A roar filled with fear from a Mega Sandworm echoed across the desert.
Was it because the first attempt at an attack had failed?
The Mega Sandworm quickly burrowed into the sand and disappeared along with the tent where Parmash had been staying.
“……”
Even by then, the subjugation force had yet to regain their senses, but the first to move were Parmash’s guards.
They turned their eyes away from the Mega Sandworm and looked in the direction Shane had gone.
There, they saw Shane beside Parmash who had been laid down nearby.
Parmash slowly opened his eyes.
“Wh-Where am I…?”
“My apologies. The situation was urgent.”
“…?!”
Only then did Parmash, coming to his senses, spring to his feet and regard Shane with suspicion.
Shane raised both hands to show he had no further intent to attack, then nodded toward the direction where the tent had been.
“Wh-What? Where did the tent…?”
“Chief!!”
“Are you unharmed?!”
At that moment, the guards who had rushed over like the wind arrived at Parmash’s side, weapons aimed at Shane.
“What just happened?”
Noticing the confusion in his guards’ expressions, Parmash asked about what had occurred while he was unconscious.
“Another Mega Sandworm appeared. The tent you were in until just moments ago… was devoured by it.”
“……!”
With those words, Parmash finally understood why despair was etched into the faces of the subjugation force.
“…We’ll speak of this matter later.”
“……”
At Parmash’s remark, Shane also nodded.
The appearance of another Mega Sandworm had been unexpected even for him.
Even if the energy from the Dragon’s Scale attracts Mega Sandworms, would it really be enough to draw in two?
The reason the previously subjugated Mega Sandworm had chased the energy of the dragon all the way here was because it had sensed that aura once before.
If two of them had sensed the energy back when Mirash was transporting it, that might be one thing….but only one had followed them here.
So then, where had the other one come from?
While Shane was pondering the cause of this turn of events, Parmash raised his voice to calm the panicked subjugation force.
“Attention!!”
The magical force imbued in his shout drew the attention of the entire subjugation force.
“All units, hold your formation!”
“……!”
“Shamans, activate the totems again!”
Only then did order begin to return to the battlefield, which had been in a state of chaos.
Following Parmash’s orders, the subjugation force composed themselves, readied their weapons, and began preparing for another ambush. Meanwhile, the shamans summoned their mana once more and reactivated the totems just like before.
However, this time, the Mega Sandworm moved even faster.
Kuoooooooo──!
As if it had somehow realized how its kin had been taken down, the creature burst out from beneath one of the totems where the mana was being concentrated.
“Kh…!”
At the sight, Parmash bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.
Mega Sandworms were as cautious as they were dangerous.
Because it had witnessed the death of its own kind again and again on its path to reaching such a size, it would not fall for the same tactic.
The sedative was no longer usable, and all the totems that could draw it out from the sand had been destroyed.
Two of the key components that had made subjugating the previous Mega Sandworm possible were now lost.
Moreover, the creature had likely witnessed its kin being attacked by the subjugation force. Meaning it would never consider a head-on confrontation.
That led Shane into a similar line of thought.
In truth, if Dilaila were deployed here, the subjugation would become significantly easier.
But doing so would draw too much attention to her.
After all, there’s a world of difference between a mere earth mage who manipulates sand and one who can take on a Mega Sandworm.
And if that happened, even the Nameless members might begin to take notice of Dilaila’s existence.
Yet, leaving things as they were would result in massive damage to the Argato Oasis.
If that were to happen, Parmash’s reputation would be utterly ruined, and his influence within the tribal society would plummet.
That was not something Shane desired.
However, the concerns troubling Shane and Parmash were resolved in a way neither had anticipated.
***
In this vast desert, seeing green leaves is rare enough.
So then, what of petals in a multitude of brilliant colors?
The only flower petals found in the Nakar Desert are those of cacti that bloom after years of waiting.
So what, then, were these countless petals falling from the sky?
Shane had seen a scene like this before.
It was the very same display that had appeared when he arrived at the underground auction with the dark elves.
Shane activated the Origin of Pride and focused it into both his eyes.
Meanwhile—
The subjugation force was once again thrown into confusion.
Having never seen so many flower petals in their lives, they couldn’t make sense of the strange phenomenon before them.
Then, at the murmuring of one beastkin, a few members of the subjugation force turned their eyes toward him.
“I….I’ve heard of this before. They say when that person appears… it’s like time itself turns back.”
“That person?”
“No way…”
Some wore confused expressions, as if they didn’t understand what was just said, while others looked as though they did. Their faces were suddenly filled with reverence.
“The final hope that can quell the wrath of the Dragon…”
“I-It’s the Saintess!”
One of the beastkin pointed toward the sky, and at once, all eyes turned in that direction.
There, descending gracefully from the sky with the blazing sun of the Nakar Desert at her back, was a woman.
The Saintess.
The only woman in the Nakar Desert said to have received the Dragon’s blessing walked upon a path made of flower petals.
Around her, green grass and budding sprouts sprang to life, as if illuminating the path she walked.
To anyone watching, there was nothing out of place in calling her a Saintess. Her presence matched the name perfectly.
“The Saintess…”
“I-Is it really the Saintess…?”
“Unbelievable…”
As though declaring her presence to the entire world, her very being radiated a sense of overwhelming presence, and none of the subjugation force could take their eyes off her.
Even the fact that a Mega Sandworm lurked beneath their feet seemed to slip from their minds.
There was a certain intangible aura about her that simply demanded attention.
And then, the Saintess, now standing before the subjugation force, spoke for the first time.
“Hello, everyone.”
Could this be the voice that once lured countless beings? The voice of a harpy?
Or perhaps the song of a sea-bound siren, said to be a spirit of water?
With nothing more than a simple greeting, the entire subjugation force felt their fighting spirit drain away.
Weapons coated in poison slipped from hands and fell onto the sand. Hands stained with Mega Sandworm blood were hastily hidden away.
It all felt like an act of desecration in front of the Saintess standing before them.
Even Parmash who always maintained a cold and logical mind could only gaze at her in a daze.
Only Shane stared at the Saintess with clear, unwavering eyes.
Now then.
What should he do?
“……”
For a brief moment, thoughts swirled through his mind. But in the end, Shane couldn’t unleash the battle spirit surging within him.
Not because, like the others, he felt her divinity. But it was because he knew the time hadn’t yet come.
Instead, Shane quietly suppressed his presence and began to move slowly and subtly, while making his way behind Parmash.
“Long ago, the blood shed by our god, the Dragon, is said to have been absorbed by the body of an earthworm, one that had long enriched the soil.”
Once again, that celestial voice spread through the subjugation force.
They listened intently as she began to speak, as if reading from a sacred scripture.
“The worm that received the Dragon’s blood was soon elevated to become a land dragon, another form of dragon. And the Dragon spoke these words.”
—My time to ascend has not yet come. So when that day arrives, you shall return to the cosmos with me.
“The land dragon, whose sole purpose in life had been to make the earth fertile, was deeply moved by the Dragon’s words. From that moment on, it devoted itself to making the land ever more bountiful.”
Divine.
Just meeting her gaze and those eyes tinged with purple was enough to fill the subjugation force with reverence.
“But after the Dragon showed His wrath upon the world, the land dragon too was not spared from that anger. Even now, they thirst for the traces He left behind.”
“……”
“That creature is no different. It’s simply afraid… and longing for the day the Dragon returns. Perhaps… just perhaps, somewhere here lies a trace left behind by Him.”
“A trace… of the Dragon?”
“Are you speaking of a relic?!”
That single word sent ripples through the subjugation force, and before anyone noticed, Parmash was once again staring at the Saint with his usual calm, composed expression.
“If possible, I would like to purify that relic myself. However, that decision must follow the will of its rightful owner. Instead, allow me to soothe the creature, descendant of the land dragon.”
As she said this, the Saintess slowly raised a hand behind her.
And to everyone’s astonishment, the Mega Sandworm, which had hidden itself beneath the sands, began to reveal its massive form.
The monstrous beast that was large enough to swallow a building whole approached the Saintess with the gentleness of a lamb, lowering its head to press its forehead against her outstretched hand.
Several members of the subjugation force fell to their knees at the unbelievable sight of the Mega Sandworm, known as the great reaper of the desert, showing such behaviour.
It was as if they were trying to show their reverence to the Saintess, just like they did every morning when they prayed to their divine Dragon.
As if it had been prearranged, the rest of the subjugation force followed suit, kneeling one after another and watching the Saintess’ next move.
“My child. Return now to where you truly belong. The wrath the Dragon cast upon this world has yet to be lifted. But when the time comes, He will not forget you. He will surely appear before you once more.”
As if to prove that everything they had witnessed was no lie, the Mega Sandworm nodded its massive head precisely twice. Then, proudly revealing half its body above the sands, it began moving westward, cutting across the desert.
“Everyone. The merciful Dragon has not abandoned us. So let us grieve for today’s sacrifice and offer up our prayers. If we do, the Dragon will once again bestow life upon this barren land. Just like this.”
The Saintess had barely finished speaking when another miracle unfolded.
Upon the sand, where not a single blade of grass had ever grown, a sprout emerged.
The sprout, as if unbound by time itself, began to stretch its roots deep into the arid soil, quickly growing into a small sapling.
And before long, the sapling steadily matured into a sacred tree, expanding its reach as if the desert had never been lifeless.
The scorching sun that had once scorched all life now transformed into a gentle warmth that embraced the world with life-giving energy.
As the Saintess looked upon the transformation with affection, unfamiliar creatures slowly began to appear around her.
Animals the beastkin of the Nakar Desert had never seen in their lives like squirrels and deer gathered around the Saintess.
“Then, until the time comes again, may we meet once more. I pray that the Dragon watches over you.”
With those final words, the Saintess slowly began to ascend into the air, fading from sight in the same way that she had appeared, her silhouette outlined against the sun.
And when her figure completely vanished into the sun—
The entire landscape shimmered like a mirage, and before they knew it, it had returned to its usual desert state.
“A dream…?”
“N-No, this is…”
“A prophecy… It’s a prophecy…”
As the scorching sun once again blazed down from above—
The scent of the forest that had lingered only moments ago vanished without a trace, leaving behind nothing but the metallic stench of the dead Mega Sandworm’s blood.
“Attention!!”
Parmash’s thunderous voice rang out once more.
Only then did the dazed members of the subjugation force, their eyes still unfocused, turn their gaze toward him.
“…The merciful Saintess has returned the Mega Sandworm to its rightful place. With that, the subjugation is complete.”
Still in a daze, the subjugation force nodded in response, each in their own way.
Though the Saintess’s sudden appearance and departure—
And the anticlimactic end of the operation had caught everyone off guard, no one showed any sign of disappointment.
Instead, they were busy offering prayers to the Dragon and the Saintess, filled with unwavering faith.
And then—
Having brought everything to a close, Parmash turned to Shane with a grave expression.
“Can you explain to me what it is I just witnessed, unknown outsider?”
His expression held firm conviction.
The conviction that the Saintess… was by no means a holy being.
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