Chapter 54: How to Kill the Worm(3)

Du du du du du du—

A black wave surged forward—the Horn boar horde.

Tarunga, standing atop the castle wall, waited for the perfect moment to strike.

“It’s time. Now.”

The Horn boar had reached the position they desired.

“Activate—Oong!”

Tarunga’s roar echoed to the edge of the wall.

“Activate!”

“Activate!”

Rescue signals blared from all around.

Peurak!

At the front line, 30m tall, giant black spear blades rose diagonally from the ground.

They were made of steelwood.

A move the three Chiefs had prepared for a day like today.

“Kku-ehh—!”

“Kku-ehh-ehh-ek!”

The charging Horn boar, unable to halt their momentum, impaled themselves on the steelwood spears.

Their tough demon flesh couldn’t break the steelwood blades.

“Dalkong, get ready. This alone won’t be enough.”

Tarunga signaled Dalkong, who was in charge of the next operation.

The steelwood spears were insufficient.

“They’ll cross soon. Preparations are complete.”

Just as expected, the Horn boars crossed over the steelwood barricade.

It was the power of numbers.

The remaining Horn boars who were pierced and thrown off were trampled and burned over.

Du du du du du du—

The black wave flowed like ink, staining the mountain ridge as it surged onward.

It even filled the moat carved in front of the wall.

Vanguard—vanguard—

The Horn boars leapt into the moat.

Despite the water pooling at the bottom of the deep trench, they paid it no mind.

Again, those who jumped in first fell and were crushed beneath.

The remaining forces climbed out and rushed toward the wall.

It was then that Dalkong gave his signal.

“Set it on fire!”

“Light it up!”

“Burn it!”

The commands were relayed.

Huarurururur—

Flames roared across the moat.

“Kku-ehh-ek!”

“Kku-ehh-ehh-ek!”

Even louder screams shook the area before the wall.

“It’s working!”

“As expected! The fire blessed by the Hammer and Anvil God is different!”

“Oh—by the Hammer and Anvil God!”

The three Chiefs rejoiced loudly.

The moat was filled with specially crafted oil.

When mixed with prepared components, it produced a strong incendiary effect.

They ignited the fire with the flame blessed by the Hammer and Anvil God.

“Since it’s a sacred flame, I expected it to work against the demons. Heh heh.”

The Horn boars writhed and died, shrieking in pain.

The demonic energy burned away in the fire.

“At least they’re not climbing the walls—that’s a relief.”

“True. Their only tactic is to batter down the walls, so it’s fortunate.”

“Still, there are so many of them. No matter how many burn, they keep coming.”

Even as they died, the Horn boars charged the walls.

The cement cracked with explosive pops, but the steelwood beams embedded in the walls prevented collapse.

“Blton, your work is excellent. The wall repairs held perfectly.”

“Haha, just trust me from now on. Oh—looks like the demons’ numbers are finally thinning out. Right, Dalkong?”

“Yeah. At this rate, we’ve almost cleared them all, haven’t we?”

Dalkong was bold.

A shudder.

Blton and Tarunga’s bodies stiffened.

“Hey, w-wait—what do you mean by that?”

Blton shouted at Dalkong.

Tarunga didn’t look at Dalkong.

His gaze was fixed on the distant ridge, where an ominous presence had been looming.

“No way…”

Disaster didn’t stray from expectations.

Rumbling—

The ground shook.

“I-it’s an earthquake!”

“What? Why is the ground shaking all of a sudden?”

“Sit down! The wall is about to collapse!”

“Hold onto each other!”

The Dwarves screamed in panic.

At that moment, a massive monster appeared on the horizon.

It was a long, worm-like body.

Only its head jutted above the ground, yet it was large enough to look down on the castle wall.

Its mouth was filled with countless blender-like teeth.

“W-worm!”

“It’s a Giant Worm! Damn it!”

“The worm is infused with demonic energy. How do we stop that?”

Tarunga’s knees trembled.

The other two Chiefs clenched their teeth and glared at the worm.

“Tarunga, we can’t stop that thing.”

Blton spoke in a trembling voice.

No matter how well the wall was built, it couldn’t stop the worm.

Its size and mass couldn’t be blocked by the wall.

“Besides, if it attacks underground…”

They had experienced countless demons charging at them during the previous battle with the Twin-Headed Troll.

Thanks to that experience, they had been able to respond well to the Horn boars.

But they never expected a non-standard monster like the Worm to attack underground.

“Hmm…”

Tarunga fell silent.

Then, suddenly, he turned his gaze toward empty air.

He saw a shimmering Dimension Gate.

“Giant.”

The only hope left was their sole savior—the Giant.

“Please… save us.”

As Tarunga prayed, the Worm let out a terrible screech.

Kkieeeeeeek!!!

***

Suho hurriedly opened the shop door and rushed inside.

He dashed through the wall sealed by the Space Barrier.

‘Which world is having a problem now?’

The alarm only gave a signal, never specifying which world was in trouble.

There was no need to ponder.

Kkieeeek!

A horrifying sound came from the refrigerator side.

At the same time, a message popped up.

[Dimensional Mission [Monster Invasion] acquired.]

“Monster?!”

Suho dashed to the freezer.

A gigantic worm was screaming inside.

Because of that, the Dwarves on the wall trembled.

“It’s a worm. It’s a lowly creature, but its vitality is strong.”

Balryong informed Suho of the worm’s identity.

Quickly assessing the situation, Suho drew his Flame Thorn Magic Sword.

The worm was one step faster.

Ku gu gu gu—

It burrowed underground.

The earth rippled like blood vessels pulsating.

Wriggling, it traced a path toward the wall.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Suho stabbed the Flame Thorn Magic Sword into the ground.

Pook—

The sword tip pierced the soil and buried itself into the worm’s body.

‘Caught it.’

He could feel the resistance on the blade.

Suho thought he had stopped the worm.

But the situation developed differently than expected.

The worm writhed.

Resistance pressed against the sword tip.

Then the worm moved.

‘It’s moving even though it’s pierced? That means the body would be completely sliced through.’

Jijik—

As Suho expected, the worm’s body was sliced lengthwise.

It was a clearly severe wound.

Ku gu gu gung—

The ground shook violently.

The worm was moving actively.

“It originally had excellent regeneration, but since it’s infused with demonic energy, that wound will heal more faster.”

“Damn it.”

Because of its enormous size, even when its body was charred, the worm remained alive.

It fiercely pushed through the earth, advancing toward the castle wall.

‘Burning it alive is the best option, but…’

It was difficult to unleash Flame Strike repeatedly.

The flames would affect both the wall and the Dwarf village.

The best option was Balryong’s kill line, but the worm was underground.

“We have to drag it out from underground, but how…”

Suho’s mind raced rapidly.

That was when Balryong’s advice came through.

“Since it’s a burrowing creature, its eyes have degenerated, but its senses of touch and smell are sharp.”

Could sprinkling salt water on the giant worm kill it?

“Thanks, Balryong!”

Suho quickly pulled out the So-geum Lemon Spray.

He squeezed the lemon tightly toward the wriggling target.

The lemon extract was expelled.

Puchichichichichich—

The ground soaked in the extract.

“On Earth, it would be hard to soak the soil, but in that world, it should be enough.”

Its size caused severe distortion.

Just the extract could penetrate deep into the soil.

Suho’s prediction was correct.

“Kku e e e ek!”

The ground flipped as the worm’s head rose.

It was the sour taste of the lemon extract.

The worm’s sensitive senses were stimulated, and it shook its head as if about to flare.

“No need to let it wander.”

Suho reached out his hand.

Thunk.

The worm’s head landed into the palm of his hand.

“Come out!”

Suho pulled it toward him.

A heavy sensation came through his hand.

Kkieeek!

With a terrible screech, the worm’s body was pulled from the ground.

“Balryong, I’m counting on you.”

Suho grabbed Balryong’s neck with his other hand.

“I knew this would happen. You must pay properly!”

Balryong grumbled.

Though he said it like a complaint, he quickly unleashed his Breath.

Gwaururururur—

The dragon’s breath engulfed the worm.

Kkieeeek!

For a while, the screams echoed.

But the result was predetermined.

“Nicely cooked, Balryong.”

The worm’s movement completely stopped.

The demonic energy inside the worm melted away in the Breath.

“Done. Both the worm and the demonic energy have been completely dealt with.”

Balryong stopped his Breath and spoke.

Since they had started, better finish cleanly. Fire!

Suho pushed Balryong toward the remaining Horn boars scattered across the battlefield.

Balryong grumbled about the small number not being enough, but the Breath obediently fired.

Before long, the incineration operation finished neatly.

“I have run out of mana. Don’t call me until I’ve rested.”

“Understood. Thanks.”

“Hmph! There’s one more demon over there. Deal with it.”

Balryong collapsed on the cot, leaving one word.

Suho understood what Balryong meant.

‘By the presence of magic alone, it was even more intense than the worm.’

Suho hurriedly activated [Dimensional Sight].

The black energy-drenched figure was turning its back and rampaging.

It was Demon Joreubo.

‘Where do you think you’re going?’

Suho threw a Petrified Flying Dagger.

Peurak!

It hit.

Joreubo, stabbed in the back, collapsed onto the ground like a skewered meat.

The dagger was large enough to nearly sever its body.

Even so, Joreubo didn’t die.

“Gk-yuk—Damn it! Why is a freak like you here? What exactly are you?”

Joreubo shouted.

Even as the Horn boars died, they still had room to spare.

When the worm was mobilized, victory seemed certain.

But the sudden appearance of the giant hand ruined everything.

“And that dragon! Wasn’t that the Mad Dragon? What is this? What the hell?”

While Joreubo raged, Suho was equally surprised.

“Speak. Could it really be a Demon?”

He had thought the appearance was very human-like.

But it really was a Demon.

“So you can speak?

Then there’s something to do before killing you.

“Did you command the demons? Why did you come here?”

Suho asked.

No reply came easily.

“Grrrr—Kraaaak!”

Joreubo was unable to speak anymore.

The essence of demonic energy judged that Joreubo’s flesh was dying.

It drove his magic into a rampage.

Snap.

The lower half of his body finally fell off.

Black energy exploded wildly from his upper body.

‘Pfft, this won’t do.’

Suho gave up on conversation and unleashed Flame Strike.

Joreubo’s body was shredded and scattered.

The cluster of magic burned away in the flames.

The Dimensional Mission completion message popped up, but Suho’s mind was elsewhere.

He wanted to extract information.

Since he had met a speaking Demon, he intended to ask about the world below the mountain.

How it came here.

If it was operating as part of an organization.

If it had attacked other Dwarves before.

His curiosity was overwhelming.

But no information could be gained from a raging Demon.

‘Nothing I can do.’

While Suho sighed, chaos broke out on the wall.

All the Dwarves who had been sitting down stood up.

“Waaaaaahhhhhhh—!!”

They cheered.

“The Giant has defeated the worm!”

“He even burned the remaining Horn boars!”

“Awesome! He really tamed a Mad Dragon! This is the first time I’ve seen it!”

“Giant! We knew you’d come, hehe.”

The cheers reached Suho’s ears.

“They protected us… it should be enough.”

Relief replaced the lingering disappointment.

Suho waved toward the wall.

“Everyone, I’m glad you’re all safe!”

His voice was met with another round of cheers.

“Waaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh—!!!”

The loud shouts continued.

Meanwhile, the three Chiefs ran up.

“Giant, we knew you’d come!”

“We trusted you!”

“Sure enough, you easily took care of the problem!”

The three Dwarves bowed with bright expressions.

Suho responded with a cheerful voice.

“Good thing I wasn’t late.”

“Heh heh, we tried to hold them ourselves, but it was hopeless. Sorry for troubling you.”

“It’s alright, Tarunga. You gave the signal on time. We’ll bring more signal orbs next time, so use them immediately if something happens.”

Dalkong and Blton, who had been discussing timing, quickly joined in.

“We could somehow hold off the Horn boars, but when the worm appeared, it was pitch black in front of us.”

“Taming the Mad Dragon and firing Breath was truly an incredible sight. I believed in it, but I never thought I’d witness such a miracle with my own eyes.”

Blton was especially amazed, having seen Balryong for the first time.

Suho had something to ask Blton.

“Blton, should we repair the walls again? Need more steelwood?”

“There’s no section completely destroyed, so repairs should be possible with current materials. Just a bit more cement would be appreciated.”

“Got it. I’ll prepare it soon.”

Suho was about to withdraw.

There was a matter weighing on his mind.

‘The Dwarf World now has not only demons but also Demon. We need countermeasures. Especially…’

The worm was truly dangerous.

If they hadn’t gotten the So-geum Lemon Extract in time, the village would have suffered severe damage.

‘We also need to prepare against underground Monsters.’

The walls alone can’t defend against underground attacks.

‘I should ask Wilson about this.’

Suho had a good friend to share his worries with—a fellow engineer friend.