Chapter 918: Earth Region 2.
Alec and his golem trekked through the sandy expanse, the wind whipping grit into their faces until Alec finally wrapped a cloth over his mouth and nose.
The swirling sand made every breath a chore.
Though this desert-like region lacked the crushing environmental pressure that could hinder most elemental mages, except perhaps those without an earth affinity, however, it was still far from an ideal place for a leisurely stroll.
However, that was about to change, Alec’s eyes were set on a distant, towering mountain range, a landscape starkly different from the endless dunes.
He believed that if he could reach those peaks, he might encounter the earth-elemental demonic beasts he was searching for, and that was where he was heading for.
But before he could get any closer, the ground beneath him began to shudder violently, the tremors grew so intense that Alec’s brow furrowed in alarm.
“Master, something’s approaching at high speed,” Legion reported first, its heat scanner detecting a powerful surge of energy rushing toward them.
Yet, despite the warning, nothing appeared ahead.
Alec’s gaze shifted skyward, but the heavens were empty just as he predicted because he didn’t believe any creature could possibly hide its shadow under the blazing artificial sun that lit the sandy wastes.
That left only one possibility, the threat was coming from beneath them.
“It’s underground! Spread out!” Alec ordered, but the command came a heartbeat too late.
Sheiiirrrkkk!
A piercing shriek split the air as a colossal caterpillar-like monstrosity erupted from below, its countless blade-like legs slicing through everything in its path.
The system spirit’s body reacted instantly, darting away in a swift blur, but Hive Queen and Hunter were caught off guard by its appearance.
In an instant, the creature’s jagged limbs tore deep into the Hive Queen’s midsection, she had narrowly avoided being cleaved in two, as she flinged her hands back and fired a web toward Saint, anchoring them to his handguards.
Without a word shared between them, Saint understood her intent instantly, as he twisted his hands around the Hive Queen’s sturdy silk, then yanked back with force, dragging her out of range of the caterpillar demon’s whirling blade-like legs as it continued to heave itself from the ground.
Hunter wasn’t as fortunate, he had to sacrifice his entire right arm to escape the deadly sweep of the demonic Caterpillar beast.
The demon had capitalized on its ambush; though it failed to kill any of the golems, however it had been able to disable two opponents in a single strike.
While some retreated, others surged forward to meet the rising monstrosity head-on, this was due to them being positioned more advantageously when the caterpillar had emerged and they were also quick to react, Legion, Alec, Titan, Oni, and Butcher moved to intercept.
Legion and Alec were the fastest, though Legion had the edge, his scanner had pinpointed the exact emergence point, and he lunged from the rear, with his laser spear driving forward with lethal precision.
As Legion targeted the creature’s armoured plating, Alec went for its exposed underbelly, he sprang upward with the aid of a gravity ring, he had manipulated beneath his feet to rebound himself higher into the air, then he landed lightly on Butcher’s shoulder.
Using Butcher as a springboard, he launched himself forward, right hand extended like a blade, but he wasn’t finished
[> Mid Tier Spell – Earth Drill. <]
Earth elemental particles swirled in the air, condensing around his arm to form a rotating, stone-coated weapon.
The moment the earth encased him, it began to spin at high speed, ready to bore straight through flesh and armour alike.
The spiralling mass grew rapidly until Alec wielded a fully formed earth drill in his hand, driving it straight into the caterpillar demon’s body.
Whhheeezz.
The drill’s menacing whir shifted to a strained wheeze as it bit into the demon’s flesh, failing to bore deeply into the thick hide.
Alec could already feel the creature’s hot, fetid breath washing over him, but before its attention could fully lock onto him, Legion’s strike hit from behind.
Legion drove his laser spear into the caterpillar’s back carapace, but only a harsh scraping sound followed as the unyielding armour repelled the blow, the recoil snapping his right arm back.
Without hesitation, his left hand moved deftly, with a massive handgun already assembling from the Nano chip components in his left hand guard.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three thunderous shots echoed, but even Legion was surprised to see nothing more than shallow scratches marring the demonic beast’s shell.
“Shierrrk!” The caterpillar’s metallic screech rang out in fury.
Even a mere scratch had provoked it, and it whipped its massive tail around, smashing into Legion and hurling him through the air.
Fortunately, Magnito was there to catch him mid-flight, halting his momentum.
Alec, meanwhile, kicked off the demon’s body, retreating as the rest of his golems spread out to give it space.
Rooooaaar!
The beast’s deafening roar shook the ground as its upper body fully emerged, thousands of bladed legs shot outward in a deadly wave, however the golems were prepared.
Defensive formations snapped into place, and Alec took shelter behind Titan, who raised an ice wall in front of them.
“Intruders!!!” The caterpillar demon’s first words grated like metal grinding on metal, its aura flaring violently as all twelve of its eyes locked on Alec and his golems.
“What the heck is that?” Alec blurted out, re-evaluating the demonic beast before them.
After all, despite their coordinated a
mbush, the most they had managed was to leave a few shallow scratches.