Right now, time isn't on our side.
The longer we stay here, the greater the peril becomes.
Thus, without delay, I started running down the path we had taken previously—the only route leading back to the entrance.
"Dominator's Hand...!"
As soon as the ants came into range, I didn't hold back.
With my Dominator's Hand, I crushed their heads one after another. It was child's play for me, with my MP being S. I could strengthen the skill without getting tired and kill ants in one hit!
"Haap! Yaa!"
Miranda was doing her best to kill the ants that tried to approach from behind.
However, each time she did, she had to stop and turn around, delaying us slightly.
Having no choice, I had to stop my charge as well. If too much distance formed between us, it could be dangerous for us both.
Right now, it felt like we were walking on a tightrope. One small mistake and our lives could be lost… and to my disappointment, that mistake came pretty soon.
"Ah...!"
Miranda, after back-stepping to dodge a Soldier Ant's mandibles, tripped on an ant corpse. It was one of the headless ants I had killed…!
She fell on her ass, losing focus for a moment.
But that brief pause was deadly enough when the enemy was only an arm's length away.
"Miranda...!"
To save her, I turned around and pushed the monsters back.
I charged Dominator's Hand with as much mana as I could in that short moment and struck the leading Soldier Ant.
BOOM!
The impact exploded, almost like a grenade. The ant was sent flying exaggeratedly, crashing into the others behind it.
This should be enough to delay them… I think!
CRUNCH!
"Urk...!"
At the same time, my attempt to save Miranda exposed my back to the enemies ahead.
A Soldier Ant grabbed my sides, its sharp mandibles sinking into my sides, accompanied by the sound of crunching bones.
I definitely broke a few ribs!
"Y...ou... Bas... tard...!"
Of course, I didn't let it attack freely.
I turned my head, glaring at the filthy ant that dared to injure me.
Then, I used Dominator's Hand and tore its head and thorax apart. I threw the thorax toward the incoming ant wave, trying to delay them as much as possible.
"Gah...!" The next moment, I spat blood.
Although I killed the Soldier Ant, its mandibles were still lodged in my body… Right. They lock their jaws once they latch on, don't they?
"M-Master Rex...!"
Miranda seemed to come back to her senses and rushed to my side. However, the pain made it hard for me to concentrate. Was she touching me? I couldn't even tell anymore.
"No way! Lies…! This can't be true...!" she gasped beside my ear, her voice rasping. "You can't die, Master...!"
In response, I could only give a faint smile.
"Damn... right... I won't..."
Pain enough to burn my nerves? I've felt worse during magic training…!
Focusing, I activated two buff spells at once: Fire Element Buff, Strength, and Earth Element Buff, Hardness. The former increased my muscle strength, the latter boosted my vitality.
Then, I grabbed the mandible still biting into me and forced it off.
"AAAAGH!"
It was painful, but I succeeded in one go—no, I forced it to succeed. Staying here any longer than this could mean death.
As soon as I was freed, I quickly activated two healing spells.
One Flame Element, and one Water Element.
Using opposing elements simultaneously was difficult, but I had no choice.
I had to make it work.
With the Flame Element healing spell, I burned the surface of my wounds shut, stopping the bleeding. It was agonizing, but reliable first aid in critical situations… and yes, it was a proper Healing Spell, not a repurposed attack. Weird, I know.
Once the wound closed, I applied the Water Element healing spell from within my body. This reversed the damage caused by the fire and truly sealed my injuries.
At the same time, it fixed the damaged organs, muscles, nerves, and bones.
This process required time.
So I had to move while maintaining the spell, push back the attacking ants with Dominator's Hand, protect Miranda from attacks she couldn't handle, and pave a path forward… Damn, that was a lot to manage!
"But... I need to do it...!"
I bit my lip, stood up, and faced the incoming ant wave.
Panting heavily and ignoring the pain burning in my mind, I gathered more mana than before—pulling Miranda close—and let out a loud growl.
"FUCK OFF!"
If I couldn't watch the front and back, then what about left and right?!
I pressed my back against the cavern's wall to widen my field of view and activated Dominator's Hand. It was powered beyond anything I'd used before, blasting the ants on the right—the path leading toward the exit—as if a truck had plowed through them.
Without delay, I rebounded the strike to the other side, smashing into the ants on the left.
In a split second, a path opened up.
"Ugh..."
At the same time, my vision wavered. Dizziness and nausea set in, and strange glowing gases appeared in my sight—symptoms of nearing mana depletion.
Damn… Did I burn through too much mana already?
From experience, this was far too early to run out!
"Miranda..."
I whispered, struggling to keep my eyes open. My eyelids felt like lead.
"Master Rex..."
Miranda replied softly, her voice pained yet resolute, as she released her hold on me.
"Please… leave the rest to me." She stepped forward, wielding her rapier in one hand. "I, Miranda von Icarus, swear to protect you from all danger!"
"..."
That was reckless.
With her current strength, there was no way she could handle endless waves of ants… but in my "Mana Hunger" state—where one could visually perceive mana flow—I noticed something strange.
A stream of white light, a mix of all elements of mana, connected me to Miranda, flowing only one way and not both ways.
I felt puzzled, even alarmed.
Then I realized why my mana had drained so quickly.
'My mana is… flowing into Miranda?'
At that moment, unable to hold on to my fading consciousness, I blacked out.