Hajime sees himself in a flowery meadow. The meadow is filled with Scarlet Lilies, a famous flower known to the Limpersia Empire. Standing in the open field, a gust of strong wind, picks up a torrent of petals. The petal slowly disperse, revealing a beautiful young maiden.
Hajime's eyes widen in shock. With tears shelling up in his eyes, he shouts, " Mom!!!. I~I'm so sorry. I can't right anymore".
As he says this, tears run down his cheek with drops landing gently on the petals of flowers beneath his feet.
The apparition of his mother slowly walks towards him. Stretching out his hand, the apparition vanishes. He is taken back to a moment in time. His grown up self looks at his eight year old self as he plays with a wooden sword.
From a nearby bush, a rustling sound beckons his attention. As his younger self approaches, a squirrel jumps out, startling him. His younger self, falls on his buttocks and cries out for his mother. His mother, gently wiping his tears says,
" Listen my precious blossom, there will be a time where I'm not around to comfort you. You must learn that fear, doesn't mean you should run away. However, challenge the obstacle, inspite of the fear".
Hajime looked on as they entered their humble cottage. Thinking to himself;
" That's right, mother always said that didn't she. I guess I couldn't understand it till now".
I'm sorry mom, I thought I could do it. But in the end, I just hurt more people. The scene suddenly shifted. Before him, was his father. Clutching a wooden sword in his hand. An eight year old Hajime, passed through his older self. Clashing swords with his father, Hajime looked more confident than his current self. In sudden turn of events, his sword was swung away by his father.
His father went to him and crouched down, rubbing his son's head and saying, " it is not one's victories that define them. But rather, what they succeed for and who they claim victory for".
from a distance, he saw two figures standing in the light. Wanting to join them, he ran eagerly to reach them. However, when he was but a few meters away, his attention was drawn to look back. He saw Bianca, smiling at him and waiting for him to come home to her.When he looked ahead once more, he saw his father.
" It is about who, you are winning for son. Fight for them".
Hajime finally decided to turn back. Looking his father one last time, he said, " I'll see you soon father".
Hajime turned around and ran towards Bianca, who felt like a world away. Before he could reach her, a light enveloped him. His consciousness had returned to reality.
He noticed that the thread web was closing in on him fast. With a sudden maniacal grin, he summoned the Petal Scattering Blade once more and with a powerful downward slash, pushed himself upwards and through the holes in the Web before it could close in.
Arachnid's moment of ecstacy was cut short. Questioning how his demeanour could change so quickly, he decided to fan the flame and provoke Hajime to a state a careless rage.
Hajime stood resolute. Without a single care for his own safety. He activated both the Mourner's Mask and The Cloak of Fallen Monarchs.
Standing before Arachnid was no longer a doubtful vigilante, but a resolute warrior who knew what he was fighting for.
Before Arachnid could speak. Hajime was already an inch from his neck. Swinging the Petal Scattering Blade, he called on one of its basic mana skills, Petals that Scatter. His blade however, was met with the thing lining of a steel thread. Arachnid turned towards Hajime, with a sinester grin, he knelt down instantly, slashes at his feet with his dagger in an attempt to weaken him.
Arachnid's eyes widened in pure shock, as he realized that his target was gone. What seemed to be a person at first glance, was but am after image of Hajime. Above him, Hajime called out to him. The skill he used was shadow cloak, an advanced stealth skill that boosted the administrator's speed and invisibility, creating after images to confuse an opponent.
Hajime's blade came down on an entangled band of steel threads.
Kicking off the band of threads, he slid back.
[ Thinking to himself]- " I have to avoid those threads of I'm going to be able to land a comparable strike. I have an idea.."
Calling upon his spike field skill from his battle against the dark basilisk, he charges in predictably, as if luring Arachnid into an obvious trap. Arachnid however, is blinded by obsession and charges in, wrapping steel threads together to make a metallic drill. Hajime grin and calls upon, spike field. A tornet of spike protruded from the ground, trapping most 9f his steel threads. Hajime is about to deal a finishing blow, when Arachnid, suddenly blocks his attack with strand of new, red coloured thread. Looking at his right hand, Hajime noticed that the thread is being made from his own blood.
Arachnid backs up and licks his blood stained fingers.
" How do you like my new threads, Hajime!!!". For now they have my blood, but I hope to stain them with the crimson hue of yours".
Hajime receives a system notification.
[ The Administrator's item, The Mourner's Mask, has a ten minute countdown. The administrator has five minutes left before usage penalties are inflicted].
Hajime was confident. Smiling, he thought to himself, " I'd better finish this quickly then". He charged at Arachnid with the intent to end it then a d there. However, Arachnid hadn't put all his cards on the table just yet. His right gauntlet glowed as inscriptions roared to life with magical power.
" The Savage Hunter that lies in what for it's prey. The venomous one who entangles all. I call upon the power of the Web Weaver.....
Now rise, Charlotte's Web".
With those words, his blood stained threads condensed into claws around his right hand. He struck bare earth and his claws extended, digging through dirt to strike Hajime's blade.
Arachnid retracted his claws and took a battle stance. With a sinester grin, he decided to use the one thing he knew would throw Hajime off his footing of confidence.
" Hey Hajime, I believe I have something you'd find quite intriguing. It's the tale about how I bed,are the head of the hunting shadows".
Hajime was a bit annoyed and said, " how does this have to do with our dual, you stupid assassin!!!?".
However, Arachnid insisted,
" I believe you will find it quite interesting. It has something to do with your parent's death".
Hajime's face tensed. His demeanour grew cold as he stood laterally, pointing his sword to Arachnid's face. Although more confident, he knew that the battle was far from over.