Chapter 53: Thunder from the Depths
Yesterday, we withdrew from the labyrinthine worm's barrier, unable to make much progress.
Just before we entered the area, while we were on the ship eating provisions, Karrena began murmuring something softly behind me.
I didn't understand the words, but I had heard them before.
When I turned around, a faint white light momentarily enveloped Karrena's body. Seeing that I seemed to have a question, Karrena hesitated for a moment before whispering near my ear.
"I swore an 'oath' to vanquish the worm at any cost. When you make an oath, your actions to achieve it become enhanced, but you're also bound by it. This spell is originally used for this purpose."
Right, I thought it was the same spell as back then.
"Why go to such lengths?"
"Because everyone follows me, a mere young lady, solely because I'm a lord. A lord is someone who safeguards this land and its people even at the cost of their life. If I can't fulfill that, I won't have the right to be a lord, whether acknowledged by the king or not. I can't face my father or brother."
I can't forgive the princess for deceiving me and making me her slave. There are many disappointing aspects to her.
But still, I genuinely think it's impressive for a girl just a little older than me to do all this on her own. I, on the other hand, had at least one parent, even if they were like that, and I still don't really know what I want to do.
"So, I absolutely won't give up here."
"Could you put that oath on me too?"
"Huh?"
I continued in a hushed voice as Karrena was surprised.
"Since I'm bound until we complete the labyrinth's subjugation anyway, even if I add another life-risking factor, it doesn't matter. So, isn't it better if I become even a little more useful?"
Karrena stared at my face intently.
"Applying the oath twice is difficult... but, thank you."
After that, Karrena confirmed everyone's preparations and cast "Guardian," increasing physical defense, and "Mind's Shield," enhancing magical defense for the entire party.
Then, after taking a breath, she chanted "Dispel Magic," stepped to the front, and entered the barrier.
Just like yesterday, the massive form of the worm stretched out before us. However, I felt that the space we stood in was slightly larger than yesterday.
"Because the worm is burrowing forward, maybe?"
Cecily asked without any particular intent, but there was no answer. Still, having a little more space to move is not a bad thing. It means we have more places to avoid the corrosive liquid.
"First, I'll..."
Beth said and began to chant a spell of the barrier, attempting to cancel out the barrier surrounding the worm's shell.
Something like translucent ripples spread from her right hand, moving along the worm's shell. She closed her eyes and concentrated, searching for something, but nothing happened, and she broke into a sweat.
"Let's switch."
Beside Beth, Karrena stood, beginning the chant for "Dispel Magic."
This time, a white light illuminated the worm's shell... but it still seemed difficult.
"Oh, right, Mr. Greon."
Beth seemed to have an idea and called out to Greon, applying the barrier's spell to his sword.
"Karrena-sama's spell seems to be weakening the worm's barrier. Maybe we can cancel it out..."
"That's it. Let's try it!"
Greon nodded, and with his sword enveloped in those translucent ripples, he aimed carefully.
"Ha!"
The sword plunged into the brightest part of the worm's shell and made a dull sound.
It seemed to have made a dent. But looking beyond the blade...
"It's wounded."
Indeed, the shell of the labyrinthine worm, which couldn't even be scratched yesterday, now had a 2-3 centimeter deep gouge, and pieces of the shell were falling at our feet.
"We can do it!"
"Greon, use this. I can make more replacements."
Beth created a ceramic sword that was heavily reinforced and handed it over.
Greon nodded, aimed for the same spot, and continued his thrusts. The wound deepened gradually.
Cecily also began a focused thrust with her sword, covered in a barrier, beside him.
But, as expected, if we wound the worm's body, it's bound to notice us.
It's my turn now.
Beth chanted "Paralyze" to delay the worm's movements for an instant. Using that time, I did my part in the "Constipation Strategy."
I summoned as much clay as possible into the worm's rear entrance (?) and packed it in. Deeper, further inside! ... And then, I solidified the paper clay until it became rock-hard plaster, making it impossible to extract.
The worm's body, or rather, what I could see of its rear, shook as if in convulsions, and in the next moment, it attempted to spew powerful corrosive liquid, but got stuck.
The worm's body seemed to swell and struggle. Was the "Constipation Strategy" a success?
The surrounding bedrock trembled with a creak, and rocks fell from the ceiling. Beth used her magic shield to protect us from the falling debris.
I wonder what would happen to the inside of my intestines if my corrosive fluid couldn't be expelled? It must be agonizing.
Gwooooah! Suddenly, a deep, resonating sound echoed throughout the entire labyrinth.
Then, with a squelchy, squelchy, squelchy sound, something flowed or rubbed against something else uncomfortably.
This is bad! My intuition screamed as I mentally created a curved ceramic plate that covered the entirety of the worm's rear. At the same time, there was an ear-piercing explosion!
The clay that had been sealing the opening burst forth, accompanied by a nauseating stench, like rocket propulsion.
Driven by its force, the "giant diaper" of ceramic was blown away. Inside the confined barrier space, we managed to prevent ourselves from being crushed by using as much clay as possible to fend off the pressure.
I could see Gleon, Cecily, and Lina desperately trying to support us, but I could only focus on producing clay, trapped in an awkward position.
The intense jetting sound, like Dubabababat, battered against the other side of the ceramic shield, but it hadn't broken through yet.
Most of the ejected substances were blocked by the "diaper," seemingly splashing around the worm's own body.
Gwooo, Oooooh! Another thunderous sound, even more like a scream, reverberated. Is it in pain?
As the eruption continued, my magical power rapidly depleted while I reinforced and maintained the ceramic wall's position.
Finally, the eruption ceased.
The ceramic wall had been shaved down to an almost translucent thinness in some places, allowing glimpses of the other side. The air was filled with the sizzling sound of everything melting, along with heat and a foul stench.
Exhausted, I collapsed, fully expending my magical energy. Unconsciously, I absorbed the ceramic wall as well.
Through the purplish miasma, I could see the worm's body in front of me, with two distinct areas melting away, oozing a viscous liquid.
One hole was larger than a human fist, and the other, though smaller, was where Gleon and Cecily had wounded it earlier.
Indeed, even the worm itself couldn't withstand its corrosive fluid when its shell was breached.
However, approaching the area covered in corrosive fluid and the flowing worm body directly with weapons was still not feasible.
"Beth, freeze it!"
I pointed weakly.
"Ice? Understood!"
Beth focused her magic, enhancing her water-based spell to freeze the worm's surface.
Now it wouldn't be directly exposed to the corrosive fluid. However, we weren't attacking it with weapons.
"Electrocution! Infuse it with as much power as you can from the potions, and as deep as possible!"
Despite Beth likely having significantly depleted her MP, I made a demanding request.
But she seemed to understand. With a determined expression, she swallowed a mana restoration pill and began channeling magic.
The frozen lower body of the worm moved sluggishly, showing no signs of counterattacking.
That's right. To defeat a worm with magic resistance, especially strong against fire, there was no other way.
Its body was filled with ample bodily fluids. I needed to send a powerful electrical current surging through that liquid. The electric shock from an electric eel could kill even horses and crocodiles.
Dazzling sparks emitted from Beth's fingertips, surging from the frozen parts of the worm's wounds and liquid. The electricity was channeled into its massive body, potentially over 100 meters long and hidden from our view.
Electricity tingled along the damp walls, and I quickly sealed any exposed portions with dry clay to prevent electrical leakage.
Soon, the worm's body began to glow white, filling with an immense energy through its shell.
The trembling worm, now shaking more and more, triggered a violent earthquake throughout the surrounding cave.
Though it probably didn't last that long in terms of time, for us, it felt like an eternity—a breathless time. The tremors culminated in one final intense shake... and then, it stopped.
In the aftermath, the ceiling began to crumble again.
Beth tried to conjure a magic shield, but it seemed she either lacked the necessary MP or couldn't create one large enough.
At that moment, a particularly large rock fell directly above Kalena and Cecily. Time seemed to slow down as everything before me turned into slow motion.
With the last of my remaining MP, I conjured a ceramic shield above the two, supporting it with my mental strength. I thought, "Ah, it needs legs to stabilize, but I no longer have enough MP for that... just one more time..."
But before I could witness the outcome, my consciousness burned out.