Verena's words caused the grinning ant elders' faces to twist into scowls.

　　"Overestimating oneself."

　　They replied like a choir before stretching out their hands to each summon Nihility Flail, their lineage weapon. Vast, dark-green demonic energy erupted alongside soaring rocks as the pitch-black flail was willed from their bloodline and descended into their hands.

　　Armed with it, their strength skyrocketed. Still, Verena didn't flinch.

　　Turning into dark-green beams, the six zenith ant elders shot toward Verena, hurling their flails at her unprotected eyes and neck. Not moving from an inch, she raised her golden sword.

　　"Ancestral Glory: Citadel of Dreams!"

　　She exclaimed and released a magenta fog from which rose three gargantuan citadels, each releasing a soothing, enchanting melody as if the choir of a celestial host descended from heaven's vault to enlighten the mortal world.

　　The three citadels opened their gates, unleas.h.i.+ng vast celestial armies that barreled into the six incoming ant elders. But even before such a startling armada, they remained wholly unafraid.

　　"Zenith!"

　　They roared with fiendish glee. Instantaneously, the pressure rippling from them skyrocketed in intensity, propelling their might to new heights while suppressing Verena's celestial host with the weight of mountains.

　　All together, the zenith ant elders aimed their Nihility Flails at the ground, causing ma.s.sive boulders and rock pillars to rise from beneath the ground to slam into Verena's illusory army.

　　*BOOM*

　　Overwhelmed by their combined might, the celestial host collapsed, but even as it did, Verena turned into a beam of golden light to slam into the leftward ant elder with a piercing sword strike.

　　"Foolis.h.!.+"

　　The ant elders exclaimed while s.h.i.+fting their formation to surround her. And by the time Verena's sword reached their sister's neck, their flails were raining upon her skull, neck, and face in a flurry of blows!

　　However, as the blows approached, Verena's lips curved into a resplendent smile. Golden light flashed around her head, covering head and neck in a dazzling golden helmet that repelled the flurry of blows!

　　And as the five elders flew backward, Verena's sword slammed into her target's neck, causing a metallic clang to echo. Bright golden light then erupted from her sword, and it pierced through its target like a knife through b.u.t.ter!

　　The Ant elder's green blood erupted from both her throat and lips.