NOVEL WEB Chapter 199: The Worm Monsters!
Chapter 199: The Worm Monsters!
The heart-wrenching scream that pierced the air was enough to alert anyone to the severity of the situation.
Following the direction of the scream, Luke led the group forward at a rapid pace.
And then, it entered their field of vision.
"Worm... worms?!"
It was a giant monster with a green hide adorned with colorful patterns that were painfully eye-catching.
None of the seasoned dungeon explorers had ever seen such a creature before.
"Captain!"
The one being chased by the monster was Finn's second team.
Even powerful Level 5 adventurers like Finn and Gareth had abandoned the fight, turning their backs on the monster and fleeing.
Tiona was the first to act.
The Amazonian girl leaped forward, her feet pounding the ground, and instantly passed by Finn and the others, attempting to intercept the monster's pursuit.
"Don't go! Tiona!"
It was Finn who called out to stop her.
But Tiona didn't listen. With years of combat experience, she could tell the strength of the monster at a glance.
'I can handle it!' Thinking this, Tiona closed in on the monster and swung her Level 5 weapon, 'Great Double-Edged Sword: Urga,' directly at it.
Puchi!
Tiona's judgment was correct. Her attack successfully eliminated the worm-like monster.
But...
Pfft!
As the monster's body was cut open, a deep purple liquid erupted from the wound!
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!
Everything the liquid touched was instantly dissolved.
"Whoa—!"
Luke, who had been beside Tiona, threw her back as she screamed.
Only 'Urga,' which should have been indestructible, remained where Tiona had stood.
The greatsword, which had pierced the monster's body, was instantly dissolved. The unexpected weapon damage left Tiona, who landed on her back, wanting to cry.
The purple liquid spewing from the monster's corpse splashed everywhere. Everyone panicked and scrambled to avoid it.
"Ahhh! My Urga!"
"Why didn't you tell me it had this kind of attack?!"
Seeing more worm monsters appearing behind them, Tiona, who had been thrown back by Luke, immediately joined the fleeing ranks, mimicking Finn and the others, crying out in despair.
"Finn stopped you right away, you idiot Amazon!"
Hearing Tiona's complaint, Bert, who was running beside her, cursed.
Ais, Tione, and Lefiya, who were further back, looked at each other for a moment before turning and running without hesitation.
The renowned Loki Familia elite squad fled at top speed.
...
Fortunately, the monsters weren't very fast. After Lefiya, who was lagging behind, was carried on Tiona's back, the worm monsters couldn't catch up.
"Luke, have you encountered these monsters before?"
During their escape, Finn exchanged information with Luke while running.
"No, but the dragon we were supposed to face was already dead when we arrived. There are also many purple traces around."
Luke handed Finn a piece of the purple wood fragment he had collected.
"I suspect these monsters actively attack other monsters. Their goal is probably the magic stones."
"Hmm, I agree with you. I saw them attacking other monsters while retreating."
Finn nodded in agreement with Luke's theory.
"Although we can't be sure, I also feel that their target is the magic stones."
Finn's second team, like Luke's, had reached the 'Cadmus Spring'.
The difference was that Finn's team encountered these worm monsters while returning after defeating the dragon.
After attempting to fight, Finn was forced to flee with his team to avoid losing their weapons.
"It doesn't seem like 'Enhanced Species,' I didn't feel them getting stronger after consuming the magic stones."
"Attacking their own kind... It's a characteristic I've never seen before."
"Whether it's monsters from deeper levels moving up or a new species produced by the dungeon, the appearance of these monsters is very troublesome."
After listening to Finn's analysis, Luke shook his head at him and said:
"Finn, do you remember the 'Fallen Fairy' I encountered before?"
He spoke very softly. If Finn hadn't been talking to him, he might not have heard.
"You mean—?!"
Instantly, the clues connected in Finn's mind.
The word 'Carrier' flashed through Finn's mind.
His expression became serious. After thinking for a moment, Finn said:
"Let's discuss this in detail when we get back. The priority now is to return to the camp on the 50th floor."
"Raul was directly hit by that liquid. The potion's effect isn't enough to save him. He needs immediate treatment."
Luke had also noticed Raul's injuries. After all, they were drawn here by Raul's scream.
The human youth, carried by Gareth, was covered in corroded marks. His appearance was so gruesome that one would doubt if he was still alive.
However, although his appearance was terrible, Raul wouldn't die anytime soon thanks to the potion.
While Finn and Luke were talking, everyone was in a state of escape.
But the fact that they chose to flee from the monsters left one person in the group feeling uneasy.
"Finn, is there a way to defeat those monsters?"
It was Ais who spoke.
Finn paused when he heard Ais' question.
"The attacks themselves are effective, but each attack requires sacrificing a weapon."
"Just like Tiona, even Level 5 weapons will dissolve instantly."
"Only you and Luke can ignore that liquid."
Luke's Ser-Veresta didn't need to be explained. The pure blade of light wouldn't be affected by the corrosive liquid.
As long as the purple liquid didn't touch the blade itself, Ser-Veresta wouldn't be damaged.
Ais' current weapon, 'Sword of Despair,' was also immune.
This Level 5 weapon, forged by the blacksmiths of the Hephaestus Familia under the direct supervision of Hephaestus herself, possessed the 'Eternal Unbreakable' property, which was even more advanced than 'Unbreakable'.
This Sword of Despair was obtained by Ais when she leveled up to Level 5. It was also the only weapon in Orario that could withstand Ais' full power.
"But it's not realistic to rely only on the two of you to deal with such a large group of monsters."
"These worms are different from ordinary monsters. They also spray corrosive liquid after death."
"Once surrounded, there might not even be space to dodge when killing the monsters."
Having said that, Finn thought for a moment before continuing:
"But..."
"Large-scale magic is different. If we can get enough time to cast a wide-area magic spell that can wipe out the entire monster group..."
Before Finn could finish his sentence, everyone's eyes focused on a certain orange-haired elf girl.
---
Read more than 20 chapters in advance, with pictures, to enhance your reading immersion:
patréon.com/tom22
Replace "é" with "e" on your web browser.
---
For Audiobook:
youtube.com/@animefic22
---
(Note: Apple charges 30% more if you buy a Patreon membership through the iOS app. So, I suggest using a web browser to buy the membership cheaply from Patreon and then using the app to read. Finally, thanks for your support!)
(Please vote for more chapters! If this fanfic gets more than 700 powerstones, then I will upload bonus chapters! Also, don't forget to leave a review and comment below.)