Chapter 172

Chapter 172: Predatory Colony

"Panted… panted…"

"Heave—!"

The leader of the tactics squad strained violently, shoving aside rubble pinning him down. His powerful physique and magically-enhanced armor enabled him to heave off the massive stone crushing him.

Technical officer Icarus remained unharmed—shielded under the "Chosen Champion" leader like a chick beneath its mother.

"Cough… cough…"

"What happened?"

Instead of explaining, the leader seized Icarus and hurled him sideways!

"Ah!"

The technical officer screamed as another Chosen Warrior concealed in a nearby rock fissure caught him securely.

"Protect the technical officer!"

The Chosen Champion roared.

These seemed destined to become his final words.

For…

"Screech—!"

A monstrous worm lunged forward!

"Crunch—!"

Its colossal mandibles snapped shut around the Chosen Champion.

Any ordinary warrior would’ve been devoured instantly.

But the Chosen Champion represented the finest of elites.

"Urgh—!"

Though grievously wounded, divine energy surging within him shielded his body from fatal damage.

His hypothalamus—augmented by holy power—frantically secreted divine-altered "sacred adrenaline," supercharging his muscles and reflexes for lightning responses.

"Shing—!"

His power spear instantly extended laterally in his grip.

"Clang—!"

"Skree—!"

The weapon jammed between the giant worm’s upper and lower jaws, blocking its bite.

Yet this defense couldn’t hold.

"Rooooar—!"

The enraged worm bellowed and jerked violently!

"Boom—!"

"Ah!"

The power spear and the Chosen Champion were thrown to the end of the tunnel and crashed hard against the wall.

"Huff… cough, cough…"

"Beast… beast…"

The Chosen Champion of Blazing Fangs looked up at the huge underground worm slowly coming closer.

"Damn it…"

"Even with the divine power’s help, I couldn’t beat the weakest god… or even one that isn’t really a god?"

"Huff…"

"Fine…"

"The technical officer must have gotten away safely with his comrades covering him by now."

"So, I haven’t failed my duty."

He sighed, ready to meet his end.

"Returning to the Divine Throne."

"It’s the honor of every Chosen Warrior."

"But I won’t die lying down!"

"Fight! Fight to the last breath!"

The Chosen Champion got to his feet.

"Thud!"

He raised the power spear, staring down the scary underground worm.

"Come on, ugly monster!"

"Yah—!"

"Long live the Giant God!"

But just as he started his hopeless charge…

"Huh?"

The Chosen Champion stopped dead.

Because the awful underground worm began shaking nervously.

He even caught a terrifying smell from the powerful beast!

"What’s going on!?"

Actually, he saw the answer when he glanced up.

"Drip… drip…"

From the tunnel roof, a golden, sticky goo was dripping slowly down, sticking to the underground worm.

"What is this…"

"What is happening!?"

The Chosen Champion looked back along the tunnel ceiling and saw the entire roof covered with this "sticky" substance.

"No…"

"They should be called living things!"

"Because…"

"They were hunting!"

"Dodge!"

The Chosen Champion stowed his power spear and rolled sideways into a narrow crevice.

"Roar!"

"Crash!"

The instant he moved, the underground worm’s massive head slammed down where he’d stood. It writhed in agony, shrieked in terror, thrashing wildly across the ground.

Nothing helped.

Neither the crushing rock walls nor the worm’s desperate bites affected the golden "sticky creatures."

They dripped like jelly from above, eating through the worm’s skin, dissolving its flesh and organs while summoning more of their kind, growing larger!

"Sizzle!"

The worm released one final despairing howl—its last sound in this world.

Soon…

"Hiss…"

"Squelch…"

Golden liquid completely enveloped the creature, hungrily digesting its flesh.

Within ten minutes, nothing remained of the worm.

But the creatures weren’t satisfied…

"Slosh…"

They flowed like liquid toward the Chosen Champion.

Exhausted and wounded from battle, the Champion couldn’t fight back.

The golden jellies surged forward!

"Splash!"

They engulfed the Champion!

…

The tactical team advanced through the deep tunnel with Icarus, their technical officer.

Worried eyes scanned the darkness.

“Captain!”

“Captain!?”

They were searching for their tactics leader.

About half an hour had passed since the captain vanished.

The golden “jelly” flowed away like a tide, retreating through the cracks in the rocks.

Then, the rest of the squad dared to come out and look for their captain.

They held little hope.

After the attacks from the underground worm and the “golden jellies,” even the powerful chosen captain might not have survived.

But…

“Thump… Thump… Thump…”

The chosen captain walked calmly from deep in the tunnel, carrying the power spear.

“Captain? Are you okay?”

“Captain?”

The Champion took off his helmet, showing a face with no scars, looking even younger than before.

“I’m fine.”

“I feel better than ever.”

“See…”

“Hey—!”

He swung the power spear hard.

Then…

“Boom—!”

A huge rock split right in half!

“They are holy creations of the Giant God!”

“I can feel they share the Giant God’s emotions, a strong hate for chaos, and…”

“Mercy for mortals!”

“Those sacred things healed me and fixed my body deep inside.”

“I not only healed my wounds but got stronger than before!”

Then, he knelt toward where the “golden tide” had gone and prayed.

“Great is the Giant God!”

The chosen warriors with him and Icarus, the Technician, also knelt.

“Great is the Giant God!”

But these surviving warriors didn’t know the “golden tide” gave off a feel like the Giant God.

In their “nature,” they were a bit like the Giant God—always hungry!

“Glug, glug, glug…”

The golden jelly stuff spread out along the Giant God’s path.

Some kept moving through Valaharl’s deep tunnels, hunting other underground worms.

Some started to settle, taking energy from the “Primal Mud” near the Crystal Walls and growing ear-shaped parts; their threads wrapped around the Crystal Walls inside, making them stronger.

And some…

“Splash—!”

They swam out past the Crystal Walls.

These brave ones drifted in the Sea of Ether, looking for food to feed them.