So I'm a Dragon, So What? - Game System [89]

Whether they sensed his intent, or simply realized their normal tactics were useless against him, something changed. 

The scattered pieces of flesh didn't regenerate as before. 

Instead, they began to pull together, drawn by an unseen force, coalescing into a single, pulsing sphere of meat and gore.

And it wasn't just flesh. Clumps of dirt, minerals from the ground, splinters of wood, clouds of dust… every material object in the clearing was being pulled towards the sphere. 

It grew heavier and heavier, condensing more and more matter, yet, strangely, its size began to shrink.

Even stranger, the 'object' began to emit a brilliant, searing white light, like a miniature sun.

Through their domain, they were merging all their power, all their physical forms, with every bit of matter they could gather, compressing their mass into something terrifying. 

At this moment, Reinhardt and the others could no longer be called 'people.' 

They had become a miniature star! Its density was incredible, its mass immense, and all their magical energy was now focused within it. If it were to detonate, the resulting explosion could destroy everything.

Elliot's expression turned a little strange.

….

Emilia’s sudden surge of power seemed to momentarily stun the elves. Reinhardt, still holding his ground against her blizzard, was particularly shocked. 

He had never witnessed such a raw, overwhelming display of magic! 

Truly, she is the Saintess! If she weren't so close to exhausting her mana, he knew he would never have gotten this close.

"Impossible! How can you still be standing?!" Emilia cried out, a note of desperation creeping into her voice. 

She threw everything she had at them, a relentless storm of ice and magic. But against their unnatural regeneration, her attacks were utterly useless.

And her time was running out. She could feel the Witch form fading, the bone-deep exhaustion waiting to claim her. 

What do I do now?! Even with the clarity of [Wisdom], her thoughts were a frantic, jumbled mess.

This wasn't her fault. It was her first real fight against other elves, and she had already done more than anyone could have asked.

Elliot, hidden, looked up. He considered shattering the domain, giving Emilia a chance to escape. But after watching for a while, he realized it wouldn't be that simple. 

There wasn't just one domain in play, but two. The first was the smaller seal meant to keep him out. 

The second was a vast, insidious field that seemed to cover the entire mountain range, and that was the source of their insane healing.

His [Domain Collapse] could shatter one, but not both. It would break the outer shell, but the healing field would remain, leaving Emilia trapped and him exposed. It was a clever, frustrating trap.

Just as Emilia's power finally gave out, the golden light in her eyes dimming as her MP hit zero, Reinhardt saw his opening. He hefted his massive, dragon's-blood-coated shield and charged.

"Your Highness, please stop," Reinhardt said, his voice flat but persuasive. "You're only making this difficult for your loyal servants. This is a waste of time."

He knew that once they captured her, the Pontiff would "cleanse" her soul, and the "tainted" girl would become pure and perfect once more. 

He had no doubt of this. He himself had undergone the ritual. 

After the cleansing, he felt his soul had been elevated, his purpose clarified. 

Restoring the glory of the elf race became his sacred, all-consuming mission. Family, friends, children… they all became burdens on his path to success. But he had no regrets. Not a single one.

The Saintess, after her own cleansing, would surely dedicate herself to this great cause as well!

But suddenly, Reinhardt froze. His eyes widened with a hint of fear as he looked behind Emilia. A man… had appeared there, out of thin air, without a sound.

….

Emilia, on the verge of collapse, suddenly felt a large, warm hand rest on her shoulder. Her first instinct was to lash out, but then she felt the familiar warmth of his touch. 

She spun around, her heart leaping with a joy so intense it almost hurt. It was him. The man she had been hoping for.

"Lord Elliot!" A wave of relief washed over her. She knew it. She knew he would come for her. But now, with her Witch form faded, she was incredibly weak.

"Doing that… leaves you open to attack," Elliot said with a gentle smile. It was a common mistake. When reinforcements arrive, it's easy to let your guard down. A moment of relaxation is the perfect opportunity for an enemy to strike. It was a bad habit she needed to break.

Emilia nodded seriously, committing his words to heart.

Then, a soft green light flowed from Elliot's hand, healing her. His power didn't just mend her wounds; it also restored a portion of her spent MP. 

The power of the Dendro Gnosis was about cleansing all negative effects and restoring one to their optimal state. 

HP, MP, even Stamina could be replenished. If you were starving to death, a single touch from Elliot could bring you back from the brink.

Seeing Emilia's mana begin to recover, the elves hesitated, a flicker of fear in their eyes. They had already gotten a taste of her full power. They didn't want another.

The elves' methods were clearly suicidal, but the blast would be enormous, engulfing everything in the vicinity, including the Saintess! 

Could it be they don't care about the Saintess's safety? That seemed impossible.

Elliot paused for a moment, then a realization dawned on him. There was only one other possibility. 

They knew. They knew that with his power, he could easily deal with this 'star' they were creating! 

The one hiding in the shadows, the true mastermind, wanted to see his hand. 

They wanted to gather information on him, to gain an advantage in the battles to come.

But if they thought a threat like this would be enough to stop him, they had seriously underestimated him. 

Without a moment's hesitation, he unleashed his god-slaying technique—Spirit Soother!

You want to see what I can do? Then I'll give you a show you'll never forget!