Chương 90: Chapter 89 - Alpha (LI)

"Dad!" Alonso called out, voice trembling. His heart pounded in his small chest, eyes wide, fixed on the nightstand just inches from his bed. The spider sat there, far too close, its long legs stretched out as it perched only a breath away from his face.

"There's a spider in my room!" His father stepped inside, following Alonso's gaze to the nightstand. He walked over, crouching beside the bed.

"That little guy?" His father glanced at the creature.

"He's not going to hurt you." Alonso's breathing was rapid, his mind racing with the image of waking up to see the spider looming, almost on his face.

"But what if it crawls on me while I'm sleeping?" His voice shook. His father sat on the bed.

"Spiders don't want to bite unless they have to. They actually help us out, catching those really annoying flies and mosquitoes." Alonso frowned.

"But what if it gets too close?" His voice dropped to a whisper.

"What if it bites me anyway?" His father stayed quiet for a moment, thinking.

"Fear isn't bad," he said finally.

"Fear keeps us safe. It's like a little alarm in our heads. Back in the old days, it told us to stay away from dangerous things—like wild animals or cliffs. It helped us survive." Alonso blinked, his gaze still locked on the spider.

"But... I don't want to be scared." His father smiled.

"I get that. But here's the thing—fear comes when we don't understand something. Like that spider." He nodded toward the corner.

"We're afraid because we don't know what it'll do. But once we understand it, the fear gets smaller." Alonso looked up, his brow furrowed.

"How?"

"Well, think about it. You're scared of it getting too close, right? Because you don't know what it'll do. But if you know it won't hurt you unless it feels threatened, suddenly it's not as scary, is it?" Alonso hesitated, still staring at the spider.

"So... the more I know, the less scared I'll be?"

"Exactly," his father said, nodding.

"Fear works like that. The more we understand something, the less power fear has over us. It's not about not being scared—it's about learning. Once we do that, we can decide what to do, instead of letting fear decide for us." Alonso's eyes shifted back to the spider. It hadn't moved, but somehow, it didn't seem as terrifying anymore.

"Dad," he finally said, "I want to know more about spiders."" Alonso!" Alonso's heart pounded, the paralysis of fear gripping him as the spider's web shot through the darkness, aimed directly at him. His instincts screamed for him to move, but his body hesitated, frozen in the grip of fear. Then, his father's voice echoed in his mind: " Fear is there to help you, use it, don't let it control you." The spit of webbing hit him squarely in the chest, slamming him backward and immobilizing his upper body.

Panic surged, the sticky, suffocating web tightening around him, making movement impossible. His breath quickened, his body struggling in vain. The fear wanted to take over, to paralyze him completely. But then, the voice echoed again: Understand it. His mind sharpened as he slowly regained his focus. What are spiders? How do spiders attack? How do they kill their prey? How do they move? His breath steadied. I cannot see you, I cannot sense you, I barely can hear you... but I know you.

He closed his eyes, the web tightening across his chest, but his thoughts were clear once again. He began calculating. I know your height from the angle of the projectile you sent. I know your weight from the vibrations in the ground. I know your leg length from the speed you moved. Alonso's breathing slowed. I know you. The fear began to dissolve, replaced by something stronger. Determination. So... why should I be afraid? The spider closed in on him, its legs raised high, poised to strike.

The air around Alonso seemed to thicken, every sound muffled except the faint scrape of the creature's limbs on the stone floor. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The leg came down, fast, aimed directly at his chest. Alonso's body tensed, his muscles coiling, but he didn't move—yet. The leg sliced through the air with a deadly hiss. Time slowed. The sharp tip of the spider's limb came closer, closer…

then shhhk—it barely missed his chest, grazing the taut webbing that bound him. A sharp sting ran across his skin as the leg cut him shallowly, but that was enough. The web that had constricted him so tightly loosened, the tension in it giving way. His upper body shifted, freed. It was close. Too close. Almost as if it had aimed at something just a breath away from him. Alonso exhaled, but he didn't flinch. Calm. Silent. He rolled to the side, his hand finding the sling he had kept at the ready.

Without hesitation, he loaded a stone, his movements fluid, precise. The spider reared back, disoriented by its own attack. The leg that had scratched him now recoiled, ready for another strike. Whip. The stone from the sling flew through the air, hitting its mark with a dull thud. The spider screeched, its body lurching backward. The sound echoed down the tunnel, but Alonso didn't stop. He stood in a swift motion, moving toward the creature with purpose.

Its body twitched, its other legs scrambling to regain balance. The next leg came down, slashing through the air in a desperate attempt to catch him. Whoosh. He ducked, the leg slicing through the space where his head had just been, barely missing him by inches. Alonso's foot pivoted, his body gliding just out of range. He was close now, just close enough. His hand gripped the hilt of his sword. Another leg lunged at him, fast and deadly. Alonso twisted, his sword moving with precision.

The blade caught the leg's metallic-like surface in a controlled glide, skimming along its length as the force of the spider's strike passed him. The movement was smooth, his sword tracing the limb effortlessly, deflecting its attack without losing momentum. The spider's massive form loomed ahead, exposed. Alonso didn't hesitate. He stepped into the opening, his body moving with practiced ease.

With a calculated thrust, the tip of his blade pierced the spider's head, driving straight through its exoskeleton with a sickening crunch. The spider shuddered, its legs twitching violently before collapsing into a heap on the ground. Silence filled the cave once more. Alonso carefully removed the remaining web from his body, using a few sharp rocks to cut through the sticky strands. Once free, he crouched down to retrieve the orb. Stage 1 - 2. 837%" Well… that was…"" They can induce fear somehow.

What are the odds of that fear being of electromagnetic nature?"" It could be… it's hard to tell with the information we have. If it is EM-based, then the waves they send are undetectable and incredibly complex." Alonso remained silent for a moment, a smile flashing across his face." I think I know what direction to follow. I think… I found my style, Houston."" I know. But if you do that, you'll be dismantling EM Simulation—everything it took to build it. Are you sure this is the path?

There will be no turning back."" We both know it's the path, Houston. He showed it to me."" Well… I guess you're itching to start training. Let's head back and kill the remaining 28 spiders on the way. We've got plenty of time before seven, so you can finish quick and catch a break at the outcrop."

Alonso tightened his grip on the sword and started rushing back the way he came. This time, he put the sling away, attaching it to the vine." Why wait when I can start the training now?"" The risk is too high."" The more pressure, the better."" You're mad. As mad as that new style of yours. From a scientist to what… a barbarian. Did I get transferred to another head?" Alonso smiled, his grip tightening further. A projectile flew toward him, but he didn't slow down. It missed, striking his decoy instead.

Without hesitation, he sprinted directly to the source, keeping the decoy mere inches from his own body. The spider loomed ahead, legs shifting, poised to strike. A wave of fear hit him as he closed the distance, sharp and cold. His body tensed, instincts screaming at him to stop, but Alonso didn't falter. A mad grin spread across his face. Fear. It barked like a dog. And like a dog, if you knew it wouldn't bite—why fear it? He kept moving. Barely slowing down. Alonso predicted the next attack.

The subtle shifts, the sound of the legs scraping against the ground. He crouched low as the spider's leg swung at him. With precision, he glided his sword along the metallic leg, the blade guiding itself smoothly. The motion built up, transferring all the energy to his legs. In one fluid motion, Alonso drove the sword upward with explosive force. The blade pierced the spider's skull, sinking deep as his legs powered the thrust all the way through. The spider collapsed, dissipating into nothing.

Only the orb remained. Alonso stood over it, catching his breath. Stage 1 - 2. 840% It's not about not being scared—it's about learning. Once we do that, we can decide what to do, instead of letting fear decide for us.