The battle aboveground quieted down, but Lux and the other Kobolds didn't move from their location.
They only kept their senses at their highest state as they listened to their surroundings. Cadmus waited for fifteen more minutes before slowly crawling out of the hole with his weapon at the ready.
The Draconic Kobold poked his head outside the hole and scanned the surroundings with a critical eye. Only after making sure that the coast was clear, did he make a gesture for his comrades to come out of the hole, and see for themselves the outcome of the battle that had lasted for an hour.
Lux frowned after leaving the hole. The ground was dyed in blood, and nothing else was left behind. Usually, when Dungeon Monsters died, their bodies would turn into particles of light, leaving only their Beast Cores, as well as their Monster drops, behind.
The stench of blood was so strong that it was making Lux and Eiko feel uncomfortable. They had been into battlefields before, but this incredibly thick scent of blood was strong enough to make Lux gag.
"Come, Diablo," Lux ordered and his Named Creature appeared wearing the Blackrock Legacy armor.
The Skeleton Rider looked at his surroundings before his armor glowed crimson. Diablo had activated the skill of his armor, Blood Fervor.
The blood that littered the ground was all being sucked by Diablo's armor, giving it an eerie crimson hue. It was as if the Harbinger of Death had ascended from Hell, in order to collect the souls of the fallen.
Cadmus as well as the other Kobolds frowned after seeing this scene. Diablo's strength that was originally only at the Rank 2 Monster Rank, was starting to feel like something that belonged to a Rank 3 Monster.
Although it wasn't a threat to most of them, they found this discovery rather interesting, making them look at the Skeletal Rider, whose entire body was covered from head to toe with a black-plated armor that had suddenly turned crimson due to the blood around it.
As the blood disappeared, so did the scent it left behind. Lux wasn't new to battles, but too much blood was still too much blood. He may be able to endure it to a certain extent, but it still made him feel uncomfortable.
The Two Goblin Shamans chanted and summoned their spirit animals. One of the spirit animals that appeared was a black crow, while the other was a ferret.
A minute after they appeared, the two Monsters moved towards the Labyrinth, in search of a safe path that they could travel.
"Eiko, summon Blackie and Whitey," Lux ordered before summoning his Skeleton Monsters. "Go and explore this place."
The Skeletons nodded and headed in different directions as well. Diablo stayed behind in order to guard Lux because the Half-Elf felt that his Skeleton Fighters, and Skeleton Grand Archers were more than enough to investigate the surroundings.
Cadmus, and the other Kobolds frowned, but they didn't say anything.
"Undead Magic is such foul magic," one of the Kobold Shamans said. "I haven't seen a Necromancer since the day I was born."
"There's a first for everything," Lux replied while shrugging. "Ah, to be fair, I'd never seen any Kobolds until I met you guys. The world is such a big place. The more we know, the more we know we don't know."
The Kobold Shaman nodded. "True. The world is a big place."
The discussion came to an end, and everyone remained inside the cavern where they had made camp. After what had happened, they were not in the mood to randomly wander around the labyrinth.
They didn't really have a destination in mind, and were just wandering around aimlessly. Because of this, they were fine with Lux sending his Skeletons to help scout for them.
Suddenly, while the other Kobolds were discussing what they were going to do next, a powerful and deafening roar made them turn their heads to one of the entrances of the cavern they were staying in.
"Get behind me!" Cadmus roared as he reverted to his original size. His primal instinct told him that the monster that was approaching them was stronger than him.
It was then when they saw the Monster, holding several Skeleton Fighters in his hands.
Lux's expression instantly became grim as another notification appeared in front of him.
—--
< Indus Death Worm >
– Monstrous Giant Worm
– Wandering Boss Monster of the Outer Grotto of the Forbidden Guardian
– Rank 5 Boss Monster (Pseudo-Deimos Rank)
Health: 1,600,000 / 1,600,000
Mana: 200,000 / 200,000
Strength: ???
Intelligence: ???
Vitality: ???
Agility: ???
Dexterity: ???
Defense: 1000
Skills: Corrosive Acid Spray, Rending Jaws, Tail Smash, Crunch, Bind, Bull Rush, Dig
Passive: Double Life, Jade Skin, Tough Carapace, Guts, Regeneration
Title: Tunneler, All-Hearing.
– The Indus Death Worm was one of the two monsters that destroyed the ancient civilization that had once thrived underground for hundreds of years.
– Usually, it stays dormant and spends its days in hibernation. However, when a Dungeon Outbreak breaks loose, it wakes up from its slumber and devours all the Monsters that dared to wake it from its sleep.
– It will, also, mercilessly attack any intruders that dare to intrude upon its Domain. It was said that only Rankers were able to defeat this Beast, due to its incredible strength.
'What the F*ck?!' Lux cursed internally after seeing the monstrous stats of the giant Monster that was in front of him. Although it still hadn't stepped into the Deimos Rank, its level was very close to it.
The red-headed teenager didn't expect there to be a Wandering Boss Monster inside the dungeon, and it filled him with dread.
The Half-Elf knew then and there that it was impossible to defeat the Monster due to its overwhelming strength. Even with Cadmus by their side, fighting against it was pure suicide. Perhaps, Cadmus knew this as well, which explained the grim expression on his face.
In front of a Deimos, a Rank 5 Monster was merely food.
This was the thought that passed through Cadmus' head as he remembered the words that the scholar of the Kobolds had told him. Although he knew that this was true, the Monster that he was facing against was only at the Pseudo-Deimos Rank.
He believed that as long as the enemy wasn't of the Deimos Rank, he could beat it. But his belief shattered because he was certain that even before he managed to decrease the monster's life by half, he would definitely be dead.
"Run!" Lux shouted. "It's impossible to win!"
As soon as Lux shouted, the head of the monster turned in his direction. The Indus Death Worm was blind and only relied on sounds and strong vibrations on the ground. Since the Half-Elf's shout caught its attention, it decided to make Lux its target instead.
'Oh f*ck!' Lux thought as the monster's enormous head charged in his direction.
Although he wanted to evade, the monster's speed far exceeded his. He could only watch helplessly as the giant maws of the monster came crashing down, while the Kobolds, that were supposed to protect him, stood rooted in their place.
