To Survive A Harem System - Lucas Owens' Edition

4 - KATABASIS

Something doesn't feel right... Am I dead? If so, why does it feel so restricting?

I open my eyes to see that I was trapped in a giant spider's web. I looked down to see El with eight black, spider-like appendages protruded from her back. All of them wrapped tightly around me.

"El?" I called out.

"Lucas! You're awake!" She said in relief, tightening her spider legs around me.

"I won't be if you crush me like this!" I exclaimed.

She lessened her grip around me.

"Are you not afraid, Lucas?" El asked me as all of her eyes looked at me.

I sigh, leaning my head back onto the web, surprisingly not sticking to my hair.

"You know, after being the closest I've ever been to death, the fact that you're a monster girl doesn't really surprise me." I said emotionlessly.

"You're lying." She said.

"Pardon? I beg your pardon?" I said, surprised at that response. I was pretty straightforward with my answer.

"I can hear your heartbeat and it's pretty loud and fast." She stated.

"Oh, you know. I have a lot of explanations: Maybe you tightened your grip around me, the fact that it would be faster when I'm not asleep... Oh! Maybe because I'm not DEAD!?" I exclaimed.

She hit the top of my head before resting her face onto my torso. She began crying.

I jumped in surprise. What do I do? What did I do? Huh? What?

"Hey, calm down. Please, tell me what's going on." I asked.

"Y-you shouldn't have seen that." El cried.

"It's alright. It's alright." I reassured her. Maybe if I hugged her back she'll feel better... Oh wait. My arms are also restricted.

Her sobbing soon died down, and she broke the hug. She wiped away her tears from all six of her eyes.

"Lucas, do you hate me?" El asked. "Now that you know I'm a spider lady."

"No. You're still you. I wasn't expecting it though..." I nervously said.

She giggled.

"Why didn't you help me back there? If you could've killed it in one shot I remember that part at least." I asked her.

"Well..." She says nervously. "When you first struck it, I was surprised that you were actually pushing back against a Corrupted as a human. I... was entertained...? I wanted to see how it would go. You actually held your ground pretty well!" She explained. "I'm sorry!"

________________________________

And that's how I got here. And now I'm webbed to the ceiling, with El cuddling me.

Oh right, my reward. Diva, do you mind opening my missions tab.

"Sure, Host." She said.

[Mission] - Survive your date with El. Completed.

[Bonus] - Learn more about El. Completed.

(Claim?)

"Clicking" the (Claim) button, I was rewarded with 120 AP. That makes my total to 150. Damn, I'm good.

The screen suddenly disappeared.

Diva, what's happening?

"I don't know, Host." Diva answered. "I am afraid that I was not programmed to have complete knowledge over the system." She added.