Chapter 107: Each of Their Purposes (5)
“The signal from the communicator has been detected.”
“Fortunately, it doesn’t seem to be very far from our territory.”
He examined the results with interest. Even if a communicator exists, if it is too far from the base receiving the signal, it takes a long time to process.
However, the signal was faintly caught quickly, which meant that it was close to one of their bases within their force’s reach.
“Good. I’ll trust your words, Rex.”
“Th-Thank you, Supreme Commander!”
With a face full of tension, the middle-aged man called Rex hurriedly lowered his head.
There was no other option. Compared to him, the defense commander of a small base, the Supreme Commander who ruled over a massive force with meticulous dictatorship after a great purge was in a completely different league.
“So then, which base is closest to the signal?”
“It is the planet Riman, where the 7th Fleet is stationed.”
“Deliver the order to move.”
He nodded, issuing the command for the fleet’s deployment with a single word.
A bead of cold sweat trickled down Rex’s back, which was still bowed.
‘Did I somehow make it?’
At least he could consider it a major hurdle overcome that he managed to move the Supreme Commander’s army without disclosing all the information.
“By the way, what was the source of this information?”
“Th-that, I cannot disclose. We obtained it during the interrogation of an Alliance agent who had infiltrated our planet, but he died shortly thereafter…”
“Foolish.”
“I apologize!”
Rex bowed his head once more. However, as long as he could keep the truth hidden, he could bear some nagging.
‘I can never mention Earth connected to MG-109… There might be Alliance units there as well.’
He had disclosed information about the Roses while desperately concealing the whereabouts of his units.
This was a natural act in consideration of his own safety.
A Player, regardless of how strong a group they belonged to, would find it challenging to manipulate that group’s power for their unit as they wished.
Even if they occupied an important position in that group, they needed to persuade and convince those around them unless they were a dictator.
Moreover, for someone like Rex, whose position wasn’t particularly high, his movements were even more limited.
“I’m sure there are sentient beings there, no, specifically humans.”
“That’s correct.”
“Interesting.”
Seeing the gleaming eyes of the Supreme Commander, Rex steadied his mind once more.
He could not let this greedy human discover that he was intertwined with Players, units, and games.
“Supreme Commander. The fleet has completed its calculations and is on the move.”
“They won’t foolishly bring the entire army, right? Rex, relay the information you have to the commander of the 7th Fleet.”
At that moment, communication arrived again. It was news that the fleet had launched as ordered.
“Honestly, it feels a bit sudden.”
“I think so too, my friend. I mean, suddenly deploying? And outside the designated area into deep space?”
While Rex was talking with the Supreme Commander, the fleet at Riman, which was quite far from its home planet, was moving busily as directed.
“What the Supreme Commander ordered was an exploratory mission based on the assumption of combat, but…”
“Let’s stick to protocol. What’s the location? In any case, since the Supreme Commander has shown interest in this frontier defense force, we should show results, right? The signal is being caught, so it’s not a lie.”
The fleet’s commander, flustered by the sudden order, hurriedly urged his subordinates.
The force he had prepared consisted of one large battleship and two escort ships, a common combination used for deep space exploration.
“The location is quite far from here. It would take a few months by standard navigation, so we should use the warp engines of the Sai Seker.”
“It’s an outdated vessel, and opportunities are rare… but we have no choice. Connect me with the captain right away.”
With a click of his tongue, his order brought up a screen. The man on the screen snapped to a sharp salute as soon as he saw the commander.
True to his character, his tightly clenched mouth seemed stiff, and the rugged face of the man with black skin bore clear scars.
“Captain Eden. You must be quite bewildered right now, but nonetheless, this is the order given by the Supreme Commander.”
“Yes, Commander! I will ensure the success of the reconnaissance and exploration mission!”
“Don’t push too hard…”
Startled by the booming voice, the commander encouraged him with trite words before sighing and reviewing the reports that continued to come in.
“I don’t quite understand this. Alien monsters? I get that. Locals? My ancestors were once like them. But magic? Is it the kind of magic I know? The strange stuff used by aliens?”
“I’m not sure either.”
The report contained information about the local area that Rex had provided.
However, the commander frowned, as if having trouble understanding, tilted his hat, and scratched his head.
Magic, that mysterious force, had always been the domain of alien beings rather than the human race.
“Then again, they might be a different species that merely looks the same…”
“Commander! The Sai Seker has successfully warped in with two escort ships.”
Just then, the prepared battleship vanished from the upper reaches of space without a trace.
Warping, especially a small-scale ship warp, was no easy feat for them either. Each instance consumed a significant amount of energy and took a toll on the engine’s lifespan.
“Establish communication. Let’s see it. It’s been a while since we explored a new world.”
“Understood.”
Soon after, the interrupted communication was re-established.
However, what appeared on the screen was Captain Eden, who looked very surprised.
Those familiar with the stoic Eden would be shocked by this display.
“W-What’s going on, Captain?! Is there a problem?!”
“Not at all. It’s just that… I felt something strange as we warped. It’s not a side effect of the warp.”
At the commander’s horrified words, Eden rubbed his chest and muttered blankly.
“…I’ll carry out the mission ASAP.”
‘It felt like passing through something. Why is that?’
Eden gathered his focus and directed his equally confused subordinates.
The battleship advanced in formation toward the planet where the signal was detected.
It was a planet filled with azure seas, white clouds, and vibrant greenery.
“It seems like a decent planet. The signal is coming from the eastern continent.”
“Lower altitude. The report mentions some intriguing things.”
“Ah, are those the alien bugs with black exoskeletons?”
Eden conversed with his officer seated before the system while scanning the front.
He clearly saw it. Among the green, brown, and white terrain, some areas displayed an alien color. It was a dark red, close to black.
Eden, along with many subordinates in the command center, could confirm that through the enlarged screen.
The nests of the legion covering the ground and the Sacred Trees stretching upward.
“Hmm… disgusting. What on earth…?”
“According to the information, locals are in peril due to those monsters. Since it is our mission to rescue them, we cannot simply pass by.”
Eden made a sound judgment.
Their main objective was indeed expansion. The basic tactic was to find habitable land for humans and assimilate the locals into their force.
Thus, they could not simply pass by enemies threatening the locals.
“Lower altitude further. Those rusting bunker busters in the hangar should be useful for roasting and smashing those bugs.”
“Yes, I will relay that.”
Having decided on high-altitude bombing, he led the fleet into the planet’s territorial airspace, crossing the continent.
Simultaneously, they dropped hundreds of bombs on the bizarre nests located on the surface.
Each bomb was the size of a village bus on Earth, designed for establishing air superiority in a war against same-species human forces and for bombing ground defense troops.
Although now considered old-fashioned clunky artifacts, they were still quite effective in specific situations.
This metallic rain began pouring towards the legion’s nests, which had completely disregarded the approaching cosmos.
*
“Graaaah!”
A 20-meter giant lizard roared and twisted its body.
Yet, no matter how much it struggled, it couldn’t escape the powerful jaws.
Ultimately, the lizard’s neck was snapped and it died. The one that killed it was another lizard, remarkably similar.
The only differences were that this lizard was armed all over with a black exoskeleton, had a larger size and strength, and possessed armor that could withstand the lizard’s teeth and claws.
“Not bad.”
Eve smiled satisfactorily.
The expansion was going smoothly, and she successfully produced the troops needed to counter the lizardmen who were brazenly eyeing her territory.
Now, as the legion shrank for expansion and production, she was set to sweep away all the lizardmen who extended their forces confidently.
“If I wipe out those humans who are barely hiding and breathing, and those stupid lizards, will I become the strongest unit in this world? A winner?”
[That could be said to be the case.]
“Really? Then…”
[But do you think eating this world is the end?]
However, Eve could not smile until the end.
The hot waves and shockwaves.
In an instant, Eve froze and turned her gaze.
Her physical body, which was her nest, was felt being massively obliterated amid the soaring flames.
The pillars of fire exceeded dozens.
And the bombs still raining down numbered in the hundreds.
The defensive barrier she had unfolded with Formancy using the Sacred Tree was insufficient to withstand such overwhelming firepower and cover the vast area of her nest.
It was like how mages had their defenses pierced and bombarded by the legion’s assault.
[A new enemy does not seem to belong to this world.]
A detached remark drifted through Eve’s mind as she stood there, captivated.
