Apocalypse Architect: A Tower Defense LitRPG

Chapter 70: A Formidable Threat

Jax checked the System notification one last time. There was no mistake. It was a Tier 3 monster: the Acid-Web Arachnid.

“Move,” he ordered.

The team scrambled to their quarters, stashing their newfound wealth before rushing to the armory. They emerged moments later, weapons gripped in white-knuckled hands, faces pale and drawn.

“Hey, easy now,” Jax said, trying to project a calm he didn’t entirely feel. “It’s just one spider. Sure, it’s Tier 3, but we have the home-field advantage. Three Defense Towers, multiple Walls… we’ll be fine.”

In Jax’s mind, the math was simple. One monster against a fortified base was a winning equation. Even if it was a tank, he could always use his Decoy Clone to kite it into a kill zone.

But his confidence didn’t seem to infect the others. If anything, the mention of the creature’s name made them look even more nauseous.

“You don’t understand,” Gareth whispered, his eyes unfocused. “I know these things. When the insectoids hit The Sprawl, it was the Acid-Web Arachnids that broke the lines. Their venom… God, it’s corrosive. One drop touches you, and your flesh just melts off the bone. It doesn’t stop until you’re a puddle.”

Gareth shuddered, the memory making his skin crawl.

Kaleb nodded, swallowing hard. “The Guild Leader is right. My sister and I were there. The streets were choked with bodies. The crematoriums couldn’t keep up; they had to burn the dead in piles on the street corners.”

Jax listened, frowning. He remembered the invasion, but his experience in Redrock Bastion had been different. There, the military’s Insect Hunting Teams and heavy defensive grids had held the line. The Sprawl, serving as the outer buffer zone, had taken the brunt of the massacre to keep Redrock safe.

“Alright, stow the ghost stories,” Jax said firmly, clapping a hand on Gareth’s shoulder. “That was then. This is now. And unlike The Sprawl, you’ve got me.”

“I’ve got plenty of aces up my sleeve,” Jax added with a confident smirk. “Trust me.”

Gareth looked into Jax’s steady gaze and took a shaky breath. “Okay. Okay, Boss. I trust you.”

Jax’s bravado had steadied the morale, but internally, he was running calculations. This wasn’t some run-of-the-mill Tier 1 fodder. This was a boss-level threat.

Ping.

[System Warning: High-Threat Insectoid Detected. Immediate Action Required.] [Tip: Ensure Defense Towers are loaded with Energy Shards.]

Jax looked at the rain-lashed darkness. “Here it comes.”

The team tensed, grips tightening on their weapons until their knuckles cracked.

Minutes later, long, spindly shadows emerged from the gloom.

“Visual contact!” Kaleb shouted, his voice cracking. “It’s the spider!”

Through the curtain of the Black Rain, eight massive, hairy legs stepped onto the road. Jax narrowed his eyes, tracking the movement.

BOOM.

The Howitzer Turret behind them roared to life. A streak of crimson fire arched over their heads, screaming toward the target with lethal precision.

Jax watched, expecting the satisfying spray of gore. But as the shell descended, the spider reacted with terrifying speed. It reared back and spat a stream of white fluid.

The silk expanded mid-air, hardening instantly into a thick, adhesive net. It intercepted the shell meters away from the creature’s face.

Whump.

The shell detonated, but the explosion was smothered. The web absorbed the blast and the shrapnel, containing the force like a bomb disposal blanket. The spider remained unscathed.

Jax cursed. “You have to be kidding me. It can intercept artillery?”

The spider continued its advance, repeating the maneuver as the Howitzer fired again. Another web, another muffled explosion.

“It’s a hard counter,” Jax hissed. “Gareth! Speed! How fast is it?”

“Not fast!” Gareth yelled over the rain. “About the same as a Sandworm. But watch out for the babies!”

“The what?”

“The spiderlings!” Gareth pointed at the white sac dragging behind the beast’s abdomen. “That’s the real weapon. They’re fast—supersonic in short bursts. They launch themselves like missiles. If they burrow into your skin, they explode or release toxins. It’s a one-way trip, but it kills you instantly.”

Jax nodded grimly, finally getting a clear look at the monster.

It stood nearly two meters tall, but its width was the problem. Its legs spanned over twenty feet, covered in coarse, wire-like bristles. The white egg sac pulsed rhythmically, a ticking time bomb attached to its rear.

The creature entered the inner perimeter.

Thwack-Thwack-Thwack.

The two Tier 2 Sentry Towers opened fire. Bolts rained down at a rate of one per second, striking the spider’s carapace.

Clang. Clang.

The bolts bounced off the thick chitin armor, leaving only shallow scratches.

“Damn it,” Jax growled. “Small arms fire is useless. The armor is too thick.”

The spider ignored the towers, effortlessly stepping over the first Wall with its long legs. It was heading straight for the second defensive line.

“It’s bypassing the walls!” Jax shouted. “Think! Weaknesses! Kaleb, you lived through the siege—how did they kill them?”

Kaleb’s eyes widened. “Fire! They used flamethrowers! The webs and the hair are highly flammable!”

Jax looked up at the torrential Black Rain pounding against his face. “Great intel, genius. How exactly do we start a fire in a monsoon?”

Kaleb winced. “Right… uh, wait! There’s one more thing!”

“Do I have to squeeze the answers out of you one by one?” Jax snapped. “Spit it out!”

“When it releases the spiderlings, it means it’s desperate! Or dying! But once they’re out… oh god.”

“Can the spiderlings climb walls?” Jax asked, dread pooling in his stomach.

“Climb? They can run on ceilings! They have eight legs, Boss!”

“Shit,” Jax swore. “Torches! Get the Torches! Light up the entire perimeter of the platform! If they climb up here, burn them off!”

The team scrambled back into the shelter, grabbing bundles of resin-soaked wood and reigniting the braziers.

“It’s crossing the second line!” Jax yelled. “Is the fire ready?”

“Ready!” Gareth shouted, thrusting a torch into the damp air.

“Adding fuel now!” Annie cried, her voice trembling as she stoked the flames.

Jax looked down from the platform. The massive arachnid was closing in, its mandibles clicking in anticipation. The Sentry Towers were chipping away at it, but not fast enough.

“This isn’t working,” Jax muttered, gripping his hammer. “I’m going to have to go down there and bait it.”