85. Quicksand Desert (3)
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The heavy impacts of steel golems dropping to the floor echoed through the chamber.
I'm back here again. No, wait—this is my first time.
Wayne shook his head as memories from King Brass resurfaced. This was the Quicksand Desert, the ancient hunting grounds of the dwarves. More precisely, there was a massive labyrinth beneath the sands, where the ancient dwarves had hunted magic beasts every year to prove their valor. They'd slit open the beasts' bellies, extract the magic stones, and use them to craft steel golems.
But now, Wayne was the only one who remembered that history, and a faint bitterness washed over him.
"Wayne! Where are you?"
The voice of the young dwarf Barak rang out.
[Wait there! I'll come find you!]
The labyrinth was vast and labyrinthine. One wrong turn, and you'd be trapped forever. And Wayne was the only one who knew the way out.
Emitting his red Odd, Wayne set off to find the dwarves.
"Wayne! Everyone's gathered."
The ten steel golems and their golem masters had assembled safely.
"Let's hunt some magic beasts!"
"Let's build big, strong golems!"
"Dwarves are strong!"
"Kahaha! Valhalla!"
The dwarves' cheers were louder and their energy more fervent than ever.
Laugh it up while you can...
There was one crucial fact Wayne hadn't shared with them. The ancient dwarves had another name for the Quicksand Desert: the "Dungeon of Promotion."
This place wasn't like the Great Forest, wide open in all directions, nor was it like a giant anthill with spacious tunnels. Once the magic beasts swarmed, you'd fight endlessly with almost no safe spots to rest. Surviving it together forged unbreakable camaraderie—even feuding dwarves ended up like brothers. In the past, over a hundred dwarves and steel golems had challenged it at once. Now, it was just ten. They had to carve their way to the center with a tenth of the numbers.
If Dwarf Chieftain Yulih hadn't been urging haste, Wayne might have gathered more Gigants later or hunted beasts emerging from the labyrinth into the desert one by one to bolster their forces. Of course, with the empire's situation growing tense, Wayne needed to build his strength now more than ever.
Since we're here, time for a lightning-fast breakthrough!
Whoosh! Shaaa!
Huh?
A torrent of sand poured from the high ceiling. Something massive was burrowing through the quicksand above.
[Everyone, stay alert! Something's coming down!]
As the dwarves spread out to the sides and advanced their steel golems, it happened.
Shaaa! Boom!
Wayne's eyes widened at the object that landed on the floor.
Artemis?
The 2nd-class Gigant Artemis had dropped from the sands.
[No way—Lady Sabina?]
[I made it just in time.]
The dwarves looked puzzled too.
[How did you get here?]
[Where the needle goes, the thread follows. If you're here, Wayne, I'm coming no matter what.]
[Huh?]
For a split second, Wayne found Sabina's words a little creepy. Was she thinking something weird? He tilted his head.
[But when did you catch up? I was the last one.]
[The moment the Valhalla Gate opened, I was already out here waiting. Come on! Let's go smash some magic beasts.]
[Ah... sure...]
Wayne smacked his lips. Now he had no choice but to bring Sabina along. The exit was at the labyrinth's center. If she'd arrived just a bit later, she would've been trapped inside and died here.
Yet she seemed utterly oblivious to the danger she'd just dodged.
Can't predict where she'll bolt next... gotta be careful.
Before setting out, Wayne briefed Sabina and the dwarves on the precautions.
[The next section is scorpion territory—B-rank magic beasts! They burst from the floor, walls, or ceiling without warning, so stay sharp. Move in teams of three, always watching each other's backs!]
"Got it!"
[Sometimes an A-rank Scorpion King shows up—don't engage it yourselves; tell me right away!]
"Got it, Wayne!"
"Let's go! Dwarves are strong!"
"Kill all the magic beasts!"
Wayne eyed the hyped-up dwarves with a twinge of worry. B-rank beasts were manageable, but only he and Sabina could handle A-ranks for now.
[I'll stick with you, Lord Wayne.]
Sabina pressed close to his side. Having the empire's sole Gigant archer guard his back was reassuring—but also a bit unnerving.
[Alright! Let's move!]
Wayne hurried forward. The S-rank beasts lurked deep in the innermost zone, still far off.
***
The humid air and choking sand made his mouth fill with bile over and over. Sweat poured from every pore like rain, and his overworked muscles screamed in protest.
"Th-that's too muuuuuch!"
Patient Ajul bolted upright with a scream.
"What's wrong with you?"
Yond, on night watch, asked in alarm.
Thud!
But Ajul just flopped back down. It had been sleep-talking.
He wasn't alone. Most sleeping dwarves were plagued by nightmares, groaning in their sleep.
Yond set down his spear and sat by Wayne.
"Damn it! I'm gonna shit blood!"
"Huh? Yond, where'd you pick up language like that?"
Yond jerked his chin toward Sabina.
"Didn't feel right at first, but cussing actually makes me feel better! Human speech is so varied."
"Tch!"
The dwarves hadn't taken to the half-elf Sabina at first, especially with her foul mouth. But after she'd saved them dozens of times with her bow over the past few days, they couldn't help liking her. Her joining had kept casualties low and gotten them this far.
She and the dwarves had slain plenty of beasts too, netting fifteen magic stones—enough for more steel golems already. Not a bad haul.
Wayne, meanwhile, hadn't done much fighting. He'd left combat to them while focusing on breathing exercises to build his Odd reserves. He wasn't short on Odd anymore.
Yet piloting Cromide proved trickier than expected. The biggest issue: Odd drained too fast and in huge bursts, causing delays—like lag leaving him briefly defenseless.
So far, mostly B-ranks, with occasional A-ranks handled easily thanks to Sabina. But the S-rank at the center was another story. Only he could take it down. That's why he'd brought the unfinished Queen Sword, made from a queen ant's foreleg.
It barely qualified as a sword—the ant limb's shape was intact, with Jamie just adding a hilt. Best he could do.
What's the difference between Gigant integration and synchronization?
Wayne pondered again. The moment he mounted Cromide, visions from the Great Forest flooded back: overwhelming power. Cromide was a massive dinosaur beast with powerful hind leg muscles, crushing jaws, and a devastating tail whip. Its right arm housed the jaw strength, right leg the tail power. Half-measures, but they unleashed S-rank bursts. Adapt to it, and he could slay S-ranks.
Rumble rumble boom!
Huh?
The ground shook violently.
"Everyone, battle stations!"
Wayne's enhanced physique let him leap onto Cromide in an instant. But Sabina was still out cold. The dwarves struggled to rise and grab weapons, slowed by back-to-back fights.
Crack!
An A-rank centipede beast erupted from underground.
"Kieeeek!"
Thirty meters long with a hundred writhing legs—it was grotesque. It lunged straight at the group.
[Yond! Protect Sabina!]
"Got it!"
Wayne charged on Cromide. But then—
"Gah!"
Dwarf Chieftain Yulih, at the rear and asleep, tripped dodging the beast.
"Block it!"
[Who dares incur the king's wrath?!]
Yulih's steel golem stepped forward, swinging its axe.
Bam!
The axe-wielding right arm got chomped by the centipede's jaws.
Crunch! Thud!
The arm sheared off instantly.
"Gaaah!"
The golem crumpled under the beast's body. The centipede reared its massive jaws at Yulih—he was done for.
[Raaah!]
Thud thud thud! Boom!
Cromide slammed into the centipede shoulder-first, sending it tumbling into the wall.
[Yulih! You okay?]
"Y-yeah! I'm fine, Wayne!"
"Chieftain!"
The young dwarves rushed over, steel golems shielding him.
The centipede shook its head, recovering. Wayne glanced at Sabina—still groggy from days of frontline fighting in his stead.
[Everyone, spread out!]
At his command, the dwarves fanned their steel golems. Wayne gripped the Queen Sword, blocking Cromide's front.
[Here it comes!]
The centipede beast raced on its hundred legs, jaws gaping for Cromide.
Boom!
But Wayne held firm, Queen Sword jamming its maw. The beast coiled snake-like around Cromide, stabbing relentlessly with its legs.
And then—
Ssssh!
Turquoise poison gas sprayed Cromide's face.
[Hng!]
Wayne held his breath, unleashing white Odd.
Crackle crackle zap!
"Kuaaaaah!"
The centipede convulsed, collapsing in spasms.
Wayne couldn't max the Gigant's output yet, but Odd was no issue.
[You bastard! Beat it down!]
"Attack!"
"Kill the magic beast!"
The steel golems swarmed, axes cleaving, blades piercing the centipede's body.
Thud!
The beast couldn't take it and died.
"Woooah! We got it!"
The dwarves cheered. Then Artemis approached.
[Lord Wayne, you alright?]
[Yeah! I'll clean up here—rest more.]
[No. Dismantling the corpse is my job.]
Sabina's Artemis strode up and drew a dagger, methodically carving the shell. No one had assigned her; she'd volunteered from the start and now handled it solo, doing it expertly.
[Found it!]
"Woooah! It's huge!"
"Valhalla!"
The largest magic stone yet—ten centimeters across—emerged. Sizes varied by age, strength, and rank; older, bigger, higher-rank beasts yielded larger, more radiant stones. Ten A-ranks usually netted one this size—pure luck.
[Nice! That's enough for an upgraded golem.]