For the first time here, Alister felt awkward. Did he ask something dumb? He wondered. Even if he did, what better time to find out what these creatures they had to take caution of were?
“I wasn’t joking; I don’t know what sandworms are. The only time I’ve even heard about them was back then when Guild Master Yuuto introduced me to all of you, and Miss Kaida mentioned them.”
His words caused everyone to look even more serious. Kaida immediately stopped laughing; things weren’t looking funny anymore.
Hiroshi looked slightly shocked as he asked, “Wait… what? Are you for real? How could you let the guildmaster send you out here when you don’t know what sandworms are?”
“I guess being a talented genius doesn’t necessarily mean someone has common sense,” Razorgrin smirked as he spoke. “Since you heard Kaida mention them, why didn’t you try to find out what they were?”
“Or were you hoping your luck would save you if you encountered one?”
“Enough of that,” Ren said, sounding slightly irritated, causing all of them to instantly fall silent. He then gave Alister an intense look for a second before letting out a sigh.
He decided it would be best to enlighten the young summoner. “Alister, sandworms are the wasteland’s second most dangerous creatures. They eat practically anything and everything. They are monsters of the Titan class, ranked SS, meaning they could probably swallow your drake as well.”
“Not only are there no records of them being defeated by any means, but once they do appear, the massive earthquakes they create make it practically impossible to run away. So far, there isn’t a clear pattern to when or where they appear; they just do.”
“And when they do, massive casualties are impossible to avoid. Escaping from such a monster is not only considered a once-in-a-lifetime miracle but a feat worthy of a medal. Because they are so large, their movements make updating maps a top priority, as a whole terrain would change drastically with their simple emergence.” freewebnovel.cσ๓
“Sometimes encountering one can mentally scar survivors, causing them to lose all will to live as they come to realize that perhaps even the walls of our megacity may not be enough to protect us.”
Alister swallowed hard as he slowly digested this information. “I see…”
“So… have you all ever encountered one?” Alister’s question caused silence once more.
“Yes, but that was a long time ago,” Ren said, adjusting his glasses as he did.
“How did you all survive then?” Alister asked curiously, causing Ren to fall into an unsettling silence as he looked away.
Suddenly, a soft chime echoed throughout the cabin. The AI pilot’s voice crackled over the intercom. “Approaching the drop zone in ten minutes. All personnel prepare for deployment.”
The squad leaders began their final preparations. Kaida double-checked her gear, ensuring everything was in place.
Hiroshi flexed his fingers, the reinforced gloves of his suit responding well. Razorgrin inspected his weapons, his gaze sharp and focused.
Alister stood up, stretching slightly to get used to the suit’s stiffness. He felt the weight of his summoning tools secured at his waist-a necessary facade he had to maintain as a summoner, especially considering the fact they were being watched live.
Ren approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He said, “Be careful out there. Don’t get too comfortable and let your guard down just because you control powerful summons.” Alister nodded. “Understood.”
Ren offered a small smile. “Stick close. The Wastelands are unpredictable. Trust your training, and you’ll be fine.”
Before Alister could respond, the aircraft swayed slightly, signaling their arrival. The rear hatch began to open, revealing the desolate land below.
A harsh, scorched landscape awaited them, dotted with jagged rocks and sparse vegetation. The skies above were a murky gray, casting an unsettling light over the landscape.
Kaida took the lead, charging first and jumping out of the hatch, her voice excited. “Remember, this is being broadcast live. Let’s show the city what the White Comets are made
of.”
Hiroshi smirked. “Guess it’s time to put on a show,” he said as he jumped out as well.
One by one, the remaining squad leaders jumped out, activating their suits’ descent mechanisms.
Moving all together, they leaped from the aircraft, their bodies cutting through the air as it whipped around their hair. Alister paused for a brief moment, taking a deep breath. He closed his eyes and then opened them, revealing that they were now glowing slightly.
He then charged and leaped out as well. As his body cut through the air, he grabbed the spell book by his side and called out, “Cinder, come forth.”
The squad leaders’ descent was swift. The suit’s built-in stabilizers ensured they fell as intended, allowing them to land gracefully on the rocky ground below. Dust clouds billowed around them upon impact, momentarily obscuring their bodies.
Such an entrance was truly befitting the White Comets.
As the dust settled, Ren activated his communication device by tapping a button on the side
of his mask. “Team, form up. Our first objective lies to the northeast. Stay alert.”
“Wait up, where’s the kid?” Razorgrin asked over the coms.
“What?” Ren asked, clearly confused. He looked around but saw no sign of Alister.
“Don’t tell me he got cold feet after Ren told him all about sandworms?” Hiroshi said,
sounding playful.
“Yeah, seems likely,” Razorgrin chuckled in response.
“Poor Alister must have gotten petrified. Ren, you should have said those things all those secret agents in the movies say… what was it again… oh!”
“It’s classified.” Kaida said.
Ren let out a sigh as he said, “Enough of that. Alister, do you hear me? Where are you?”
His reply came promptly. “I hear you, squad captain. I’m here, just had to get ready.”
“Get ready? Ready how?” Ren asked, confused.
“Ha! He’s still back in the hatch. I told you all he was no-!” Razorgrin said, but before he could finish he was interrupted by a massive…
Boom!
A massive landing nearby caused a huge boom, and the squad leaders instinctively tensed up for a fight, looking in the direction of the noise. They saw a massive dust cloud, and within it, two red eyes seemed to glow brightly.
Alister’s voice echoed over the comms again. “Nothing much, sir. Just had to call out my
summon.”
The dust slowly began to clear, revealing the figure of a giant drake. Standing atop its risen head was a young man with black hair and yellow eyes-Alister.
“I’m ready now, sir, so I’m sure we can get going,” he said.