Bursting from the mud directly in front of them was a monster resembling a colossal serpent.
Its black torso was as thick as a utility pole, and as it reared up to pierce the heavens, it looked like a living tower. While it appeared somewhat smaller than the Magical Beast Subnock, it was still more than large enough to swallow a human whole.
"Whoa... Rest, it’s huge! That’s incredible!"
"Yeah, it’s big... though a large body just makes for a bigger target."
Yuri shouted while pointing at the Worm. Without letting her words rattle him, Rest calmly refined the mana within his body.
"Everyone, get back... leave this to me!"
Rest aimed his palm at the Worm’s torso and invoked his magic.
"Windball! Amplification! Compression! Accelerator!"
He triggered the spells as a Quartet. The atmosphere was compressed into a bullet and discharged at high velocity.
"GYAO!"
With a heavy thud reminiscent of a collision between heavy machinery, the Worm’s body buckled into a "V" shape. A massive hole had been gouged into its thick, elongated torso. While the blow hadn't severed it completely, bluish-purple fluids erupted from the gargantuan wound.
"Oh... What incredible magic!"
"Of course it is. This is Rest we’re talking about."
"Mm... natural."
Ostray let out a cry of shock, while Yuri and Urula both nodded with knowing expressions. Yuri was one thing, but Rest wondered what Urula could possibly know, considering this should have been her first time seeing him in combat.
"GYAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
The Worm let out a scream of fury and lunged its head toward Rest. It opened its massive maw to swallow him whole, but Rest immediately launched a follow-up attack.
"Fire Bolt."
"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
The burst of Intermediate-tier magic surged into the Worm's mouth and down into its gullet, incinerating the giant creature from the inside out. It writhed in agony, yet it showed no signs of collapsing just yet. True to its appearance, it possessed a tenacious vitality.
"Fire Bolt."
Another strike. Flames enveloped the Worm’s body, the inferno growing more intense by the second. The monster tried to dive back into the marsh to extinguish the fire, but Rest wouldn't let it escape. He unleashed one more spell.
"Fire Bolt!"
"—————!"
The final blow landed. The Worm let out a silent, strained shriek, thrashing feebly within the flames before finally falling still.
"It’s down."
Rest swept the area with his detection magic, but he sensed no other monsters nearby. In the end, it had been a victory of sheer force—the result of a relentless bombardment fueled by his Infinite Mana.
(There wasn't a shred of elegance in that tactic... well, whatever works.)
He didn't feel the need to show off. Even if it wasn't smart or stylish, a win was a win.
"See? Isn't Rest amazing?"
For some reason, Yuri puffed out her chest with pride as she looked at the fallen Worm.
"A Worm, was it? That was a total victory against a Dragon Species!"
"Amazing... But, not yet."
Urula shook her head slowly. Her cheeks were flushed from watching Rest’s battle, but she didn't seem as swept up in the excitement as Yuri.
"Not yet. Not finished."
"Hm...?"
"Child. Baby."
"W-What!?"
Yuri let out a cry of surprise at Urula’s brief explanation. Rest could only look on in confusion, wondering why they were making such a fuss.
"This Worm is a child. There is a parent elsewhere."
As if unable to remain silent any longer, the female attendant interjected. Her flat voice delivered a chilling reality: Rest’s job was far from over.
"A child...? You mean that massive thing was just a Larval Form!?"
"Child... baby. It’s... very thick."
"Yes, it is as the Lady says. The Parent Worm is more than twice that size. I expect it won't be defeated so easily."
"…………!"
Rest was left speechless by the revelation. The problem hadn't been solved at all; it seemed the work had only just begun. Their battle against the Worms in the vast wetlands had merely reached the end of its opening chapter.