Rustle… rustle…
The sound of countless bodies scraping against stone filled the air, accompanied by the incessant squeaking of the underground worms.
Suddenly, from behind the surrounding boulders, a swarm of underground worms emerged, surging toward Orion and Rendall.
"Ha!"
Rendall let out a thunderous roar, swinging his spiked club in a wide arc. The worms were smashed apart with ease.
Orion, wielding his trident, swiftly dealt with the worms that Rendall missed, killing them one by one.
All the while, Orion remained vigilant, his eyes scanning the area. He was on high alert, wary of the massive terrifying spiked worm launching a surprise attack.
Rendall, too, was prepared for anything.
Roar!
A familiar, guttural roar echoed from behind one of the boulders. Orion's sharp gaze locked onto the source just as the terrifying spiked worm raised its grotesque head.
"So, it's you again!"
"What's down in that bottomless abyss? Not only did it survive the fall, but its strength has even increased?"
Orion's mind raced with questions. The terrifying spiked worm before him was the same one he had previously blasted into the abyss.
However, judging by its current state, it had clearly sustained significant injuries. It seemed that Orion and the thunderhawk's earlier ambush had been effective.
"Elder, don't let it get too close!"
"And watch out—its spikes can be launched as projectiles!"
As soon as Orion finished speaking, a sharp whooshing sound filled the air. Eight spikes shot out in a tight formation, hurtling toward Orion and Rendall.
Rendall reacted quickly, swinging his spiked club to deflect the incoming projectiles.
"Be careful, Elder!"
"If you get close, aim for its waist!"
Orion had noticed that the terrifying spiked worm's waist was severely injured, with most of the spikes in that area broken. It was likely a wound from their earlier ambush.
Orion kicked away a two-meter-long worm, leaping onto a nearby boulder to gain a better vantage point.
Whoosh!
Activating Titan's Rage, Orion's attributes doubled as he hurled his trident with all his might.
Thud!
The trident pierced deep into the terrifying spiked worm's body, eliciting a series of agonized screeches.
The worm roared at Orion before retreating behind the boulders, disappearing from sight once more.
Rustle… rustle…
The sound of the worm slithering between the rocks echoed ominously.
While Rendall continued smashing the smaller worms with his spiked club, the terrifying spiked worm suddenly lunged out from behind a boulder on the left, its massive jaws snapping toward him.
Rendall, having anticipated the attack, swung his spiked club in a wide arc, aiming directly at the worm's head.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
At the same time, Orion hurled three spears in rapid succession, each one aimed at the worm's gaping maw.
Boom!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The combined assault severely injured the terrifying spiked worm. Orion and Rendall had seized the perfect opportunity to strike.
Rendall followed up with another swing of his spiked club, spinning his body to deliver a powerful blow to the worm's injured waist.
Meanwhile, Orion advanced, throwing more spears as he closed the distance. Each spear struck true, causing the worm to writhe in pain and curl into a defensive ball.
The worm's curled posture significantly increased its defense. Two of Orion's spears were deflected by the spikes on its back.
Even so, the worm was clearly struggling.
Rendall's strike to its waist had nearly severed it, leaving the creature in a dire state.
Orion switched to his newly acquired trident and moved in for the kill.
But just as he approached, the worm suddenly uncurled, its massive, spike-filled maw lunging at him.
"Damn it! It was faking its injuries!"
That was Orion's first thought, but it was already too late to dodge.
As the worm's jaws closed in, a flash of blood-red light erupted from Orion's chest. The Abyssal dragon's fearsome maw materialized from the light, intercepting the worm's attack.
Roar!
The dragon and the worm locked jaws, biting and tearing at each other. Orion used the opportunity to leap back, putting some distance between himself and the creature.
Once he steadied himself, Orion's eyes burned with killing intent. He charged forward again, activating Swift Charge to close the gap in an instant.
With a powerful thrust, he drove his trident into the worm's head.
In the next moment, flames erupted from the worm's head, spreading rapidly across its entire body.
The terrifying spiked worm had been ignited by the Flame of Will's special effect.
"Fall back!"
Orion, Rendall, and the Abyssal dragon quickly retreated.
However, the dragon found itself in trouble—the worm had clamped its jaws onto the dragon's mouth and refused to let go.
With no other choice, Orion recalled the Abyssal dragon, which dissolved into a streak of red light and returned to his heart.
Just as Orion began to relax, he noticed countless smaller worms crawling out from the surrounding cracks, swarming over the spiked worm's burning body in an attempt to extinguish the flames.
To his shock, some of the worms burrowed into the terrifying spiked worm's wounds, seemingly repairing its injuries from the inside.
This bizarre and horrifying sight left both Orion and Rendall stunned.
"Is this thing unkillable?"
"It can heal itself by consuming its own kind?"
Orion's mind raced as he watched the scene unfold. Without hesitation, he summoned the Abyssal dragon once more.
"Abyssal Flame Bomb!"
At Orion's command, the dragon began charging its attack.
Meanwhile, Orion retrieved several spears from his birdbag and hurled them with all his strength.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three consecutive Abyssal Flame Bombs exploded, filling the fissure with smoke and fire. The terrifying spiked worm let out a series of anguished screeches.
But when the smoke cleared, the worm was still alive, its body writhing in defiance.
"Let's finish this!"
Orion, Rendall, and the Abyssal dragon charged forward together, determined to end the fight.
The remaining smaller worms, driven mad, swarmed toward the terrifying spiked worm in a desperate attempt to protect it.
"Abyssal dragon, eat it!"
Orion came up with a bold plan. The worm's seemingly endless vitality made consuming it the best option.
The Abyssal dragon lunged forward, sinking its teeth into the worm's head and tearing it off in one swift motion.
Crunch! Crunch!
The dragon chewed a few times, reducing the worm's head to pulp.
Orion noticed that the worm's heart was still beating. Without hesitation, he drove his trident into its chest.
Fwoosh!
Flames erupted once more, consuming the worm's body.
Orion pulled back his trident and signaled Rendall and the dragon to retreat.
As he withdrew his weapon, something came loose—a black, crystal-like object.
"Is this… a dark source crystal?"
The dark source crystal, extracted from the worm's body, seemed to be the key to its vitality. Without it, the worm's body went limp, its movements ceasing entirely.
The flames continued to spread, igniting the smaller worms that had gathered around the terrifying spiked worm.
Orion stood at the edge of the underground fissure, watching the inferno rage below. The acrid smell of burning flesh filled the air, and for the first time in hours, his tense nerves began to relax.