296 The Elf Village Defense Battle⑧

Countless Unis floating in the sky.

A massive triangular pyramid at the center.

An image so inherently suggestive of outer space that it demands to be used in a cosmic context.

Not at all.

Sorry, everyone living in this world.

You all tried your best.

Of course, if there was a pervert delighted by something like that floating around, the energy would never accumulate.

Even one Uni alone was stealing so much energy, I wondered how much, but with so many of them, the world should have been saved long ago.

In fact, it's remarkable this world survived such rampant exploitation.

Proof of how hard the inhabitants of this world have worked.

Yes, worked hard, worked hard!

...Still, that doesn't change what I'm doing.

"Everyone, evacuate with full effort."

A mental command issued to each unit.

Even a Vampire Child or Oni-kun would find Uni a difficult opponent.

Uni, which even the Queen herself could not handle without my intervention, is floating in numbers so vast they are nearly impossible to count. Retreat is the only viable option.

Moreover, if I were to act with full force, collateral damage could result.

Mel is excellent in this regard.

She had already begun retreating the forces before I issued the evacuation order.

I had warned them in advance not to push too hard in case of unforeseen circumstances, yet she acted decisively.

To withdraw immediately upon sensing danger—perhaps she is, despite everything, the most capable commander among us.

Secure the reincarnated through the Gastric Sisters.

Expel them into a random pocket dimension.

Two of them had split off and acted independently—those too were pursued and secured.

Hmm.

With this, there is no concern. The entire area can now be designated as a battlefield without issue.

Now then, shall I begin in earnest?

Ah…

I’d have preferred not to reveal all my cards, but there’s no choice now.

As I steadily advance my preparations, the corner of the triangular pyramid begins to emit light.

— Deploying a mobile cannon?

— Yes, a mobile cannon!

As expected, a moment later, the light erupts into a massive laser directed straight at me.

Yes, yes—Boschoot into the extradimensional space.

Karaa—, return it directly!

The incoming massive laser is drawn into the gate I’ve opened in the extradimensional space before me.

Then, from the exit of the gate appearing beside it, a laser shoots out toward the triangular pyramid.

Anyone with spatial manipulation ability would think of this!

Redirecting long-range attacks by linking spaces—returning the opponent’s own attack!

The laser I fired myself strikes the triangular pyramid.

Yet, as expected, a barrier had been erected around the triangular pyramid, deflecting the laser with blinding light.

Perhaps a barrier combining magical interference and reflection?

Laser beams rebound from the barrier, fracturing into multiple directions and scattering outward.

The impact points vanished.

...Too much power.

What in the world is this?

The ground at the impact point is vanishing.

Something like a crater—or a hole, really.

Are you planning to physically destroy this planet?

Thought it was a mobile cannon—turns out it was Sister’s Super Laser.

How much energy did it take to fire that single shot?

No need to consider proper defense.

There's no way that could be defended.

Hmph. Yet ranged attacks are useless against me!

Let me deflect all of it—now!

I’ll sink you before you fire your second shot.

A brief glance steals a look at the black one.

The black one is being led away by Oni-kun.

Noticing my gaze, he turns—then immediately looks forward again, resuming evacuation.

Seems he has no intention of intervening in this battle.

That’s fine—but revealing my hand is regrettable.

Still, claiming I could handle this without serious effort? That’s a stretch.

No, I suppose I could manage if given time—but if I dawdle like that, this entire region will be reduced to ash and vanish.

Hmph.

Then, I’ll begin.

As I speak, I bid farewell to the alternate space.

Heh.

No matter how powerful the beam, it cannot reach me if it doesn’t cross space!

What’s unfair about spatial manipulation?

It allows one to dominate opponents who lack spatial ability—unilaterally.

That is precisely why spatial ability is essential for a god.

Among these, I appear to specialize in spatial manipulation.

Then, let us open the lid of the hellish cauldron.

A triangle pyramid and a Uni float in midair.

Above them, spatial fractures emerge.

The fractures spread in a web-like pattern, covering the sky above the elven forest.

Countless eyes peer down from the fractures.

Eight million eyes gaze upon the earth.

The gluttonous邪eyes of my fragments.

The swarming fragments simultaneously activate their gluttonous邪eyes, devouring the energy of the pyramid and the Uni.

The pyramid and Uni fire anti-air barrages, but the web-like spatial disruption blocks all attacks—none reach the fragments.

Of course they cannot. Spatial barrier active.

It is impossible for them to arrive.

As time passes, the Unis, drained of energy, fall toward the ground.

This is my true strength.

I activate my spatial ability to full capacity, drawing countless fragments into the alternate space known as "My Home," then siphoning their energy unilaterally through the gluttonous邪Eye.

Even a god—once energy is depleted, becomes just another creature.

It is the sheer quantity of energy, beyond that of ordinary beings, that makes a god a god. Strip that away, and the god is no longer a god.

A fledgling, half-formed deity like me, devising this strategy to counter the Black.

In truth, there was no other option.

Fighting head-on would have guaranteed defeat.

So I had no choice but to extend every card I had from the start.

Frankly, this is all I can do.

It could be said I am unfit as a god—so limited in what I can achieve.

Even so, this new Home Front strategy, honed relentlessly to defeat the superior deity, the Black.

An elf's weapons should not be able to break.

Confirm Black's status once more.

Uwaa.

He's watching closely.

Stop it. Don't look.

I can only do this much. If you counter this, I'm finished.

That's why I didn't want to do it.

Please don't prepare a countermeasure.

While I was pleading, Uni fell completely to the ground, and the final pyramid collapsed weakly.