Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Ashar Desert (3)
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They were just about to drift off into a light sleep. Everyone was exhausted.
But, as expected of veteran mercenaries, their reactions were swift. They grabbed their weapons and naturally formed a defensive formation.
The trembling of the ground was unnatural. A harsh rumble, like a subway train passing nearby.
And in this desert, there was only one type of monster that could cause such a tremor.
“Deathworm…”
“Of all the times.”
Someone’s murmur reached my ears. The most difficult monster to face in the desert. The most violent and ruthless of them all.
And of all times, a deathworm had to appear now, when every mercenary was exhausted. When they had no proper means to fight it.
“A deathworm… haah. Just leave me and go.”
“The White Mercenary Corps never abandons a comrade. Didn’t you know? Don’t talk such nonsense.”
“Bullshit! If we die, we die together.”
“Heh. After coming all this way.”
It wasn’t just any monster; it was a deathworm.
It was on a completely different level from the monsters they had faced so far. Moreover, escaping from a deathworm was a tall order.
No matter how fast they ran using their footwork, there was a limit. The deathworm’s speed was far greater than that of mercenaries who hadn’t reached the Master level.
The fear of death, which had only just begun to fade, once again cast a dark shadow over the members.
*CRASH—!*
These bastards have lost their edge! The White Mercenary Corps’ training couldn’t have been this pathetic!
I slammed my hammer against a nearby rock and roared.
“Snap out of it! Are you just going to let yourselves be eaten?! Grab your gear and fall back! The seriously injured move back first!”
Yes, I’ll admit the situation was bad. The jokes and banter from moments ago were just a mask to hide the grim atmosphere.
The vibrations were approaching faster than I thought.
Moving forward was impossible. The deathworm was a monster that attacked by following ground vibrations, noise, or life signs.
“Watch the ground’s movement! Stay away from the vibrations! Form groups and retreat! You won’t survive on your own anyway!”
I shouted orders to all the dazed members, taking command.
When despair strikes suddenly after a moment of hope, people find it hard to overcome.
Even Lando, whom I thought was so solid, was momentarily stunned.
A damn deathworm. Of all the monsters, it had to be one that was a bad match for my weapon.
Considering its intestine-like skin, a sword would be more effective than a blunt weapon.
Of course, that didn’t mean I was out of options. I just wasn’t sure how effective this would be.
After all, didn’t the Hulk do the same when he took down the Leviathan? Smashing it with brute force.
Hulk smash!
Would it work? Or would it not?
“Do as Kratos says! Everyone, run! We have to get back to Kanta Village! Those who aren’t injured, draw your weapons!”
Lando, shaken back to his senses by Kratos’s roar, quickly took control of the situation and shouted to his men.
“We’ll buy some time! Those who can’t use aura, take the injured and fall back!”
Hmm. Lando was definitely a pretty good captain.
“Kratos, back! Get back!”
“You can’t even scratch that thing without aura!”
Lando shouted as he drew his sword and imbued it with aura.
But I glanced at the shouting members, shook my head, and instead moved closer to the epicenter of the vibrations.
“Kratos! What are you doing!”
“Get back here! Are you trying to get yourself killed?! What do you think you’re doing!”
I heard the members’ shouts, but I just rolled my shoulders, loosening my muscles, and focused my mind on the approaching deathworm.
“Run! I’ll hold it off! That’s the best way to increase our chances of survival!”
“You… you ignorant fool! What do you think you can do alone!”
Lando took a position next to Kratos, his expression grimly determined.
“I’m staying too.”
“If the captain stays here, what about the men? Get a grip, Captain. You’re the only one who can lead them to safety.”
Lando knew this, but for a captain to choose to send a member to their death was never an easy decision.
“Anyone watching would think I’m about to die.”
“You must… you must survive. I’ll bring back reinforcements. I promise.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
Lando clapped Kratos on the shoulder once before running back to his men.
I couldn’t retreat anyway.
If I backed down now, when would I get another chance to come this far? After we’re all half-dead? After clearing out all the monsters? After getting screwed over by another guy like Ludwig?
That memory, no, that vision I felt at the desert entrance.
That place was definitely in this desert. It was a vague feeling, but I had a certainty that if I could get past this deathworm and head toward the center, I would find it.
And I had a strong feeling that I had to go right now. A gut instinct with absolutely no basis in fact. That’s why I couldn’t back down.
Sometimes, you have to trust your gut over logical reasoning.
Why else would they say a bad feeling is science?
So, if we can’t all go together, I’ll go alone.
The most important fact was that my revenge hadn't even started. This was all just part of the process.
“Everyone, go!!”
As the vibrations grew closer, I stomped my foot hard in the opposite direction of the fleeing members and roared.
Heh. Is this how Gandalf felt in the Mines of Moria, helping Frodo escape?
Go, quickly. Your only chance is if you all run together.
It’s a long way to Kanta Village from here. Someone has to stay behind and draw its aggro.
And it seems they’re misunderstanding something. I’m not trying to sacrifice myself to let my allies escape.
I’m going to defeat that giant worm in the ground and move forward.
My eyes met Lando’s for a moment, and Lando nodded slightly with a hardened expression.
“All units, retreat! Retreat! Escape while Kratos buys us time!”
“Kratos—!!!!!”
As if Lando had made his decision, Seamus’s anguished cry faintly reached me from a distance.
Right. That was a captain’s role. A position where you sometimes had to give such orders.
Seeing Lando’s character up to this point, I could imagine what was going through his mind as he gave that command.
But this was the right call.
I was the most energetic, strong even without a weapon, and had the highest chance of survival.
And most importantly, I was the only one who had a reason to push forward to the center of the desert.
Kill it.
And move forward.
***
“Get out of the desert, fast! Drop all your gear except for water! Carry the injured!”
“Captain!! Kratos!”
*KUUUNG—!*
Behind them, a colossal deathworm burst through the sand, kicking up a sandstorm as it revealed its form.
“Dammit. Of all things, a mutant deathworm?”
Even though they had run quite a distance, the creature was so massive that its enormous figure was still vividly in view. A gigantic body with tentacle-like horns and blackish skin.
“Captain! Kratos is…!”
“Don’t look back! Are you trying to make Kratos’s sacrifice meaningless!”
Lando pretended not to hear Seamus and barked his orders.
“Get away from here as fast as you can!”
The sand swirled, creating a thick sandstorm, and stinging grains, harsher than any he had ever felt, pelted Lando’s entire body.
‘Kanta Village. I have to get to Kanta Village and call for reinforcements.’
The White Mercenary Corps does not abandon its comrades. Especially not a comrade who sacrificed themselves.
If they couldn’t be saved, it was their principle to at least find their bones and give them a proper burial.
No one knew the outcome, but Kratos had willingly made a sacrifice for them in the worst possible situation.
He was already a proud mercenary of the White Mercenary Corps.
“Our destination is Kanta Village. We run the shortest route.”
All he could do now was move his feet a little faster.
***
“Hoo.”
First, I won’t use the hammer. It’s the only weapon I have, and I can’t afford to break it again. It’s not a disposable item.
Ah, it would be great if I could use aura. Maybe I should ask for a cultivation method or something after this mission is over.
Just as the vibrations reached right in front of me.
*KUUUUNG—*
I slammed my fist into the ground with all my might.
Was that really a sound a human fist could make by hitting the ground?
Especially in a desert where the ground wasn’t solid?
A crater formed, and with a sound like a sewer pipe bursting underground.
*KKIGYEGEGEGEK—!!*
A gigantic deathworm shot out from the sand, letting out an ear-splitting scream.
It looked to be about six meters tall. Incredibly huge. Truly massive. No wonder they say if you meet a deathworm in the desert, you’re as good as dead.
“Are you a Mongolian Deathworm, a Bulgasari, or just a damn earthworm? Ptooey—”
Sand flew everywhere, obscuring my vision, as the deathworm shrieked in pain.
Yes, it works. At the very least, I confirmed that its scream was one of pain. And that my fist could hurt this monster.
“But what the hell is that? That horribly twisted, abyssal monstrosity.”
Usually, a deathworm is just a worm with a lot of teeth, right? But why does this one have horns stuck all over it?
“A mutant. It’s a mutant.”
Not just a regular deathworm, but a mutant. One tainted by demonic energy, at that.
A deathworm with horns. Eight of them, no less. It was quite bizarre. Plus, its body was a blackish color, not the brown or reddish hue I remembered.
When it gaped its mouth open, hundreds of small, spike-like teeth glistened with saliva.
Ah, I’m realizing it all over again. My life really is Dark Souls.
A mutant deathworm tainted by demonic energy, here of all places.
“Ah, dude. Ease up on the nightmare fuel.”
Ugh, seeing it in person, that form was truly repulsive.
I rolled on the ground, dodging its body as it whipped around like a lash.
*KYAAAAAK—*
It opened its maw wide, thrashing its head back and forth as if to devour me at any moment.
My heart grows cold. My mind begins to race. The creature’s movements enter my eyes and are seared into my brain.
It planted its tail in the sand and used its upper body—if you could call it that—its flexible upper body to thrust its teeth at me.
*THWACK—!*
It made a sound like a drum bursting, but damn, it’s tough. Not a single scratch. But at the same time, it staggered. My punch sent its head reeling.
My fists are definitely working.
Pouring all my strength into every single punch is no small feat. And this body of mine eats an insane amount of food.
That means it burns a lot of calories.
Agh, I’m hungry!
Ducking my head to avoid another whip-like attack, I struck the largest horn in front of me.
*KEEEEEEK—*
The horn twisted, and a crack appeared.
A horn. A horn. Horns. Right. If I don’t have a weapon, I can just make one.
*POW—*
A giant sandbag is easy to hit. I weaved to dodge its mouth and threw a left hook!
Though I doubt the blow is doing any real damage.
The fact that it’s staggering must mean the damage is accumulating somehow.
If this thing in front of me were human, I’d unleash an infinite Dempsey Roll on it.
But the size difference is like David and Goliath.
I grabbed onto the horn of the creature as it thrust its head at me like a whip again.
“Uwaaack—”
The thing went ballistic, shaking its head wildly.
The thrill was insane, like riding a zipline. The ground was already far below; if I fell now, I’d be crushed to death.
Just hold on a little longer. I’ll lighten your load for you. I grunted as I settled myself on the skin where it met the horn.
Yeah, for monsters like this, something sharp is better than a hammer. If you don’t have a weapon, you can just make one.
And as it happens, its horn is quite pointy. Not enough to cut my hand, but it looked sharp enough to pierce its hide like a nail.
*KANG—!*
The twisted crack grew larger, and the horn dangled loosely. The creature’s thrashing grew even more violent.
“Uwaaaaaah—!”
*THUD—!*
And with a punch delivered with all my might, the horn fell to the ground. Along with me.
Is this how Bob Ross felt? ‘See? It’s easy.’
Seeing the creature howling in agony made me feel good.
Where the horn had fallen off, its skin oozed bodily fluids that dripped to the ground. Maybe the skin inside the horn was torn as well?
So, you’re just a monster made of blood, bone, and flesh after all.
I hugged the massive horn under one arm, like a knight in a joust.
As the horn fell, the deathworm stopped its frantic thrashing, and a blackish energy began to gather between its countless teeth.
Fuck! What kind of worm shoots a breath attack!
This is cheating