The ether screams.
The surrounding air violently swirls.
All these phenomena are caused by a single individual.
Goooooooo─────!
Is this what it looks like when a human confronts a catastrophe?
Earth and soil are being lifted entirely.
In the face of this absurd spectacle, the soldiers can only flee.
"W-what on earth..."
"Get away!"
"We'll be swept away!"
The elite forces.
The soldiers of Ark are in disarray, making their title meaningless.
It couldn't be helped.
No matter how elite, they had never experienced such an absurd situation.
'So this is how it's going to be.'
As crude as the attack is, its efficiency isn't particularly high.
After all, the Sand Devourer is a monster that resides deep underground, and intercepting it requires lifting a massive amount of earth.
Yet, the Young Lady accomplishes this effortlessly.
'I suppose such details don't matter to her.'
I fly through the rising earth using the Z-74 jetpack as much as possible.
The Sand Devourer wouldn't stay still in this situation, so I plan to attack during this opportunity.
'There it is.'
I see movement beneath the yet-to-be-excavated earth.
That indicates the Sand Devourer is right below.
['Rift Space' has been activated.]
From within the [Rift Space], I retrieve the CRN-842 Hemp Rocket Launcher.
I would have preferred to use the NOA-31 Anti-Behemoth Gatling Gun, but it's not feasible to deploy it mid-air without Horus's support.
'Perhaps if the Z-74 jetpack's output were significantly stronger... but for now, it's impossible.'
Nonetheless, it's fine.
Although the CRN-842's firepower is inferior to the NOA-31, it's sufficient to achieve my objective.
Clank—
The trigger is pulled roughly,
Whoosh──────!
The rocket launcher fires towards the pit on the ground.
Pheeeew!!!
It's not just one.
One shot, two shots, three shots, four shots...
In an instant, rockets rain down, filling the surroundings and striking the pit created by the lady.
Boom────
Boom boom boom!!!
The successive explosions cause the already trembling earth to shake even more violently.
'But, I haven't even scratched its outer shell yet.'
My attack has merely removed some of the earth.
The Sand Devourer's outer shell is that thick, and it resides deep underground.
"Oh! Carl!"
Kurilta, having regained his senses, sees me and joins in firing at the pit.
Whether to call it reckless or brave...
Regardless, his actions prompt the soldiers of Ark to also regain their composure and start pouring firepower into the pit.
"Fire!"
"Shoot!"
Of course, with their personal firearms, even if the Sand Devourer's body were fully exposed, causing significant damage would be difficult.
However, adding firepower still makes a difference.
Boom boom boom─────!!
Thud! Thud thud!!!
Successive explosions and blasts.
The earth is continuously excavated.
Amidst this, finally, a small part of the Sand Devourer, which seemed like it would never be revealed, becomes visible.
Rustle────
A smooth skin resembling an insect's exoskeleton.
And an enormous size befitting the term 'colossal monster.'
Although only a small part is exposed, it's enough to understand the nature of the Sand Devourer.
"What the..."
"Can we... catch that?"
"...We need more firepower."
The soldiers' thoughts are short-lived.
The fully revealed Sand Devourer begins moving underground again, causing a sand subsidence phenomenon.
"Ugh!"
"Prepare for the Sand Devourer's attack! If you're sucked into the sand subsidence, you won't survive!"
Sergeant Gregory shouts.
As he says, getting caught in the sand subsidence means certain death, even for Ark's soldiers.
Rustle rustle rustle rustle────
Proving this, the ground collapses, and soldiers begin to be sucked in one by one.
"The ground is caving in!"
"Ahhh! My leg! My leg!"
I try to save the soldiers by operating the Z-74 jetpack as much as possible, but the vast range of the sand subsidence makes it impossible to save everyone.
"Aaaah!"
"Prepare yourself."
"I'm already on it."
The surrounding ether began to stir, not just nearby, but throughout the entire area.
Even Esther was affected by the powerful ether waves.
What happened next was, indeed, a characteristically reckless act by the Young Lady.
"Alright, shall we go?"
With a fierce smile, the Young Lady gestured, and the ether began to surge upwards.
[Kyaaaaaa──]
[Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go...]
[Upwards! Upwards──────!]
What this reckless Young Lady was attempting was simple.
She was trying to lift the massive body of the Sand Devourer entirely to the surface.
"Let's go."
With the Young Lady's declaration, the Sand Devourer's massive form began to rise, lifted by the ether.
Even for her, this would not be an easy task, but she showed no signs of concern.
"Hmm, it's struggling a lot. Shall we give it a big hit?"
"Let's do it."
Since my energy reserves were almost fully charged, it seemed like the right time to deliver a significant blow.
Ziiing...
The Ark-34 automatic conversion rifle switched to railgun mode.
I gripped the trigger of the Ark-34 railgun and began charging the electric shot.
Tzzzt, tzzzt!!
Sparks flew wildly.
The loaded bullet was an armor-piercing round.
I intended to create a long hole in the Sand Devourer's body with this.
Click-
The trigger was pulled, and with a surge of electricity, a streak of light shot out.
Swaaaaaa───!!!
The supersonic bullet traveled faster than sound, causing the sound to arrive a moment later.
By the time the sound was heard, the armor-piercing round had already pierced through the Sand Devourer's long throat.
[Gieeeeeeeek───!!!!]
The Sand Devourer's body convulsed violently.
The Young Lady seized this opportunity and began lifting the struggling Sand Devourer entirely.
Towards the surface, where the Ark soldiers were waiting.
Kugugugugugu!!!
The massive body of the Sand Devourer surged upward, collapsing the cave.
The cave we were in should have collapsed as well, but Esther prevented that.
"You're amazing, Esther. There's no one like you."
["...Hmph."]
Beads of sweat formed on the Young Lady's forehead.
Even for her, pulling a creature as massive as the Sand Devourer out from underground was no ordinary feat.
Kugugugugugu───!!!
With overwhelming ether, the Sand Devourer's enormous body nearly reached the surface.
'Well, the Ark soldiers will have to deal with the Sand Devourer suddenly emerging from underground.'
They should be able to handle it.
Then,
I felt light seeping in from above.
We had finally succeeded in bringing the Sand Devourer to the surface.
"What, what's that?!"
"It's the Sand Devourer!"
"...Prepare to attack!"
After a moment of panic,
the Ark soldiers quickly prepared to attack the Sand Devourer.
The Sand Devourer is indeed a formidable and troublesome creature, often considered a natural disaster.
However, exposed on the surface and deprived of its freedom by the Young Lady's ether, it was just another gigantic monster commonly found outside the Ark.
'Moreover, it's already sustained a fatal injury from the railgun.'
The armor-piercing round fired from the railgun had precisely penetrated the Sand Devourer's long body from the throat.
In such a state, exposed defenselessly to the Ark soldiers, even the Sand Devourer had no chance of survival.
'Well, it's practically the Young Lady who did it all...'
Of course, she didn't tear the Sand Devourer apart with ether directly.
Considering the creature's toughness and thick hide, even she couldn't do that.
Therefore, she chose the easiest and fastest method within her power to kill the Sand Devourer.
'As expected...'
She truly was an impressive woman.
"Attack!"
"Fire!"
At the commanders' orders, the Ark soldiers unleashed overwhelming firepower at the Sand Devourer, suspended in midair.
Kukwakwakwakwa!!!
Bang! Kwabang!
Although their firepower hadn't been very effective against the Sand Devourer underground, it wasn't due to a lack of strength.
Especially now, when the Sand Devourer had lost its protective sand shield.
[Guuuuuu!]
The Sand Devourer struggled, but completely restrained by the Young Lady's ether, all it could do was thrash.