In an instant, the tunnel got covered with a dazzling and brilliant flash, before a loud explosion broke out.
The micro blackhole appeared and disappeared in less than a second, making the walls tremble so violently that it felt as if the entire mountain was about to collapse on us.
I knew it was never a good idea to use a[Void Surge]in such narrow passages, but fortunately, I had enough experience fighting in these conditions. The long days we spent protecting the golden door against the countless waves of swarmlings on Kar'goth taught me how to properly control my strength and limit my skills' explosion radius to not blow up everything around me.
I made sure to summon the black hole as far as possible from Jerome to avoid friendly fire, and I used just enough Void energy to deal with the dozen worms blocking our path. Jerome was firmly holding onto the walls with his muscular arms, yet he still had trouble not getting caught in the gravitational pull. I still had to be careful to not harm him unintentionally.
While I was gathering void energy, some of the worms felt the danger. They got the time to bury themselves in the ground and flee before getting sucked into the black hole and vaporized by its tremendous gravity force.
I wasn't keen to let them go, but I also wasn't in a position to chase them. I had to deal with the imminent danger first.
Even after training my skills for so many years, I couldn't handle a micro blackhole for more than a second without putting my life at risk. I was glad this was more than enough to make everything in the[Void Surge]radius disappear though, but it frustrated me that some worms had the time to escape because of my still poor efficiency with the Void energy.
Since I lost the use of my left arm, I always kept in mind how dangerous and tricky it was to manipulate Void energy compared to Singularity energy.
Void energy is extremely unstable and it requires a lot of practice just to control a tiny amount of it without getting hurt... However, its sheer power and the pure destruction it brings upon the battlefield once manipulated correctly are worth the risks.
When the black hole closed itself, a powerful shockwave passed through us and continued its way into the tunnel. If just a dozen worms had come to us thus far, I was convinced we'd soon have to confront their entire colony : we couldn't make our presence any louder.
'I really need Alice and Alpha Zero to teach me how to be as stealthy as they are...'
[For now, you better wipe out the remaining worms and bring the battle drones here before their colony starts moving.]
Just as Gladia said, Jerome and I didn't wait for the remaining worms behind us to realize what had occurred : the moment my[Void Surge]ended, we both dashed at them at full speed.
Without saying a single word, we both instinctively chose our target and dashed in a different directions. I went to the right and blasted the first worm I met with my fist. Jerome continued to charge forward with his long energy sword in hand, and slashed through the thick layer of scales protecting a worm that tired to ambush me on my left.
*sproch!*
*pulch!*
When I felt the effect of my Red Mist starting to fade away, I decided to quickly end the battle.
I teleported myself behind one of the last two worms with m[Void Step]and I pounded its back with all my might. My fist covered in[Red Mist]was about to hit the worm, when it abruptly wriggled on itself and dodged my strike just an inch before getting hit. I couldn't halt the movement in time, and my fist landed on the wall right behind the worm, smashing a large chunk of it.
[Do you want to bury us alive ?!]
Gladia got visibly mad at my lack of finesse, as my missed punch nearly caused the tunnel to crumble on our heads.
'Calm down, I'm trying my best ! These things don't even have eyes, how the hell did it see and dodge my strike so easily ?'
Jerome was also struggling with the other worm remaining. These two fellows acted differently than the other worms we killed ; it seemed like they suddenly got buffed by an external helper, but I had no idea where it came from.
[Jun, I detected a thin thread of foreign mana going through the worms' bodies. Its source comes from further inside the mountain. It looks like someone or something is controlling them from a distance.]
Gladia just confirmed my doubts, but... we have been too late to notice.
The worm that evaded my blow and was laying on the cold granite floor below me took advantage of the little moment I took to remove my right hand from the wall to viciously bite my abdomen. I didn't have time to dodge, nor could I block it without risking losing my only functional arm.
Its round mouth, packed with razor-sharp teeth, encircled my body and chewed on my Dark Armor as if it was a snack. Surprisingly, it had enough force to break my Dark Armor defense.
*crunch!*
I didn't expect these worms to have such a strong bite. The moment its teeth pierced my armor and planted themselves into my muscles, I felt a discharge of pain going through my nerves.
"Argh!..."
"Leader !!"
Jerome shouted when he saw the worm curling up around my bloody waistline.
Jerome had already killed the other worm, but not without any cost. He was also in a very bad condition, as he suffered a jet of acidic bile on his chest from the monster before it died. In addition to his prior bite wounds on his shoulder, he was in an even worst state than me.
His[Dark Armor]withstood the attack and kept him from being seriously injured, but the unknown corrosive substance caused Jerome's black matter to retract in certain places, revealing patches of burnt skin in the open air.
The worm, still stuck to my abdomen, tried to drag me away within the underground tunnel it came from. Knowing that once I get inside I wouldn't be able to escape, I planted my whole hand inside the top of its head and tore it open with the little Void Energy I had left.
"Urgh...[Void Blade]!!"
I cleaved the worm's head vertically with the tremendous purple blade of energy that surged from my wrist. Only when its lifeless body fell to the ground did I finally feel the burning pain in my abdomen lessen.
"Argh!...their teeth...are covered in some sort of poison..."
The agony I felt when the worm bit me was unusual. I grew accustomed to getting hurt over the years ; I was gravely wounded so many times while we battled in the Singularity that I became used to feeling pain.
Thanks to enduring all these painful experiences, I became able to determine my body's current state solely based on the pain I feel from an injury.
When this monster planted his teeth inside my flesh... I knew deep down that this wasn't just a simple bite. I felt the same mana that controlled the worm enter my body and clash with my black matter.
I couldn't believe these monsters could get through my Dark Armor when even a rifter's[Dark Blade]can not even scratch it. This worm had bitten me with so much force that even after getting rid of it, a couple of its sharp remained lodged inside my skin.
"pant... Jerome, go back to the surface and bring back your regiment as soon as possible. If Douglas faced these things all by himself, I'm afraid his chances of survival are slim... We need to find him as soon as possible."
"Yes, Leader." Jerome, although being in a worse condition than me, didn't discuss my order and immediately ran back to where we had come from.
[You should've listened to me, I told you to send the drones first before exploring this cave...]
Gladia's nagging didn't bother me, because as usual... she was right.
I chose to investigate the cave with Jerome only in case Douglas was held hostage by some kind of intelligent beast, but I now realize how wrong it was.
I looked down on the indigenous species residing in this forest because this planet appeared to be far more hospitable than Kar'goth and even humans lived here, but after confronting these worms... I'm sure they were at least as dangerous as Alpha swarmlings.
I thought Kat and Jerome did a mistake for not killing the female elf who attacked them during a code 2, but in the end, since we landed on Lunaris I also lowered my guard without realizing it.
I was convinced that there couldn't be monsters as dangerous as those living on Kar'goth, especially since weak elves survived in this forest for so long, but I forgot the most important : the only reason why this forest was 'hospitable' was because of the Oracle's influence.
This Scylla we previously met has protected this forest from all external threats since the day she came to this planet.
Now that she left, all the powerful monsters and beasts that didn't dare to invade the Scylla's domain are now doing as they please. Nobody prevents them from running havoc in the forest anymore. I was certain that these worms were one of them, as their arrival and the tunnel they dug inside the cave coincided with our fight with the Scylla.
As much as I didn't want to admit it... this forest has been safe only thanks to the Scylla's presence.
Between the assassins, the survivors of Aliomeri's main army, and those disgusting worms... We'll have a lot to take care of if we want to secure the area.
'You were right, Gladia, and I should have listened to you. I recognize my judgment error.'
[Well, I guess it's fine as long as you realize your mistake. I don't think you were wrong to only bring Jerome, but you clearly overlooked the danger lurking inside this mountain.]
'To be honest, I feel the same as when I woke up after fighting the centipede on Kar'goth. These worms and the entity controlling them truly deserve their place among the worst surface monsters we met.'
[You send Jerome back, do you plan to continue alone ?]
'Do I have another choice now ? Now that I know what is hidden under our feet, I can't afford to waste any more time. Every second matters if we want the slightest chance to find Douglas alive. '
I knew that moving alone through the worms' territory was risky, but Jerome will not take long to catch up to me anyway.
'Until Jerome brings back the battle-drones, I will go down the underground tunnels and look for Douglas.'
I struggled to stand up, as I was still afflicted by this unknown poisoned mana, and I went to investigate the spot where I blew up the entangled worms with my Void Surge.
I noticed the numerous tunnels through which a few worms fled ; they were all going deep down into the ground. I was frustrated that the mana in the mountain was still obstructing my X-ray vision, but I couldn't do anything about it.
'Now that I think about it, these rocks remind me of the exotic metals the Scyllas used to construct their mega-structures. At that time, only Douglas with his enhanced visor has been able to see through these materials...'
[Maybe it's the reason why he headed so far into these tunnels ? He may have found something valuable.]
'I don't think so. I doubt the usually cold headed and rational Douglas would have bet his life and all his Elite-drones just to retrieve an unknown item from this mountain...'
If I was able to see deeper through the rocks, I could have directly jumped into one of the tunnels the worms dug to follow them to their nest, but my current condition wasn't good enough to take so much risk.
It would be suicidal to jump there without knowing what would await me deeper underground.
Thus, I just continued to follow the same path.
I engulfed myself in the darkness of the main gallery, not knowing where it would lead me to.
___
After dealing with the worms that appeared out of nowhere, I assumed the entire colony would swarm at us to protect their territory like the swarmlings did when we killed their scouts in the Hive... But contrary to what I expected, I didn't see or sense any living being in the vicinity even after going down the main gallery for more than 10 minutes.
The sudden silence made me feel even more anxious.
I was carefully walking in a dark and gloomy passage filled with viscous fluids on the walls, when my sensors suddenly detected multiple heat signatures under my feet.
'Gladia, report.'
[It seems to be their nest, or at least a part of it. If the sensors are right, it is forty meters under your feet. I count more than a hundred of the same worms you met before, all encircling a few other worms that are twice their size. They are probably alpha specimens.]
'Fuck... Still no trace of Douglas ?'
Despite exploring many passageways linked to the main gallery, we haven't been able to locate Douglas yet. Gladia was better than me when it came to noticing small details, so I hoped she would find a clue as to where he might be... But until now, it has been fruitless.
[No... I'm sorry Jun.]
I took a small break and tried to find a way out of this situation, but no matter how hard I thought about it, I only had two choices left.
Either we wait for the battle drones to come and we launch an assault to the worms colony, or we consider Douglas MIA and leave the mountain empty-handed.
(author nt.: MIA = Missing In Action)
To make a reasonable choice, I also had to take into account the state of my body. Despite the resistance of my black matter, the poisonous mana I got infected with was still running wild inside my flesh. If not for the resilience of Tassadar, I would have long since passed out.
Deep down, I knew that attacking such a big colony of indigenous monsters while being injured was akin to suicide... but I couldn't resolve myself to abandon Douglas until I figured out what exactly happened to him.
Each of my squad members was very precious to me, and I refused to let any of them die so easily.
For the time being, it was wiser to go back on my steps and wait for Jerome before deciding whether we should risk everything to find Douglas or leave the mountain without him.
The moment I turned myself, I saw the pupil of a brilliant reptile eye looking at me in the dark from a distance.
I flinched and instinctively expelled my[Red Mist]. I felt shivers run down my spine when this huge eye stared at me. Every fiber of my body sensed danger, and I couldn't help but tremble under this oppressive gaze.
It has been a very long time since all my senses got numbed by fear. Only Primus One and the Revered Mother made my entire body shudder with only a glare.
"Wh-who are you ??" I muttered, my throat being completely dry from dread.
"..."
The glowing eye was quite far away from me, yet I could see it very clearly. It was large enough to cover the entirety of the passage I had come from.
This eye was most likely just a projection since considering its size, the main body of its owner would be enormous. Just its head would be impossible to fill inside such a narrow path.
"If thou accept my request, I shall help thou find thy companion."
A very low-pitched voice sounded inside my brain. It felt nearly the same as when the reapers talked to me. I didn't know who was the owner of this golden eye staring at me, but I didn't dare mess with him.
This entity was for sure equal to or greater than a Scylla.
"Do you know where is my squad member ?"
"I do."
"Is he still alive ?..."
"Thou shall see for thyself if thou accept my request."
As I expected, this mysterious being knew what happened to Douglas.
"...Then please, tell me what you need me to do."
This eye fixed on me was so intimidating that even my black matter retracted under my skin. Until now, the only being that has been frightening enough to intimidate my black matter was the Revered Mother.
'I seriously hope for the owner of this eye to not be a deity... I've alreadyhad my share with the Revered Mother...'
Fortunately, it seemed like this entity had no plan to harm me for now. It even asked me a request, instead of just possessing my body as the Revered Mother did... As long as he is not openly hostile, I still have a way to negotiate.
"When the ghost disappeared and the little cub friend of my disciple left the Slime cave, a horde of parasites took advantage of this opportunity. They have been relentlessly digging within my mountain ever since. Wipe them out for me, and I will give thou back thy companion."
Ghost ? Slime ? His mountain ?
I had no clue what this being was talking about.
So far, I only understood that these worms annoyed him and he needed me to take care of them.
I was in no position to refuse, however, I still needed to find out who was the owner of this glowing eye and why did he ask me to kill these worms when just an apparition of his eye was excluding such an insane amount of power.
I mustered all my courage and tried to dig up a bit more information without being disrespectful.
"I can feel that you are a far greater existence than me and my squad members, so... with all due respect, may I know why you need us to kill these worms ? Wouldn't it be faster for such an outstanding entity as yourself to take care of them ?" I said, while slightly bowing my head.
I did my best to not sound rude nor arrogant, but it took everything I had to keep my legs from shaking.
"Thou do not need to know why. The only reason why I didn't kill thou and thy companions the moment thou came to this mountain is because thou once spared my disciple. Thus, I also chose to spare thou and give thou a chance to leave this place alive with thy lost companion."
The piercing gaze intensified before the voice sounded again.
"Do not confuse this request for kindness. This is merely an equivalent exchange, and a way to reward thou for making this disgusting ghost leave the region."
These words seriously bewildered me.
'Who the hell was his disciple ? And why do I feel like the ghost he is talking about is the Scylla we met before ?'
[No idea, but you better not act rashly. It seems like Douglas is still alive, or else this entity wouldn't have made such a deal. It doesn't seem to be deceiving, so just accept it for now Jun. It is not the time to find answers, nor it is the time to antagonize yet another mighty figure.]
After thinking for a few seconds, I decided to take the bet and accept the request of this unknown creature. I didn't know who was behind this huge eye nor who was his disciple, but if he could really bring us to Douglas... I couldn't let this chance slip by.
If we can find Douglas alive and well, I am ready to grant all of this being's wishes, even if it means wiping out all the monsters living near these Mountains. Furthermore, I also wanted to deal with this worm colony, so this request was not out of our reach.
"I humbly accept your proposition, Sir. Once my comrade comes back with our battle-drones regiment, we will immediatly assault the lair of those worms that plagued your mountain and disturbed your peace."
"Hm, thou are good with words, little cub, but do not be too silver-tongued with me. I shall observe thou, and only once my request has been fulfilled will thy comrade be set free."
His last words resonated inside my mind, before the eye hovering in the dark tunnel slowly faded away, leaving behind a golden afterimage of a runic emblem that looked like three heads intertwined between each other.
"..."
[...]
'I take back what I previously said ; this planet is far from being a paradise. I would rather face the entire Hive on Kar'goth than meet such a creature again.'
___
author nt. :
quick reminder : thou = you, thy = your, thine = yours
silver-tongued means being good at persuading people to do things, but in this case, it just meant being good with words.
___
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