Dungeon Outing (2)
The crystal orb mounted in the cockpit—essentially the cockpit—served as a radar surrogate. It was an instrument installed to test how well the cockpit's equipment functioned amid the explosive force and mana generated by the engine's mana water. In short, it wasn't something they'd prepared anticipating trouble here.
'Honestly, I'm not even sure how accurate it is right now...'
Still, thanks to it, they could grasp the escalating crisis. Aizen, Noel, and Mina immediately huddled together to check the orb.
"This size doesn't make any sense..."
Noel spoke cautiously, eyeing the large red dot pulsing ominously on the orb as it moved through the interior.
"Dungeons don't usually trigger reactions like this, right?"
"It's common yet uncommon. Dungeons have their dungeon bosses, after all. A strong reaction from the orb makes sense in itself, but..."
"In a controlled environment like this? That's definitely a problem."
Noel continued carefully after Mina's wary words.
"The biggest issue is, this reaction... it's patrolling. Bosses usually hole up in their boss rooms, so if it's moving..."
Patrolling boss monsters did exist. The Vespa Kingdom had a few famous dungeons like that, still being challenged by knights and adventurers even now.
But the problem was, this was a beginner dungeon. It was a place where powerful monsters shouldn't appear by design—and since noble heirs were coming for training and experience, Professor Reina had surely handpicked and cleared it meticulously beforehand.
The very existence of a monster strong enough to trigger this reaction was abnormal.
"We retreat. Aizen."
Mina said without hesitation. Aizen turned to her, and she continued calmly.
"We're in the lead anyway, and everyone's struggling behind us. If we pull back, they'll sense something's off and turn around too. To prevent further accidents, we should report the anomaly to the professors first."
"That's for the best, Lord Aizen. Safety first, after all."
The golden rule in a perilous dungeon: no reckless adventures. When something unforeseen happened, immediate retreat was wisest. Conquering the dungeon wasn't the goal anyway, and the functional test had gone far enough. Aizen nodded, considering reversing—
—when the problematic dot began hurtling across the orb at high speed.
"Why's it going so fast?"
"W-wait. This orb only shows direction, so there might be some error..."
Noel fumbled in surprise, checking the orb, while Mina let out the faintest sigh.
Then, a subtle tremor rippled through the ground, and dread surged in.
'What the hell is this?'
Not just unease—Aizen's mind raced coolly amid the foreboding. Potato farmer or not, Arclight magic was earth magic. Befitting the grandiose claim of "hearing the earth's voice," it reacted first to quakes or shifts in the ground.
Sure enough, a jolt like static electricity hit, followed by relentless, razor-sharp sense of danger.
'Can't stay here.'
Instinct screamed—trust it. Aizen swiftly maneuvered the golem backward. Pebbles scattered like ricochets around them.
Noel and Mina lurched against him from the sudden move, but he had no attention to spare.
"Ah, Aizen?!"
"Lord Aizen, what...?"
By the time the two recoiled in shock, the red dot was nearly upon them—obstacles apparently meaningless. And why no obstacles? The vibrations explained: it was tunneling through the earth at high speed.
"That bastard's burrowing straight through...!"
Noise erupted. Aizen spun the golem's upper body rearward and floored it.
Unlike the cautious entry to avoid snagging the ceiling in the dungeon terrain, now they charged full throttle.
-Kurrrrumble!!
Tracks spinning, they barreled over the trail they'd bulldozed earlier. Behind, their former spot collapsed with a roar, something massive stirring.
Aizen quickly checked outside via the linked mana stones—and spotted the culprit behind the ominous readings.
"S-Sand Worm?!"
"A desert monster—in a beginner dungeon?!"
Visible through the viewport: an earthworm scaled up grotesquely, with a long body and tough sand-colored carapace. Its gaping circular maw spun with massive, razor teeth.
-Kagagagak!
Solid bedrock vanished into its mouth, shredded to dust. The sickening grind echoed straight into the cockpit.
'Dangerous.'
Even with the Caterpillar Golem's steel body, that speed, size, and toughness made survival no sure bet. And the space was tight.
Frontal assault here? Impossible.
Mina—saintly mask dropped now that Noel's back was to her—yelled frantically, thinking the same.
"Run! Get stuck and we're both dead! Save me first!"
"Your true colors show when you're in danger, huh?!"
Aizen shot back absentmindedly, focus locked on evasion. At least they were retracing their path—progress was swift.
Then, late to the crisis, their fleeing classmates came into view.
And leading them...
"P-Prince Gilford?!"
"What, he brought a whole army?!"
Rough-looking mercenaries screaming "hired muscle," a flashy entourage in ornate gear—and at the front, a blond man. Mark was visible mid-pack, so the prince had rallied students into a personal guard. Safety-first, sure, but...
'Now it's a problem...!'
Too many people. They'd trample them at this rate.
Mina spoke quietly but firmly, resolved.
"Plow through 'em, Aizen. Our lives first."
"I was gonna anyway!!"
"Lord Aizen?! No! If you do that...!"
Noel cried desperately, but Aizen held speed.
The crowd froze in panic, motionless.
Seconds to impact. Aizen swung the left arm forward, dozer bucket leading.
They scooped up dirt—and people—piling them roughly but steadily as they charged.
Mark vanished first into the heap; then Gilford, dirtied, atop him. Once the roadblock was loaded, Aizen raised the bucket skyward to secure them.
Noel cheered at the sight.
"Lord Aizen, you had a plan...! I thought you were just bulldozing them...!"
"Even I'd care about casualties?!"
Snapping back in fluster, his eyes met Mina's.
She stared, stunned.
"You... didn't flatten them?"
"What the hell do you take me for?"
No time to snap further. One slip in piloting, and catastrophe.
He considered swiveling the torso for a shoulder cannon barrage—but dismissed it. No auto-loader yet; only two shells ready. Unsure if they'd pierce the carapace and finish it.
"Damn it! This is why we need real combat! So many improvements to make!!!"
"Upgrades won't matter if we're dead!"
As Aizen started to retort to Mina—
—impact slammed the golem's shoulder. Ahead, the passage crumbled.
"The Sand Worm's vibrations are collapsing it!"
"Just our luck!!"
Right at the entrance. Professors Reina and Isarina were just beyond—but fortune failed.
Aizen's mind raced, deep breath, resolve hardened.
He shouted outward.
"Sorry, this is the end of the line! Hold on tight!"
Left arm's dozer bucket dumped its load.
Shoved like a catapult toward the entrance. Debris flew, but the bucket slid beyond the crumbling threshold.
Retreat cut off.
"...Aizen."
"Sorry. Best I could do."
To save even one more life. No regrets.
But now, trapped.
-Krrrrrrumble...
The Sand Worm's growl—or gnashing?—rang out, with the two women left in the cockpit.
It surged overhead, massive body sealing the collapsed passage, blocking escape.
"...To take down a Sand Worm with minimal manpower, you need four skilled mages and two elite knights with proper shields."
"Its carapace shrugs off swords; knights and mages hold it while the rest bombard till it drops... And even then, eight out of ten fail..."
In a magic world, that was huge firepower. A giant monster demanding a veteran party.
"...The moment we kill it, my golem's combat prowess is proven, huh?"
Escape gone long ago. Resolve set.
"Never planned on dying."
Aizen's true fear wasn't the worm's power.
It was bystanders caught in the crossfire.
Mina sighed.
Then grinned.
"Confident?"
"Obviously."
Noel eyed him.
Cautiously asked.
"You'll win?"
"Naturally."
No hesitation. Mina and Noel exchanged glances, nodded firmly.
"All or nothing, then."
"I'll help however I can!"
Permission granted. Resolve steeled.
Now, ignite.
"Aizen Arclight."
The turret whirred to life.
The Sand Worm's teeth spun anew in its maw.
"Engaging!!"
With a mighty roar, the golem charged. The foe met it head-on.
Steel giant versus Sand Worm—clash ignited.