Chapter 64: My Parachute Wife
Liam and the six Lydias were aiming at the same spot.
In front of them, the Final Boss’s flesh walls continued to slowly regenerate.
Liam had something in mind, and he understood that they didn’t need to destroy the creature’s entire body.
What they needed right now was to make their way out—to escape from inside the creature.
Liam raised his pistol and aimed.
"Are you ready?"
The six Lydias smiled at the same time.
"Yes."
Liam took a deep breath and looked at the spot he had chosen.
"Fire."
He pulled the trigger.
BANG!
The gem bullet shot forward.
At the same time, six red beams emerged from the tips of the Lydias’ fingers.
[Laser Shot]
The six lasers struck the bullet, and the gem immediately absorbed their energy.
Its color changed.
It was no longer a simple glowing bullet. Instead, it transformed into a small red projectile that seemed to contain the full force of all six shots.
Liam’s eyes widened.
"It worked!"
The bullet pierced through the flesh wall.
ZZZZRAAAK!
A massive tunnel opened inside the monster.
The flesh burned around the projectile, and the smell of charred tissue filled the area.
The bullet continued forward, piercing through every layer of tissue between them and the outside.
Until finally, they could see the violet sky again.
Liam expected to hear a roar. He expected the boss to thrash around.
But nothing happened.
The monster’s body barely moved.
Liam blinked.
"Was that it?"
The walls around them began to close.
The flesh was regenerating, but something was different.
Liam watched carefully.
"It’s regenerating more slowly."
One of the Lydias nodded.
"Then it worked."
"Yeah."
Liam holstered his pistol.
"And now we need to take advantage of it."
He looked toward the hole they had created.
"We need to get out of here."
The six Lydias began moving closer together. Their bodies merged with one another until they once again became a small green sphere.
The slime quickly moved toward Liam.
[Lydia: Hold on.]
Liam barely had time to respond.
"What?"
One end of the slime stretched out and wrapped around his waist.
Another began extending toward the tunnel they had created.
Lydia’s body stretched farther and farther.
Until finally...
The end of the slime passed through the hole and reached the outside.
Lydia paused for a moment.
Then she pulled.
Her body suddenly contracted.
Liam felt as though he had been fired from a slingshot.
"WOOOOAH!"
Within seconds, the two of them shot through the creature’s body.
And returned to the outside.
◇◆◇
Liam opened his eyes and felt the wind hit his face.
"We’re out!"
But he immediately noticed something strange.
They weren’t anywhere near the sand.
The creature had emerged from the depths.
They were several meters above the gigantic ocean of sand.
And now they were falling.
"Oh."
Liam looked down.
"This is a problem."
Lydia transformed back into a small mass of slime beside him.
The two of them began to fall.
Liam turned his head.
Below them, the guild hunters were desperately attacking the underside of the monster.
Then he saw it.
All of it.
Liam felt a chill run down his spine.
It was some kind of gigantic worm.
Its body seemed to stretch hundreds of meters across the sea of sand.
Its skin was dark and covered in enormous eyes.
Dozens.
Hundreds.
Perhaps thousands.
Liam slowly opened his mouth.
"So..."
He looked toward the violet sky.
"Those were the eyes."
Those enormous shapes he had seen the first time he had accidentally fallen onto this floor.
He had thought they were moons.
But no.
They were the boss’s eyes.
For some reason, it hadn’t attacked them the first time they had been there.
Lydia appeared in front of him in the form of a small green ball.
A message appeared before Liam’s eyes.
[Lydia: Are you okay?]
Liam looked down.
"I’m perfectly fine."
[Lydia: I have an idea for this fall.]
Liam smiled.
"I trust you."
Lydia’s body began to expand.
First, she wrapped herself around Liam’s torso.
Then several tentacles coiled around his arms and legs, keeping him securely in place.
Her body stretched out above them.
It became wider and flatter.
Until it took the shape of a gigantic parachute.
Liam felt their falling speed decrease.
"It’s working!"
Lydia gently fluttered her gelatinous edges.
Liam smiled.
"Your idea works."
[Lydia: I told you to trust me.]
"I always do."
The two of them looked toward the sky.
It was a deep violet.
Sand floated all around them as if it were an ocean suspended in the air.
Below them, the giant worm dove back down.
Its enormous body disappeared beneath the sea of sand.
BOOOOM!
A gigantic wave of sand erupted.
Several hunters had to move out of the way to avoid being hit.
Lydia watched the scene.
[Lydia: Do you think they’re going to fine us for coming in here?]
Liam let out a small laugh.
"Probably."
[Lydia: And do you think they’ll do something worse to us?]
"I don’t know."
Liam looked down.
"But we have something more important to do right now."
He pointed toward the monster.
"We have to help our comrades."
[Lydia: Okay.]
The two of them continued slowly descending.
◇◆◇
On one of the platforms suspended above the sea of sand, several hunters prepared their weapons once again.
Some had been injured.
Others could barely remain standing.
But none of them could afford to rest.
The giant worm had disappeared again.
And they all knew it would return.
Evan drew his bow.
Don Rouch held his golden spear.
Amber watched the sea of sand.
And, a few meters away from them, a man wearing dark sunglasses stood on another platform.
His black trench coat moved with the wind.
His expression clearly showed his annoyance.
He was the first to notice the figures slowly descending from the sky.
"The rookies made it out."
Amber looked up.
"What?"
The man pointed upward.
Liam and Lydia were slowly descending over the sea of sand.
"It’s your fault they came here."
Don Rouch let out a laugh.
"Our fault?"
The man in the sunglasses crossed his arms.
"Yes. You’ll have to take responsibility afterward."
Don Rouch smiled.
"I don’t think it’s fair to blame them."
"And what do you suggest?"
"That you remember you’re also a guild sub-captain."
Don Rouch raised his spear.
"We’re all responsible for what happens inside a dungeon."
The man grimaced.
Amber finally intervened.
"Wayne."
He turned toward her.
"What?"
"They’re the rookies who helped me on the floor below."
Wayne looked up again.
Amber continued.
"Don’t underestimate them."
Wayne remained silent.
"They’re capable of surprising you."
Don Rouch smiled.
"They already did."
He looked toward Liam.
"Especially that kid."
Wayne didn’t respond. He simply watched.
Liam continued slowly descending.
Lydia remained transformed into a kind of parachute, keeping her husband secured with several tentacles.
Liam, meanwhile, surveyed the battlefield.
The hunters were reorganizing themselves.
Some were raising their weapons, while others were searching for better positions.
And below them...
The sea of sand began to move.
Liam narrowed his eyes.
"It’s coming back."
Lydia noticed it as well.
[Lydia: What do we do?]
Liam smiled.
"First, we land."
He looked at his pistol, then at the gigantic ocean of sand.
"And then..."
He loaded another gem bullet.
"...we’re going to show them that we’re not just simple rookies."