Chrysalis

Chapter 1060: Authority of the Great One

“Well, that’s a little intimidating,” Sumant remarked as she stared at the Eldest across the pitch, slamming those enormous mandibles together.

“We can’t afford to let the Eldest affect our spirit,” Leonidant urged them.

“Easy for you to say, you aren’t likely to get chomped,” the big soldier pointed out.

“The Eldest won’t bite any of us,” Solant said with confidence.

“How are you so sure?” Sumant asked.

“Because if they did, any of us would be instantly killed.”

“Ah.”

“So what are they going to do?”

“I think… they may decide that we have broken the rules… and now, they can as well.”

~~~

“The Great One is demanding action from the Endless, and now they are about to get it. The Endless are setting their formation, and we are about to see them attempt to achieve the seemingly impossible, to score against this overwhelming and dominant opponent that is staring them down across the pitch.”

[Exactly. The more the rounds go past, the less likely it seems, but here we go. The Endless take possession of the ball and they are off!]

“… or are they? There’s a distinct lack of movement down there on the pitch from what I can see. In fact, are the Endless lying down?”

[Strange, almost bizarre scenes here at the Stadium? Is this a new strategy from the depths of the Endless’ playbook? Or… Wait! I’m sensing something! Look closely down there, they’re sinking!]

“Yes! It appears as if the Endless are sinking into the pitch! The crowd is bewildered here, unsure what’s going on, but it seems as if the Eldest is manipulating the stone directly under their claws and dragging them down!”

[This is… unusual, to say the least. To execute this kind of magic… normally, it would be impossible to trap your targets without them moving away from the ground you were manipulating. Somehow, the Eldest was able to do it with such speed and control that the moment the round started, they were already trapped! If you’d told me before the round that this could be done practically on the pitch, I’d have called you mistaken!]

“Rooted in place, the Endless are completely incapable of advancing the ball. All we are waiting for is the referee call… and there it is!”

ROOARRRR!

“They may not understand it, but the crowd is excited to see the Eldest continue to dominate this match!”

[An incredible display of mana control, somehow the Eldest was able to take hold of the Endless before they were able to lift a leg from the ground. It’s difficult for me to explain just how hard it is to achieve this, the speed and precision required are on a whole other level from normal magic.]

“I’ll have to take your word for it. I have to say, seeing the team that has terrorised the league recently locked down and unable to make a play at all is a little bewildering, to say the least.”

[It’s unlike anything we’ve ever seen before, that’s for sure. A part of me wonders how they’re going to counter this approach from the Eldest, but I’m not sure that they can! Perhaps, without the element of surprise, they won’t be caught in the same manner. I’m not aware of how the Eldest was able to snare them so fast, but I can’t bring myself to think they can do it so fast that it can’t be reacted to.]

“For their sake, and for the sake of exciting Tunnel Ball, I hope so as well! We are lining up now for the Eldest’s next offensive possession, and what do you think we are expecting here?”

[That entirely depends on the Eldest’s mood. If they’re satisfied with the beat down they just put on the opposition, we may see regular play. If not…]

CRUNCH!

ROOAARRRR!

[… then they may just pass the ball back to the Endless so they can smash them again. And that’s exactly what’s happened!]

CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP!

“Again, the Great One taunts the opposition! What sort of lesson will the strongest ant in the Colony deal to this young group of opponents?”

[It’s easy to forget just how young they are, given their incredible, flawless record here in the Stadium, but the Eldest doesn’t appear to care one whit for any of that! So you’ve defeated a string of hatchlings? What’s that to me? This is how it is in the deep Dungeon, and you little ones need to learn!]

“And the next stage of that lesson is about to begin. Once again, rapid fire rounds here at the Stadium, and we are on track for the shortest match in the history of the sport! An unconventional match in every way, ladies, gentlemen and gentleants!

“The Endless take up their formation, Solant holding the ball, but they seem a little hesitant… very unlike this team to act in this manner.”

[Absolutely. Nevertheless, they set themselves. It’s a wide look this time, and I can already tell they are a little jumpy, not wanting to be caught again. I expect them to jump out the second the round starts….]

“And there we go! Right you are, once again, the Endless have leapt from their starting positions, but they’re looking a little sluggish out the gate, are their legs being held down despite the fast movement? And the Eldest? What’s the play?”

[A COLOSSAL amount of mana is being manipulated here, and we are about to see… yes, it’s… it’s… A WAVE! A humongous wave has erupted just in front of the Eldest and it is raging across the pitch! Can the Endless summon any possible response? Their movements are uncharacteristically slow, and the mages are struggling to form a barrier of earth!]

“It’s no use!”

ROOAAAAARRRR!

“The Endless are swept away by the tide that crashes into the touchline and sprays out over half the crowd! They don’t seem to mind, though, too excited by this incredible spectacle!”

[The Endless are huddled together, floating on the top of the now filled pitch, but the Eldest is very generously using their own energy to disperse the water, so we should be back to normal, dry conditions in no time.]