Kiel stared at Petra as she approaching, eyes wide and shining.
"…Cool," he said, the word slipping out before he could stop himself.
Ulon snorted loudly. "That's how real men fight," he declared, crossing his arms. Then he tilted his head and glanced down at Kiel. "Not like someone I know who fights like a confused toddler."
Kiel puffed his chest. "Hey! I did well, too."
Ulon laughed, loud and shameless. "Sure, sure. Still—she's manlier than you."
"I can do better next time," Kiel muttered.
Ulon ignored him and shifted his gaze toward the other side of the battlefield.
Maddy and Shalotte were still engaged with their sand worm, but something had changed.
Their movements were no longer colliding.
A stone pillar erupted from the ground just as the worm lunged forward, knocking its head upward. Maddy slipped underneath the rising mass, blades flashing as she carved along its exposed side.
"Now—left!" Maddy shouted.
Shalotte reacted instantly—almost too fast. Another pillar burst out, slightly crooked, but perfectly placed to block the worm's countercharge.
"Sorry—sorry!" Shalotte yelped, wobbling atop a narrow stone pillar as loose sand slid off the edges. His knees shook, and he windmilled his arms before barely regaining balance.
Maddy glanced back while ducking a sudden spray of sand spears. Grains scraped past her cheek as she twisted aside. "Stop apologizing!" she snapped. "And stay focused! Sorry doesn't win a fight!"
"I—I am focused!" Shalotte shouted back, sweat dripping down his temples and into his eyes. He wiped it away with his sleeve and clenched his staff harder. This time, he didn't stare at the worm. He watched Maddy instead—her feet, her shoulders, the way her body leaned just before she moved.
The sand worm slammed its massive body down again, the impact shaking the pillars beneath them.
A stone pillar erupted—not too soon, not too late—but exactly when Maddy stepped forward. She kicked off the rising stone, boots cracking against it, and launched herself high. With a sharp cry, she drove her weapon straight down, carving sparks and sand from the worm's armored hide.
From a safe distance, Ulon raised an eyebrow. "Huh."
Kiel leaned closer, squinting. "They look… better?"
Ulon scratched his chin. "Looks like Shalotte finally gave up trying to be the leader. He's reacting to Maddy now instead of predicting where she will go."
The sand worm suddenly pulled back and rose higher, its body stretching until it stood like a towering pillar of living sand. Maddy and Shalotte froze atop their respective pillars, the air growing tense.
The sand around the worm rippled.
Then—without warning—sand spears burst outward in every direction.
"Muddy Arm!" Shalotte shouted.
Two massive arms of dense mud surged up in front of their pillars, crossing like shields. Sand spears slammed into them nonstop—thud, crack, splash—sending vibrations through the stone.
At first, they thought the barrage would stop.
It didn't.
The spears kept coming, relentless and furious. Shalotte tried to peek around the muddy arm, curiosity getting the better of him.
A spear sliced past his face, close enough to tug his hair.
He yelped and ducked. "Okay—no peeking!"
Maddy gritted her teeth behind the cover. "Damn it! How are we supposed to attack if that thing won't give us a second to breathe?!"
Shalotte swallowed, heart pounding. "D-Do you want to use your ultimate?"
Maddy shook her head immediately. "No. Too dangerous. I mess that up, and I'm the one getting buried."
Shalotte hesitated, then straightened slightly. "Then… I have a plan."
Maddy glanced at him, surprised. "You do? Say it. Fast."
"I'll launch a stone pillar forward," Shalotte said quickly. "You hide under it while charging in."
Maddy blinked. "…That sounds crazy."
He nodded nervously. "But possible."
She smirked despite herself. "Alright. I'll count to three."
"Okay," Shalotte said, gripping his staff so hard his knuckles turned white.
"One!" Maddy shouted—and immediately ran.
Shalotte's eyes widened. "W-Wait, wasn't it—?!"
He didn't finish the thought.
The muddy arm shielding Maddy collapsed instantly. For half a heartbeat, Maddy was completely exposed.
Then—
"Stone Pillar!"
A deep rumble answered Shalotte's shout. A stone pillar burst upward from beneath the one Maddy had leapt off, surging forward and arching above her like a charging shelter. Sand spears slammed into the stone roof with violent cracks, grinding and shattering on impact. Loose sand poured over the pillar's sides, cascading back into the desert like a sandy waterfall.
Maddy laughed as she sprinted beneath it, boots kicking up dust. "Nice timing!"
Her confidence lasted exactly one second.
The sand beneath her feet twisted violently, like something alive coiling under the surface.
"—Crap!"
A massive cluster of sand erupted upward—it was the worm's tail, thicker than a tower and already too close. Dodging it outright was nearly impossible.
Just one meter away, the sand composing the tail suddenly collapsed inward, peeling away as if its strength had vanished. Beneath it, a slender core covered in writhing tendrils was exposed, vibrating wildly and humming with unstable energy.
Maddy's eyes sharpened.
Her fear vanished, replaced by instinct.
She twisted midair, muscles screaming, and slashed downward with everything she had.
The tail fell.
At the exact same moment, the worm's massive head slid cleanly from its body and crashed into the sand with a deafening boom. The remaining spears froze mid-formation, then crumbled uselessly back into dust.
The enormous body collapsed, sending a heavy wave through the desert floor.
Silence followed.
Maddy landed hard, skidding a few steps before regaining balance. She rushed out from behind the pillar, breathing heavily. "I did it—?"
She stopped.
Petra stood calmly beside the stone pillar Maddy had been hiding behind, scythe resting lazily on her shoulder. Not a single grain of sand clung to her boots.
Maddy stared. "…Wait."
She turned slowly toward the corpse, then back to Petra. "That's not fair. I almost had it. You kill-stealed."
Petra shrugged, completely unapologetic. "You're welcome."
Maddy crossed her arms. "Yeah. Thanks."
A transparent panel popped up in front of her face.
"You've killed Level 182 Sand Worm."
"Congratulations. You have earned 31,844,959 experience."
"You leveled up."
"You've unlocked a new skill: Dash."
Maddy's annoyance instantly melted. "Oh. Okay, maybe I forgive you."
She was about to check the skill description when a violent shockwave rippled through the air. A burst of flames erupted in the distance, obliterating part of a rock formation and sending debris everywhere.
Maddy's smile vanished. "We need to help the boss."
Ulon's voice boomed from afar. "We'll split! The kid and I go with Slouch!"
Shalotte flinched. "We go with the boss, then."
Ulon suddenly sounded serious. "Better stay here and don't go near."
Petra shook her head, tightening her grip on the scythe. "Unfortunately, we can't stay still. We need to end this battle fast."
Ulon studied her closely. Her eyelid twitched, and despite her tough stance, she looked moments away from collapsing. "…Okay. Do as you wish."
He turned to Shalotte. "Deputy boss, you know what to do if things go south."
Shalotte sighed. "Yes. And I'm starting to hate it."
Kiel bounced on his heels, eyes sparkling. "I wish I could see his Ultimate."
Shalotte muttered, "I wish I don't need to use it."