Chapter 98 – Evacuation

An Orbital Shuttle appeared above a safe zone, offering a ray of hope to the exhausted defenders struggling to hold their ground against the relentless hordes of crystal beasts.

"Reinforcements are here!"

No one knew who had shouted these words, but the civilians, exhausted and desperate, raised their tired eyes to the sky and noticed the appearance of the orbital shuttle. Their faces lit up with hope and a murmur of excitement ran through the crowd.

As the shuttle hovered in the sky, the door opened, revealing a graceful figure standing in the doorway. Her silver hair, reflecting the sunlight, seemed to radiate a divine aura.

Cries of surprise and admiration rose from the crowd, some whispering words such as "goddess" and "angel descended from heaven".

All eyes were on Elseria as she stepped through the threshold of the shuttle with impeccable grace. Her golden eyes seemed to scan the crowd, exuding both a comforting gentleness and an unwavering determination.

"This is already the fifth safe zone I've reached. There's very little time left before the crystal beasts outside the city reach the walls. I'm afraid there won't be enough time to evacuate another zone," Elseria whispered with concern in her voice.

Since arriving in Ozryn, she had been using the orbital shuttle to evacuate citizens to a natural satellite around the planet. Creating an area in which even a normal human could live thanks to an inscription formation array that the orbital shuttle was equipped for its missions.

She wanted to save as many people as possible, but time was running out. With a fearless step, she rushed onward, letting her body lean forward in the air, her head pointing down at the ground where the hordes of crystal beasts swarmed.

As she quickly approached the ground, her right hand rested on the hilt of her sword while her left hand held the scabbard firmly.

A dazzling blue glow erupted from the blade as it was unsheathed, and with one fluid motion, it fell in an oblique strike amid the crystal beasts. A bright ethereal blue furrow formed, spreading through the horde of beasts and slicing through everything in its path.

A golden halo of crystal essence formed around her, gracefully slowing her fall. Her body spun, landing silently on the ground once infested with crystal beasts, now littered with their lifeless corpses.

A deafening silence fell over the battlefield as her sword moved in an elegant arc. Every citizen of the city of Ozryn seemed to engrave that image into their memory.

"Ahh!"

The cultivators defending the vanguard began to howl at the crystal beasts, their fatigue seeming to fade away, giving way to a renewed resolve in the face of Elseria's display of power. One after another, they rushed forward with their weapons raised.

Elseria looked at them, and her eyes grew more resolute. The orbital shuttle that hovered in the air descended behind her, crushing the corpses of the beasts.

"Take refuge inside the orbital shuttle while I keep the crystal beasts busy! Don't worry about its apparent size, the space inside is much larger than it looks. Everyone can find refuge there!" her voice, like a celestial melody, echoed throughout the safe zone, bringing long-awaited comfort.

The citizens, galvanized by Elseria's presence and actions, began to gather in haste, guided by the cultivators to the orbital shuttle. Their fatigue and despair gave way to a gleam of hope in their eyes as they hurried to the safety offered by the orbital shuttle.

Meanwhile, Elseria stood still, her upright and noble posture. Her gaze was fixed on the horizon where the Gold rank crystal beasts were approaching at an alarming speed. Her sword was held firmly, raised to the level of her head, keeping it close to her cheek, while the blade was pointed forward.

Light blue elemental particles began to swirl around her, forming a shimmering halo. Soon, their numbers grew to the point where even those without elemental affinity could see them with their naked eyes.

Her silhouette vanished, instantly revealing herself before the horde of crystal beasts. A sparkle of surprise flashed through the eyes of the Gold rank beasts, who roared violently, spreading their crystal essence in her direction.

Drops of water seemed to gather under Elseria's feet, forming a sheet as her sword moved in one fluid motion. Waves of water swirled around her body and sword, creating a mesmerizing spectacle.

"Water Waltz"

Gracefully, Elseria took a step forward, almost gliding on the ground. Her body seemed to float, carried by the fluidity of the water which surrounded her.

With unparalleled grace, she weaved her way through the horde of crystal beasts, her movements like unpredictable currents. Bewildered by her agile footsteps, the crystal beasts couldn't keep up with her quick, fluid movements. Each time she passed through them, shimmering streaks of water formed in her wake, casting a bluish glow in her path.

The splashes and droplets of water almost seemed to float in the air, suddenly turning into sharp blades that slammed down mercilessly on the crystal Beasts. The water, obeying her will, came to life, manifesting as sharp projectiles that pierced the beasts. The Gold rank crystal beasts roared in pain under the relentless onslaught of the water blades, their bodies shattering under the power of these attacks.

During this murderous dance, her figure seemed ethereal, her movements blending seamlessly into the swirling motions of the water around her. She danced with surreal grace, dodging the sharp claws of the crystal beasts, and responded with deadly precision.

The evacuating citizens stopped in their tracks, staring at her presence that transcended all others, her appearance surrounded by water amid the crystal beasts, evoking in their hearts a water goddess who had taken up residence on the battlefield.

Eventually, her dance stopped, bringing her into the middle of the horde of beasts. The water currents surrounding her gradually faded. The surviving Gold rank beasts who looked at her trembled in fear and tried to run away as fast as they could.

But before they could even escape, Elseria made a horizontal slashing motion with her sword. A blade made of water escaped from it and quickly moved, slicing through all the crystal beasts in its path.

With her calm and even breathing, she turned her gaze to the cultivators who were still fighting against the crystal beasts. Her silhouette disappeared again as she appeared in different places on the battlefield, helping as many people as she could while buying time to evacuate the safe zone.