to do something about it. I’m powerless against you guys after all.”

“...”

The two Deaths were speechless.

Suddenly, they burst into laughter.

Seeing the two laugh, Benjamin sighed in relief.

Good! They’re in a good mood! I should be safe for a while!

Benjamin thought that as long as these two all-powerful beings were happy, they shouldn’t wreak havoc…right?

Benjamin smiled wryly and turned to leave.

“Well, I still need to deal with something so…I’ll leave you two to it.”

“Is it those worms? Want me to help?”

The other Death asked.

“No, it shouldn’t be a problem. But…”

“If you’re gonna ask me to resurrect those spiders that died before, I can only do so for the ones that originated from this universe. As for others, you’d have to ask the Death of their universe.”

“I see…”

Benjamin nodded.

It was just a passing thought really.

Since Death was here, he figured he might as well ask.

As for whether he would actively go to each universe to ask Death for help…well, that’s too hard to achieve.

To begin with, there’s no telling if every Death would be as easy to talk to as these two…

After leaving the two Deaths by themselves, Benjamin went around the Spider-refuge to look for things to do.

While walking, he heard some noise in a nearby room and went to check.

Inside was a huge training area with numerous holes on all walls, ceilings, and even the floor.

From those holes, several red balls could be seen shooting about here and there, making the scene quite chaotic.

In the very middle was a figure dodging those balls by jumping, spinning, and shooting webs.

It was Silk.

Benjamin wondred if this was a room to train their so-called Spidey Sense.

But that should only react to danger, right?

As if on cue, there was an explosion as Silk was hit by one of the balls at her back.

…Oh, so that’s the danger.

Benjamin understood.

The room stopped shooting balls as Silk groaned on the floor after being hit.

“Ugh…dammit…!”

Silk gritted her teeth and angrily slammed on the floor.

Benjamin thought for a while before approaching her.

“That looked like it hurt.”

“You…what was your name again?”

“Benjamin Freed.”

“What do you want?”

SIlk frowned as she asked.

“Nothing. I was just curious. You’re good at what you do but…you seem to be putting too much pressure on yourself. Is it because of your identity as the ‘Bride’?”

Silk fell silent for a moment but still answered.

“You don’t understand since you weren’t here when we found the Inheritors before…so many people died for my sake…I’m too weak.”

“So you’re here training recklessly?”

“So what if I am!?”

Silk shouted angrily.

Benjamin chuckled.

“Relax, I don’t mean anything by it. But isn’t it better if you have a sparring partner? No one helped you?”

“Hmph! They’re all too weak to help me!”

…This brat…

Benjamin rolled his eyes.

“In that case, should I give it a try?”

“You?”

Silk looked at him from top to bottom.

“You look weak.”

Benjamin just smiled.

“Is that so? Wanna make a bet?”

“Bet?”

“1 hour. If you can touch even a hair on my body, you win.”

Silk narrowed her eyes.

“Oh? What do I get then?”

“What do you want?”

Benjamin asked in return.

Silk grinned and pointed at him.

“You’ll be my lackey for life!”

“...Isn’t it a bit much to bet on something for life over this?”

Benjamin rolled his eyes.

“Then a week!”

“Fine. What if I win then?”

“I’ll be your lackey for a week!”

“...I don’t really need a lackey but, oh well.”

Benjamin shrugged.

Anyway, he only proposed the bet to make it interesting. It’s not his fault for her setting the consequences.

For a moment, Benjamin imagined what her expression would be when she find out she can’t win.

At this moment, Silk was smacked at the back of her head.

“Ow!? Huh?”

Silk turned around but found nothing.

When she was about to turn back to Benjamin, she caught sight of a long white whip-like thing hurling at her.

Silk quickly bent backward to dodge, followed by a backflip.

“What!? Why didn’t my Spider Sense react!?”

“Oh, that? It’s easy, I just overpowered it with my own mental attack and temporarily disabled it. Now, let’s see how you’ll fare without it.”

Benjamin didn’t bother moving from his spot but from his feet, white symbiote tentacles rushed towards Silk, attacking her from all sides.

Silk no longer dared to be careless and quickly dodged as she attempted to rush at Benjamin to attack.

However, Benjamin still remained unmoved.

Every time she was about to get close, a tentacle would unknowingly latch onto her feet and hurl her back away again.

“What’s wrong? I thought you said I was weak?”

Benjamin chuckled as he goaded her.

“Shut up you tentacle monster!”

“T-tentacle monster…”

Benjamin was speechless.

Although he was indeed using tentacles…isn’t it a bit too much to call him a tentacle monster!?

It sounds like something from a hentai anime!

Benjamin snorted and attacked with more ferocity.

Soon, Silk couldn’t take it anymore and collapsed onto the ground, panting and sweating crazily.

An hour had already passed.

“You lose.”

“Dammit…!”

Seeing her look so frustrated, Benjamin chuckled and crouched down near her.

“Do you know what went wrong?”

“What? Aren’t you just absurdly annoying!?”

Benjamin ignored her remark and answered.

“You’re relying too much on your Spider Sense. Actually, it’s not just you, almost all the Spider people are like that. Because you’re relying on it too much, you tend to only react whenever it activates. While this may seem better for others, you’re different. Your instincts and talent are more powerful than the others. Yet you keep hindering yourself by relying on the Spider Sense.”

Silk frowned.

She could understand what he meant, but at the same time, not as well.

Benjamin continued.

“Your Spider Sense is indeed quite reliable. However, if the danger is too fast, it would be too late to dodge. At times like this, it’s better to rely on your own instincts. Do not doubt yourself and overthink things.”

Benjamin stood up and walked to a panel on the wall.

“Now. Let’s try this again.”

“Ah? W-wait!”

Without waiting for her, Benjamin activated the room’s training course and red balls started to shot out of the holes once more.

Silk wasn’t able to catch a breath as she quickly started to dodge.

As she dodged, she started to think about what Benjamin said.

Don’t rely too much on the Spider Sense…do not doubt yourself…do not overthink…

Silk’s breathing stablized for a moment as she closed her eyes.

Focus, Cindy! You can do it!

She ignored everything and only relied on her instincts as she moved.

Right…left…jump…turn…flip…

After a while, the room powered down and she opened her eyes.

As she did, excitement seemed to shine from her eyes.

She did it!

She completed the course!

Benjamin smiled as he approached her.

“Well? Feel a bit stronger now?”

“Yeah! I feel like I can take on 10 Morluns now!”

“Uhh, let’s not get ahead of ourselves…”

Benjamin shook his head.

Then, he remembered something.

“Forget about Morlun. You lost the bet so you’re my lackey now. Go, fetch me some drink.”

“...”