You mean...?
" My Divine Tree, please reconsider! Even your bestowed warriors cannot withstand bullets!"
The two elders instinctively retorted that if it were about defending their homeland and fighting to the death, they certainly wouldn't have any objections.
To abandon the advantage of terrain and actively seek out their presence—what's the difference between that and throwing your life away?
However, Nausicaä knew that Mu En was not the kind of person who liked to boast... or rather, "god," completely different from those religions that desperately fabricated myths to elevate themselves.
" Mr. Tree, do you perhaps have a way to resolve the firepower disparity?" Nausicaä asked.
"That's right, gather all the Blessed Warrior, and I will bestow upon you the strongest shield."
evening.
As the sun dips below the horizon, a "white bird" streaks across the sky, which gradually changes from blue to black.
But upon closer inspection, it was not an animal, but a flying machine resembling the wings of a bird.
The pale blue plasma flame at its tail is providing power for this "bird".
Nausicaä, dressed in a full blue flight suit, crouched low above the wing, controlling it with her body posture.
"It's been so long since I've flown, even the wind feels unfamiliar..."
Although she was thousands of meters in the air, Nausicaä felt a long-lost sense of relaxation.
Since taking over the reins of Valley of the Wind from her father, she has been dealing with endless trivial matters every day, such as grain statistics, personnel arrangements, and dispute mediation.
Unexpectedly, soaring through the skies once again was to protect the Valley of the Wind.
"Before taking action, we must first ascertain the enemy's location, numbers, and movements; this is a fundamental requirement for military operations." These were Mu En's exact words before the mission began.
As the only flying pilot in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, this task is perfect for her.
Although, as before, the elders repeatedly warned him that it was "too dangerous," the nature of the incident was completely different.
This time, she had the protection of the Erdtree.
The scene of Mu En bestowing new Incantations upon her and the Blessed Warrior was still vividly imprinted in her mind.
Only then did she realize that, faced with the power of the Erdtree, even humanity's prized firearms were...
Just then, some dark shadows and wisps of smoke appeared in the desert ahead.
Upon seeing her target, Nausicaä quickly composed herself.
Below, a dozen or so gray tents are tightly packed together in the village, which is surrounded by low earthen walls.
Apart from the two-story stone tower in the center of the village, which is enclosed by a second earthen wall, the entire village has almost no decent buildings.
Those were common rest stops in the desert, usually built by a caravan and used only for resting when passing through.
Of course, it's not uncommon for it to be used as a stronghold by bandits.
At the edge of the camp, many Horseclaw were tethered, far more than the number of sand bandits Meila had mentioned.
She speculated that the extra items were used to transport looted supplies.
"It seems they haven't set off yet."
Nausicaä adjusted the angle of her flight wing and began to circle and observe.
On the open ground south of the village, a large group of over a hundred people had gathered, with many armed figures guarding the area.
The distance was too great; she could only make out blurry movements.
But what happened next made her fingers tighten suddenly.
Several figures were dragged out of the crowd and pushed to the edge.
Then--
Bang.
The shooter stood on the dead man's body, giving a speech as if he had merely torn up a few weeds.
Even from several kilometers away, Nausicaä could almost hear the suppressed sobs of those people.
The pressure between their fingers increased, and the handrail, made of an unidentified white material, creaked.
" Nausicaä, calm down, it's time to report our location."
Mu En's voice reached my mind from a great distance.
Nausicaä took a deep breath and forced herself to look away from the corpses.
After calming herself down, she continued to perform her duties as a reconnaissance soldier.
"The location of the call to Por is approximately 40 kilometers southwest of the Valley of the Wind. The camp is built against an abandoned village, with 15 tents and over 70 Horseclaw, which basically matches the information provided by Meila."
"The number of refugees... is close to two hundred, concentrated in the southern part of the camp; it is speculated that some of them are survivors captured along the way."
She then reported the location of the sand bandits' outposts and patrol routes to the Blessed Warriors who were on their way.
"Very good. Continue to observe the surroundings, and try not to alert them."
Mu En could sense her unease and reminded her again, "Remember, you are more important than anyone else—prioritize protecting yourself."
"Yes, Mr. Tree."
Nausicaä had already made up her mind.
She will not tolerate such acts that desecrate life and trample on dignity.
at the same time.
A team travels through the desert as night deepens.
Ahead were two galloping Horseclaw, and behind them, ten Horseclaw were running at an astonishing speed.
They wore the same heavy brown leather coats and light leather boots, with long swords at their waists.
Their steps were synchronized and fluid; even marching through the desert, their speed was in no way slower than that of a galloping Horseclaw.
Those were the Blessed Warrior led by Yupa.
Ahead, Meila, who was leading the way, gripped the reins tightly and couldn't help but look back.
Despite having heard about the warriors' prowess, witnessing them chase after the Horseclaw on foot, running continuously for over thirty kilometers without rest, still felt unreal to her.
Are these guys even human?
"Princess Nausicaä reports that the location is forty kilometers southwest of the Valley of the Wind Pass, consistent with the information provided by Miss Meila."
Por's voice suddenly broke the silence of the march.
This is a new ability of the Blessing Link that Mu En discovered.
By temporarily linking the Blessed together, communication can be achieved regardless of distance and environment, making it more powerful and reliable than any wireless device.
The only problem is that Mu En has to act as the "switchboard operator" every time.
Upon hearing Por's call, Yupa turned the reins and looked back to confirm.
"Good, keep this pace, we'll arrive in thirty minutes."
He paused, then looked at Meila on the other horse.
"It seems those bandits haven't left yet."
Meila did not respond immediately; her gaze was somewhat fixed on the outline of the sand dunes gradually being swallowed by the night.
"What's wrong?" Yupa asked. "Don't be afraid, you just need to observe from a distance."
Meila out of her daze and shook her head.
"It's not that I'm nervous. I'm just thinking..."
"Worried about your companion's safety?"
"... Um."
"Don't worry, we will save everyone."
Meila noncommittal. She had only heard about the soldiers' abilities verbally, but aside from their strict discipline and strong physical abilities, there wasn't much else particularly special about them.
Sending ten unarmed men to deal with seventy armed thugs is simply wishful thinking.
She couldn't fathom how these people of the Valley of the Wind could possibly defeat the " Insect Claw."
As darkness fell, they soon spotted faint lights in the distance.
Por then gave the order:
"Approaching our destination, now taking a rest."
"Once night has completely fallen, everyone will proceed with the attack in groups according to the previous plan."
"This is our first mission. The Divine Tree said that those who perform exceptionally well can earn military merits and have the opportunity to become captains or even higher ranks."
"No mistakes allowed, do you understand?!"
"Understood, Captain!"
Night fell.
After issuing the order, Por felt that something was still missing.
He remembered reading in a book that shouting slogans before a battle could boost morale.
then...
"Attack—for the great Erdtree!"
This cry ignited the flames in the hearts of all the Blessed Warrior in the desolate desert.
"For the Erdtree!"