Chapter 102: Evolution, Not Corruption (10)
“…”
The first to discover the crack was the creature that was lazily crawling across the ground.
It sniffed the air, detecting a faint change in the atmosphere. Its large amber eyes blinked.
As it continued to sniff, its sensory organs finally remembered a scent it had encountered a long time ago.
The scent of a Mage. In fact, the smell of many Mages.
Soon, the lumbering creature began to move.
With its elongated torso and scales that resembled rough rocks, it looked just like a crocodile except for its long neck. It walked towards the source of the scent as if entranced.
“Gruk…”
But it wasn’t just that creature that noticed the smell. All of the Draconic creatures in the vicinity started to flock towards that location.
Ground-walking Drakes, winged Wyverns, and fire-breathing Dragons, among others.
Once, they were the ruling species of this place, having fought wars against humans who had mastered magic and ultimately chased them into another world.
However, even though they had become the masters of the world, those who had devolved into mere embodiments of destruction and slaughter had no capacity to develop the world further.
Their ingrained greed and arrogance were futile without a target, leaving them as nothing but empty shells.
‘This is an opportunity.’
Their ruler, who had sensed the subtle flow from a distance, awoke from a long slumber and rose to his feet.
Whether it was by intent or accident was irrelevant.
If new targets for destruction and slaughter had appeared, all that remained was to act according to their nature.
The first among them, a Drake, stepped through the gate.
The earth beneath its feet, along with the grass, stood in stark contrast to the barren REDRIUM, vibrant with the energy of life.
“…”
Up until that point.
The thin-eyed Drake sensed a strong will to kill directed towards it for the first time in a long while.
The target was the vast crowd filling its view.
Most were smaller than the Drake, but the large species comparable to dumps were not outdone in size.
“Are those the Draconic creatures the humans around here have been talking about?”
Even upon seeing the Drake, Eve showed no signs of agitation.
After all, she had acquired a considerable amount of information from the humans she had captured, and so she naturally knew of their existence and history.
She was also well aware of how much Mages feared them.
“But they’re just devolved Lizardmen.”
However, she had no reason to fear the Draconic creatures at all.
Long ago, the ancient dragon had imparted magic to humans. But those dragons’ descendants rebelled, killed their ancestors, and attacked humans.
In return, the descendants of the Draconic creatures lost their nobility, changing from the source of magic to its nemesis. That was the history humans had recounted until now.
“I won’t lose to those who have been defeated and devolved.”
Eve focused solely on the fact that they had devolved.
This was the type she despised the most. The act of stagnating without progression, evolution, but instead regressing.
[He told me to convey this message: Draconic creatures have not devolved but evolved in a different manner.]
“Of course, that statement is also true.”
‘…’
Instantly affirming this, Eve ignored the feelings of the Subminds that had just been vexed, directing her orders to Reina, who stood behind the main force.
“Try feeding them some magic. I heard they possess very powerful magic resistance. They used to nullify human magic and fight using their size.”
‘Understood.’
Reina raised her staff at once upon receiving the command.
A multi-casting spell conjured by herself. Its power was sufficient to ravage a city single-handedly.
In less than a second, the shell-like projectiles unleashed from the overlapping magic circles tore through the air and plummeted toward the Drake.
The Drake didn’t dodge. It was a strike that it couldn’t possibly evade.
“…This is considerable.”
A massive shockwave erupted upon impact, accompanied by dense smoke.
Ultimately, the Drake’s body was crushed and exploded.
However, from another perspective, with that level of power, they had only succeeded in killing that one creature.
“That’s not a lie. I don’t know the principle, but they are quite resistant to Formancy.”
Eve captured the flow of energy as the projectile struck the Drake.
Although she couldn’t wholly absorb it, she saw the Drake absorbing the energy contained within the shell.
“Change tactics and formation.”
Eve adjusted the Legionnaires as she observed the Draconic creatures pouring out of the gate, starting with that Drake.
The smaller species that wouldn’t be of help were pushed to the back, while the Legionnaires that could match the size of the Draconic creatures, including the large ones, were redeployed.
“They’re monsters that had once conquered a world with their sturdy bodies and massive sizes, so they must be met on equal terms.”
Smirking, Eve commanded the Legionnaires to charge.
Starting with the Drake, those Draconic creatures that confidently crossed through the gate showed signs of confusion.
Until now, their opponents had been humans wielding magic.
But the enemies they faced for the first time were a Legion that already knew about them, equally massive in size.
The engine of the Legion was solely used to maintain those unreasonable and gigantic bodies.
The thunderous footfalls shook the ground.
“Trample them. Then, drag them back. We need to dissect them while they’re still alive to understand them.”
No sooner had Eve’s commands finished than large creatures, their basic sizes exceeding several meters, clashed with enormous impact.
*
“Hurry and evacuate. Open additional gates.”
“B-but…”
“If things go on like this, we won’t just be wiped out; we’ll be swept away.”
The unimaginable battle among monsters unfolded right in front of the city.
Dark brought the dazed people back to their senses.
Currently, the situation was one-sided. His gaze caught a massive Wyvern soaring into the sky, failing to withstand the weight of the flying creatures sticking to its body and plummeting down.
Even as it swallowed the flying creatures in its jaws, they continued to pierce its hide with their venomous stingers.
Despite not having its full combat power, the Draconic creatures pouring out of the narrow entry called the gate were being overwhelmed.
“Gah! Open the gate wider!”
The Mages of Ardos Academy, commanded by Dark, started hastily enlarging the dimensional crack with no options left.
“Now we must fall back and prepare for worst-case scenarios.”
Dark turned his back, watching as more Draconic creatures emerged.
What remained for them now was to run and hide to survive. The evacuation of ordinary citizens had already been completed.
If the mid-level individuals and troops present here left, the once-great city of Menace, which held a population of 3 million, would become a ghost town devoid of any life.
“This is…!”
“Stop them!”
However, Eve had no intentions of allowing them to leave peacefully.
Reina, slicing through the sky, led her higher species to block their path.
“Foolish. It won’t be like last time with just a handful of us.”
The subordinates under Dark, simultaneously retreating, joined the city’s defense forces. There were at least thousands in number.
“…Ha.”
But Eve clearly understood that as well.
Behind Reina, the ground that had been vibrating suddenly burst open, and a massive Deathworm emerged, devouring a three-story building.
As the Deathworm reburrowed, what remained was the rubble of the shattered building.
From that giant sinkhole, an unending wave emerged, including hundreds of higher species and medium Legionnaires.
Eve had deployed every force she had pulled from the battlefield here.
“I’m sure you all know what I’m about to say.”
Dark quietly clicked his tongue at the sight and opened his mouth, his eyes glimmering.
“Struggle to survive.”
“Ugh… Aaaah!”
“Clear the path! And hold on! Until we can create a evacuation gate!”
As his words marked the signal, combat erupted.
The enraged Mages unleashed their spells, and the higher species surged forward, cutting down knights and slaughtering Mages.
In the midst of that chaos, a massive stream of blazing flames shot forth from Reina, only to be blocked by the red magical storm expelled by Dark.
“I will… kill them all.”
With her eyes gleaming, Reina fueled her hatred once more, simultaneously calculating and deploying dozens of magic circles.
Indiscriminate magical bombardments that paid no heed to ally Legionnaires ensued.
Causing a massive explosion at the center of the battlefield that obliterated an entire street and creating a giant crater, Dark revealed his gritted teeth, pulling back his tattered sleeve.
It was unfortunately midday, where the sun revealed itself. This did not bode well for Dark.
‘Ardos Academy’s Mages. Capture them no matter what.’
In a battlefield spread across the city, where those struggling for survival clashed with those seeking death, Eve assigned special missions to certain individuals.
“Endure. If you can’t endure, you will die!”
Nearby, some Mages from Clawclaw Academy were huddled together under their Academy President, attempting to guard something.
What they desperately tried to protect was the Ardos Academy Mages who were looking to escape this encirclement and open a gate to the rear.
In other words, they were enemies that absolutely needed to be captured.
The legion, having instantly shared information, dispatched nearby higher species to that location.
“How are these guys…”
“Is that what’s important right now? Fire!”
Desperately activating their magic, the Mages tried to fight back against the higher species.
A higher species wielding swords in all four hands and swinging its tail activated a barrier to block the magical attacks.
“You bastards, no way!”
Of course, they did not block the full power of a leader-level force with a higher species’ level of output.
Before long, another higher species that had caught up raised its staff and cast the magic of Stars Academy, empowering the sword-wielding warrior-type higher species.
“I’ve devoured all the magic from Clawclaw, Stars, Seculard, and Yukaleria… now they have only one left.”
“Don’t tell me.”
Realizing the intent of the Legionnaires, the Clawclaw Academy President gritted her teeth and channeled her magical power.
‘If, if those creatures get through the gate… it wouldn’t just mean the end of our world.’
Conceiving the worst possible scenario, she turned her staff upside down.
