The Never-ending Arachne

In the era of the aristocracy, there were far fewer forms of entertainment than we have the luxury to enjoy today. Banquets, where hosts would flaunt wealth and status through material extravagance over glasses of wine, became one of the most common pastimes of high society. In that era, a rare and unique fabric material came into existence and, unsurprisingly, drew the eye of many looking to show off.

Who would be the first to weave an unparalleled gown from this rare material? Two famous master tailors shared this honor, commissioned jointly to create an evening dress for a socialite. One was named Crouch, while the other's name has been lost to history. They were both collaborators and competitors, each striving to create the most dazzling design for the gown.

As a result, the dress lived up to its makers' intentions, transforming the lady who wore it into a true "Prom Queen." As she danced, more and more guests joined the revelry, genuinely captivated. However, such joy did not last long. As the ball continued, the expression of the "Prom Queen" in her magnificent evening gown became twisted, and the surrounding guests realized they could no longer stop dancing.

An invisible force, like strings manipulating marionettes, binded their limbs, controlling their movements. Some nobles tried to intervene, but upon approaching, their own formal attire seemed to be afflicted, dragging them too into this mad dance. Fear spread, and those not yet controlled fled, while the affected nobles could only keep dancing until they collapsed from exhaustion.

When people returned to the devastated ballroom, the "Prom Queen" was still dancing alone, surrounded by fallen nobles. The "Prom Queen" bowed to the audience. Though she had long since perished, she still completed her curtain call under the dress's influence before finally collapsing. The dress was recovered, and both tailors were arrested.

In the end, Crouch took his own life in prison out of guilt, but the nameless tailor mysteriously disappeared along with the evening gown.

R-4317(Ob), "The Never-ending Arachne," appears as a deep crimson women's evening gown. The fabric has a unique silky texture, extremely smooth to the touch. When in contact with skin, the fabric adheres and clings tightly, making it very difficult to remove. I certainly have never worn it, and I am not curious about how they came up with this description… But this description easily brings spider silk to mind, making one wonder about the material's origins.

As a Class V Anomaly, The Never-ending Arachne has surprisingly simple containment measures. It only needs to be folded like clothing and placed in a sealed container. However, anyone who witnesses The Never-ending Arachne will be amazed by its beauty and feel a strong urge to try it on. This urge gradually intensifies with viewing, suggesting a possible mind-affecting ability, but it is not permanent. Once the line of sight is broken, the urge to wear it quickly fades.

When The Never-ending Arachne has sufficient space to move (enough to accommodate an adult standing with arms outstretched), if a poor curious soul approaches the Anomaly, it will activate. The Anomaly will generate several Derivative Anomalies. Subsequently, anyone within its area of influence will feel their body being pulled as if by spider threads, wanting to join in this "dance." Once they join, they can only dance endlessly until exhaustion.

If one refuses to dance with it, or if the "performance" offered is not enough to please it, The Never-ending Arachne will attack without mercy. To nullify or contain The Never-ending Arachne, one must first eliminate its Surge Anomalies. Then, The Never-ending Arachne will personally attack with nimble and elaborate dance steps. Even the music and lighting become its weapons.

Those attacked must respond with equally exquisite footwork, dodging those deadly attacks and seizing any opportunities to counterattack. At the height of the battle, the arena will plunge into darkness, with only areas illuminated by "spotlights" clearly visible. Leaving the lit areas will cause one's movements to gradually slow. The target must complete a final duet with it under the spotlight.

If they defeat The Never-ending Arachne during this process and deliver a spectacular performance, The Never-ending Arachne will "take its bow" and become an ordinary evening gown.

The Never-ending Arachne was born from human material desire, meant to satisfy envy and the urge to compete. Even as an Anomaly, it remains the eternal center of the ball, even if the "ball" and "eternity" were realized in unexpected ways. No matter how distinguished those aristocrats were, things have changed, and even "aristocracy" has become nothing more than a symbol in history books. For The Never-ending Arachne, there are no more endless balls left for it to conquer. Perhaps its best fate is to remain in a containment unit as a relic of that era.