Chapter 24 — What Lies in its Wake

Editors: PROCRASTINATOR & GREETER

 

[???’s POV]

 

I stand before Father once more.

 

“My child, I have an assignment for you. Find the one who created that worm and crush them.” (Father)

 

“Yes, Father.” (???)

 

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆

 

[Ei’s POV]

 

We began our investigation! It seems we can get anywhere from seven small copper to five gold coins for information… Well, let’s get started. We’re starting with the corpse, or what’s left of it at least.

 

“Halt! Who goes there?” (Guard)

 

Why do the guards always say that?

 

“We’re B rank adventurers looking to gather information about the worm attack. Could you let us through please?” (Ei)

 

“More adventurers? Fine. Don’t do anything stupid.” (Guard)

 

We moved passed the guard and climbed the rim of the crater… holy shit.

 

Spanning out in front of us was a crater easily the size of several football fields across. The ground was lined with cracks of molten lava. Despite the night having passed, the air was still oppressive. Lying in the center were two charred halves of a worm and a gaping hole where the rest of its body is.

 

“I knew the damage was massive, but this is insane…” (Ei)

 

“I don’t like this place, and neither does Vadina. Let’s try to make this quick.” (Luna)

 

“Eh? What’s the problem? The whole world used to be like this, ya know? Ya get used to it after a while.” (Kurui)

 

“Not everyone’s like you Kurui…” (Ei)

 

“You don’t have the right to say that Ei. You break reality more than they do.” (Luna)

 

“True.” (Ei)

 

Taking special care to avoid the lava flows, we slowly made our way to the corpse. I’d rather not fall into the lava, you know? I mean, I could probably go for a swim in it because I think my regeneration is just that stupid, but it sounds rather painful. 

 

Nearing the corpse, the scale of the worm really made itself present. Lying on its site split in half it still would tower over a single story house. 

 

“So… how do we investigate the corpse exactly?” (Ei)

 

“You could try tracing the worm’s residual magical signal as I did!” (Nadia)

 

Huh. Nadia is here too.

 

“That’s a good idea! I’ll try that! Also, where’d you come from?!” (Luna)

 

“I was just investigating the area when I saw some friends! Do you mind if I join?” (Nadia)

 

“Nah. Feel free to join.” (Ei)

“Yay!” (Nadia) (A/N: Is it just me or is the word “yay” kinda lackluster?) (P/N then write a better one)

 

As I have no idea how to trace “residual magical signals”, I’ll just look over the corpse physically… Not like that will help. Oh wait, what’s this? Some sort of rune? 

 

“Ei! Luna! Nadia I guess too! Get over here! I’ve got something important to tell y'all.” (Kurui)

 

I wonder what it is. Well, I can use this opportunity to talk about the rune thingies. 

 

“So, does everyone here know what the Cult of NULL is?” (Kurui)

 

“Yep.” (Ei)

 

“Yes!” (Luna)

 

“T-the Cult of NULL? I-I do.” (Nadia)

 

“Good. That saves me some explanation. Well, I’ve found a lot of residual Primordial Energy on this thing. It is expected there would be some as it is a primordial sandworm, but the current levels are closer to if it had been alive not dead. In addition to that, the digestive system seems altered. Normally these worms would feed on Primordial Energy yet this one seems to be producing it.”

 

“And how does this relate to the Cult of NULL exactly?” (Nadia) 

 

“It aligns with their goal of turning the world to Primordial Energy. So, there’s a high chance that the Cult is behind this, meaning that this mission just got a whole lot more dangerous.” (Kurui)

 

“Great… the Cult of

NULL again… Please tell me it won’t be as bad as last time.” (Ei)

 

“Well, that depends on the scale of the operation. I have a feeling that a Cardinal was involved with this one though…” (Kurui)

 

“You mean like that guy that sacrificed himself?!” (Luna)

 

“Exactly. But this time, they may be either weaker or stronger. Either way, a Cardinal should not be taken lightly. Even the weakest of theirs should be stronger than the archbishop you killed.” (Kurui)

 

“Well that’s just great.” (Ei)

 

“Please slow down for a moment. You killed an archbishop and a Cardinal of the Cult of NULL?” (Nadia)

“Well, the Cardinal killed himself…” (Ei)

 

“How exactly are you only B rank adventurers?” (Nadia)

 

“You’ll get used to it once you’re around us long enough.” (Luna)

 

“Wow. You actually included yourself this time.” (Ei)

 

“I’m not delusional enough to think I’m normal!! Unlike SOMEONE!!!” (Luna)

 

Did I ever say I wasn’t at least slightly delusional? Well anyways, I should probably mention the runes.

 

“Well, I found something too.” (Ei)

 

“Oh? And what is that?” (Kurui)

 

“There were a bunch of runes all over the body. They were kinda hard to make out though.” (Ei)

“There are? I did not find any runes.” (Nadia)

 

“Nope. They’re definitely here. Very faint though, seems they were drawn with the blood of some Primordial spirits.” (Kurui)

 

“Hmmm… It seems you are right. They are barely visible. How did you manage to notice that?” (Nadia)

 

It’s definitely not because I’m a vampire. 

 

“Luck?” (Ei)

 

“““...””” (Everyone else)

 

“Anyone know what they do?” (Ei)

 

“Nope! Kurui?” (Luna)

 

“I’m not too familiar with NULL’s teachings… they seem like theirs but I don’t know what they do.” (Kurui)

 

“Uh.. I believe I know…” (Nadia)

 

“Oh? Do tell.” (Kurui)

 

“Well, I am not quite certain; however, this rune looks like the one that nullifies things.” (Nadia)

 

Isn’t that what all of NULL’s stuff does?

 

“I believe it is specifically to dispel things. It looks like an antimagic field rune mixed with a physical protection rune.” (Nadia)

 

“I suppose it does. Well, that’s that!” (Kurui)

 

“So, what now? Should we report back or take a look at the giant gaping hole?” (Ei)

 

“I have not looked at the hole yet.” (Nadia)

 

“Let’s take a look then, shall we?” (Ei)

 

The hole is actually not as deep as it looks. There’s a platform of burnt flesh a few hundred feet down. I wonder how far the worm’s body goes. I mean, a worm that could swallow several houses at once must be ginormous. 

 

“Alright everyone, get ready to jump!” (Ei)

 

“Jump? Have you lost your mind? We would fall to our deaths.” (Nadia)

 

“I’m sure that we’d survive the fall, or I would at least. But I prepared a spell. [Create Aerofluid]!”

 

“What kind of spell is that?” (Nadia)

 

“One I made myself. Now then, jump!” (Ei)

 

I’ll go first of course. Taking a running start, I leap off the edge. I made sure not to run so fast that I jumped the hole though. I freefall for a bit then begin to slow down as I hit the cushion of densified air I created. Hmm… I guess this breaks more laws of physics than I expect now that I think about it.

 

“Hurry up slowpokes!” (Ei)

 

Luna makes it down second and Kurui is third. Again. Nadia is the last and seems a bit hesitant, but she makes her way down.

 

“Ewww…!! The ground is all squishy!!!” (Ei)

 

The sound it makes sends shivers down my spine… Thankfully, I have an innovative solution. Simply walk on solidified air.

 

“Okay everyone, jump on the count of three. One, two, three, jump! [Create Aerofluid]!” (Ei)

 

With everyone off the ground, I solidify the air. Now there will be no squelching. I made sure to coat the entire corpse floating, so hopefully there won’t be any squishing.

 

“What have you done, Ei?” (Nadia)

 

“I made a layer of air solid above the ground so it won’t squish.” (Ei)

 

“How is that possible exactly?” (Nadia)

 

“Don’t question Ei’s logic. She breaks logic at least once every few days.” (Luna)

 

We continued to explore the bottom half of the worm… Well, it isn’t really a half. More like the majority of the worm. We continued downwards seeing nothing we hadn’t seen already: weird NULL runes, oddly changed patches of burnt flesh, lots of Primordial Energy, and a few patches of it where it was really dense. 

 

We made sure to stay far away from those dense patches. Luna and Nadia started feeling funny just being near it. I felt nothing oddly enough. Kurui didn’t either, but it makes sense for them.

 

Eventually, we reached a new section. Unburnt flesh. How pleasant. There was practically a river of acid now, probably part of the worm’s digestive systems. The worst part was the smell. Rotting flesh is bad, but now add yesterday’s lunch in. What did these guys even feed the worm?! None of these things look like normal monsters! One has squid tentacles and a lion’s head, the next has the body of a snake but it has bat wings on it!!

 

“Well. this is going to be fun.” (Ei)

 

“Yeah…” (Luna)

 

Well, we must press onwards! The first obstacle is an acid river that for some reason goes onto the roof!

 

“Wow. The worm is already throwing us obstacles. And it’s dead.” (Ei)

 

We managed to jump over the river using little bits of flesh as stepping stones. God, I hate the squelching noises so much. If I could, I would burn this entire corpse and make sure none of it remains.

 

Suddenly, a bunch of green blood blasts through the walls! Gah! I wanna drink it so badly!! Ugh this is what I get for trying to ration the blood I have left saved. Wait, what’s that white thing coming out of the hole? (P/N Gross)

 

“Haha! It seems the worm’s immune system finally noticed us! Get ready for a fight, lassies!” (Kurui)

 

We have to fight white blood cells now? Why are they the size of a car?

 

Well, let’s take care of this massive blob of cytoplasm as quickly as possible. I materialize my glaive while Luna draws her swords. Kurui summons their whip sword and Nadia pulls out a crossbow from her back.

 

The cell makes the first move, somehow floating in the air it charges at Kurui.

 

“Ha… Foolish little cell!” (Kurui)

 

Kurui swings their whipsword around them, slicing the cell in half as it charges through them.

 

“Don’t let your guard down. These things act like oozes, you need to break down all the nuclei in the cell to kill it!” (Kurui)

 

Well this is wonderful. Fire it is then. Before I can cast though, Luna runs up to one of the halves and slashes it through with her Frostbite. That actually seemed a bit effective, as the two halves (or quarters I guess) now have two icy scabs on them.

 

I guess I should use ice then?

 

While I was deciding what to do, Nadia shoots some sort of firework from her crossbow and blows up the other half Kurui left. It seemed effective at first, but now there’s 64 little blobs running around on the ground. Wonderful. Well, time to end this.

 

“[Freezing Aura]!” (Ei)

 

I try to concentrate on just hitting the cytoplasm sacks, but it’s a bit difficult. My control isn’t the greatest, but I managed to freeze over the 64 little blobs and shatter them. Take that you stupid cell!

 

“Nicely done, Ei! Well, I’ll take care of the last two halves.” (Kurui)

 

I wonder how Kurui will do it. I don’t think I’ve seen them use magic.

 

“[Arms of Insanity].” (Kurui)

 

[Arms of Insanity], huh? Funny choice.

 

A bunch of dark hands burst out of the ground and grab the cells. Some hold the the cells in place and the others draw back. They then slam through the cells’ skins and they writhe on the ground before the hands pull out 64 purple orbs and crush them.

 

“Was that dark magic?” (Ei)

 

“Yep. Seemed like a good spell for the situation.” (Kurui)

 

Hmm… maybe I should try dark magic. I have a strange feeling I’d be good at it. *sigh* Travelling through this worm is going to be a real hassle, huh?