Sacred Speech!
"Float!"
As faith power stirred, the kotodama's ability flashed, and the entire caravan—both wagons and people—rose into the air under Elise's power.
"Amazing, Miss Holiness!"
"I didn't expect an Elementalist could do something like this!"
"Miss Elise must be an exceptionally powerful Elementalist, right?"
The merchants, enjoying the sensation of floating, felt much of their tension melt away.
"Everyone, be careful. Until I've dealt with these monsters, please remain in the air."
After offering the reminder, Elise turned her gaze to the whirlpool of flowing sand below.
Moments ago, small animals had dotted the desert surface. Now, they were sliding helplessly into the pit's center.
Two massive mandibles pierced through the sand, followed by a gigantic head rising from beneath, jaws gaping wide.
Every creature that slipped into the pit was swallowed whole by that bottomless maw.
"Miss Elise!" the caravan leader, Allen, shouted. "These monsters have very low tendency to swarm! While it hasn't noticed us yet, let's escape quickly!"
"Low tendency to swarm?" Elise narrowed her eyes, focusing on the pit below, and shook her head.
"Allen, your desert experience is impressive, but every rule has its exception."
Her earlier perception had spread mainly in four directions—front, back, left, and right. She had probed the sands as well, but not deeply.
Now that she knew antlion beasts lurked below, Elise concentrated her perception beneath the desert surface…
"There are more of them than us!"
The caravan had around thirty people. If Elise said there were more antlions than that…
As soon as her words fell, a deafening rumble shook the desert. The sound was overwhelming!
Allen's jaw nearly dropped at the sight.
"How? Why are there so many? Wait! Could it be—"
Countless whirlpools began appearing across the desert, each growing larger as the sands churned.
"It must be breeding season."
Elise voiced the thought in Allen's mind. In her perception, she had just seen several antlion beasts mating beneath the sands—and laying eggs.
"Then we're doomed, aren't we? Miss Elise, can you carry us out by flying?"
Allen knew how terrifying antlions were. If it had been only one, there was still hope of escape. But with so many, ordinary people like them stood no chance!
Their only hope was the lone Elementalist here.
"Mm… flying out may be difficult," Elise admitted.
Allen's face turned grim, but her next words gave him hope again.
"But defeating them—that's possible."
To the merchants, this was their only lifeline. They couldn't count on the Empire sending reinforcements. By the time help came, they'd already be inside antlion stomachs.
"Then… we leave it to you!"
"Est, let's go!"
Elise extended her right hand. Est transformed instantly into the Sacred Sword, ready for battle.
"A high-level sword spirit?"
Allen, who was fairly knowledgeable, knew high-ranking spirits could assume human form. But he hadn't expected the seemingly small girl traveling with them to actually be a sword spirit.
If that were true, then perhaps they had a chance!
...
"Let's take this chance to test my Starlight Sword!"
Since deciding to create her Holy Sword Style, Elise had not been idle. She constantly refined and attuned herself to her Prana.
Though only a short time had passed, she had made noticeable progress.
Holding the sword in both hands, Elise channeled Prana through her contract into Est. Little motes of starlight shimmered into existence upon the Sacred Sword.
This was her Holy Sword Style—Starlight Sword. Yes, it was a state-type skill!
That earlier light cannon was merely an instantaneous burst of gathered energy. But if Elise reduced the Prana output and maintained it, the Sacred Sword could remain in its Starlight Sword state continuously.
Not only would this enhance the blade's slashing power, it also accelerated Prana conversion—allowing Est to channel it more efficiently.
Of course, the Sacred Sword's strength varied with the amount of Prana infused. To increase power, she would need to raise the output.
"Take this first strike!"
Holy Sword Style – Starlight Sword – Starlight Slash!
As Elise swung downward, a massive arc of starlit energy appeared in the sky and hurtled toward the antlion swarm beneath the sands.
The antlions seemed oblivious, still busy devouring prey that had fallen in.
Boom—!
The sword energy pierced one antlion directly, detonating in the desert floor!
"Not bad at all!"
With a single strike, she felled an antlion.
Judging by the Prana feedback, that one had been about fifteen meters long. That large?
Were all the others the same size?
But with that one blow, the feeding antlions noticed the prey floating above. Dozens of massive heads burst from the sand, jaws gnashing.
"There are… thirty-seven of them?" Allen, in all his years, had never seen so many together.
Yet now that their heads were visible, Elise could pinpoint their exact locations!
Shhh!
Thirty-seven sword beams rained down at once.
"Take my thirty-sevenfold Starlight Slash combo!"
But this time, the antlions had witnessed its destructive power. They had seen one of their kin obliterated!
Now, they quickly burrowed back beneath the sand, shifting positions constantly.
"Smarter than I thought."
While monsters lacked human intelligence, they weren't fools either. They wouldn't rush headlong into certain death.
In her perception, the antlions were rapidly repositioning beneath the desert. Without some kind of large-scale attack, striking them would be difficult.
But large-scale attacks…
Elise had just the practice for that!
Raising the Sacred Sword one-handed, her Prana surged, resonating deeply with Est. The starlight along the blade flared ever brighter.
Boom!
The radiance suddenly expanded, painting a breathtaking vision of the Milky Way across the sky!
Within that cosmic tapestry, countless stars began to glimmer. As Prana flooded in, their pulsing grew stronger.
Holy Sword Style – Starlight Sword – Starry Sky!