The Search Party Descends
The search party, led by Christine, was formed on the first day, but they could not descend the cliff. Clearing the monsters clinging to the rock face and securing the surrounding area had taken far longer than planned. Christine could not sleep. Far more monsters than she had slain lurked below, and she wondered if her senior was safe, if he was even alive. If he was, had he pushed himself too far? She spent the night with her eyes open.
The next day, the Margrave gathered the search party and clicked his tongue at Christine's haggard face. "Vice Commander, I warned you. I told you to maintain your condition."
"...I'm sorry."
Christine lowered her head in shame. The Margrave shook his head and began explaining the operation. Aside from the soldiers from No Man's Land who would guide them through the terrain, the search party consisted mostly of volunteers from the Raven Knight Order. Among them was Paola, who had been appointed as the overall commander.
"It's odd for me to say this after planning the operation, but going down that cliff is nothing short of suicide."
Tension rippled across the search party's faces.
"Ironically, the recent anomaly has reduced the number of monsters, making this operation possible. Under normal circumstances, we wouldn't have even considered it."
A restless wind swept across No Man's Land. The Margrave turned his gaze toward the cliff.
"Don't let your desire to find the missing cloud your judgment regarding the search party's safety. The situation below will not allow for leisurely scouting."
The Margrave's expression twisted grimly as he looked out over the wasteland beyond the cliff. Then he turned back to the search party.
"Even if it sounds cruel or inhumane, follow this order without question. Your own safety comes first. I have no intention of sacrificing able-bodied forces for missing persons who may not even be alive. And—"
His eyes met Christine's.
"Even if you find the missing alive, if you cannot rescue both, prioritize the rescue of Theodora Benning, Commander of the Raven Knight Order. If they are found dead, do not attempt to recover the bodies by force."
The words struck Christine like hammers to the chest. Paola, the search party's commander, nodded.
"I will follow the order."
"I trust you will make cold, rational decisions."
A sturdy rope dangled down the cliff. The Margrave tugged hard on it to check the knot, then ordered the search party to descend.
"Good luck."
"I'll go first."
Paola volunteered and began his descent. A soldier acting as guide followed, then Roberto, then the other knights. As Christine moved toward the rope to follow, the Margrave grabbed her shoulder.
"...What is it?"
"Vice Commander, act rationally. You were only included because there was no other choice. Do not endanger the entire search party because of you."
Christine met the Margrave's worried eyes and slowly nodded.
"I'll be careful."
"...Come back alive."
Leaving the Margrave's words behind, Christine gripped the rope and began her descent. Because they had chosen relatively stable ground, the search party had to begin their search some distance from the collapsed section of the cliff. The knights helped Christine down, as accustomed to such descents as any knight.
"That's it, carefully now, Vice Commander."
Contrary to Maxim's hopes, no magic existed that could let one fly through the sky. Christine reached the floor of the wasteland via the rope. The first thing her foot touched was not earth, but the rotting corpse of some monster. A squelch echoed as her boot sank into the decaying flesh.
With Christine's arrival, the entire search party reached the base of the cliff. Rolling hills and deeply gouged earth surrounded them. Bizarre rocks, far stranger than those visible from above, lined the area. The soldier from No Man's Land, taking the lead, spoke in a firm voice.
"We'll move to the site first. Time is limited, so any clue would be fortunate."
"Hurry."
At Paola's urging, the soldier nodded and quickened his pace. The journey was worse than a path of thorns. Monsters attacked the search party in swarms, as if they were engaged in an endless guerrilla war across the wasteland. The Margrave had been right—there was no time to look around or search leisurely.
"I didn't realize the collapsed section was this far."
Paola spoke as he pulled his mace from the shattered skull of a monster. The rubble of the collapsed cliff came into view. The guiding soldier examined the debris closely, then peered into the broken cliff face. Paola followed his gaze. Piles of stone and pitch-black darkness lay beyond.
Sweat beaded on Paola's palms. His years of experience warned him that danger waited on the other side.
"...We must proceed with utmost caution."
The soldier spoke in a tense voice.
"Indeed. Everyone, stay sharp."
The search party climbed the rubble and approached the interior of the collapsed cliff. Christine floated a light source to illuminate the dark interior. The light slowly advanced from the entrance, revealing the gaps in the broken rock. No monsters lurked in the crevices. Those that had swarmed near the entrance had long since met their end at the search party's hands.
Following the light Christine had created, the search party moved deeper into the cliff. Then Paola lowered his head and pulled something from the rubble.
"Someone deliberately cut this scabbard."
Paola examined the severed edge. Christine's expression hardened as she looked at the scabbard he handed her. It was Maxim's.
"...Why would he do that?"
"I don't know. Maybe to leave a signal, or perhaps he intended to use the cut scabbard for something."
Christine stared down at the scabbard in her hand with a somber expression, then secured it. The Raven Knight Order members watched her with pitying eyes.
"He must know staying here would be best."
Paola began clearing the scattered rocks with a puzzled look, as if checking whether anything lay buried beneath. His question was answered soon enough.
"Look over there...!"
A scream rang out. The search party turned toward the sound.
"...Insane."
The words slipped from Paola's mouth. They were staring at the broken cross-section of the cliff illuminated by the light. A massive, gaping maw welcomed them.
"Did something like that even exist?"
Paola's voice trembled.
"Is there a monster capable of this?"
"...The only one that comes to mind is the Deathworm."
A Deathworm that burrowed through rock? Paola could not imagine such a creature existing.
"Sir Paola, this is..."
"Dangerous. Now I understand why the Commander and Maxim didn't stay here."
Paola looked around at the search party.
"We need to leave this place immediately..."
Rumble.
The ground shook. The search party's expressions froze as they looked at one another.
"This tremor..."
"It's not here...!"
With the soldier in the lead, the search party began hurrying out of the crevice in the collapsed cliff. Loose stones scattered beneath their feet and slid down the slope.
"Vice Commander!"
One of the knights urged Christine, who stood frozen. She began running after the search party as they fled the cliff's interior. Her breathing was ragged. Her vision spun. An unknown terror consumed her. It was not fear of the monsters. Senior. Senior. Her steps grew frantic.
The search party reached the edge of the collapsed cliff. What greeted them was a monstrous cry unlike any they had ever heard, a sound that seemed to tear at their eardrums.
===
When dawn broke the darkness, the sound of birds singing was usually heard. But until the faint light seeped through the cracks in the rock, the only sounds in No Man's Land were the dying cries of monsters. Maxim repeatedly bent and straightened his stiffened leg joints, trying to restore circulation. A chill had seeped into his bones. After a true night in the wild, the morning air was bone-dry. His joints made cracking sounds with every movement.
There was still time before the investigation team from No Man's Land would begin their work. They might have organized a separate search party to find him and Theodora, but Maxim did not want to gamble on an uncertain possibility. If they used Theodora's flare properly, rescue would not be impossible. Whether the flare could shoot its light over the cliff was questionable, but at least the sound of it firing should be audible. The biggest problem was deciding when to leave this cave and where and how to set off the flare.
Maxim tapped the tip of his sword, deep in thought. He could not fight at full strength, and Theodora was seriously injured.
Surviving in the middle of the wasteland is impossible.
It was obvious they would not last long. They would be overwhelmed by the monsters' relentless assault, their weaknesses exploited until they became prey. So the most viable option was...
Just then, a rustling sound accompanied Theodora raising her head. She coughed dryly and blinked.
"How long has it been?"
Theodora's voice was hoarse.
"Just before sunrise."
Theodora let out a long breath and began moving her body, loosening her stiffened joints as Maxim had done. Meanwhile, Maxim watched her unmoving right leg. The swelling seemed to have subsided somewhat compared to yesterday.
"...How's your leg?"
Theodora glanced down at her leg and nodded.
"I think I can walk."
"Don't push yourself. Anyone can see you're not in any condition to walk."
"If I don't push myself, how are we supposed to get out of here?"
Theodora countered and began slowly moving her injured leg. Severe pain would follow, but she did not even flinch.
"Good, I can move."
"...When we get out, see a medic first."
"We have to get out first, don't we?"
Maxim looked at Theodora, who was pretending to be fine. She met his gaze and sighed.
"We said we'd make it out alive."
Theodora clenched her fist and spoke firmly.
"My leg isn't severed, it's just broken. Rather than worrying about my injury right now, it would be better to think about how to escape."
Maxim looked into Theodora's resolute eyes. There was no need to worry... or so it seemed.
"...Around noon, let's leave this cave."
Maxim spoke, resting his sword on his knees. Theodora nodded in agreement. She gripped the pouch at her waist.
"The key will be how we use this flare."
"Right. So we'll head back to those ruins."
Theodora's eyebrows rose.
"Back to where the Deathworm is lurking?"
"Other monsters won't appear there. I think our chances of survival are much higher if we take the gamble there."
Theodora looked at Maxim's sword. It was caked in dried blood, the blade heavily damaged—not from cutting through monster flesh, but from striking the cliff and embedding into stone walls. If they fought a life-or-death battle against monsters, it would not last long.
"...You're right."
"If the Deathworm appears, we'll just have to fight."
Maxim shrugged as if it were nothing. When Theodora gave him a doubtful look, he spoke in a firm voice.
"Theodora, I have no intention of dying here."
"I know."
Theodora closed her eyes quietly, circulating her mana in advance to prepare for battle. Maxim followed suit and closed his eyes. He could not circulate mana as freely as she could, but he wanted to find his composure. His heart pounded. In the darkness, he could not help but recall the image of the massive worm lurking there.
Time passed. When the bright sunlight finally seeped through the cave's cracks, Maxim opened his eyes. Theodora was tightly securing the Fenrir hide around her leg.
"...Let's go."
"Right."
Maxim raised his sword. He kicked aside the monster corpse blocking the cave entrance and stepped outside. Theodora followed him with an unsteady gait. Maxim watched her precarious steps with concern.
"I'm fine, so... ah—"
Rumble.
The ground shook. Maxim and Theodora's eyes met, both trembling.
How? Why now?
The parched earth of No Man's Land split open, like the shedding skin of a snake tearing apart. Fragments of earth flew in all directions. Something enormous stirred beneath the ground.
"Insane...!"
BOOM!
Maxim's horrified cry was drowned out as its body emerged amid a cloud of dust. Only part of its body arched high into the air. Its form, revealed under the sunlight, was bright red. Debris fell from the bumpy protrusions on its surface. Then its massive, eyeless head appeared. The head looked as if it had been severed midway through its body. The Deathworm slowly turned its head toward Maxim and Theodora. A hole, a vortex of thousands of spinning spines, gaped open before them—a maw of despair. Its pitch-black, abyss-like mouth contracted and expanded, breathing in a repulsive rhythm. And all around them, monsters began to gather one by one.
They had been waiting. How was this possible?
Maxim stood back-to-back with Theodora. Her leg. With her current injury, she could never face such a massive monster. A decision had to be made. The number of approaching monsters was not that great. In this moment, nothing else mattered.
Maxim's heartbeat began to thunder.