Elvira watched Ben's back with a complicated gaze.
"I am sorry, my beloved, but I just…" She could not finish the thought.
Her eyes stayed on the melted carapace that covered his body.
"Oh, finally, something we can use!" Ben's voice cut through her thoughts.
Excitement filled his tone as his sharp eyes locked onto something floating in the digestive liquid.
Elvira poured more mana into her spell and increased their speed.
She was also curious.
Anything that survived in this place had to be special.
They moved for another half hour before they finally reached the spot.
"What the hell is this… Do you have any idea, Elvira?" Ben asked.
All he saw was a lump of white material.
It looked like a rock, but the texture was smooth, almost like a gemstone.
At first, Ben thought it might be bone, but it did not feel right.
His system did not give him any information either.
Elvira stared at it, her mind racing as she tried to guess what kind of item it could be.
Nothing came to mind.
Then the white object started to vibrate.
Realization hit her at once.
She pulled Ben's hand in panic and sprinted away.
Ben was shocked and wanted to ask what was happening, but a moment later he understood without words.
"Fuck!
Damn my luck!" he shouted.
He had been running from a hell worm outside, and now he was inside its stomach and still had to run from something.
The white "rock" rose from the liquid.
Its shape was very similar to the hell worm's, only much smaller.
It was human-sized in diameter, but that was the only mercy.
When it saw Ben and Elvira, it let out a sharp screech and rushed toward them at high speed.
The distance closed in an instant.
"Just what the hell is that?
Do you have any idea?" Ben asked.
"This is only my guess, but it is probably true," Elvira said. "I read about it in the past, about the era of Utopia when humans still flourished.
They created a creature called Junkvore.
It could eat anything and adjust its body size as needed."
"I never thought this creature still existed, but when I saw that moving white thing, it reminded me of Junkvore biology.
Even though it could alter its body, its original form stayed the same."
"Junkvore?!" Ben almost laughed, even in this serious situation.
The name dragged up an old memory.
He remembered a drunk conversation with a friend.
They had talked about what they would do if they became gods.
His friend said he would create a utopia.
Ben had been different.
He said he would create a monster called Junkvore that would eat all the trash in the world.
He had meant both real trash and "human trash", the people who exploited everyone else.
Back then, it was just self-indulgent talk because he hated his boss.
Now he saw a real creature with that same name.
The absurd coincidence made him want to laugh.
"Why are you reacting like that?" Elvira asked.
She frowned at his strange expression.
"Nothing.
Forget it." Ben shook his head. "So basically, that white thing is the core of this hell worm?
Does that mean if we kill it, the one outside will die too?"
"Probably yes," Elvira said. "But Ben, I am not sure we can beat it.
It is the core.
There is no way it is weak.
And we are inside its body."
Ben quickly checked their surroundings.
The grotesque fleshy walls looked the same as before.
At least they were not turning into more monsters.
He let out a short breath of relief.
It did not last.
GROOWL.
The worm's screeches grew louder around them.
The sound tore through the air and made the space feel like it was about to collapse.
It was getting closer, far too close.
Ben forced himself not to look back.
Turning his head would only slow him down.
Elvira did not have to look.
Her mana perception told her exactly how far the incoming worm was.
"Ten seconds… That is all we have," she thought.
Her mind spun.
She had one option, but she hesitated.
Using it would cost her a lot.
Her gaze moved to Ben.
She focused on the scar on his carapace armor, the part that still had not fully regenerated.
That scar dragged all their past choices back into her mind.
"My beloved, I have a way out of this," she said.
Her voice was tight with urgency.
"Then what are you waiting for?
Do it!" Ben snapped.
"But I need you to trust me.
No matter what happens, do not interfere," she said.
Ben frowned and hesitated.
Then he shook his head.
"No."
Elvira stared at him, stunned.
She had not expected that answer.
The situation was critical, but he still refused.
A sharp pain twisted in her chest.
"Wh-why?
I am only asking you to go first… and not look back," she said.
"What?" Ben scoffed. "Are you planning to say something dumb about sacrificing yourself?
Or do you have some secret trick you do not want me to see?"
"Either way, my answer is the same.
No.
Like I said, I do not trust you.
And we are soulbonded.
If you die, I die."
"About that…" Elvira bit her lip. "You are… not exactly human anymore.
Even if part of your soul gets destroyed, I think you will be fine."
"You think?" Ben's voice turned sharp.
"Just listen!" Elvira said. "The worm is almost here.
Which one is riskier?
If your body stays intact, your soul can recover.
But if you die here with nothing left, then it is over for real."
Ben did not answer with words.
He suddenly veered in a wide curve, then flew straight toward the incoming worm.
He focused his carapace, pulling it all toward his hand.
It formed a makeshift blade.
It was not just a simple sword.
He pushed the material to make the edge as thin as possible.
He hoped that a thinner edge would let the weapon cut into the creature's body.
"Elvira, once again, no," Ben said.
He raised the sword and swung.
The edge sliced through the air at high speed, aimed at the worm's jaw.
The worm did not slow down.
It rushed straight at him, its massive maw opening wider.
Rows of razor-sharp teeth filled his vision.
Ben swallowed, but it was too late to change his mind.
Deep down, he knew Elvira's plan probably had better odds of success.
Following her idea would have been the logical move.
But logic did not always control his actions.
Sometimes emotion did.
Even after changing species and adapting to a new life, at his core Ben was still Ben, still human in how he thought.
The idea of leaving her behind felt unacceptable.
A familiar face appeared in his mind, a person from his past life he thought he had buried forever.
"Never again… No more running.
No more regrets," he thought.