Global Awakening: Only I Can Respawn

Right when she thought she was at the stomach's doorstep, she encountered an annoying foe. Some strange-looking worms had lined themselves up along the walls.

It was the first time Anna had seen them, but not the first time she had heard about it. These worms were called Spinebacks. Asmodeus had told her about them in the briefing before she jumped inside the mole.

These human-sized worms had spiked exoskeletons, hence the name Spinebacks. They used their spike to burrow along the stomach walls of the mole to stimulate contractions and keep food moving.

But that wasn't the problem she faced. They could split into smaller versions if damaged, making them hard to kill. Besides, they had a regenerative power that allowed them to reform after being cut.

"Damnit! Why are these things guarding the entrance?" Anna clicked her tongue. "Asmodeus said they would remain buried in the stomach walls..."

As if things couldn't get worse, the worms spotted her and began moving towards them. How wanting to deal with them, Anna lit a small explosive that she had in her phantom bag and threw it at them.

Boom!

The flames engulfed the worms, tearing some of them while burning the rest. But the shredded pieces squirm as they slowly pieced themselves together.

"Fuck!"

She had hoped the flames would burn away what remained of the scattered pieces, but that wasn't the case. The explosion had reduced their numbers, but it wasn't enough for Anna to charge blindly ahead.

Besides, Anna couldn't use more explosives. She wasn't sure if the creatures could listen, but they would surely react to the vibrations across the mole's body.

I can't afford to get swarmed here.

Before she could form a plan, one of the spinebacks lunged toward her, aiming its spiked body towards her to impale her.

Anna dodged just in time, rolling to the side as the creature crashed down where she had just stood. The spikes were sharp enough to tear her apart, but it was the same case for the mole's esophagus.

"I could use them!"

An idea struck Anna, and she put her sword away before charging towards another spineback. The spineback whipped its spiked tail at her, but she ducked, avoiding the deadly spikes.

As the worm came at her again, she jumped and slammed both of her fists into the creature's belly. The impact sent the spineback flying upwards, its spiked exoskeleton digging deep into the esophagus walls.

Anna stood back, watching the spineback wiggle in its position. But the more it tried to free itself, the more damage it did to the mole. Moreover, she could immobilize the spinebacks long enough to slip past them.

But then something strange happened—the creature's body swelled. Blood from the mole's esophagus was being absorbed through the spikes, bloating the spineback to where it could barely move.

Usually, these spikes were intended to stick to the thick mucus of the stomach lining. But the esophagus wasn't a place for the spinebacks to roam around. Hence, the mucus walls were thin enough for the spineback to penetrate and draw blood.

Spinebacks feed through their spikes. As they are stuck to the walls, they are being forced to feed on Mole's blood!

Soon the spineback grew to the size of a compact car. It gave her a way to get rid of them without killing them.

"Alright, let's see how you like that."

Anna turned her attention to the other spinebacks slithering toward her. One by one, Anna grabbed the worms and flung them into the walls of the esophagus, ensuring each one's spikes got buried deep into the walls.

But there was one thing she didn't account for. As she forced more spinebacks to feed on the mole, it reacted.

Its massive body shifted uncomfortably and Anna could feel the tremors beneath her feet as the giant beast tried to shake off the sudden irritation caused by the parasites.

"...I got carried away."

Without wasting time, Anna rushed towards the stomach. But just then the mole let out a deep growl, and suddenly, Anna heard a rushing sound coming from above.

She looked up just in time to see a landslide of dirt and sand pouring down the esophagus. The mole must have eaten what it got its hands on to force whatever was stuck in the esophagus down to its stomach.

"Oh, hell no!"

Anna ran, not wanting to get buried under tons of sand and dirt. However, running wouldn't save her as she'll end up buried in the stomach. She needed something to stay afloat and dodge the landslide.

Thinking fast, Anna reached out and grabbed one of the spinebacks, yanking it free from the wall. The creature writhed in her grasp, but its bloated body was too weak to fight back.

"Stay still damn it!" Anna yelled, and took off her shirt, wrapping it around the spineback's neck.

She held on to the shirt, and jumped onto the spineback's stomach, using it as a makeshift surfboard. Soon the dirt and sand came crashing down on her, but she balanced herself on the spineback's stomach.

With the help of her shirt and the spineback's spiked body, she controlled the creature and slid through the avalanche with ease.

As the mole's body shifted again, twisting the path, Anna came across a waterfall, only this one was made of dirt and sand.

"The things I got to do for that moron!" she yelled as fell along with the spineback.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the esophagus opened up, and Anna entered a larger chamber... she was inside the mole's stomach.

She leaped off the spineback just before stabbing the thick walls with her sword, dangling in the air as dirt and sand filled up the mole's stomach.

"...shit," Anna mumbled. "Please don't tell me... he got buried underneath."

From the amount of dirt and sand filling the stomach, there was a possibility that it might be true. But just as she thought she had killed YuWon by her mistake, there was a loud explosion, distracting her.