At that moment, something unexpected happened. A sudden, powerful suction pulled from deep within the worm's gaping maw, dragging everything toward it. Ben's pickaxe struck something hard inside with a deafening clang, the impact reverberating through his entire body.
It felt like hitting solid metal. Ben gritted his teeth as a strange vibration rattled through his arms. Before he could react, a message flickered across his vision.
[Please upgrade the pickaxe to harvest this material.]
The momentary shock froze him in place—but for the worm it give different effect. It regain control of it's body, than lashed out with its tail, a blur of motion cutting through the air.
BAM!!
The impact hit Ben like a freight train, sending him flying backward. His vision blurred, and the air was knocked from his lungs as he hurtled through the tunnel. Before he could crash into the hard ground, a sudden gust of wind caught him mid-air, slowing his momentum just enough to allow him stop at Elvira's side.
At the same time, Ben's injured arm was already beginning to heal, the dull ache fading as mobility returned. He flexed his fingers, testing them. "You're too reckless!" Elvira scolded, her voice laced with concern. "My beloved, you can't keep fighting like this. Without enough biomass, your regeneration is severely limited!"
Ben glanced at his system display.
[Biomass: 29]
"Don't worry, I've still got enough to get by," he said. It wasn't much, but for wounds like this, it was more than enough to keep him going. He shot a glance at Elvira. "What about you? Do you have enough mana left?"
Elvira sighed, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. "Not much," she admitted. "I can still cast regular spells, but for something big—like the fusion magic I used to become the king ant? Not a chance."
Ben frowned but wasn't surprised. Elvira had pushed herself to the brink—collapsing from mana exhaustion earlier, only to wake up and immediately jump back into casting spells non-stop. If anything, it just proved how much mana she had and her potential as a mage. A normal spellcaster would've been down for good by now. "Alright, just do what you can to support me," Ben said.
Elvira stared at him in disbelief. "What? You just got smacked down, and now you're going back for more?"
Ben didn't answer. Instead, he float forward, determination burning in his eyes. After that last clash—and the system notification—an idea had sparked in his mind. He might not be able to harvest whatever was inside the worm, but one thing was clear: the creature couldn't break his pickaxe.
The worm lashed out again, its tail cutting through the air with terrifying speed. This time, Ben was ready. He braced himself, raising the pickaxe to absorb the impact.
BAM!
The force rattled through his arms, but he held firm. "Gust!" Elvira's voice rang out, and a burst of wind surged from behind him, pushing him forward and keeping him from being knocked back again.
Seizing the moment, Ben kicked at the worm's cracked skin with all his strength.
BAM!
His foot struck home. The worm barely flinched, but Ben felt it—a subtle tremor running through its massive body. His lips curled into a grin. 'It's working!.'
What followed was a brawl. The worm attacked in predictable patterns—either with its jaws or sweeping with its tail. Ben learned to read its movements, using the pickaxe to deflect the blows and staying on the offensive. Every time he blocked, he struck back with a kick to the same spot.
After few successful hit, he layered his carapace armor onto his legs, shaping it into a sharp, blade-like edge at the tip of his foot for better impact. Meanwhile, Elvira kept the pressure up from behind. She alternated between summoning gusts to aid his movements and launching fireballs or crackling arcs of lightning at the worm's body.
The space around them was shrinking rapidly, the worm's digestive fluids creeping ever closer, bubbling ominously just a foot away from their feet. A piercing screech erupted from the worm as it recoiled, writhing in pain. It struggled to retreat, trying to create space in the narrowing tunnel.
The spot that Ben keep attacking was now cracked wide open, and from the wound, a thick, gooey black substance oozed out. Seeing the liquid Ben called, "Elvira! Try igniting that stuff!"
Without hesitation, Elvira raised her palm, her fingers splaying as a fiery magic circle flared into existence before her. Her mana surged through it, crackling with heat as it condensed into a searing spike of fire. Compared to the lance magic she had used against the Ant King, this was a weaker version. "Ember Spike!"
Swoosh!!!
The flaming spike shot forward like a bullet, slicing through the thick air and leaving a blazing trail in its wake. The moment it hit the worm, Ben's cursed. "FUCK!"
What happened next was exactly what Ben expected—but far beyond what he had hoped.
BOOM!!!
The moment Elvira's fiery spike struck the black liquid, it ignited with an explosive force, erupting into a blinding flash of light. Ben instinctively shielded his eyes, staggering backward as a deafening roar filled the confined space. The explosion, send shockwaves rippling through the tunnel.
After a few seconds, the deafening explosion faded into silence. Ben slowly opened his eyes, blinking against the lingering brightness. His surroundings had completely changed—the once grostgeque walls were now scorched black, the thick, oppressive air replaced by the stench of burnt flesh.
Before he could take it all in, Elvira's voice pulled him back. "Thanks, my beloved. I will always believe in you," she said softly, looking up at him with a radiant smile.
Ben let out a heavy sigh,. He knew she wasn't talking about defeating the worm. During the explosion, without a second thought, he had thrown himself in front of her, shielding her with his body. "I told you, don't overthink it. I just can't have you dying on me."
Elvira tilted her head, amusement dancing in her eyes. "You say that, but your actions tell a different story."
Ben groaned. "Forget it, there's no—" Before he could finish, she pressed her body closer, placing a hand over his chest.
"No excuses, my beloved. Just accept it," she whispered, her tone a mix of gratitude and warmth.