Elise stepped onto a ledge and quietly peeked downward—only to be startled by the sight before her.
The open space below was packed densely with ants!
If someone with trypophobia saw this scene, they would probably faint on the spot.
Although Elise's strength meant she did not fear these monsters, the screen-filling swarm of insects still made her shudder...
She remembered these monsters. They were called Killer Ants.
An insect-type monster with a hardened outer shell. Their lower bodies had six legs, while the raised upper torso bore four sharp hooked claws!
All of the Killer Ants were crawling in the same direction. Following their marching line, Elise quickly located their target.
Near a corner wall stood roughly five adventurers, frantically fending off the swarm. Beside them lay a half-dead Killer Ant, letting out strange, continuous cries.
"How do they dare to level up like this?"
Killer Ants, when faced with danger, would constantly emit cries to summon their companions.
If you encountered a single Killer Ant and failed to eliminate it quickly, you would soon be facing an entire swarm.
Higher-level adventurers could make use of this trait to train themselves efficiently.
But the few adventurers below clearly did not possess that capability.
In Elise's estimation, they were at most in the late stage of Level 1 in this world. They had not even reached Level 2. How could they possibly handle such numbers?
If no one came to help them, they would likely be torn apart by the Killer Ants very soon.
"Hehe! Looks like it's my time to shine!" Elise said eagerly. After all, this was also a good way to spread her Familia's name!
When a saintess encountered something like this, she could not simply stand by!
Red and green light flared along the holy sword—
Using both the fire element and the wind element at the same time, she would test her new move!
Spirit Art—Flame Dance Whirlwind!
...
"Damn it! Damn it!"
A dwarf adventurer gritted his teeth as he chopped down a Killer Ant. But in the next second, another immediately filled the gap, the swarm still surging forward like a tide.
"Why did you come up with this stupid plan?! We don't even have room to run now!"
"Blaming me?" Another human adventurer struggled to fend off the ants. "When I proposed the plan, didn't all of you agree?"
"Now that something's gone wrong, you're pinning it all on me?"
"Stop arguing! The real problem is how we're supposed to escape!"
The adventurers were all around their twenties or thirties, considered the backbone of the profession.
Yet every single one of them was still Level 1. They had remained at that stage for years, with little chance of leveling up.
Because leveling up as an adventurer was extremely demanding.
The first condition was that one of the overall ability values must reach at least rank D.
The second was to accomplish a "great feat" relative to oneself.
Ability values were manageable. After years of struggling in this city, many of their stats had surpassed D, with some even reaching C.
But a "great feat" was another matter entirely.
Among Orario's adventurers, the majority were Level 1 and Level 2 precisely because achieving a "great feat" was so difficult.
That was why they had come up with this method—deliberately triggering a monster feast to attract a massive wave of enemies.
Perhaps, by seizing such an opportunity, they could accomplish a feat worthy of breaking through to Level 2!
Unfortunately...
Ideals were full and beautiful. Reality was harsh and skeletal.
They had succeeded in attracting the monsters. But whether they would break through to Level 2 was another question.
Because they were very likely to die here!
"All the passageways are blocked by these Killer Ants. We're finished!"
One adventurer, overcome with despair, threw his weapon to the ground and gave up resisting.
"Hey! Don't give up! Hold on a little longer!"
"Maybe someone will come save us!"
"Hah? Are you still dreaming? Who in their right mind would see a swarm like this and rush over to die?"
"If someone shows up, I'll eat my greatsword on the spot!"
They had done their best to resist, but their strength was insufficient. They no longer had the stamina to continue.
Rumble—
A faint roar came from afar, accompanied by a dazzling blaze of fire!
"What is that?"
A spiraling whirlwind of flame pierced into the rear of the monster horde. Countless monsters were obliterated instantly by that single strike—body and magic stone alike reduced to nothing!
The blaze continued advancing!
In the span of a single breath, it reached the five adventurers and cleared out all the Killer Ants around them!
At that moment, everyone's eyes widened as they saw the figure within the flames.
A golden-haired girl clad in pure white, holding a platinum holy sword, emerged from crimson fire, slaying every monster that dared attack humanity!
She brought warmth—
And hope!
"So beautiful!"
"Is she... a goddess?" one adventurer asked blankly.
"A goddess can't enter the Dungeon. She's an adventurer, just like us!"
"But—"
There was no "but."
They watched the girl's movements, words utterly failing them.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Scarlet flames coiled around the blade. With every swing of Elise's sword, countless Killer Ants were consumed by fire.
Seeing their comrades annihilated so swiftly, the ants in the rear began to retreat, scrambling in the opposite direction.
But how could Elise possibly let them escape?
"Since you've come, then stay behind!"
As her words fell, the flames on the platinum holy sword burned even more fiercely! Faintly, they began to envelop Elise herself!
With a forceful stomp of her right foot, Elise leapt upward using the Power of the Stars, pointing her blade toward the center of the swarm!
A gigantic, radiant lotus of flame blossomed around her, its petals spreading wide, accompanied by terrifying heat!
"Take this!"
"The Crimson Saintess!"
At that moment, a "sun" was born!
The adventurers had to shield their eyes with their hands to avoid being blinded by the brilliance.
When the roar finally subsided, they cautiously looked toward the radiant direction—
Golden hair shimmered in the wind. The Saintess, her back to them, turned slightly, revealing a look of concern.
"Are you all right?"
The breathtaking sight left the adventurers completely dazed—until a companion's voice sounded beside them...
"Here's your greatsword."
"Do you prefer it boiled or roasted?"
"Chopped up works too!"