At an altitude of 10,000 meters, an airship equipped with six propellers flew steadily. Flanked by two escort crafts, it slowly opened its rear hatch.

When the hatch fully opened, a small parachute was ejected. Attached to the parachute was a 5-meter-long cylinder, which was promptly released into the air. The cylinder, caught by gravity, began its descent.

A second airship followed suit, deploying an identical cylinder.

Once the cylinders were far enough from the aircraft, explosive bolts triggered, jettisoning the outer shells. Inside were bunker-buster bombs, which began their freefall. Stabilizing fins extended as they spun gently, adjusting their trajectory.

Ten seconds into the drop, after their descent paths were confirmed, the rear rocket motors ignited. The rockets burned for approximately 10 seconds, accelerating the bombs to the velocity required for penetration.

The two bunker-buster bombs struck their designated targets with pinpoint accuracy. Their high-strength warheads, designed for penetrating hardened targets, smashed through layers of rock to reach their intended depth.

And then—they exploded.

The massive blast pressure, calculated precisely, blew apart the underground target and forced it to the surface.

The Worm’s Perspective

It lay curled up deep underground, much of its sensory organs destroyed.

The prey it had detected earlier had escaped, evading it in an inexplicable manner. Worse still, its own body had been partially torn away in an attack it couldn’t comprehend.

Driven by instinct, it had retreated into its burrow, keeping perfectly still.

Its body’s damage was manageable—it would regenerate in time. But the loss of its flesh was lamentable. It would need to replenish what it had lost. The surrounding "feed" was abundant enough for movement to be viable, but proper "nourishment" was necessary for growth.

For now, it could only wait, still and quiet, as it recovered.

Then something struck the ground nearby.

The sound reached it, and reflexively, its body tensed—

Above Ground

"Bunker-buster bombs have detonated at the preset depth," Ringo reported.

"Wow."

The display projected before Eve showed the ground erupting, as though it had been overturned by a massive force.

"That’s quite the impact. Do you think the worm’s been blown to bits?" Eve asked.

"Analyzing… Confirmed. The worm’s body appears to have been forced to the surface. No activity detected, though it might only be unconscious."

Amid the swirling dust, the worm’s form was highlighted in a wireframe overlay. The dual synchronized underground explosions had worked as planned, using the blast pressure to attack the worm and force it above ground.

However, the worm’s body showed no significant visible damage, which was unexpected.

"From its resistance to the railgun, we calculated the worm’s durability. It appears to be tougher than anticipated. The blasts should have transferred sufficient shock to its structure," Ringo noted.

"Didn’t the calculations predict it would be fragmented by the blast pressure?" Eve asked.

"Yes, Commander Ma’am. In certain areas, the shockwaves should have exceeded the force of the railgun rounds. The pressure differences were expected to cause its body to rupture."

The overlapping layers of sediment in the area caused slight delays in the shockwaves’ arrival, creating pressure differentials that should have severely damaged the worm.

As the dust settled, the blast site became visible on the display.

"Well, that’s impressive," Eve said.

A massive crater had formed. Partially buried under the rubble, the worm’s body was visible.

"Good thing the roadway wasn’t damaged," Eve added.

"It could have been worse, depending on the worm’s position. But at this level, repairs can be completed quickly," Ringo assured her.

Indeed, the "road" was little more than a series of ruts formed by frequent trade caravans. With a few heavy machines from <The Tree>, it could be restored in half a day.

"Still, we should fill in the crater. It’s close to the road, and standing water would be a problem," Eve decided.

"Yes, Commander Ma’am. I’ll handle it."

"And the worm… it’s not moving, right?"

The worm’s body lay motionless, half-buried in the crater. Despite its lack of movement, its condition was uncertain. While the external shell might have endured the blast, the internal organs could be severely damaged.

If its structure had been reinforced like <Rain Croix>, there was a chance it could survive.

"Let’s send in a rotorcraft for transportation. We’ll need to dismantle the worm and level the area, so bring in heavy equipment as well," Eve ordered.

"Yes, Commander Ma’am. I’ll arrange for the SR-1 Albatross to air-drop the equipment. Recovery will likely occur near the nearby lake."

"Ah, that makes sense. It’s an airship, so it can land on water," Eve noted.

As preparations began, surveillance continued, but the worm showed no further activity.

Multi-Legged Machines Drop In

"The heavy machines are ready for deployment."

From high above, the Albatross opened its rear hatch, releasing parachutes. The multi-legged heavy machinery attached to the parachutes followed suit, descending under controlled conditions.

"Wow, that’s quite a sight," Eve remarked.

"This also serves as a test for future airborne operations. However, parachute descent is time-consuming. If the enemy had sufficient anti-air capabilities, the machines would be at risk of interception," Ringo commented.

"I don’t know much about these things, but isn’t securing air superiority the first step in these scenarios?" Eve asked.

"Yes, Commander Ma’am. However, scenarios requiring airborne tank deployments imply the enemy’s position is heavily fortified. In such cases, anti-air defenses must be neutralized beforehand, rendering tank deployments unnecessary. Drones or similar alternatives would suffice."

"Huh… I see."

"For more immediate deployment, forced deceleration using rocket motors after freefall would be more effective. Parachutes are simple to construct, so they could be fabricated as needed for situations requiring them."

While this discussion unfolded, the multi-legged tanks and heavy machinery began to land one after another. Their legs absorbed the landing impact, and their design allowed them to navigate uneven terrain with ease. The primary drawback was their tendency to sink into soft ground due to their weight. This issue was mitigated by actively embedding their legs into the soil to increase contact area.

The landed machines retracted their parachutes as they marched toward the worm’s crater.

"They’re recovering the parachutes?" Eve asked.

"Yes, Commander Ma’am. This minimizes the risk of technology leaks. The parachutes aren’t reusable, but it’s a precaution."

"Huh, makes sense. Someone might figure out their purpose just by looking at them."

The parachutes hinted at the possibility of safely deploying massive equipment from the air. While the chance of such technology being leaked in this area was low, taking precautions was worthwhile.

"The machines have reached the crater. No motion detected. The worm appears completely inert."

"Right… If we’re unsure, we’ll have to dig it out. Are defenses in place?"

"The multi-legged tanks are deployed. If anything happens, they can respond immediately. Infrared scans show that the worm’s body temperature matches the surrounding soil, making it undetectable by thermal imaging."

While much about the worm remained unknown, one thing was clear: detecting these creatures required precise vibration sensors. Outside presumed worm-free zones, constant drone surveillance would be necessary.

"I’d rather not draw too much attention," Eve muttered.

"Commander Ma’am, deploying multi-legged machines already makes that impossible," Ringo pointed out.

Ringo couldn’t help but think that Commander Eve’s understanding of discretion might need some adjustment.