The Last Monarch : Unlimited Regeneration-Chapter 100: Did It Live Again?

Alvaricc, Lyrith, Marie, Dion, Lisse, the Hollow Fang members, and the Ant Bees froze in place as they looked at the enormous creature before them. Its size was nearly greater than a building with dozens of floors. Not only was it huge, but it also radiated an overwhelmingly powerful aura.

Marie, Dion, Lisse, and the Hollow Fang members immediately drew their weapons, preparing to fight.

"What kind of creature is this?" Dion asked.

Alvaric and Lyrith stepped forward. But when Alvaric stopped, Lyrith kept walking toward the massive beast. Her eyes looked somewhat vacant, and tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.

Alvaric patted Lyrith's shoulder. "Do you know it?"

Lyrith shook her head. "I don't know, but…" She clutched her chest. A suffocating pain pressed against her ribs. "But I feel familiar with it."

Alvaric wanted to say something, but he held himself back. After hearing her words, he remembered his mission to save Lyrith from the underground dungeon and his vision of a horned girl fighting alongside a giant creature against a winged monster.

That made him even more certain that the two were Lyrith and the Giant Sandworm.

But the Giant Sandworm should already be dead, having sacrificed itself. So why was it alive and standing before them now? This was strange. Alvaric was convinced this wasn't a coincidence.

He walked two steps forward, lifting his head to stare into the Giant Sandworm's eyes. "Why are you here? Didn't you die back then?"

Alvaric's gaze was sharp. He could sense something was off. He was sure that the Giant Sandworm before him wasn't the same one he had encountered in the past.

"Kill me! I beg you because I don't want to harm my lady. I…" Suddenly the Giant Sandworm screamed in agony. The air grew unbearably heavy. Several people fell to the ground.

Some even fainted just from hearing that scream. Alvaric instantly drew his sword, ready to fight. His conviction about his suspicion grew stronger.

"Hurry, kill me!" the Giant Sandworm cried.

Moments later, the Giant Sandworm opened its mouth. Without hesitation, Alvaric prepared to strike. A green-colored magic circle formed before the monster's gaping maw.

At the same moment, Alvaric's eyes widened. A dreadful premonition struck him. This was an attack he had never seen before. He turned back.

"Get back!" he shouted.

Marie, Dion, and Lisse had only just started to react when the magic shot forth. It sped toward them at frightening speed. Alvaric tried to run, but it was too late.

BOOOM!

A massive explosion erupted. At the same time, green mist spread in all directions. The air turned suffocating. Alvaric collapsed, blood dripping from his nose, his chest aching as though pierced by a thousand needles. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"Poison…"

He stood up and scanned his surroundings. Nothing was visible except the dense green mist, yet he could still sense the faint presence of Marie, Lyrith, and the others. At least they were alive, though weak. That was enough for him.

"What is this? Since when could a Giant Sandworm use such an ability?" Alvaric muttered.

He tried recalling his previous battle with the creature. He was certain that back then, it never used such power. But that wasn't what shocked him the most.

The strangest thing was—why was the Giant Sandworm alive again? It had sacrificed itself.

Alvaric clenched his fist. "What really happened? Did it trick me and Niva back then?"

He tried piecing things together, but none of it made sense. He forced himself to calm down. Then he tore a strip from the bottom of his shorts, leaving one leg shorter. Folding the cloth, he tied it around his nose as a filter.

Alvaric began to walk, searching for Marie, Lyrith, and the others.

Step!

Dum… dum… dum…

The sand beneath his feet trembled. At once, Alvaric's eyes widened. He spun around and ran in that direction, as fast as he could.

"Arrrrgh!"

A scream pierced the air. Alvaric arrived at the scene and froze at the sight: several Hollow Fang members and dozens of Ant Bees lay sprawled lifeless on the sand. Their bodies shattered and torn apart.

His hands trembled as he stepped closer. The Giant Sandworm was biting down on one Hollow Fang member's body, half of the man's torso crushed before being tossed into the air and swallowed whole.

"Bastard."

Just as Alvaric prepared to move, the Giant Sandworm lunged and burrowed back into the sand. The desert fell silent, as if nothing had happened.

Alvaric focused, trying to track it, but found nothing. The creature's presence completely vanished.

His heartbeat thundered three times faster when the sand shook again—this time from the front. He swallowed hard, praying his fears wouldn't come true.

Step by step, he walked toward it. "Please…"

Sure enough, the Giant Sandworm appeared, only to dive into the sand again. But Alvaric's anxiety faded the moment he saw Lyrith standing tall before him.

Behind her stood several familiar figures, one of them being Marie. Relieved, Alvaric ran toward them.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

They turned toward him, faces pale, blood streaming from their noses, eyes, and lips. Marie took a step forward, smiling weakly with relief.

"Thank goodness, you—"

Thud!

She collapsed. Alvaric quickly caught her in his arms. Her body was burning hot, like someone with a raging fever. Her heartbeat raced wildly.

"She's been poisoned. Take her inside!" Lyrith ordered.

Alvaric turned, surprised to hear Lyrith speaking with such authority. Her face was different now—cold, sharp, and filled with anger.

"Very well," Alvaric replied.

He carried Marie inside the hive. The surviving Hollow Fang members followed, their faces just as pale, though they were still able to walk.

As they entered the hive, the massive Ants instantly lined up, piling their bodies at the entrance, sealing off the toxic air outside.

Alvaric pressed forward. Soon, he was teleported by the Ant Bee Mage. Naturally, the other Hollow Fang members came along. When they arrived at the hive's core, they sat down, gasping for breath.

Dion turned, worry clear on his face. "Is it all right to leave Lyrith alone outside?"

Alvaric laid Marie's body on a stone bed, then stepped toward the corridor. "You can take care of her, can't you?"

Dion and the others glanced at one another, then nodded.

"Y-yes," Dion replied.

Alvaric nodded back. "Thank you."

A second later, he vanished.