Chapter 198: It’s Incredibly Thick
What leapt out before them was a monstrous creature resembling a giant snake, its body coated in mud. Its black form was as thick as a telephone pole, stretching skyward like a towering spire. Though it appeared slightly smaller compared to the Magical Beast Sabnock, it was still large enough to swallow a human whole.
“Oh… Rest, it’s huge! Amazing!” Yuri exclaimed, pointing at the worm.
“Yeah, it is big… but a larger body means a larger target as well…” Rest replied, remaining calm as he gathered his magical power within.
“Everyone, step back… leave this to me!” Rest declared, facing the worm and raising his palm toward its massive body to cast his spell.
“[Wind Ball][Amplification][Compression][Acceleration]!”
The incantation resonated in a harmonious Quartet. He compressed the air, launching it like a bullet at high speed.
“GYAO!”
A thunderous crash echoed, reminiscent of heavy machinery colliding, as the worm’s body bent into a ‘U’ shape. A large hole had been pierced through its thick, elongated form. Though it hadn’t been completely severed, a stream of bluish-purple fluid gushed from the gaping wound.
“Whoa… what kind of magic is that?” Ostre exclaimed in awe.
“Of course, it’s Rest,” Yuri replied confidently.
“Hmm… naturally,” Ostre added, his surprise evident. Yuri and Ula nodded knowingly, but it was puzzling how Ula, who had never witnessed Rest in battle before, could understand anything.
“GYAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
The worm let out a furious roar, raising its head menacingly toward Rest. Its enormous maw aimed to engulf him, but Rest swiftly retaliated.
“[Firebolt]!”
“GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”
The Intermediate Magic struck, blasting into the worm’s mouth and igniting its insides. The creature writhed in agony, yet it showed no signs of collapsing. It seemed to possess a robust vitality, true to its colossal appearance.
“[Firebolt]!”
Another follow-up attack. Flames enveloped the worm’s body, intensifying with each moment. The worm attempted to dive into the swamp to extinguish the fire, but Rest wouldn’t let it escape. He unleashed yet another spell.
“[Firebolt]!”
“～～～～～～～～!”
With a final blow, the worm emitted a soundless scream, writhing weakly in the flames before finally falling still.
“I’ve defeated it,” Rest announced, scanning the surroundings for any other signs of monsters. There were none. In the end, it had been a brute-force victory. Relying on his Infinite Magic Power, he had relentlessly attacked until the creature was vanquished.
(That was a strategy lacking any semblance of finesse… but I suppose it doesn’t matter.)
There was no need to put on airs. It didn’t have to be elegant; winning was all that mattered.
“How about that? Rest is incredible, right?” Yuri said, puffing out her chest proudly at Rest, who had just defeated the worm.
“A worm, you say? He utterly crushed a dragon species monster!”
“Impressive… but still,” Ula said, shaking her head side to side.
Though Ula’s cheeks flushed with admiration for Rest’s prowess, she didn’t seem as excited as Yuri.
“Still. It’s not over.”
“Hmm…?”
“Children. Baby.”
“What do you mean!?” Yuri gasped, surprised by Ula’s brief explanation. What could possibly be causing such a commotion? Rest could only tilt his head in confusion.
“This worm is a child. There is a parent somewhere else,” the female attendant interjected, her voice flat. The implication was clear: Rest’s task was far from complete.
“A child… are you saying that this massive creature is in its larval form!?”
“Child… baby. Very thick,” Ula confirmed.
“Yes, as my lady says. The parent worm is more than twice this size. It surely won’t be easy to defeat,” the attendant added.
“…………!”
Rest was left speechless by the revelation. The problem had not been resolved; it seemed the real battle was just beginning. The confrontation with the worm in the vast Wetlands was still merely the prologue.