The Guild mission this time wasn't cool. Not at all.
Mission Title: "Eastern Sector Sewer Cleaning".
Description: Exterminate the population of Giant Rats and Leeches clogging the flow. Beware of toxic gases.
Reward: 30 Silver.
For C-Rank adventurers and above, this mission was an insult. But for Dayat, this was a Shopping Trip.
"The smell, Master," Dola covered her nose with her new leather gloves. Even though she didn't need to breathe, her olfactory sensors kept sending 'BIOHAZARD DANGER' warnings. "Ammonia concentration is 300% above safe limits. I suggest we do not linger."
"Patience, Dol. We need the nets," Dayat replied, turning on the Tactical Flashlight attached under his Crossbow barrel. Bright white light cut through the darkness of the mossy sewer tunnel.
They walked along the edge of the wastewater canal flowing fast and murky green. The squeaking of rats could be heard everywhere.
"Target detected," Dola whispered.
In front of them, a rat the size of a Bulldog with glowing red eyes was gnawing on a bone (hopefully an animal bone).
Giant Sewer Rat.
The rat saw Dayat's flashlight. It hissed, baring long yellow teeth, then sprinted to attack.
"Shock Bolt trial run," Dayat said calmly.
He didn't need to aim too precisely because the rat was huge. He squeezed the trigger.
THWACK!
The special bolt flew. The tip wasn't a sharp steel point, but two small metal needles connected to a lightning crystal capacitor (loot from Dalgor's warehouse).
TZZZRRRTT!
As the bolt embedded itself in the rat's thigh, a 50,000 Volt electric charge was released instantly.
The rat convulsed violently. Its muscles went rigid, its eyes rolled back. In two seconds, it fell flat, mouth foaming, but its chest was still rising and falling.
"Target disabled," Dola reported. "Total motor nerve paralysis. Estimated duration: 15 minutes. It is not dead."
"Sweet," Dayat smiled with satisfaction. "No need to kill, no need for blood. Just a nap."
They continued their journey, disabling three more rats the same way. Dola then picked up the unconscious rats and threw them into the iron basket provided by the Guild (as proof of mission completion).
"Now for the main course," Dayat said as they reached a larger sewer junction.
On the ceiling of the junction, thick white webs hung, glistening like metal.
Iron-Silk Webs.
"Material detected," Dola's eyes shone. "Tensile strength equivalent to steel wire. This is what we need for the Net Caster."
But of course, the web wasn't free.
From the darkness of the ceiling, the homeowner descended.
A giant black spider with silver stripes on its back. Eight legs, long and sharp like spears. It was the size of a small car.
Iron-Silk Arachnid Queen – Level C.
This monster was far above the rats' level.
"Krrk... Krrkk..." The spider hissed, its mandibles clicking. Its eight eyes stared at Dayat and Dola as delicious prey.
"Analysis: This monster's exoskeleton is made of metal-reinforced chitin," Dola said quickly. "Normal arrows will bounce off. Shock Bolts will not penetrate the skin to deliver electricity to the nerves."
"Uh oh... so what now?" Dayat took a step back.
"We use the environment. Water."
Dola pointed to the wastewater under the bridge where they stood.
"This sewer water is full of mineral salts and heavy metals. Its electrical conductivity is very high."
"You mean... we electrocute it using the water?"
"Affirmative. But we must lure it into the water. Master, use the Grappling Hook (the one repaired by Dalgor) to pull it."
"Pull a spider the size of a car? Are you crazy? I'll be the one pulled!"
"Not a tug-of-war. But disrupt its balance while it is hanging."
The spider spat. Not poison, but a glob of sticky web.
"Watch out!" Dayat and Dola jumped in opposite directions. The web hit the stone floor, sticking fast. If it hit a body, game over.
"Now, Master! Shoot the leg when it moves!"
Dayat took out the Grappling Gun (which Dalgor had modified to be lighter and mounted under the Crossbow barrel as an attachment).
He aimed at the spider's leg stepping on the slippery wall.
BOOM!
The grappling hook flew, wrapping around the spider's rear left leg.
"Dola! Pull!"
Dayat didn't pull it himself. He threw his Crossbow to Dola (whose strength was far greater due to hydraulics).
Dola caught the weapon in mid-air, then with one strong yank, she pulled the steel cable.
The spider crawling on the wall lost its footing. Its legs slipped on the slick moss.
SPLASH!
The Spider Queen fell into the deep wastewater sewer.
"SKREEEE!" She shrieked, her legs thrashing trying to swim.
"Now, Master! Put the 'Toaster' in the bathtub!"
Dayat was ready. He held a special Shock Bolt modified by Dola. This bolt had no sharp tip, but a long Copper Wire connected to a portable Mana Battery (made by Dola from crystal scraps).
"Eat this free electricity!"
Dayat threw the bolt manually into the water, right next to the spider.
ZZZZZTTTTTTTT!!!
The sewer water suddenly glowed bright blue. Electricity traveled through the water, seeking a ground. And the nearest ground was the massive body of the spider.
The electric current didn't need to penetrate its hard skin. The current entered through the gaps in its leg joints, through its mouth, through its eyes.
The spider convulsed violently. The water around it boiled and foamed. Its shrieks turned into suppressed gurgling.
Five seconds. Ten seconds.
The spider stopped moving. It floated upside down in the murky water, totally unconscious (or perhaps in suspended animation).
"Target neutralized," Dola reported. "Central nervous system shutdown due to overload."
Dayat let out a sigh of relief. "Crazy... the smell got worse after being electrocuted."
"Now the harvest part," Dola said. She didn't care about the smell. She jumped to the ceiling (using leftover spider webs as footing) and began cutting chunks of raw Iron-Silk that hadn't been fired yet.
"We need about 5 kilograms of silk to make 50 Net Caster nets."
Dayat watched from below, making sure the spider didn't wake up again.
"Dol," Dayat called. "Do you realize? We just defeated a C-Level Boss without a single drop of blood."
Dola stopped cutting. She looked down, staring at the unconscious spider.
"Efficiency achieved," she replied. "And... my guilt level: Null."
Dayat smiled. "Good. That means our Non-Lethal therapy is working."
They exited the sewer an hour later, carrying sacks of rat carcasses (for Guild proof) and valuable rolls of iron silk (for ammo).
As they walked back to the inn, Dayat felt something different. He was no longer an adventurer afraid to kill. He was an adventurer who chose not to kill. And that gave him a greater sense of control.
However, in the shadows of the alley, Valmir's spy took notes again.
"They didn't kill the Spider Queen. They paralyzed her with strange lightning magic. That kid... is getting more dangerous."
The report would reach Valmir's desk tonight, and the next sabotage plan would be far crueler than just a monster trap.