"Commander Ma’am, may we dispatch a rotorcraft to retrieve the worm’s head?"

"Hmm, sure. No problem. Do we have a microwave-compatible craft for the job?"

"Yes, Commander Ma’am. While it’s based on a battery-powered model, we’ve retrofitted part of its cargo space with a microwave power reception system. It’s less efficient than a dedicated design, but sufficient as a stopgap measure."

The battery-powered craft was equipped with large batteries and charging systems. Normally, it would connect to a power source for charging, but retrofitting it with a microwave receiver allowed for in-flight recharging. Since it was originally a cargo model, there was ample space for the additional equipment. Though less powerful than fully microwave-powered designs, it was functional enough for limited applications until dedicated systems could be produced.

"Okay, that works. Let’s get the delegation moving quickly. Also, send out reconnaissance aircraft. I don’t think the worm will move again anytime soon, but we’ll need to monitor it, right?"

"Yes, Commander Ma’am. I’ll make the arrangements."

At <The Tree> and the Second Fortress, microwave-compatible craft production was in full swing. The Second Fortress focused on producing heavy machinery for resource extraction, while <The Tree> was ramping up weapon manufacturing. The sheer variety of required production strained their resources, keeping supply shortages a constant headache.

Fortunately, preparing weapons and defenses to protect the delegation was manageable. In response to Eve’s request, Ringo decided to deploy high-altitude surveillance drones and, for added security, launch ground-attack aircraft from <The Tree>.

"After recovering the worm’s head, we’ll target the underground body. At 30 meters deep, we can deploy bunker-busting bombs for direct attacks. Based on combat data, the worm’s defenses don’t appear particularly strong. Existing bombs should inflict significant damage."

"Oh, that makes sense. I didn’t think the multi-legged vehicles could handle it, but we can definitely hit it from the air," Eve remarked.

The bunker-buster bombs stored at <The Tree> were remnants from its gaming days, originally designed to unlock certain tech trees. They hadn’t been dismantled due to their minimal resource value and had been left unused. These bombs were precision-guided ground-penetrators, designed to be dropped from altitudes of around 10,000 meters and could penetrate up to 100 meters underground using rocket boosters for additional acceleration. Adjustments to the burn time allowed for variable penetration depths.

While <The Tree> lacked GPS capabilities for precise targeting, the bombs could still be manually guided from the air for the attack.

"We’ve modified one rotorcraft with the microwave power system and will arm it for this mission. An SR-1 Albatross from the Second Fortress will provide escort. They’ll reach the attack position in four hours."

"Understood. In the meantime, let’s evacuate the delegation. Are the horses okay?"

"Yes, Commander Ma’am. The carriage horses are slightly skittish, but they can move. In four hours, we can cover a distance of over 50 kilometers."

With that, preparations for the evacuation began.

The multi-legged tanks, which had been on high alert, shifted to cruise mode. Their extended legs were folded, and their weapons returned to standby positions. The terrestrial mothership launched its escort drones and deployed additional surveillance and ground-attack drones. Small multi-legged reconnaissance machines were sent ahead to secure the route.

The carriages, held in place by the mothership’s mechanical arms, were carefully lowered to the ground, and drivers were instructed to re-hitch the horses. The cargo inside the carriages appeared largely undisturbed due to the lack of sudden movements. The four guards, who had regrouped with the delegation, would remain mounted for the journey. To ease the horses, water and feed were offloaded from the mothership and distributed, a task delegated to the idle humanoid mechanical communicators.

"This isn’t going to be simple, is it?" Eve sighed.

"No, Commander Ma’am. Reconnaissance works well for surface and aerial threats, but detecting underground targets is much more difficult. If the worm had been noisier while moving, we might have picked it up earlier, but its stealth makes detection nearly impossible."

The worm’s motivation for attacking the delegation remained unclear. Was it simply seeking food? Maintaining such a massive body would require an extraordinary amount of sustenance. Given the sparse ecosystem in the region, how it managed to survive was a mystery.

"Waiting underground for prey to pass by? But there’s hardly any forest or wildlife here. Humans might be its only targets," Eve mused.

"Yes, Commander Ma’am. If that worm were a permanent resident of this road, the area wouldn’t function as a trade route. Considering its mobility, it likely migrated here from somewhere else," Ringo replied.

If the worm could maintain its speed underground, it likely patrolled a vast territory, attacking prey when detected.

"Recovering the sample will allow for a detailed investigation. The head is small, though—I wish we could examine the entire body," Eve said wistfully.

"Given its size, transporting the entire body would be impossible. It would need to be disassembled and shipped in parts," Ringo suggested.

Eve hoped to recover another crystalline sample like the one found in <Rain Croix>. Currently, that sample was still embedded in <Rain Croix>’s remains for observation, as its removal caused the entire body to collapse.

"I think the Affraysia United Kingdom has several types of monsters, right?" Eve asked.

"Yes, Commander Ma’am. Herbivores, carnivores, and other variants are reported. Most are located deeper inland or near forested areas. The worm is the only one sighted in this region."

"Forested areas…so, near the Forest Nation Rebresta?"

"Yes, Commander Ma’am. Around East Gate City, our destination, there are reports of monsters. Capturing some on the way might be worthwhile."

Since <The Tree> intended to remain active on this northern continent, gathering intelligence on monsters—and magic—would be essential.

"We should reach East Gate City in about ten days. There’s also a town called Flatara on the way. We might gather some information there."

"A town along the route? Can we afford to stop?"

"Agritend Luvania, the delegation leader, mentioned sending scouts ahead. As for security…that’s unpredictable. Our aerial reconnaissance shows no active conflict, but we can’t be sure," Ringo explained.

"Scouts, huh…? Should we assign them an escort?"

"Yes, Commander Ma’am. We’ll provide a small multi-legged attack machine and a humanoid mechanical communicator. Drones would be too conspicuous, so we’ll avoid using those."

To be honest, Eve had anticipated a smooth journey for the delegation. The expected threats were minor bandits or small monsters—nothing that couldn’t be handled by the two multi-legged tanks and terrestrial mothership. She hadn’t imagined a near-catastrophic encounter before even reaching the halfway point. If the worm had attacked during the night while they camped, the delegation might have been annihilated.

"This mission demands constant attention. Good thing we completed the microwave power transmission system. Refueling transporters mid-journey would’ve been too restrictive to handle this situation," Eve remarked.

"Yes, Commander Ma’am. These unforeseen problems carry high stakes. Until we’re fully prepared, we should exercise caution in our operations," Ringo advised.

"If the seabed platforms come online, resource shortages will ease significantly," Eve said with a sigh, glancing at a resource trend graph displayed on her console.

"Commander Ma’am, regarding the deep sea—there’s a significant risk of monsters. Deep-sea creatures tend to grow enormous."

"…Oh. Right. Of course. Why didn’t I think of that?"

"So far, we’ve only confirmed <Rain Croix> as a magical sea creature. However, the planet’s oceans are vast, and we can’t assume no others exist."

For someone used to a sci-fi world, life in a fantasy realm remained full of unexpected challenges.