A wall of crimson hellfire exploded across the tunnel with devastating force, transforming the confined underground passage into a blazing furnace. The eruption shook the surrounding structures violently, sending tremors through the reinforced concrete walls and dislodging chunks of stone from the ceiling. The intense heat surged outward like a tidal wave, swallowing everything in its path before the leading ranks of mutated spiders could even react. The creatures were instantly engulfed by the inferno. Their armored exoskeletons cracked apart beneath the overwhelming heat as shrill screeches echoed through the tunnel. Bodies burst apart inside the sea of crimson flames, scattering fragments of burning chitin and molten flesh across the battlefield. The stench of scorched flesh and burning ichor quickly filled the air, creating a nauseating mixture that lingered heavily inside the enclosed space. Yet Miles wasn’t finished. Before the charred remains of the first wave could hit the

Miles reacted instantly. Telekinetically controlled daggers shot forward. The blades accelerated beyond the speed of sound. The tunnel filled with piercing shrieks as they cut through the air. CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! A shower of sparks erupted everywhere. The daggers repeatedly struck the Queen's armored exoskeleton and the sound of each impacts echoed throughout the tunnel. Yet the results were disappointing. Only shallow scratches remained on the creature's black armor. Miles frowned slightly. The Queen's exoskeleton was tougher than most magical equipment he had encountered. The monster crashed into the ground and impact sent cracks racing through the floor in every direction. Then its abdomen expanded. Miles' eyes narrowed. Webs exploded outward. Massive strands shot through the tunnel with terrifying speed, resembling giant harpoons more than spider silk. Miles immediately dodged sideways. One strand struck a nearby support pillar. The reinforced concrete

Eli stood frozen.The sudden absence felt wrong.The battle had been so overwhelming, so constant, that the resulting silence seemed unnatural. His own breathing sounded deafening.Every heartbeat echoed inside his ears. Alexis remained unconscious nearby, completely unaware of everything that had happened.Eli slowly looked toward the tunnel where Miles had vanished and there was nothing other than just pitch black darkness staring back at him.The uncertainty was far more terrifying than the battle itself. At least during the fighting, he knew where the danger was.Now he knew nothing.Five minutes passed and there was still nothing.Ten minutes passed.The silence continued.Only the occasional distant tremor reminded him that the battle was still happening somewhere far beyond his sight.Miles and the Spider Queen were still fighting but the sounds had become increasingly difficult to hear.Eli swallowed hard.Without realizing it, he had begun gripping the fabric of his clothes t

Most hunters wouldn't sacrifice resources for someone they barely knew. Yet Miles had done both without hesitation. For reasons Alexis couldn't understand, a strange feeling settled inside her chest. It wasn't gratitude. Not entirely. It wasn't guilt either. It was something far more unfamiliar. Because for the first time since this nightmare began, Alexis found herself wondering not whether Miles would survive... But whether he was fighting that monstrous Queen alone at this very moment and the thought genuinely worried her. Alexis lowered her gaze and fell silent. No matter how many angles she examined the situation from, she couldn't find a flaw in his reasoning. The uncomfortable truth remained exactly where he had placed it. Miles had repeatedly chosen to help her. Not once. Not twice. Again and again, when logic suggested he should have walked away. The realization caused her thoughts to drift inward. Her mind wandered first to Halmer. The image of the veteran hu

Miles raised his hand. Black crimson flames erupted from the ground Hellfire exploded across the colony like a tidal wave. The temperature inside the tunnels skyrocketed instantly. The front ranks of spiders disappeared almost immediately. Their bodies exploded into burning fragments before they could even reach him. The creatures behind them suffered the same fate as the inferno continued spreading outward. Entire sections of the swarm vanished beneath the sea of black flames. Yet more continued appearing. Dozens became hundreds. The colony seemed determined to throw every remaining creature at him. Miles launched himself forward. His body became a blur of motion amidst the chaos. A spider descended from the ceiling and His fist shattered its skull. At the same time another lunged from the side and he flicked his dagger between his fingers and with one slash of his dagger severed its head from its body. A third attempted to trap him with reinforced webbing; he used his Tele