Burrowing Worm

Burrowing Worm.

An insectoid monster that lived in the southern regions. It was about five feet wide (1.5 meters) and could grow up to thirty feet long (10 meters). It possessed tremor-sensing abilities and could detect faint vibrations within sixty feet. Burrowing Worms had a pair of massive mandibles capable of biting through trees and tearing into prey. Their bodies also produced powerful acid that inflicted corrosive damage on enemies. They looked like giant insects, with six to twelve slender legs tipped with sharp claws.

At the same time, Burrowing Worms could launch a deadly Acid Spray attack at their enemies. If the target failed to resist the acid's damage, they would die on the spot!

Even if they survived by luck, they would still suffer extremely severe corrosive injuries.

That was not even the deadliest part.

What was more deadly was that Burrowing Worms were small pack creatures. Most moved in groups of two to five. They preferred fresh meat, but they were also scavengers.

These creatures tended toward neutrality and rarely attacked proactively unless they were hunting.

But if one considered you food, then you were in an extremely dangerous situation!

Burrowing Worms were not very numerous.

They were mainly active in the southern regions and lived only in specific geographical environments. Unless something happened, Burrowing Worms rarely left their territories. There were practically no Burrowing Worms in the north, because they liked damp, loose soil. The northern ground was too hard from the cold and simply unsuitable for their survival. (Creature Traits!)

That was also why the caravan guards had been unable to identify the Burrowing Worms!

"Leave this place first!"

Soren looked around and said gravely, "These monsters lurk underground. It is very difficult for us to spot them first."

"Nobody split up!"

"Burrowing Worms can sense our footsteps. They love picking off isolated prey!"

A piece of information surfaced in Soren's mind. It was the challenge data for Burrowing Worms:

"Burrowing Worm Pack (Tier 3)."

"Challenge Rating 8, Creature Level 10, possesses Acid Spray ability."

"Highest attribute: 20 points. Lowest attribute: 10 points. Total attributes: 80–90 points."

"Special Specialization: Acid Spray, Corrosive Damage, Bite Attack."

"Challenge Difficulty: B+."

The Burrowing Worm's Challenge Rating was even higher than that of an Abyssal naga, because these creatures appeared and disappeared unpredictably, could burrow through the earth, and always emerged several at a time.

They had once been the professional killers of many adventurers!

If a small adventuring party was attacked by them, the first round of Acid Spray alone could kill members of the group.

Dealing with these worms required strong 'Search' and 'Listen' abilities.

Otherwise.

You needed the 'Wilderness Survival' skill to determine their location, so you could avoid being ambushed.

Soren cautiously backed away.

The others seemed to realize the seriousness of the situation as well. They drew their weapons and retreated outward.

"Burrowing Worms."

"Aren't they supposed to be rare?"

Soren carefully observed his surroundings while focusing on the movements underground. Has the Burrowing Worm Rampage Incident already been triggered?

"Damn it!"

"I killed these worms before, but I really never paid attention to when they went berserk."

"Or who completed the quest afterward!"

Around this same period.

Many major events had happened in this world, including the Skinning Incident, the Scion Uprising, the Ancient Red Dragon, the Giant Migration, and so on. Soren simply had not had the energy to pay attention to something as minor as a Burrowing Worm rampage. If the major events that had occurred one after another were graded, the Skinning Incident was B-rank, the Scion Uprising was A-rank, and the emergence of the Ancient Red Dragon was an A+-rank special event. As for something as minor as a Burrowing Worm rampage, it did not even rank E+ among incidents.

Unless such an event happened to occur nearby, making it convenient for him to get involved, learn about it, and complete the quest.

Otherwise, very few people would deliberately pay attention to them.

However.

Burrowing Worms were a very rare insectoid species.

Though dangerous, they also possessed astonishing value!

Their shells were extremely hard and lightweight. If a highly skilled blacksmith (300 points in smithing) worked on them, a Burrowing Worm shell could be crafted into armor equivalent to full plate, while weighing only one-third as much. In many places, a set of Burrowing Worm armor could be worth three thousand Gold Dalers.

Even selling the materials outright could bring in six to eight hundred Gold Dalers!

But.

Only highly skilled blacksmiths would buy them. They were useless to anyone else.

Burrowing Worm shells could only be crafted through special enchanting methods, and completed Burrowing Worm armor had to be custom-fitted. So, if one could not find such a skilled blacksmith, the only option was to remove the Burrowing Worm's head shell. That was a natural +1 shield, with decent defensive power and corresponding acid resistance.

If they could kill a Burrowing Worm, the profits might be even greater than killing a naga!

"Hiss!"

A strange sound suddenly came from the ground. As Soren and the others retreated, they saw a huge bulge rise from the grass beside the road. Then, a monstrous giant worm burst out of the earth. It opened its jaws and lunged, biting down on a horse. In an instant, it bit off the horse's head. Blood erupted in great torrents, leaving only a dead horse with its head separated from its body on the ground.

What terrifying bite force!

Soren's pupils contracted as he swiftly ducked behind a large tree.

Burrowing Worms could use Acid Spray once a day. For low-level Professionals, it was a killing move with power comparable to the spell Acid Arrow!

Several caravan guards nearby also dodged away and pulled out heavy crossbows to fire.

"Cover me!"

The guard captain roared, yanking the longsword from his back. His body seemed to grow larger, veins like earthworms bulging across his thick arms as his skin turned red from excessive blood flow. At his roar, another caravan guard rolled on the spot, raised a small round shield before his chest, and loaded a special crossbow bolt.

"Berserk!?"

Soren's gaze sharpened. "A Northlands barbarian?!"

Boom.

A faint explosion sounded. The moment the bolt struck the Burrowing Worm's body, it exploded.

The Burrowing Worm immediately turned its head toward that caravan guard. A series of clinks rang out. Aside from the explosive bolt, all the other bolts bounced off its carapace, with only a few striking places not protected by shell. As mentioned before, a Burrowing Worm's carapace was equivalent to full plate armor, so its frontal defense was at the same level. Ordinary bows and crossbows were useless against it; only strikes to vital points could deal effective damage.

--"Acid Spray!"

A mass of thick, dark-green liquid spewed from the Burrowing Worm. The caravan guard rolled away in a panic, but some of it still landed on him. The small round shield in his hand was easily corroded, while the acid splashed onto his arm rapidly ate through his Leather Armor. Streams of green smoke rose from his flesh.

The caravan guard screamed in agony, gritted his teeth, drew his weapon, and cut a chunk of flesh from his shoulder!

--"Heavy Cleave!"

The guard captain's eyes gradually turned red. His bones crackled loudly as he gripped his longsword in both hands and leaped forward, soaring five meters into the air before chopping down at the Burrowing Worm's head!

Clang!

The sound of metal striking metal rang out.

The Burrowing Worm let out a shrill hiss of pain and rammed forward while shaking its head. The guard captain twisted aside to avoid its fangs, then thrust backward with his sword.

The blade pierced a patch of vulnerable skin, and a dark-green fluid gushed from within.

"A Tier 3 warrior/Northlands barbarian!"

Soren had not expected the seemingly unremarkable guard captain to have a Professional Level above ten. He spun his scimitar once in his hand, then rolled out from behind the tree and rushed forward from the side, circling around the Burrowing Worm's line of sight. The Burrowing Worm had already used Acid Spray, greatly reducing the danger it posed to Soren. As long as he avoided its fangs, even taking one or two hits would not be fatal!

How could he miss the chance to claim Slaughter Experience at a time like this?!

"Throw me a crossbow!"

Soren let out a low shout. A nearby caravan guard reacted quickly and instantly tossed over the heavy crossbow in his hands.

Whoosh!

Soren's fingers moved so quickly they became afterimages. In an instant, he loaded the crossbow and fired a bolt into the Burrowing Worm's gaping mouth.

"Attack its lower jaw."

He tossed aside the fired heavy crossbow, gripped his scimitar in one hand, and charged forward. As he passed the Burrowing Worm, he abruptly bent his knees and slid beneath it, carving a two-foot gash across the skin on its front with his scimitar.

Clang!

The guard captain still held the Burrowing Worm's attention from the front. A pair of lower claws raked across his chest. Fortunately, he was still wearing Leather Armor, so they left only a shallow bloody mark.

"Roar!"

A savage roar echoed out as the guard captain gripped his longsword and chopped down fiercely, severing the Burrowing Worm's limbs on one side.

After darting past the Burrowing Worm, Soren planted one hand on the ground, rolled to his feet, and did not pause in the slightest. He actually stepped onto the Burrowing Worm's back to gain momentum before leaping up. The upright Burrowing Worm stood nearly five meters tall, as high as a single-story building, with half its body still buried in the soil. Soren drove force through his legs and sprang high, then gripped his scimitar with both hands and stabbed straight down beneath the Burrowing Worm's head!

"Die!"

Dark-green blood sprayed out, and a searing pain flared across Soren's arm.

The Burrowing Worm's huge body began to tremble, sway, and struggle, sending dirt flying everywhere. But Soren did not retreat in the slightest. Instead, he clamped its head tightly between his legs to maintain his balance and leverage, then gripped the hilt of his scimitar with both hands and twisted hard! His expression was slightly ferocious. Splattered blood fell across him, and some of his clothes had already been lightly corroded.

Boom!

A dull crash sounded.

The Burrowing Worm gave one final frantic struggle before its massive body collapsed.

Soren finally loosened his grip on the scimitar and lay on the ground, gasping heavily. His arm was covered in mottled bloody marks, and parts of his flesh had already been burned by corrosion.

"It's finally dead."

He took a breath and stood up. Only then did he notice that, while riding atop the Burrowing Worm's head, his thigh had been cut open by the sharp edge of its carapace. The wound was half a foot long, and blood was pouring from it in streams.

The battle had been brief.

Because a fight to the death could never be dragged on until one's strength was exhausted!

A caravan guard came over to support the swaying Soren, then took out some ointment and applied it to his wound. "Are you all right?"

"Take your clothes off first!"

"That liquid is highly corrosive. The master will treat you later!"

One seriously wounded, two lightly wounded.

After catching his breath, Soren tore off a strip of cloth and roughly bandaged his thigh. Then he said, "We leave now!"

"Burrowing Worms live in packs."

"There should be other Burrowing Worms nearby. Our battle has already alerted them!"