I Built a Beast Empire After Reincarnation-Chapter 35: The Web of Power

The echo of skittering legs filled the air as Lucas and Kaela stood before the enormous chamber deep within the labyrinth. Their breaths misted in the cold air, lit faintly by the pulsing glow of phosphorescent crystals embedded in the walls. The oppressive pressure was immediate. Something ancient stirred in the shadows ahead.

Lucas narrowed his eyes. "It’s here. The hidden boss."

[System Alert: Hidden Boss Detected – Widow Queen Tharaz, Matron of Venomfang Nest]

A shriek split the silence. From the darkness emerged a gargantuan spider, its legs stretching nearly ten meters wide. Its chitinous body shimmered with a purple-black sheen, and multiple glowing red eyes focused on the intruders. Behind it, hundreds of smaller spiderlings scuttled across the walls.

[Boss Trait Unlocked: Summoner of the Swarm] [Effect: Widow Queen Tharaz may summon up to 50 spiderlings every 30 seconds.]

Kaela stepped back. "That’s not just a spider. That’s a damn fortress."

Lucas clenched his fists. He could feel it—his new power.

He opened his menu.

[Beast Emperor Class Evolution: Finalized]

Beast Limit: 4

Fusion Forms Enhanced

Passive: Imperial Bond – All bonded beasts receive +10% to all stats when near Lucas.

New Skill: Tactical Shift – Switch between beast forms instantly with no cooldown.

Umbra had grown massive—its lion body now as large as a hippo. Dark silver armor-like fur covered its frame, and ghostly shadows bled from its paws.

New Skill: Night Barrage – Fires ten shadow spears from the void.

Evolution Trait: Abyss Core – Takes reduced magic damage.

Zephyra had become a sleek young adult dragon. Her violet-blue scales shimmered with electric energy. Her wings stretched wide, feathers edged with wind energy like blades.

New Skill: Storm Howl – An AOE wind-lightning blast.

Evolution Trait: Sky Sovereign – +20% speed and evasion.

Fusion Upgrade:

Gauntlets became Full Imperial Armor – Plated black-gold armor infused with Umbra’s shadow essence.

Dagger-blades became Twin Phantom Blades – Curved katanas glowing with Zephyra’s wind.

Lucas took a breath. His aura surged. Golden, shadowed, and storm-wreathed.

"Kaela, I’ll handle the Queen. You hold off the swarm."

Kaela nodded, tightening her grip on her twin axes. "With pleasure."

The Widow Queen reared and unleashed a high-pitched screech. A wave of spiders poured out.

Lucas dashed forward.

Kaela and Thunderfang intercepted the swarm, the wolf-beast tearing into the spiderlings with savage bites and claw strikes. Kaela leapt into the thick of it, her axes spinning in a deadly arc. One spider lunged—she ducked, slashed it in half, then twisted to impale another on her blade.

"Thunderfang! Rear flank!" she shouted.

The beast responded, slamming his weight into a trio of spiderlings and pinning them to the stone floor.

Meanwhile, Lucas sliced through the first wave with his twin blades, the wind trailing after each slash like razors. He moved with impossible speed, the full Imperial Armor glowing with runes as he danced between spiderlings.

"Storm Howl!" Zephyra roared above, releasing a blast that turned half the horde into crackling husks.

Umbra launched Night Barrage—shadow spears impaled spiders as they crawled from the walls.

But Tharaz didn’t stay idle.

The massive spider summoned a cocoon of venomous mist and lunged forward. Her legs slammed the floor, creating shockwaves that unbalanced Kaela. She retaliated with a flurry of axe strikes, severing several spider legs from lesser broodlings.

Still, the numbers didn’t stop. Kaela’s armor was smeared with ichor as she fought on, breathing heavily.

"Lucas! That thing won’t stop spawning them!" she called.

Lucas blinked behind the Queen with Flash Step, striking at a glowing gap in the abdomen.

CLANG!

His blade skidded.

Tharaz spun, legs slashing. One caught Lucas in the side, throwing him into a wall. Pain exploded.

"Lucas!" Kaela shouted, slashing another spider clean in half before rushing toward him.

Lucas coughed blood and stood.

[Warning: Venom Damage over Time Active] [HP: 43%]

He gritted his teeth and triggered Fusion.

Twin blades shimmered into his hands. His body was clad in full Imperial Armor. The battlefield bent around him.

"Now it’s my turn."

He moved like a storm.

Every slash sent pressure waves. Shadow surged with lightning. Zephyra and Umbra supported him mid-strike. He triggered Bladed Echo, striking from five directions at once.

The Widow Queen shrieked and summoned another swarm.

Kaela saw the surge of spiderlings and braced herself. "Not again."

She gritted her teeth, pushing Thunderfang to charge ahead. "Split and pounce!"

Thunderfang dove into the mass, jaws clamping onto legs and dragging shrieking spiderlings away. Kaela’s axes spun in crescent arcs, blood and ichor coating her arms.

Lucas activated Overdrive.

His form blurred. In under ten seconds, he cleaved through the last wave and plunged both blades into Tharaz’s face.

CRRRRRK! Her scream echoed through the chamber.

With a final push, Lucas leapt onto her thorax and drove his blade into the glowing orb nestled there—the core.

Tharaz spasmed.

And collapsed.

[System Notification: Hidden Boss Defeated - Widow Queen Tharaz]

[+EXP Awarded]

[Level Up: Lucas Carter has reached Level 31]

[Kaela Stormfang has reached Level 31]

Lucas dropped to his knees. His armor cracked slightly, steam rising.

Kaela limped to his side, Thunderfang panting behind her, wounded but alive. "You okay?"

Lucas nodded. "Yeah... but that thing was stronger than Kong."

[Quest Completed: Forge of the Ancients - Phase 2]

[Rewards: Access to Ancient Ore Veins / Skillbook Acquired - Blacksmith’s Legacy]

Blacksmith’s Legacy (Skillbook):

Allows the user to passively inherit an ancient forging technique.

Passive increases all insight about blacksmithing.

Kaela stepped forward, brushing aside webs. "Look."

A stone door had opened behind the boss’s room.

Inside was a massive vault of glittering ore—silver, red, blue veins winding through walls.

Kaela gasped. "This... this is enough to make Greystone one of the richest cities on Aerion."

Lucas found a carved map in the far corner.

"It’s a full diagram of the labyrinth. And... this mark. It’s another ore deposit."

Kaela grinned. "We found the heart of the mine."

Lucas looked at the glowing stone in the center of the room, hovering above a pedestal.

[System Message: Soul of the Forge Acquired. Passive bonus: Crafting Efficiency +50%, Weapon Quality Enhanced.]

He took the stone, feeling its heat pulse in his hand.

"Let’s go home," he said.

Kaela smirked. "With loot like this? Absolutely."

The two stepped out of the lair, their beasts following behind, stronger than ever.