"This..." Elysia clearly recognized the situation. Any normal person's first reaction would be to find the summoner of the Portal.
If I take down the summoner and interrupt the spell, the Portal should close.
However, after scanning her surroundings, she found no suspicious individuals. Thumb Guy had vanished the moment the Portal appeared. In this situation, asking Elysia to track down someone whose appearance and whereabouts were unknown would be an impossible task.
With the summoner elimination plan discarded, Elysia turned her gaze to the distant Portal. Her second option was to create a hemispherical crystal barrier, encapsulating the Portal and a small surrounding area. She could then systematically eliminate the monsters emerging from it. Surely the Portal couldn't spawn creatures endlessly?
She didn't consider the octopus-level monster she had just fought to be a threat, even in larger numbers.
But just as she drew her bow and raised her hand, ready to execute her plan, she suddenly remembered Baldy 'Burke's' earlier request: "Could you use some flashy moves?"
After all, they were filming a video, and viewers would undoubtedly prefer a dynamic, back-and-forth battle with strategic maneuvers and bone-crushing blows, rather than a one-sided annihilation.
Therefore, Elysia needed to do more than simply demonstrate her raw power; she had to showcase her skills!
With this in mind, she silently lowered her bow and arrow, turned to face Baldy 'Burke' and Carolina behind her, and then looked directly at the camera. "Ladies and gentlemen, would you like to witness the magic of a young girl~?"
Baldy 'Burke' and Carolina were taken aback. Almost in unison, they exclaimed, "Huh? You can use magic?!"
Elysia blinked playfully and smiled. "Of course~ After all, aren't beautiful young girls capable of anything~?"
Of course, she couldn't actually use magic. The 'magic' she spoke of was merely a metaphor. Perhaps 'miracle' would have been a better word?
In the next instant, a colossal wave of energy erupted from Elysia, radiating outward like a tidal surge. This was the first time she had ever attempted to unleash her full Herrscher power.
It's worth noting that Elysia was merely releasing her power at this point; she hadn't yet learned to control it. It was as if she had just turned on a water valve, and a torrent of water was gushing out uncontrollably.
Yet even this uncontrolled energy had far-reaching consequences. On the 30th floor of the nearby White Tower, in Baldy 'Burke's' crystal artifact workshop, where over a dozen Crystal Balls used for ability testing were stored, all of them—theoretically designed to react only upon physical contact—suddenly developed cracks.
Crack—crack-crack-crack—
Of course, Baldy 'Burke' was currently unaware of this. But when the battle concluded and he returned to his workshop, he would undoubtedly be facing a mountain of overtime.
For now, however, Baldy 'Burke' stood transfixed by the spectacle before him, utterly speechless with awe.
Without warning, the surroundings had undergone a radical transformation. Gone was the White Tower's courtyard and the flat testing ground. Instead, they had been replaced by a deep purple space resembling the vast expanse of the cosmos.
Looking up, Elysia saw a sky ablaze with countless twinkling stars. Looking down, she realized she was standing upon those very stars.
This special space, constructed from vast quantities of Honkai energy, had drawn her and her enemy into its depths, reminiscent of the Herrscher of Domination's Dominion Theater, a Domain Expansion, or an Inherent Barrier.
However, the space itself wasn't the main attraction. The most captivating sight was the young girl floating at its center. Having entered her Herrscher form, Elysia's attire had naturally undergone a transformation.
Her Flame-Chaser uniform had morphed into a peculiar, predominantly white ensemble.
With a delicate flick of her finger, a full-length mirror materialized before her. Elysia rested a hand on her chin, scrutinizing her reflection.
Yes, despite the open portal looming nearby—and the second monster already halfway through—she calmly admired her new appearance.
After all, this was her first time in her Herrscher form. Naturally, she needed to thoroughly examine her transformed self!
At first glance, Elysia's new outfit resembled a wedding dress. A white ornament adorned the side of her forehead, and she wore pure white gloves and white ankle boots that reached her calves.
Unlike a traditional wedding gown, however, this outfit used far less fabric, exposing her delicate collarbones, shoulders, and shapely thighs.
Looking in the mirror, Elysia noticed that her hair had grown significantly longer since entering her Herrscher state. Floating in the air, two small-winged devices resembling magical young girl transformation devices hovered behind her, hooking onto her hair to prevent it from dragging on the ground.
Hmm~ While she did enjoy having long hair, this was getting ridiculous. Hopefully, it'll return to normal when I revert from this state. Otherwise, I'll have to cut it off.
In addition to the changes in her attire, the bow she had been carrying had transformed into a long, ornate staff, seemingly confirming her earlier words: Do you want to witness a young girl's magic?
In reality, the staff was utterly insignificant. It was merely a prop chosen for its aesthetic appeal. If Elysia wished, she could easily transform it into a hammer, a cannon, or anything else she desired.
Elysia turned to the dumbstruck Baldy 'Burke' and Carolina. Facing the camera, she released the staff, formed a cute heart shape with her hands, and said sweetly, "Remember to make a wish when you see a shooting star, okay?~"
The pink-haired girl before them was undeniably adorable and beautiful. Yet, in the same frame, behind her, several grotesque monsters had emerged, their gaping maws ready to unleash a deafening roar.
But... as if her words held magical power, the instant Elysia finished speaking, countless pink shooting stars plummeted from the sky, instantly turning the monsters into bloody sieves.