After defeating Ibaraki-dōji, Fitran's journey became increasingly perilous. The spiral field quivered, the earth shifting like a giant's chest breathing, filled with pits and obscure webs beneath the surface. Whispering death mixed with the scent of damp soil surrounded him as delicate footsteps crawled through the darkness.

  Suddenly, the ground beneath Fitran cracked. From the gaping hole emerged the massive body of an earth-toned spider. Yellow eyes blazed between its fangs, its belly glowing with magical webs, and on its back, dozens of smaller arachnids crawled down, ready to bring destruction. This was Tsuchigumo, the Earth Spider General.

  Tsuchigumo’s voice resonated through the chamber, “Welcome to my underground lair, Fitran Fate. Here, your will holds no power. All creatures are equal in the face of my trap.”

  Fitran glared at Tsuchigumo with a sly smile. “Ah, General, your ignorance will be your downfall. Do you really think this trap can hold someone who has pierced the Void? Here, foolishness and ambition collide.”

  The ground around them trembled; the magical webs began to encircle Fitran. He glanced at the shrinking web, then raised his hand, focusing the energy of the Void between his palms. “Do you see, Tsuchigumo? Your magic, despite its impressive appearance, is merely a shadow of true power. It is the justice and morality you worship that makes you weak.”

  “Do you dare to consider yourself a symbol of strength? Only a desperate soul sparkles in the darkness, Fitran.” Tsuchigumo snorted, signaling the arachnid minions to advance.

  “Despair?” Fitran laughed, the energy of the Void swirling around him like a deadly aura. “Do you think there will be justice for us in a world like this? Justice is nothing but an illusion created by the weak to deceive themselves. Let’s see who truly holds power here.”

  The Void energy exploded, shattering the approaching webs, and dark light coiled around him showcasing suppressed power. Tsuchigumo froze, momentarily taken aback. “Are you daring to rebel?!”

  “More than just rebelling, General. I am a threat that will obliterate the illusion of your world! And now, it’s time to face the truth,” Fitran replied, his tone dripping with provocation as he stepped forward defiantly, ready for action.

  The arakhnida webs spun to attack again, but Fitran nimbly dodged, countering with a deadly magical strike, “One step back, two steps forward; the same strategy applies to both hunter and hunted.”

  Fitran, breathing heavily, his Voidlight smeared with blood and dust, exclaimed, “Do you think I came to walk into your trap? I want to destroy the foundation of everything you've built down here.”

  Tsuchigumo chuckled darkly as arakhnida webs sprouted from the ground and sky, “You are far too overconfident. In the underworld, I am the king. Every move you make, every breath you take, is already recorded in my ledger.”

  Fitran twirled his sword and said, "A king? A king who only dares to wait for his enemies to exhaust themselves. I've watched foes languish in the throes of their pride for far too long. Is that what you call power?"

  Tsuchigumo's expression shifted, his spider silk trembling to reflect the dim light. Fitran observed him, a cynical smile gracing his face. "In this dark age, shattering illusions is a far more enjoyable task. But I suspect you prefer to maintain your delusions, don't you?"

  Tsuchigumo unleashed a torrent of magical threads: Earthbind Prison. The web ensnared Fitran's legs, freezing his movement as tiny arachnids crawled up his body, biting him and injecting poisonous magic. Quickly, Fitran felt the toxin seeping in, but his focus remained sharp. "A slow game… Do you think I'm afraid of a spider's bite?"

  He channeled magic, tapping into the Void, conjuring a protective layer around the web that tore apart as easily as paper. "Don't grow too complacent in your power, Tsuchigumo. Even the strongest can be dragged into darkness."

  With his fingers outstretched, Fitran summoned Void Pulse, a boiling wave of black energy lashing out to incinerate the web ensnaring him. "This is more than just a battle. This is a declaration of war against all the falsehoods you hold sacred!"

  Tsuchigumo stepped closer, his eyes gleaming with cunning. “I don’t need to rush. You’ve fought for too long. Your body is weak, your spirit is growing tired. One wrong breath, and you’ll end up a hollow corpse beneath my ground.”

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  Fitran's face tightened, his breath releasing an aura of tension. “Do you think I’m weak? That’s amusing. The heroes of history possessed illusionary strengths born from arrogance. But look, all of that amounts to nothing when faced with the truth. I am not a hero—just a hunter in the dark.”

  He unleashed a wave of Void Pulse, scorching the web at his feet and throwing several small arachnids against the spiral wall. However, with every thread severed, two would grow back, like a nightmare with no end. Fitran continued, a cynical tone lacing his voice, “Try to remember, Tsuchigumo. Our magic system is built on sacrifice. The deaths of those heroes are mere historical notes, no more than remnants in a book of dark poetry.”

  Tsuchigumo moved his eight legs, a low growl echoing from the shadows. “You’re slow, Fitran. Every wound, every poison, will gnaw at your will. I want to see you crumble, slowly, just like all the heroes who have trod upon my kingdom.”

  Fitran, his voice hoarse and defiant, said, “I am not afraid of collapse. For every fallen hero, there will always be a resurgence into the darkness. Which side of the moral road do you choose? Surely, it’s just a game for both of us.”

  Fitran growled, preparing himself as if his body ignited with the power of Void, “Don’t ever call me a hero. I fight not for the world but for a woman. Justice? That’s just an illusion that snuffs out true confrontation.”

  Tsuchigumo activated Subterranean Maze. The spiral field morphed: the earth split, holes emerged, and Fitran was pulled downward, ensnared in the grinning spider's labyrinth. The webs echoed against the walls, the voices of long-lost souls whispering, beckoning him with promises that never were. “Do you see, Tsuchigumo? In this world, everything is merely an illusion, much like that arachnid's face,” he challenged, “It’s how we die that gives us life.”

  Tsuchigumo, his voice reverberating from all directions, declared, “I want you to feel loss. Here, every corridor tells a tale of death. Every web carries a name that has been erased.”

  Fitran, breathless, replied, “I have lost everything, Tsuchigumo. There’s no fear left—only the awareness of the wrong choices I've made.”

  Tsuchigumo smirked, “Lies. Every creature has fear, even a powerful being like you, Fate.”

  Fitran slashed at the walls with his shimmering Voidlight, a sneer on his lips. “If I were afraid, I would have died long ago. Death isn’t the end; it’s merely what the cowards possess.”

  Fitran tried to leap out of the corridor, but his stamina was waning. Each step was met with assaults from the enchanted arachnids: poison, illusions, and nets that erased names. The Voidlight flickered, his body began to sway, old wounds re-opening. “Don’t you understand, Tsuchigumo?” he shouted, his voice throbbing with defiance. “My death may be eternal, but my name will never be erased, not even by this darkness.”

  Tsuchigumo loomed overhead, saying, “You’re weary, Fitran. Sooner or later, the spiral will consume you. Surrender. I will make your death eternal, and your name a whisper in the underworld.”

  “Ah, the remnants of whispers,” Fitran replied, breath heavy, “don’t you realize? Your magic meant to erase me will only amplify my fame. Only those who truly matter will be remembered.”

  Fitran gathered the remnants of his energy, activating Void Severance once more. A dark wave swept through half of the labyrinth, slicing through many webs and arachnids. “Poisons and illusions are mere child's play,” he declared, his voice steady as the sharp light of the Voidlight glimmered around him. “While you hide behind your false power, this world knows who truly shapes destiny.” However, Tsuchigumo's retaliation came fiercely—a massive fang bit into Fitran’s shoulder, poison spreading rapidly through his veins. “You’re only hastening your own demise, just like those trapped in power!”

  Tsuchigumo shrieked with satisfaction, “You’re at your breaking point, Fate! Just one more step to your destruction.”

  Fitran, blood trickling down his shoulder, wore a mocking smile on his face. “Destruction? That’s just another word for rebirth for me. If I fall, I’ll make sure your foundation crumbles first. And who truly believes in justice in this world? Everything is a fate woven by the Deities, and I intend to be the stray thread.”

  Tsuchigumo trembled, “You’re stubborn, but stubbornness only accelerates death in the underworld.”

  The Voidlight flickered, and Fitran found himself trapped in the heart of the labyrinth. His stamina waned, and blood mixed with poison flowed heavily through his veins. Above, Tsuchigumo loomed, the arachnid forces ready to strike. "You know, Tsuchigumo," Fitran whispered, his voice hoarse yet powerful, "the last time the Voidlight nearly extinguished, I saw justice laughing in the silent room..." He let his words linger in the air.

  The Field Spiral echoed with the whispers of ancient souls, waiting to see if tonight would be the end of Fitran Fate—or if he would rise more ruthless than before. "I see the shadows of the ghosts you call your army," Fitran continued with a sly smile, "they're merely waiting for orders from someone already dead."

  Not one to wait long, he stepped forward quickly, employing the Void technique based on illusions, silently shifting his direction. "Don't worry, my friend, I will free you from the chains of morality you hold!" He conjured a flash of black energy, a magical blaze dancing in the darkness. "Maybe... we will learn a valuable lesson tonight about who truly deserves to survive." Fitran gazed into the shadows, a challenge sparking in his eyes, “I will teach every arachnid who truly controls this game.” He chuckled softly, his despair morphing into a dilemma-filled laugh, "Welcome to the labyrinth of deceit, where only darkness will guide you on the right path."