Chapter 291: Fighting the Dungeon Boss (4)

Chapter 291: Fighting the Dungeon Boss (4) [Bonus Chapter]

Solomon coated the multi-tipped spear with his dense silver aura and raised it high. He dropped his center of gravity and utilized the fourth form of the Eden Imperial Sword Arts.

Although he was holding a spear instead of a greatsword, the foundational thrusting mechanics remained exactly the same. He compressed his momentum and drove the weapon forward.

The strike worked exactly as intended.

The tip of the spear slammed into the rock face directly above the first tunnel entrance. The solid stone exploded, collapsing inward and completely sealing the hole with tons of rubble.

Although the destructive output was not quite as apocalyptic as when he used Eden’s Penance, it was simply because the divine relic possessed the ’Divine Cleave’ multiplier that exponentially amplified the Imperial Sword Arts and the sheer physical force of his giant form was more than enough.

Solomon moved methodically through the nest. One tunnel was destroyed and sealed. Then another. And another. The impacts from his high-velocity thrusts created sonic booms, rattling the cavern walls. The entire mountain began to shake violently, deep structural cracks forming across the ceiling.

He sealed every single tunnel carved into the side walls, leaving only the four tunnels plunging deep into the ground and the three tunnels bored straight up into the ceiling.

It was now completely obvious that the worm was hiding either straight down or straight up.

Solomon knew he couldn’t just recklessly destroy the ceiling tunnels yet, as that would likely bring the entire mountain crashing down directly on top of him. He also didn’t need to manually destroy the ground tunnels, because they would naturally get buried in rubble once he collapsed the mountain anyway.

He just needed to figure out exactly which hole the beast was hiding in.

He began grabbing shattered boulders that had fallen from his previous strikes. He hauled the heavy rocks over to the ground tunnels and began dropping them straight down the holes. The boulders were obviously not large enough to seal the massive shafts, but he wasn’t trying to trap the beast yet.

He was just listening for the impact.

He dropped a boulder down the first hole. After a few seconds of echoing clatter, he heard a distinct, solid thud as the rock hit the bottom of the shaft.

He moved to the second hole. Clatter, clatter... thud.

He tested the third hole. Thud.

He dropped a boulder down the fourth and final ground hole. Thud.

Solomon let out an annoyed sigh and looked straight up at the three remaining tunnels bored into the ceiling.

The worm was hiding in one of those upper shafts, hanging directly above his head. There was no way to test which one it was in, other than breaking the ceiling tunnels open one by one and praying the mountain didn’t collapse on him prematurely.

"Why do I always get stuck fighting like this?" Solomon muttered, his silver eyes glaring at the dark holes. "Why can’t I just have a normal, face-to-face brawl instead of pulling bullshit like this?"

He gripped his spear, aiming at the ceiling tunnel furthest from the entrance. He thrust the aura-coated weapon upward, smashing the rock around the opening. The stone shattered, making the hole wide open and completely hollow.

However, nothing fell out.

The structural damage caused the far side of the mountain to groan and partially collapse, sending a shower of dust over his shoulders.

Solomon had purposefully left the ceiling tunnel located closest to the main exit for last, ensuring he could easily escape if the mountain gave way. He stepped under the second tunnel.

Before he could even raise his spear to strike, the darkness inside the hole shifted violently.

The colossal sandworm descended at terrifying, terminal velocity. It unhinged its massive jaws, spitting a blinding torrent of highly corrosive, emerald-green venom directly at Solomon’s face as it plummeted downward.

Solomon reacted entirely on instinct. He abandoned his spear, throwing his arms up to shield his face. The venom splashed against his forearms, instantly burning through his makeshift toga and searing his flesh.

The immortal angel heart pumped frantically, desperately fighting the melting acid to knit his skin back together.

Before Solomon could recover his vision, the massive, thorn-covered body of the sandworm slammed directly into him. The sheer weight and velocity of the descending beast crushed Solomon against the cavern floor. The spikes lining its hide tore deep, agonizing gashes across his chest and legs.

Solomon roared in pain, but the battle maniac inside him completely snapped. He didn’t try to push the beast off. He embraced the carnage.

He grabbed the thick, fleshy folds of the sandworm’s gaping maw with his bare, bleeding hands. His silver aura flared to absolute, blinding maximum output, coating his arms in a dense layer.

The beast thrashed wildly, attempting to bite down and snap him in half. Solomon planted his boots against the bedrock, his giant muscles bulging as he physically overpowered the colossal monster, prying its jaws wider and wider.

"You want to eat?!" Solomon screamed, his silver eyes burning with pure violence. "EAT THIS!"

He let go of the lower jaw with his right hand, pulled his arm back, and drove his aura-coated fist straight down the monster’s throat.

The punch shattered the beast’s internal fangs. Solomon didn’t stop. He unleashed a brutal, rapid-fire barrage of punches directly into the soft, vulnerable tissue of the worm’s esophagus. The cavern echoed with the wet sound of pulverizing flesh.

He battered the beast from the inside out, completely ignoring the toxic acid burning his knuckles.

The sandworm shrieked, letting out a gurgling cry of agony. It thrashed its massive body, blindly smashing its spiked tail against the cavern walls and support pillars in a desperate, dying frenzy.

Solomon grabbed the beast by its internal mandibles and violently twisted his entire body, executing a brutal judo throw that slammed the colossal monster directly into the main support column of the nest.

The impact was the final straw. The structural integrity of the mountain completely failed.

The sandworm went limp, its massive body sliding to the floor, officially dead.

At that exact second, the giant’s power finally expired. Solomon’s body rapidly shrank back down to his normal, human size. His silver aura sputtered and died, his stamina reserves completely and utterly bankrupt.

He looked up just as the ceiling fractured entirely. Millions of tons of solid sandstone plummeted downward.

Solomon didn’t even have the energy to raise his arms. The mountain collapsed directly on top of him, burying him alive beneath the crushing darkness of the rubble alongside the corpse of his prey.