Chapter 185

“Here, we stand at a crossroads of choice.”

We were now peeking at something massive hidden within the rocks, revealed on the surface. It was a creature with a mouth so large it could easily swallow a person whole.

The rough, scale-like covering its body resembled more of stone or ore than actual scales. Even if you tried to mine it with a pickaxe, it seemed the pickaxe would break first.

Basking in the sunlight as if enjoying a sunbath, it opened and closed its large mouth, twisting its body here and there. It was a struggle to soak up as much sunlight as possible.

“Throwing away our words or using bait to fly away would be quieter.”

No matter how you looked at it, this was no ordinary monster. The Princess, seeing it, spoke with a somewhat tense expression.

“That’s a Death Worm, one of the most dangerous among the monsters.”

Chancellor Adolf of Citadel, whom Roka and I had connections with, had borrowed this monster from the Demon King. It was the same monster that had nearly annihilated the main forces of the Citadel Kingdom.

When I had various conversations with Chancellor Adolf, I had heard stories about the Death Worm.

At that time, I never thought I would face it directly, but the story was so intriguing that I didn’t forget it. I remembered it well.

I heard that the speed at which this massive creature could burrow into the ground was astonishingly fast. Once it did, even a Master couldn’t deal any damage to it. The earth itself became a massive shield protecting it.

It only surfaces when it wants to attack, feeling the vibrations above ground, and then it can unleash its attacks freely. Between its carapace, red orbs like eyes occasionally caught my attention.

This time, Lady Kisea whispered. It seemed she also knew about the subterranean monster, the Death Worm.

“Each of those red, eye-like things is a firing port. Once stimulated, it shoots fireballs from every hole. No matter how many brave warriors there are, it’s useless. You can’t drive away a firestorm with courage alone. Everything turns into a sea of flames.”

“Lady Kisea, didn’t you say we were escaping with your clan through this path? Then it would be better to take it down now.”

It’s a creature that detects vibrations and surfaces. Normally, it hides underground, so we were lucky to find it.

It’s unusual for it to come out for a sunbath. Usually, you wouldn’t even know it was there until it suddenly appeared and launched a surprise attack.

“I’d prefer that too. If we encounter that thing while leading the clan to escape, it would be dangerous in many ways. But wouldn’t it get noisy if we try to fight it?”

“If both options are risky, we have to choose the less dangerous one. Can we pour out maximum firepower and kill it before it causes a commotion?”

“I’m not sure. Its body doesn’t look like it’s made of ordinary material.”

Both the Princess and Lady Kisea seemed unsure. Indeed, that thing looked tough. It seemed like even a sword wouldn’t pierce it, and its mere presence gave a psychological sense of pressure.

“Sunset Slash could cut it.”

Roka confidently shouted. However, she soon looked at the sword she was carrying and drooped her gaze.

“If only I had the Moonlight Blade. This sword is too poor; it might break if I try to cut it.”

In the end, it’s uncertain. Whether we can kill it or not depends somewhat on luck. Even if the three of us attack it once, if we can’t kill it, then we’re essentially defeated.

Defeat means failing to achieve our goal. It would cause a massive commotion, and our infiltration would no longer be an infiltration.

But if we avoid the fight, the problem is we don’t know where we’ll encounter this creature next. Other monsters are large enough to see from afar and avoid, but the Death Worm, being a subterranean monster, can’t be detected until it’s almost upon us.

“We need to decide before it finishes its sunbath. Should we vote?”

At my words, the three looked at each other and whispered. But eventually, they reached a conclusion.

My opinion wasn’t important. The three of them agreed perfectly.

“Let’s kill it.”

“Let’s exterminate it.”

“Let’s cut it down.”

We quickly agreed to take it down swiftly and pass by as if nothing happened. Everyone took up their weapons and began to build up their momentum. No matter how you looked at it, the Death Worm was too dangerous a monster.

“It’s a creature that can launch surprise attacks at any time and turn the Capital into a sea of flames. It’s a threat to the Empire’s security, so if we can take it down now, we should.”

I agreed with the Princess’s words. Right now, it looks like a harmless creature enjoying a sunbath, but it has already proven otherwise in Citadel.

If it so desires, it can invade a city at any time and cause astronomical damage. This has already been proven by the Phoenix.

Even if there’s a risk of causing a big commotion, it’s better to take this creature down here and now. Once it burrows underground, it’s hard to get another chance.

*****

“Ahhh…!”

An old woman wailed, tears streaming down her face. Around her, people with perked ears gathered, their expressions filled with shock.

“Ahhh, of all times, why did this happen when the Queen is away?!”

In fact, the commotion had already begun. The body of a Griffin that had fallen from the sky was discovered by a patrol. Since this large thing wasn’t particularly hidden, it was easy to find. It was just there, in plain sight.

“Speak up. Did you do this?”

A fox woman with a drooping tail shouted at the Hydra from a distance. They had the marks given by Epirna, so the Hydra just glanced at these small creatures. Instead, it flicked its tongue, showing its displeasure.

It had indeed taken a few bites out of the Griffin’s body. So, the body was full of the Hydra’s tooth marks.

It was impossible to determine the cause of death; the body was completely shredded. It was a total mess.

“Elder, let’s calm down first. The Queen has already said that monsters killing monsters under the Demon King’s orders is impossible.”

“But then who did this to the Griffin? At least we need to find the culprit. If we can’t even do that and return, we’re all dead!”

This monster wasn’t Epirna’s but one she borrowed from the Demon King. Everyone knew how much she adored the Demon King.

The self-proclaimed Beast King would surely blame herself for disappointing the Demon King with this incident. Self-blame is one thing, but the problem is that the fallout could definitely reach us.

Epirna kills her own kind indiscriminately. Even though the foxes are now under the protection of the Tiger, that’s precisely why they fear the Tiger even more.

Their influence is entirely backed by Epirna. If Epirna decides, the foxes could end up in the execution ground.

They might even be stripped naked and fed to monsters. At the very least, they needed to find out who did this. That way, they could prove they were more useful than monster food.

“If not a monster, then it must be a Master-level being. And it’s definitely the work of an outsider.”

“Could it be an insider? Why would a Master-level outsider have any business infiltrating our kingdom?”

“Is there anyone among us who could do this to a Griffin?”

The foxes grumbled. In the Beastman Kingdom, the only outstanding strong one is Epirna.

There are no Master-level strong ones here, unlike in the small Citadel, which had three. The reason is simple: Epirna wouldn’t allow it.

The number of Masters is directly related to national power. Most countries hope for many Masters to emerge for national defense. But the Beastman Kingdom is too poor for any country to invade.

The Empire, which can’t even develop its own land, has no reason to invade a place teeming with monsters. Harmail doesn’t even glance at the Eastern Plains.

With no external threats and monsters as a deterrent, there’s no reason to tolerate another Master. Reaching the level of a Master in the Beastman Kingdom now is akin to challenging Epirna.

How is that any different from asking to be killed? The surveillance is so strict that those with the ability to escape have already fled. Those remaining mostly lack the capability or talent to become Masters.

“If it’s an outsider Master, what can we do even if we face them?”

“Elder, should we really keep chasing the culprit? With our strength, we can’t handle such a person. No matter what, it’s better to report to the Queen first and receive further instructions.”

Of course, there are no Masters among the fox tribe either. No matter how fast and nimble the foxes are, they can’t bridge the essential gap in power levels.

With their strength, tracking down someone capable of killing a Griffin is no different from seeking their own death. It’s truly a dilemma.

“That makes sense. Alright, even if it means enduring great anger, we must report first. Everyone, spread out and inform our comrades. Tell them to be more vigilant and strict, or even switch to the highest alert status.”

Judging by the opponent’s strength, whether the grunts switch to the highest alert or lazily drink and sleep, it makes little difference. The Eastern Plains are vast with a sparse population, making it an ideal place for infiltration.

The weather is also unpredictable; a clear sky can suddenly turn foggy with frost. No matter how wide you open your eyes, if a cold wind blows, you have to close them again.

Even knowing it’s just a formality, they had no choice but to do it. At least they had to show they were making an effort.

The foxes were very good at this. Just appearing to handle things well could help them avoid Epirna’s wrath.

This is called skill, and without it, survival in the Eastern Plains is very difficult. The foxes are already seasoned survivors.