CHAPTER 23: A DUEL WITH THE QUEEN ROCK WORM

I had previously felt an unpleasant atmosphere similar to this.

　As soon as I remembered, I found out what was hiding deep in the forest.

(……) (Toru)

　“I’m sorry”, I wanted to say those words, but I couldn’t,”*

(SubZero:* I don’t understand this sentence.)

“What the hell is that?” (Esther)

“Esther… please move further away from me.” (Toru)

“Is it a monster?” (Esther)

“Yes.” (Toru)

　I say that she should keep herself calm, but I myself was not calm, I fixed my expression to seem more calm. [1]

“Because it will end soon” (Toru)

　I escaped from ‘it’ before without fighting ‘it’.

　I know that during that time I had no chances of winning against ‘it’.

　But not now.

　I am more experienced and stronger than before. I also know magic this time.

　Certainly, my strength has increased.

　Just maybe….

　Is it possible for me to win now…? Of Course it is!

“Toru? Why are you laughing?” (Esther)

“…Hmm…?” (Toru)

　After being pointed out by Esther, I put my hand over my mouth.

　I noticed that the edges of my lips were pointing up.

　I was never able to laugh and smile in this situation while I was still living in Japan as a salaried worker.

　I typically would have turned tail and tried to escape, with a pathetic expression.

　But not now.

　I was laughing while trying to confront a strong enemy.

　Was the cause the soul transfer or is it from Lid’s body?

　-Or the [Magic Sword]? [2]

　The skill imbued within it is just plainly named < Harvest >, plus the good sharpness that even rocks are easily cut. There are probably no disadvantages to this sword.

　I started to wonder if the [Magic Sword] is changing my soul.

　After thinking about it for a while, I knew that there are no ways to change my skills.

　At least I have no idea how. I may never even want to.

　Then it’s too late. The only way is to accept it and live by adapting.

　I don’t think there was something wrong with this choice.

　In any case, I would have not survived without obtaining the [Magic Sword]. It was quite essential. Then the path I took to survive is not a waste.

　In front of me, the sound of trees falling can be heard.

　I only think about this battle.

　From deep in the forest, a giant body releasing miasma appeared.

“…Did you follow me?” (Toru)

　It was the queen of the rock worms I saw in the cave.

At the moment when the queen appeared, I used a large amount of < Strength Enhancement > on myself and plunged into the fray.

“-Shh!!” (Queen Rock Worm)

　A flash appeared on the queen’s body.

　It was my attack, which had hit the queen but only made a shallow cut.

“Haha! Take that!” (Toru) [EN: He only told Haha! But, I added a Take that! To add more character into his words, it feels like he’s super excited]

　That’s it? Huh.

　I can feel the difference in strength between me and that Monster. [EN: He says Queen, but i changed it to monster]

　If this was an oversight, how disappointing.

I laughed at my sense of < Intuition > and the toughness of my body.

　In the next moment.

　The queen swung its body while I was unprepared.

　I was blown away from being hit on the side, receiving the shock of being hit by a truck.

　With a violent smash, I hit a pile of logs.

　The impact made the pile collapse and crush the me underneath it.

“Toru!!” (Esther)

　Esther shouted in a shrill voice I had never heard before.

　It seemed that me being hit like that is a big deal.

　However, even with such an attack, I only felt a little bit of pain.

　This is thanks to enhancement magic.

“…My turn.” (Toru)

　I, who was convinced of my strength, grinning widely, immediately activated spells with < Chant – less Casting >.

“< Fireball > < Waterball >” (Toru)

“< Rock Needle > < Air Cutter >” (Toru)

　If it were against normal monsters, the spells would be quite lethal.

　However, it was not a fatal blow to the Queen Rock Worm.

　Still, the Queen can be seen writhing and wriggling in pain.

　Did it instinctively feel that it would take damage one-sidedly and be killed if it stayed from a distance? I thought as the queen charged towards me.

　It’s not like a normal rock worm. It possesses amazing speed.

　However,

No matter how fast, if the body is huge. It is just a large moving target

　I cut the logs without hesitation and quickly changed my posture.

　Then, I intercepted the queen’s charge with my [Magic Sword].

　It resulted in the sword tearing through the skin easily.

“Piguar!!” (Queen Rock Worm)

　Did it feel life-threatening pain for the first time in its life? A high-pitched scream from the Queen reverberated through the forest.

“You have no time to recover after being hurt.” (Toru)

After waving the [Magic Sword], I immediately continued to pursue the Queen.

　While slashing with the sword I cast < Rock Needle > from under the queen’s belly simultaneously.

　I aimed at the bottom of its belly because I thought it was the softest part of that Thing.

Every time the < Rock Needle > hits, a sickening sound can be heard. I don’t know if there is any damage. However, regardless of the result, I continued to use the < Rock Needle >.

　Counter. Intercept. Counter.

　Always shooting spells and moving around the opponent’s blind spot.

　I was overwhelming a monster many times his size.

　All thanks to my non-attribute magic.

Without < Muscle Enhancement >, I can’t beat the gargantuan queen, no matter how sharp the [Magic Sword] is.

　I slashed at the queen continuously at the same spot. Soon a yellowish fluid began to flow out of the wound. The blood of a rock worm. The blood kept pouring out until it slowed down.

　Still, the queen’s fighting spirit does not decline.

　Detecting the spells that I threw at it, the queen concentrates its defenses on its abdomen.

　At first, it received a < Rock Needle > but now it twisted its body and I can barely see any damage.

　When the queen focuses, it seems that its defense power is improved.

　While battling, the opponent is learning gradually.

　How fun.

　I activated a spell with all my might.

　The Queen who felt a sign of magic getting activated turned its attention to its abdomen.

　Seeing that, I smiled.

” < Fireball > ” (Toru)

　Toru fired at his opponent’s wound and shot a fireball brimming with mana.

　Boom! < Fireball > flew with a boom as it crossed the speed of sound, and swallowed the queen in an instant.

“Piguar!!” (Queen Rock Worm)

　The queen, who was prepared for the attack from under its belly, could not react to my Fireball.

　The high-temperature flames, which should have been repelled by the hard outer skin, enters through the wound and burns the body from inside.

” < Fireball >! ” (Toru)

“Piguar!!” (Queen Rock Worm)

　One additional shot.

” < Fireball >!! ” (Toru)

“Piga-Gabot!!” (Queen Rock Worm)

　One more shot.

　After three shots, a scream came from the Queen’s mouth, and a flame rose.

　The flame that spreads throughout the body burns the Queen. Just after the last shot, the Queen approached me. But that was the last.

　The Queen curled up and fell to the charred ground. [1 → 3]

“How… Queen Rock Worm!?” (Esther)

　Esther was ready to die when the monster appeared.

　The Queen Rock Worm is a monster that can be safely defeated only by a party of rank C adventurers.

　The hardness of its carapace is of a different level compared to a normal rock worm. The way of fighting is the same as the rock worm, it charges while boosting its defense.

　Still, the status values are different.

　Both speed and strength are exceptional compared with normal rock worms.

　In fact, Esther was confident that she could dodge a rock worm’s attack, but the Queen’s attack seemed impossible.

　Rank E adventurers against Rank C demons. The difference in ability is so large that it is impossible to win.

　Unlike a rock worm with rank D danger. This should not be at a level where you can win if the attack lands.

　“How can Toru fight easily against the Queen Rock Worm?”, thought Esther

“Is Toru really a ‘lost’ person?”

　A lost person is a weak individual, a person that can unmistakably be called “inferior”.

　In the history of Eargard, this has never been an exception.

　However, Tour defeated the hordes of goblins almost by himself, learned magic easily, and succeeded in < Chant – less Casting >.

　Toru continues to overturn the common sense of “lost” people.

　Esther’s common sense is also continued to be overturned.

　Toru skillfully uses his opponent’s attack to counter and inflict more damage. At the same time, he is also driving magic into the queen’s belly.

“Who can fight like this…?” (Esther)

　Esther felt like she was dreaming in the middle of the forest.

　Her common-sense kept on clashing with reality. However, the reality was merciless and kept shattering her common sense.

“I thought it was strange, but…” (Esther)

　Esther was convinced.

　(He is not a person who can be considered an ‘inferior’ person.) (Esther)

　Toru successively damages the queen. The blood of the Queen flows continuously from the deep wound.

　Focusing on the wound, Toru shot off the < Fireball > in quick succession.

　It was as if it was a < Fireball > that contained absurd amounts of mana like the advanced fire magic < Flare >.

“…Wow” (Esther)

　Toru defeated the queen, who can only be subjugated by a group of C-ranked adventurers, alone without any serious injury.

　Witnessing reality, Esther had no other reaction but to be shocked.

It was an exciting reunion between Toru and the thing he met in the cave.