Bermuda Chapter 110 (Patreon)

Chapter 110

Thud—! Boom—!

The 8th Platoon Leader, convinced that this vibration ringing now was a signal sent by the Commander, stretched out her arm to launch an attack once again.

However, Flynn, who had been quietly feeling that vibration, blocked the 8th Platoon Leader's way and stopped her.

"Wait a moment. This vibration seems like a signal."

"Isn't the Commander signaling that he's below here? We need to apply as much pressure as possible from above."

"No, it's not that kind of signal..."

'One short, one long. Again, one short, two long.'

"A... Woo..."

As Flynn muttered while concentrating on the ringing, the 8th Platoon Leader, who had been quietly watching him, realized that there was some meaning to this ringing. She immediately switched her stance and listened to the vibration together with Flynn.

The vibration rang out again, one short and one long.

"A."

After the vibration rang out a few more times, the ground suddenly became still as if nothing had happened.

Flynn and the 8th Platoon Leader looked at the quieted ground beneath their feet, then faced each other and said,

"AWAY."

A brief silence flowed between the two. Flynn was the first to break it.

"It seems there's a message we missed before... Roughly, is it telling us to get away from this spot?"

"Probably..."

At that moment, a chill rose from beneath their feet.

As the inside of the pit became so cold that it chilled the bones, the two people facing each other widened their eyes and immediately turned their bodies and ran out. The other members who had gathered around after hearing the sound also moved away from the pit without knowing what was going on when they saw them running out.

"Everyone, get away!"

The 8th Platoon Leader created a strong gust of wind to make the members around her step back. Flynn also put up a barrier toward the pit he had escaped from and took steps back. At the sudden actions of those two, everyone at the search site scattered in unison, thinking something big had happened.

Only Delua, who was alone in the air, shouted in isolation.

"What's going on!?"

All the members within a certain radius in front, left, and right of the pit they had dug under their command had evacuated.

However, even after a long time, the deep pit that seemed like something would happen remained still. As nothing occurred, the members who had been tense became restless. As the site became chaotic, the 1st Battalion members who had scattered flew over in a hurry and asked the platoon leader and Flynn,

"What's the matter!"

"Don't come close."

The 8th Platoon Leader gestured to those platoon members to come back.

At that moment, the vibration began to ring out again from the ground that had shown no response. This time, they listened to see if it was another signal, but the interval was quite irregular and the intensity was incomparably stronger than before.

Suddenly, the mana detectors that Flynn had installed in the area began to detect abnormal mana and blink from all directions. At the same time, the more the vibration rang out, the more terrifyingly powerful mana surged up from the ground and rippled through the area.

The members positioned around the area hurriedly spread barriers in confusion at the unusual air currents. However, the 1st Battalion members and Flynn, who knew that mana very well, shouted with moved faces toward the deep underground where the vibration was ringing out intensely.

"Commander—!"

Kwaaaaaang—!

Huge ice fragments burst out like an active volcano from inside the deep pit, cutting through the members who had retreated to both sides.

The destructive energy that erupted from underground stretched out in a straight line, covering the pile of earth entirely with ice and splitting the cliff in front in half, forming a terrifying ice ravine. Thanks to that, the middle of the wasteland was split in half like Moses' miracle.

The steam and mixed dust that had obscured the view in that brutal scene flew to the other side. Eventually, two figures were seen walking out with difficulty from underground through the gap.

Thud—!

One person in the steam thrust the greatsword in his hand into the ground. He caught his breath for a moment, then let go of the arm of the person next to him, whom he had been half-dragging and supporting. Then, the person beside him collapsed on the spot.

Seeing him, the 8th Platoon Leader and the platoon members immediately ran toward the two figures. As they approached, pushing through the rippling steam, what they saw in front of them was Hugo, who was gasping for breath using the greatsword stuck in the ground as a support, and Liner Molten, the 9th Battalion Commander, who was lying collapsed at his feet, exhaling rough breaths.

The deep pit visible behind them was covered with ice on all sides and dug deep like a cave. Even at a glance, the depth was considerable, and it was so dark that the end couldn't be seen, making it impossible to even guess how deep they had been buried.

And inside, there was no sign of anyone else.

"Are you two alright?"

The 8th Platoon Leader, who had been concentrating on the air leaking out from inside the pit just in case, carefully asked the two who looked utterly exhausted.

The platoon members hurriedly approached Hugo and Liner and supported them. Liner, who had been lying on the ground, was half-dazed as he was lifted up by the members. Seeing the 8th Platoon Leader's face asking if he was okay, he muttered with a frown,

"We survived..."

Hugo's powerful mana that had pierced through the ground was also felt by Delua, but she couldn't simply rejoice at the Commander's safe return. Rather, she had to worry about her own condition first.

The stickiness flowing down her philtrum had now become two lines. As her concentration gradually loosened, the huge earth and rocks floating in the air began to shake little by little, and small grains began to fall. At that, the members below felt the unusual energy and raised their heads.

Sensing that she had reached her limit, Delua shouted with all her might, scrunching up her face.

"Everyone, run away from below!!"

At her shout, the countless piles of earth floating in the air poured down like a waterfall. The nearby members scattered in confusion, and the 6th Battalion members who had been assisting Delua from their respective positions also left their spots and hurriedly flew to the battalion commander who would be on top of the pile of earth.

At the sudden situation, the 8th Platoon Leader hurriedly flew up into the air, put up a barrier, and shouted to Hugo below.

"Commander, hurry and avoid it!"

The 1st Battalion members tried to quickly take the Commander and the 9th Battalion Commander and move, but unlike Liner, who was half-dragged away, Hugo didn't move from that spot. Feeling that his breathing had become somewhat calm after inhaling the outside air, instead of evacuating with the members, he firmly grasped the hilt of the greatsword.

At that moment, the ground shook, and a huge magic circle spread out on the floor, and thick ice pillars began to rise up crisscrossed diagonally.

The 8th Platoon Leader and the 6th Battalion members in the air hesitated and retreated back after seeing the huge ice pillars rising up sharply. Delua, who had been placed in the middle of the pile of earth, was startled by the sharp ice that brushed past her eyes as if it would cut her nose and fell back in a clumsy manner.

The ice pillars that had erupted from the ground interlocked like an impenetrable fortress, blocking the earth and rocks pouring down from above. The members who had been clinging to the side of the pillars, protecting their heads, hurriedly escaped from the ground with the help of their comrades as the falling objects gradually ceased.

Thanks to that, the search site became a mess, but they were able to prevent a secondary accident of members who couldn't avoid it in time getting buried.

After a while, when the threateningly rising pillars quieted down, the 6th Battalion members hurriedly searched for their battalion commander, who would be mixed somewhere in the pile of earth that had stopped pouring.

Delua was lying sprawled out on top of the half-settled pile of earth, panting and staring at the brutal pillar that had erupted right next to her body.

"Battalion Commander, are you alright?"

As the members approached, she, who had been lying exhausted, swiftly wiped away the glorious nosebleed that had crossed her philtrum with the back of her hand.

Then, glaring at the tip of the pillar shining sharply, she had doubts about whether the Commander had done this knowing she was here.