The Sand Worm's Ambush
The scorching desert wind whipped across the dunes, carrying fine grains of sand that stung like needles even after the main gust had passed. To protect ourselves, we all donned the special masks prepared by the innkeeper.
"Everyone, put on your masks. At this rate, they'll only get in the way."
"Yes, Commander!"
Even after the fierce sandstorm had blown through, particles still rode the air in Death's Desert, constantly invading eyes, noses, and mouths. The masks the innkeeper had thoughtfully provided covered not only our mouths and noses but also our ears, and they even came equipped with transparent goggles to shield our eyes.
Oh. These are actually pretty good.
What surprised me most was how comfortable they felt—as if I weren't wearing anything at all. At this level of comfort, I could probably keep it on even during combat.
> Whoa. These are amazing.
> Yeah, this should be enough!
> 5-star monster... bring it on!
> No more choking on this damn sand!
Praising the innkeeper's excellent sense, my comrades and I set off again with much lighter steps.
"Hmm... This should definitely be the right path."
According to the map attached to the request, this was the correct route. But the entire landscape was buried under endless sand, making it nearly impossible to tell one direction from another.
The map said there should be a bridge we could cross after walking this far from the village... Ah.
I compared the marked location against our distance from the village and scanned the surroundings. That's when I spotted the bridge spanning the cliff.
> Is that the bridge?
> Oh man, what terrible luck...
> Who the hell wrecked it like this?
"Damn it."
The mercenaries who saw the bridge's condition spat out curses in disbelief. I felt exactly the same.
Crossing this bridge would have been a shortcut straight to our destination. In other words, without it, we'd have to take a massive detour.
...What in the world could have done this?
I approached the cliff and examined the remnants of the bridge once more. It looked as if a natural disaster had swept through. The sturdy wooden structure had been completely shattered beyond its entrance, with the debris now lying at the bottom of the terrifyingly deep chasm.
A regular sandstorm shouldn't have been able to destroy wood this thick. Each beam was wider than my own torso. So what exactly had passed through here?
"...There's no helping it. We'll have to turn back."
> Aaaargh!
> What kind of monster could smash a bridge like that...?
> This is just ridiculous.
I completely understood how they felt. Looking at the distance, what should have taken a single day now looked like it would require at least three.
Sigh. What can we do? We'll just have to go the long way.
There was nothing else to be done. Whether it became porridge or rice, we had no choice but to press on. I decided to treat this as an actual desert expedition. After all, this was my first time truly traveling through a place like this.
...Now that I'm looking at it properly, it's actually quite fascinating and scenic in its own way.
Even though it was autumn, the sand reflected the blazing sunlight, radiating intense heat. Our feet sank deep with every step, and simply walking drained our stamina. Still, none of us showed any sign of complaint. We were no longer amateurs—we were veteran mercenaries. A little discomfort would never break our will.
"If we just complete this request... we'll not only reclaim our past glory, but we'll rise even higher."
The ever-cheerful Hans spoke up, trying to lift the spirits dampened by the sweltering heat.
> Aren't we already way beyond our past selves? Heh...
> Exactly. It's not arrogance... but there's no other mercenary group in the entire empire growing as fast as us.
> We don't even need to worry about money anymore. And don't get me started on our reputation!
In the short time since our revival, strong bonds of friendship and trust had formed among us. The mercenaries smiled as they thought of their stable present and the even more brilliant future that surely awaited.
Rumble...
As I watched them with satisfaction, I felt a very faint vibration beneath my feet. It was so subtle that anyone not paying close attention would have missed it entirely.
"...What was that?"
Cerise's quiet murmur came from behind me. She too was scanning the area, trying to locate the source of the tremor. But all around us was nothing but glittering sand. The only other features were the distant cliffs, the canyon below, scattered cacti, and a few large boulders.
"...Everyone, halt for a moment."
I ordered the group to stop, then knelt down and pressed my ear close to the sandy ground.
Rumble rumble rumble...!
With my ear against the earth, the vibrations from below became clear. What had been barely noticeable before was now unmistakably strong.
Crunch crunch...
And at the same time, I could faintly hear something... the sound of crushing and advancing?
Rumble rumble rumble rumble—!
> ...W-what the hell is this vibration?! Is it an earthquake?!
> No way... earthquakes don't just happen like that...
The tremors had grown strong enough for the rest of the mercenaries to feel them too.
Boom—!
The sound of something crushing through sand and solid ground grew louder and louder. At the same moment, an enormous surge of mana erupted from beneath us!
The mana rose rapidly toward the surface where we stood, leaving behind an ever-growing resonance.
"Everyone, prepare for battle! A monster is approaching!"
"......Prepare for battle!"
True to our veteran status, we didn't panic. We swiftly readied ourselves—drawing our stored weapons, lowering our stances, and preparing to move at a moment's notice.
...Just what is coming?
"Don't move yet! Any movement or vibration will give us away!"
If something was charging toward us from underground, it was likely following the subtle movements and vibrations on the surface. Fortunately, I spotted three fist-sized stones near my feet and hurled them a short distance away onto the sand.
BOOM—!
> KIIIEEEEEEK—!
The instant the stones hit the ground, an impossibly massive monster burst forth from that exact spot.
"...Sand Worm."
A Sand Worm. Its mouth was large enough to swallow an entire building whole, lined with teeth the size of human faces. Its length and thickness were so immense that it seemed like several buildings fused together. This creature that attacked from beneath the earth was the representative monster of Death's Desert.
...3-star? No... this is at least 4-star.
Most monsters had fixed danger ratings with little variation, except for certain unique specimens. However, Sand Worms were said to grow larger and stronger in proportion to their age and the number of lives they'd consumed. According to historical records, there had even been cases of 5-star level Sand Worms in the past.
The one before us now, judging by its size and the sheer amount of mana it radiated, was clearly beyond 4-star.
> ...A monster like this just pops out of nowhere?!
> So this is Death's Desert...
> Don't let your guard down! You'll get eaten alive!
It was the largest and most overwhelming monster we'd encountered so far. Every mercenary steeled themselves.
"Everyone, watch the ground! Feel the vibrations and move away the moment you sense them! Attack the instant the Sand Worm reveals itself!"
The Sand Worm's primary attack was to burst from below and swallow its prey whole. Since its window of opportunity was extremely short, we had to strike with maximum power in that fleeting moment!
Kiiiiaaak—!
The moment I finished speaking, the Sand Worm burrowed back into the sand and vanished underground.
Gulp.
We didn't even dare make the slightest sound, afraid it would interfere with detecting the vibrations. We remained completely silent, focusing all our senses.
Rumble rumble...
Crunch crunch—!
The only sounds echoing across the vast desert were the vibrations and the grinding of sand. And the Sand Worm's next target was...
"Villon! Dodge!"
BOOM—!
The instant Villon leaped aside, the Sand Worm erupted from where he'd been standing.
"All units, attack—!"
Slash—!
Slice—!
Crack—!
Crunch!
> Die, you damn monster...!
> Hit it harder!!!
> ...Take this!
Following my command, the mercenaries charged forward without retreating and began their assault.
"...Hup!"
I channeled my mana and carved a slash into the Sand Worm's body.
Slaaash—!
Kiiiieeeeek—!
Among all our attacks, the one that inflicted the greatest wound was Cerise's clean, decisive strike. While our blows had only left small cuts and scratches, her sword slash tore through the creature's tough hide so violently that blood and internal organs spilled out.
BOOM—!
"Back to your positions!"
As the Sand Worm fled underground once more, we quickly reformed our formation at my command.
Focus. Feel the flow of mana... and the vibrations.
The faint tremors and the flow of mana. The next target was...
...Right beneath me?!
"Ugh—!"
BOOM—!
I threw myself aside the instant I sensed the mana surge directly under my feet. The Sand Worm burst out exactly where I'd been standing moments before.
That was too close. If I'd stayed there, I would have been devoured on the spot.
"...Now!"
Vwoooong—!
I immediately rose and unleashed a mana-infused slash. The attacks from the mercenaries who followed my lead also began inflicting serious damage on the Sand Worm. Even if each strike was small and weak, enough of them could eventually topple even the greatest wall.
"Haaah—!"
Slaaaaaash—!
And the true siege ram that would shatter that wall was Cerise. She leaped high into the air and delivered a vertical strike that sliced straight through the Sand Worm's entire body.
Kii...rreeek...
Thud—!
"...We did it...!"
"Uwaaaaaah—!"
After Hans's shout, the mercenaries erupted in cheers. The Sand Worm, which had been larger than a building, was split cleanly in half by Cerise's attack and collapsed dead.
"....Hoo."
Thank goodness. We had defeated a 4-star monster without a single casualty. This specimen had probably been at least mid-to-high 4-star.
I sat down on a small rock on the ground and let out a long breath.
"...Cough."
I tried to hold it in as much as possible in front of the others.
Having used so much mana, I simply couldn't suppress it any longer. I quickly pulled out a handkerchief and wiped away the blood.
"Commander...?"
".....Hans."
When I turned toward the voice, Hans was staring down at me with an expression of utter disbelief.
Sigh... This was exactly why I'd tried so hard to hide it.
"Can you... not tell anyone about this?"
"...Commander. Don't tell me the reason you didn't leave your room at the inn was also..."
"I'm asking you, Hans..."
"...Yes. Understood. I won't say a word to anyone."
"...Thank you."
Hans wore a complicated expression—part sorrowful recollection of the past, part disbelief—but he quietly walked away as I'd requested.
At least it was Hans who saw it. I can truly trust him.
And so, the day in Death's Desert slowly drew to a close.