Sand Subsidence.
It erupted simultaneously in multiple places, swallowing Ark's soldiers in an instant.
"Fall back from your positions!"
"Scatter, everyone!"
Even the soldiers of Ark, armed with overwhelming firepower, were helpless against the ground crumbling beneath their feet.
Had the enemy been visible, the outcome might've been different.
But the newly emerged Sand Devourer, living up to the name "Calamity," began ravaging soldiers from the deep underground.
"Gaaah!"
"Help! Somebody, help!"
Ark's soldiers screamed in terror.
But the only one among them truly capable of responding to the Sand Devourer was already using up all her strength to handle just one of the creatures.
And since the attacks came from below the surface, even seasoned veterans like Major Arden and Sergeant Gregory found themselves powerless.
All they could do was scramble to dodge the collapsing ground.
Of course, there were Ether-compatible soldiers among them, but even they were fully occupied trying to help others escape the sand subsidence.
'In this situation… I guess I'm the only one who can move.'
I had something none of them did— the Z-74 Jetpack.
That's why, when even the Young Lady couldn't act, I was the only one capable of doing anything.
'Esther. First, we need to evacuate the soldiers.'
["...I can't do it alone."]
'I know. I'll help.'
Even if I tried attacking the Sand Devourer using the pit again, there was no telling whether the new one's location was connected to that cave.
So, the top priority was ensuring the soldiers' safety.
'Though given the overlapping attack zones, there's a good chance they're connected… still, the soldiers' safety comes first.'
'Esther. Let's begin.'
["Understood."]
Ether surged violently around Esther.
[─────────!!!]
The Ether she radiated from the center burst outward in all directions.
It carried no offensive intent.
Because of that, she could spread it much wider than we normally could during combat.
[Spread. Spread. Spread. Spread. Spread. Spread. Spread. Spread. Spread. Spread. Spread. Spread. Spread. Spread. Spread. Spread. Spread. Spread. Spread. Spread. Spread...]
We succeeded in scattering the Ether across the widest possible range.
Now, all that remained was to grab Ark's soldiers with it— and lift them to safety.
'Now!'
At my signal, Esther began pulling with her Ether.
[Grab. Grab. Grab. Grab. Grab. Grab. Grab. Grab. Grab. Grab. Grab. Grab. Grab. Grab. Grab. Grab. Grab.]
[Lift. Lift. Lift. Lift. Lift. Lift. Lift. Lift. Lift. Lift. Lift. Lift. Lift. Lift. Lift. Lift. Lift. Lift. Lift. Lift. Lift.]
Grab and lift.
It was a simple task—except the targets were hundreds of soldiers.
And their personal gear and firearms added even more weight. Esther gritted her teeth and screamed.
["Nngh...!"]
Ether streamed from her lips like blood, a sign of how hard she was pushing herself to lift the scattered soldiers.
"W-What's happening?!"
"Calm down! It's an ally!"
Sergeant Gregory shouted.
Thankfully, he was a veteran who quickly grasped the situation.
Had the soldiers struggled or panicked, the strain on me would've intensified. But thanks to him, that didn't happen.
"An ally? Who?"
"Look—over there!"
We barely managed to rescue the soldiers. But this wasn't the end.
In fact, it was only the beginning.
'...As expected, this level of Ether is wearing me down.'
I had to use my own Ether too, and the burden was no joke.
Compared to the Young Lady grappling with a Sand Devourer, maybe it wasn't much, but I was near my limit.
["I can't hold this for long!"]
'I know.'
I moved immediately.
The priority was to deal with the Sand Devourer immobilizing the Young Lady.
I looked for someone airborne—someone who could understand me and held a decent rank.
Major Arden.
"Carl Marcus! Is this your doing?"
"It is. But that's not the issue right now. We need to strike that Sand Devourer over there. Use all your firepower if you must."
"...Understood. Leave it to me."
Given the situation, Major Arden skipped the small talk.
Everyone had to do their part if we were to survive.
He moved swiftly.
Though not the commanding officer, his rank held universal authority in Ark, and with the Young Lady in danger, protocol could be ignored.
"Fire!"
The airborne soldiers, held aloft by Ether, turned their fire toward the pinned Sand Devourer.
Fweeeeooow—!
Zreech, zreech!
BOOOOOM!!!
Light and explosions.
Flashes and blasts.
Everything poured down upon the creature the Young Lady held in place.
[GRRRAAAAAAAHHH!!!]
The Sand Devourer twisted in the air, howling in pain.
But the Ark soldiers were all airborne thanks to me and Esther's Ether.
And no matter how powerful the Sand Devourer, it had no means of counterattack from underground.
'If we can kill this one, the Young Lady will be free to move again.'
That was the answer I'd chosen.
If everything went as planned, we might just turn this desperate situation around.
However...
Life rarely goes as expected.
And this was one of those times.
["Master!"]
Esther's frantic cry rang out.
I already knew.
I knew what was coming.
RUMBLE—
RUMBLERUMBLERUMBLE!!!
A massive tremor from the surface.
A sign the Sand Devourer beneath was violently on the move.
'I was hoping it wasn't the case… but it looks like we've got a fully-grown one.'
Yes—Sand Devourers grow, just like anything else.
And a full-grown one—an adult class—meant it was fully developed.
Adult Sand Devourers could even strike airborne targets depending on their tactics.
Like rightnow.
Rumble rumble rumble───
BOOOOOOM!!!!
A thunderous roar and a violent earthquake.
Then came a massive tidal wave made of earth and dirt.
It was large enough to engulf even the airborne soldiers.
"Sergeant Gregory!"
"I see it too! Damn it!"
Despair clouded the faces of the Ark soldiers.
No matter how elite they were, there was no feasible countermeasure for this.
And I was no different.
'…Damn it.'
There was simply no viable method.
That thing was a calamity incarnate.
What use was plasma fire or heavy artillery against a surging natural disaster?
'Esther!'
["I'm at my limit!"]
Esther, already pushing herself close to collapse, had no strength left to stop what was coming.
If there was any hope left...
My eyes naturally turned to where the Young Lady was.
Sweat beaded her forehead.
Her lips trembled.
Everything about her screamed that she was at her breaking point.
It was obvious—she had nothing left to give.
Counting on her now seemed impossible.
"We're… we're all going to die."
"Don't say that! Shit, shit…!"
Just as despair overtook the soldiers—
BOOOOOOOM───!!
The ether that had been holding the sand predator aloft scattered, and its massive body crashed back to the surface.
For some reason, the Young Lady's ether had released its grip.
[GRRAAAAAAH──!]
Still breathing, the sand predator quickly dug into the earth and disappeared underground.
The worst-case scenario had arrived.
'Wait, that means…'
I turned my gaze quickly back to the Young Lady.
She was gasping, arms stretched toward the incoming tidal wave of sand.
"Haa, haa…"
Anyone could see she was spent.
Yet she was drawing out the last of her ether—again and again.
Once more, ether surged.
[It hurts…]
[Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it───]
[SKREEEEEE!!!]
The violently surging ether stopped the sand tidal wave that had threatened the soldiers.
And then, the monstrous wave that had looked like it would swallow everything crashed powerlessly to the ground.
FWOOOOOOSH────!
At first glance, the situation seemed under control.
But there was a bigger problem—
The sand predator underground wasn't just sitting back and watching.
RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE────!!!
Another sand wave formed.
Smaller than the first, but this time its target was clear.
The Young Lady had used her remaining strength to protect the soldiers.
And now, the predator cunningly turned its aim directly at her.
"…Ah."
I saw her.
Saw her bite her lip hard.
It was clear.
She was completely spent.
RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE!!!
Another sand wave surged, this time heading straight for the soldiers and the Young Lady.
If she were alone, she might still be able to save herself.
'…We'll lose the soldiers, but there's no choice.'
Both the Young Lady and I were at our limits.
Sacrifice was inevitable.
I was certain of that. And yet…
RATTLERATTLERATTLE!!!
Ether brought the wave crashing down.
But the part of the wave meant for the soldiers was all that collapsed.
The portion rushing toward the Young Lady kept coming.
"…Ah."
BOOOOOOOM!!!
Her unguarded body was swept up by the sand wave and thrown violently to the ground.
Into a deep, bottomless abyss.
'Why?'
It didn't make sense.
It was something I couldn't understand.
The woman I knew—the head of the Shadow Order—would never have overextended herself like this.
She had an unfulfilled mission. A dream she had to realize.
'Why would she…?'
The question didn't last long.
Because my body was already flying toward the place where she had fallen.
「"…Still, be careful. She might be far more dangerous than you realize, brother."」
Why now…
Why did Lania's warning resurface?
'Damn woman.'
I threw myself into the deep, deep abyss where she had fallen.