Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 2061: Area of control

They performed this ritual far more than just once or twice.

We'd lingered in this spot for multiple days by now, although we ventured out occasionally to gather provisions, as we couldn't survive on the same sustenance as the rock elementals, and dozing on hard stones offered little comfort.

In the meantime, the rock elementals kept repeating the ceremony over and over.

With every iteration, they followed the identical routine of offering prayers to the rock pillar, then harnessing its power to generate soil that they dispersed across the terrain.

This soil shot outward in all directions, and after observing for some time, it became evident that the soil navigated with precision. Indeed, it parted aside whenever an obstacle lay in its course.

Should any barrier impede its path, the soil shifted independently, as though guided by an unseen force.

Were it not for the divine energy forging this soil, the whole spectacle would appear utterly bizarre.

Yet when we inquired with the rock elementals, the elder provided a clear explanation.

"It's our power. We're manifestations of elemental energy, so of course we can control the dirt."

I regarded the elder with an odd expression, yet ultimately chose not to probe further.

Spirits possessed the ability to manipulate elemental energy, even if conditions reverted to their prior state post-intervention. It stood to reason that elementals, being composed of the same elemental energy, could achieve similar feats.

As days wore on, greater quantities of soil emerged and spread throughout the area.

Nevertheless, the rock pillar showed no signs of diminishing from this ongoing use. On the contrary, it expanded daily, fueled by the increasing divine energy I supplied.

I remained uncertain about the duration required to fulfill the trial's requirements, or precisely how large the rock pillar needed to become for success.

Thus, my aim was to restore it to its initial size.

However, as time advanced, the daily increments grew smaller and smaller. After all, with the pillar's diameter widening, far more divine energy was demanded for further expansion.

Even basic arithmetic like this was clear to me.

This trend caused concern, for we couldn't afford to stay indefinitely in this location.

The forces of Destruction would undoubtedly strike again before long.

That said, it was encouraging to witness the positive impact of our efforts on the surroundings.

Following that initial day, I explored the area and discovered subtle signs of demise within the woods. These weren't visible in plain sight, but spotting them proved simple once one understood what to seek.

This confirmed that the rock elementals' actions were yielding results.

From our observations, vegetation and wildlife were gradually reviving, appearing more vibrant than before.

Precisely how this influenced the rock elementals remained unclear to us.

For they didn't depend on flora or fauna for survival, drawing sustenance from rocks instead.

"It’s the dirt itself that we need. We need a balance of elemental energy in our surroundings to draw on to live." The elder clarified this point, though his words left us puzzled about the exact implications.

Beyond that, another detail drew my focus.

It began as a subtle feeling, intensifying with each ceremony they conducted.

Whenever the soil dispersed to various parts of this realm, that feeling grew more pronounced.

It resembled a sense of dominion over this entire space.

Though unfamiliar, it conveyed the ability to command the very soil forming the foundation of this domain.

This wasn't entirely surprising, given that I had infused the rock pillar—from which this soil derived—with my divine energy. Thus, the soil essentially stemmed from my own power.

Still, such a direct link shouldn't exist, since I hadn't exerted control during the soil's formation.

Eventually, the sensation became impossible to overlook.

A mere gesture from my hand lifted a portion of the soil from the earth.

As it hovered in the air, visions of potential manipulations with this soil flooded my mind.

Then, with a focused intent, I shaped it into a sphere, subsequently dividing it into tinier orbs.

Manipulating this soil came effortlessly, thanks to our inherent bond.

Yet the more I experimented, the clearer it became that this went beyond a mere basic link.

It seemed that by extending the soil throughout this space...

This idea crossed my thoughts, prompting me to cease toying with the soil orbs and revert them to their original state. From there, I scattered the soil around myself, forming a kind of enclosing shroud.

Once the soil enveloped me in this manner, a shift was immediately apparent.

Surrounded thus, it felt as though I commanded absolute authority over this region.