"What… what’s with that look?"

Tang So-Yeong covered her chest with her hands, even though there was nothing to hide.

"Cough…"

At least there was comfort in knowing that Nephila was a better sight than So-Yeong.

"Hmph."

Nephila let out a sound and with a single motion, the black cloth scattered around gathered and wrapped around her body, taking the familiar form I knew.

I should be supportive, not disappointed.

"Cough-cough."

I let out a small apologetic sound, but Nephila only looked at me with a mildly annoyed expression.

"Kieeek!"  
"Kiooo!"

Taking advantage of the moment, Tus and Pus bounded toward me. They were visibly larger than last time. They inspected me, tilting their heads in fascination at my new white fur.

"Hioooong!"

Tus cooed and approached my tail naturally, while Pus turned slightly, giving me a hopeful look and subtly presenting her backside.

Though they were bigger, they hadn’t changed at all.

Maybe they could lose a bit of that innocence.

As I half-heartedly entertained the spiders, I glanced back at Nephila. Despite my teasing, I was thrilled to see her healthy again.

Nephila was my lifesaver, the first bond I formed in this world. Sure, there were things I wished for that didn’t happen, but that was probably for the best. If things had gone my way, I might have abandoned all my training to fall into Nephila’s web.

No, a bit of distance was good.

To get a clearer sense of her state, I focused my gaze.

---

**[Nephila Arachne, Lv50]**

Priestess of a religion devoted to a great black-scaled lizard. She has taken the path of a spiritual being to protect her beloved. She can take the form of an Arachne, resembling a spider, or the human form favored by her beloved.

---

Interesting description.

Nephila Arachne… she’s likely a unique species, much like myself.

The status description suggests she’s the only one of her kind.

One thing stood out: her level hadn’t reset to 1 despite her transformation. I guessed that rather than evolving, she had temporarily regressed and was simply restoring her original body.

"Hm…"

Nephila looked at me with a slight hum, not saying a word. Though she could make sounds, it seemed she preferred not to. It was understandable; now that she had entered the spiritual path, she couldn’t speak like humans anymore.

Perhaps White Wolf or the Red Dragon could teach her how.

As if reading my thoughts, Nephila gave me a bright smile.

Silently, she approached and lifted me, gripping me by my underarms.

“Cough…”

Currently, I was about the size of a medium dog, so she could easily pick me up.

She held me up to meet her gaze and smiled warmly.

"Hmph."

Then, her form began to change.

Swish…

The status screen had mentioned another form. Like the Snake Queen, White Wolf, and Red Dragon, Nephila could likely switch between her true form and a humanoid one.

But as I watched her transformation, I realized it wasn’t the typical Arachne form I expected—a giant spider body with a human torso on top.

No, her base form seemed distinctly humanoid. From a distance, she could pass as a regular human, save for the additional pairs of legs near her waist.

So, the true Arachne form was the full spider look, and this humanoid one was more like an adaptation.

"Cough!"

It was a remarkable transformation.

She had both the true Arachne form and a human-like one.

Not that I was impressed because of personal preferences or anything; this change was advantageous for Nephila in many ways.

With those extra legs concealed, she could easily blend in as a human.

And though they were technically legs, they looked flexible enough to act as extra arms.

Unlike other spiritual beings, who often lost combat ability in human form, Nephila retained a distinct advantage.

If she seriously pursued martial arts…

With six arms, it’d be like having three martial masters in one.

Plus, she could still use her webs.

It seemed Nephila had evolved well as the Priestess of the Cult of the Black Lizard.

She might not yet have the inner strength of White Wolf or Red Dragon, but considering the days we’d spent together atop the acacia tree, her progress was remarkable.

In fact, she might be one of the fastest-growing creatures in all of Ten Thousand Mountains.

From an ordinary spider to this level in under a year? Unprecedented.

"Kioooong!"  
"Kieeek!"

Tus and Pus buzzed around Nephila, clearly in awe of her new form.

From what I could tell, they looked up to Nephila as an older sister. She was likely the oldest of the spiders, and the first I had bonded with.

Now that she could take human form, the two spiders gazed at her with admiring eyes.

"Kieeek…"

Pus clicked her teeth together in frustration, as if jealous of Nephila’s form.

Nephila might now be fit for the title of Priestess, but for our Left and Right Guardians, Tus and Pus, they hadn’t quite grown into their roles yet.

For now, they could hold the positions of guardians, but as the cult expanded, it would become harder to maintain those titles.

If White Wolf or Red Dragon started questioning their ranks, I wouldn’t have a solid answer.

Seniority was one thing, but ability should dictate rank.

That said, I wasn’t planning on demoting Tus and Pus. If anything, I’d raise them to match their titles rather than cast out our founding members.

Honestly, my personal growth was leveling out. Sure, I could raise my level or hone my martial arts, but I’d hit a point of diminishing returns.

Even if I took down a beast like the Magnosaurus, I wasn’t sure it’d boost my level by more than one.

With two consecutive evolutions, I had no idea how long it would take for the next one.

I’d keep training, of course, but investing in the strength of my followers was likely the best way forward.

The stronger they became, the more benefits I’d receive in return.

The Cult of the Black Lizard would grow stronger, and I’d gain direct rewards in experience and divine power.

“Cough-cough.”

I looked at Tus and Pus.

While expecting them to match White Wolf and Red Dragon might be a bit much, they should at least reach Nephila’s current level.

As much as I wanted to keep them close, I knew they couldn’t stay on my shoulders forever.

And because they were precious to me, I couldn’t risk them being used against me in the future.

"Kieek…"

I met the soft, trusting eyes of my fluffy spider companions.

Part of me was curious to see what they’d look like in human form.

I’d seen a glimpse through the illusionary vision shown by the oracle, but there was no guarantee it was accurate.

They might end up with an even more impressive spiritual core than I had imagined.

“Cough-cough…”

Tus, Pus, I’m counting on you.

“Kiee?”  
“Kee?”

Nephila held me tightly, her gaze tender.

“Hmph.”

It felt nice.

Her face was close to my ideal.

Despite being a spider, she had a warm body temperature, which I found comforting.

And the sound of her heartbeat was soothing.

It felt good, but…

I couldn’t shake the lingering feeling of emptiness.

"Cough…"

Crunch!

"Cough!"

Nephila suddenly bit me.

“Cough-cough-cough!”

Thanks to my dragon scales, it didn’t hurt, but I was shocked.

"Hmph."

Then she set me back down on the ground.

…It seemed as though she could read my thoughts as a Priestess.

Waiting patiently, Tang So-Yeong crept up, her hands fidgeting awkwardly.

Priestess Nephila.

Guardian Tus.

Guardian Pus.

And then… just Tang So-Yeong, the doctor.

I needed to decide what to do about her too.

“I… I also…”

The strange way her hands moved was highly suspicious.

“You… come here!”

She seemed eager to touch me, likely intrigued by my new form. As someone with a fondness for reptiles and spiritual creatures, she was probably fascinated by the change.

And since there wouldn’t be any records of me in books, it made sense that she’d be curious.

Though, judging by her clenched eyes, she was probably expecting a tail smack.

“Hm? Why are you just standing there?”

Touching me wouldn’t wear me out.

I could allow this much.

“Hehe. Being good really does pay off sometimes.”

She busily ran her hands over me.

Feeling her fingers press against my scales, I hoped she wasn’t trying to peel any off.

"Cough."

After examining me for a long while, Tang So-Yeong suddenly muttered.

“…Something’s suspicious.”

If she thought that, maybe she should remove her hands from my belly?

“It’s strange for Sir Go to be this calm…”

Slowly, she turned her head.

I also turned my head to look at her.

Perhaps because she came from the Tang Clan, she was quick to pick up on things.

“No!”

She seemed to have guessed why I’d been so cooperative.

“I’ll stay here forever and grow fat!”

I’d been quiet for this very reason.

It wasn’t just the spiders I planned to bring into my territory.

After all, I’d need a vet too.

“I’ll get meat all the time! And snacks! And I

 can sleep without worrying!”

“Cough?”

Some of us had struggled to get here.

“I didn’t mean it that way…! But anyway, no! I’m going to put down roots here!”

“Cough-cough.”

Sorry, but your opinion doesn’t matter.

“You’re so mean, lizard! You only come to me when it suits you! I’m not going! No way!”

I wondered if she had grievances against me.

Whatever it was, it was best to settle it now.

Bite.

“Ah! He… he bit me!”

Nibble-nibble.

“Alright! Fine, I’ll go, okay?”

That’s more like it.