Ch.7575. Free City of Lachburg (4)

And so, time passed quickly.

Days went by gathering supplies for the Cave Worm Extermination Squad, acquiring carriages to transport them, and occasionally eliminating approaching cave worm detachments, perhaps to test their strength.

And then…. the day of the extermination squad’s departure.

“Druid, thank you for your help last time and again now.”

“Yes. ….But could you drop the honorific? We’re both silver-rank, so it feels a bit awkward when you address me so formally.”

“Haha, understood. I’ll be more casual then.”

Inside the carriage carrying silver-rank adventurers, I was conversing with a male adventurer who would be joining this extermination mission…. someone I never expected to meet in such circumstances.

He was an adventurer I had encountered recently during my duel with the Wandering Knight.

Though it might sound like hindsight, his name was Adolf—a male adventurer who felt grateful to me for taking his side during that argument.

He had crossed into this empire with his party members, and somehow we ended up meeting again unexpectedly.

At that time, he had been wearing a helmet so I couldn’t see him clearly, but now seeing him in person, he was a sturdy man with angular features.

Not only was his entire body protected by thick enchanted plate armor, but his shield and hammer themselves rippled with purple magical energy.

He and his companions, all four of them looking like considerable veterans even at first glance, were set to accompany us on this extermination mission.

The archer, with slightly pointed ears suggesting mixed elven heritage, served as both bowman and scout.

Using his training and skills as a scout, he could navigate the dangerous otherworld interior relatively safely, and in combat situations, he could certainly pull his weight with his arrows.

Additionally, this warrior’s group included a mage—quite rare among adventurers—whose flame-red hair matched her exceptional skill with fire magic.

Given fire magic’s characteristics of having excellent offensive capabilities despite being difficult to apply in subtle ways, there was no better talent for exterminating swarms of incoming insects.

Besides Adolf, there was another warrior—a “barbarian,” a unique type of fighter who carried a massive battle axe wielded with both hands. After practicing together beforehand, he had shown performance beyond expectations.

Thus, our balanced intermediate party, including myself and Sophia, had practiced together before the actual mission, allowing us to reach agreements on how to act and fight inside the otherworld…

“It seems we’ve arrived.”

“…Good. Let’s move, everyone.”

While I was lost in thought, the carriage finally reached our destination—the entrance to the Cave Worm Nest.

※ ※ ※

The “Cave Worm Nest” otherworld, strictly speaking, isn’t very sophisticated as otherworlds go.

To begin with, cave worms as a species are quite distant from magic and mysticism, being more “animal-like,” and furthermore, how much mystical energy or magical concentration could there possibly be inside an artificial tunnel that became an otherworld?

Therefore, unless they’ve made their nest in a natural cave, the quality of otherworlds formed by cave worms can hardly be called impressive….

Originally, the real reason why “Cave Worm Nests” are dangerous has little to do with otherworld effects.

The complex structure can make you lose your way within minutes of entry without a skilled tracker or scout.

And the cave worms, strengthened by being in their nest, could emerge from anywhere within this complex interior.

In this complicated environment, the worms receive the otherworld effect of “enhanced mental network connection between individuals,” strengthening their coordination abilities.

Additionally, the combat power of cave worms created to protect their nest cannot be overlooked.

Their frontal exoskeletons are thick to facilitate fighting in relatively narrow passages, and they can crawl freely through tight corridors or complex structures, maintaining a low posture that allows them to move along walls and ceilings.

Moreover, cave worms have various specialized types.

Commander worms that allow these creatures to move like a trained army rather than a herd of beasts, and ranged attack worms with scorpion-like tails that fire poison stingers are just the beginning.

There are specimens that shoot acidic solution from their mouths like flamethrowers using internal acid sacs, and even cave worms that function as living traps.

Therefore, to eradicate these tunnel worms, a “small elite force” with powerful breakthrough capability is the most effective means…

[No enemies, advance!]

[Okay.]

[Got it.]

[……..]

‘……..Understood.’

Our temporary party, consisting of myself and Sophia, plus Adolf’s party—six silver-rank adventurers in total—satisfied this condition and began quickly descending into the depths of the otherworld, eliminating anything that blocked our path.

Using my magic, I granted everyone “Dark Vision” to see in darkness as if it were daylight, and Adolf’s party’s mage used her learned magic to allow party members to communicate telepathically.

Thanks to this, we could share opinions without speaking even during busy combat situations, making our teamwork quite good despite this being our first time fighting together.

[Hyup!]

-───CRACK!

First were the two warriors at the front. The two who rushed forward first in combat situations were directly demonstrating why mid-level or higher warriors who handle aura make up the majority of nobles in this world.

-Whoosh───BOOM!!

-CRACK! CRACK! CRUNCH!!

Adolf crushed approaching enemies with his round shield and hammer that emitted purple shockwaves, while the barbarian swung his massive two-handed axe to deal with the occasional special specimens that appeared.

-Swish! Thunk! Thunk!

With the scout-archer freely moving between positions and firing aura-imbued arrows, the power of these three alone was more than enough to handle low-level worms.

However, while warriors would never be defeated, they weren’t suited for killing all the seemingly endless waves of worms.

Rather…. if one had to name such a suitable person, it would be the mage who was hovering flames above her hand.

[Burn! Incinerate! Bright red flames!!]

As the mage, whose hair had begun to burn, chanted with a voice tinged with madness, the storm of flames emanating from her fingertips instantly reduced hundreds of worms blocking our path to ashes.

The immense heat contained in the flame storm instantly burned through their exoskeletons, consumed their internal moisture, and cleanly reduced their flesh to ash.

All that remained were a few handfuls of gray ash and charred, half-crumbled lumps of coal scattered about.

Of course, Sophia and I weren’t just standing idle—we cast healing magic and used spells to strengthen the warriors. Though we were conserving our magical power somewhat, we were still contributing.

After advancing like this for some time…

[I sense something ominous ahead.]

‘We sense it too. ……..Four mid-level ones.’

Our temporary party, which had been advancing relentlessly forward, reached the deepest part of the “Cave Worm Nest” otherworld, and some of us could detect four mid-level worms waiting in the vicinity.

Judging by the even stronger life force sensed further back, there was no queen among these mid-level worms. Then, the identity of these four mid-level worms was obviously the escort specimens protecting the queen.

Four mid-level worms we had never seen before. The unknown combat methods and unconfirmed combat power made us think we needed to deal with these four first somehow…

[Druid, I have a suggestion.]

[What is it?]

[Well………]

Around that time, Adolf, the leader of the four-person adventurer party, proposed his idea to me.

The entrance and passage currently guarded by those mid-level worms was quite narrow, whereas we druids could demonstrate our proper combat power in the wider space beyond, in the queen’s spawning chamber.

So, he suggested that the two of us infiltrate the interior.

[……..Is that possible?]

[The diviner… confirms it’s possible. We can do it.]

[Then that approach isn’t bad.]

[I agree.]

[……..]

The deliberation was brief but substantial, and the conclusion was unanimous.

For the breakthrough, we both mounted Robo and Astra respectively, while the other four charged toward the four insects ahead, deliberately making their presence known.

“”””UOOOOOOOO───!!!””””

With everything in place, as the narrow corridor began to gradually intensify with the sound of clashing weapons—

‘───Now!’

As soon as my signal dropped, we quickly rushed through the corridor toward the passage on the opposite side.

“”””……..?!!””””

The worms guarding the passage tried to move somehow to block us, but thanks to the adventurers led by Adolf desperately holding them back, we were able to reach the queen without any interference…

Arriving at the spawning chamber, the two of us finally encountered the master of the “Cave Worm Nest.”