I Own A Brothel In Another World (Ch. 1-196)

Chapter 104 - Secrets of the Sands

With the appearance of five giant worms that could easily swallow a school bus whole, everyone immediately switches into battle mode. We look around as the monsters go in and out of the ground, circling us like a bunch of thirsty sharks that have just stumbled on fresh prey.

I quickly grab my draconic hilt and send a wave of mana into the purple crystal serving as the pommel. In a flash, mesmerizing pinkish smoke forms a long line from the dragon's jaws which soon takes the shape of a girthy pole with the actual hilt and purple gem at the very bottom.

Since our opponents are Sandworms, the nasty, tough, persistent bugs with bodies protected by incredibly durable chitin armour, I pick the best possible weapon that has any chances of doing anything to them without aiming specifically at their insides through their round maws filled with rows of sharp teeth.

An impressive double-sided hammer forms at the top of the violet-purple pole, revealing its function as a massive war hammer. Its size is nothing to scoff at and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to wield such a heavy-looking thing if I was my past self, without the help of my high stats, new body, and the subservience of the artefact. And, fortunately, even though it's quite sizable, it's still believable without looking utterly stupid.

"We should split up and have each group focus on one!" Kamil shouts while activating a few of his defensive abilities.

"No!" Paul immediately shoots him down. "Group up and stay together! They can't attack all at once if we are all in the same spot! Only one will be able to come at us at a time!"

At least one person is using their brain properly. No surprise he ended up as the team's leader. I'm not sure how much he knows about Sandworms from this world but his decision is the best possible one in the current situation. He always could quickly pick up on the tiniest details and make great use of them.

Something covers my body in the form of a sapphire layer that quickly disappears into thin air. Feeling magic flowing into me, I glance behind my back and find Natalie on one knee while playing her acoustic guitar. Her music is lost in the rumbling the worms create but it doesn't seem that we need to hear it perfectly for the magic to settle in.

One of the Sandworms finally grows tired of just watching and surges out of the ground, making an arc with its massive body that clearly is going to close the circuit exactly where all of us stand. A deafening roar reverberates through the air as the hideous mouth looking like a multi-levelled, rotating meat grinder descends onto us.

"All dodge right!" Paul commands and we move as a group.

The monster's movement isn't incredibly fast and we have more than enough time to jump to the side before it plunges itself into the dried-up earth, continuing to dig forward as it disappears into the hole it creates like a slow train entering a tunnel.

Everyone tries their best to make use of the Sandworm's short moment of potential vulnerability and a myriad of attacks surge at its dark brown body.

Shino, Kamil and Marcia activate a skill each, covering their weapons in colourful hues, and slash at the monster's armour from up close. Teffith prepares a thrusting technique and follows after them. Ghilerie and Paul both seem to use Arcane Arrow and send the projectiles forward with a loud whizz while Natalie calls on multiple instances of Wind Blade from her magical repertoire.

As all the attacks hit the monster's body almost at the same time, I slam my war hammer into its fleeting side shortly after them. We then observe as the Sandworm gradually disappears into the scorched earth with just a few shallow cuts in its exoskeleton and a small cracked pit created by my blow.

We move away from the hole it leaves behind itself and group up again, watching the other enemies with the utmost attention.

"What the fuck are we supposed to do?" Kamil shouts into the open. "We've barely scratched that fuck's back!"