Chapter 124

“Then please share your stories, and feel free to call me anytime you need something.”

“Um, thank you.”

Ravan salutes the Chancellor and steps back.

As the door to the commander’s office closes, his figure disappears.

“Chancellor, what is it?”

Just earlier, the Chancellor returned from a private meeting with Vilren, looking tense.

While he appeared outwardly calm so that others wouldn’t notice, I could see a subtle tremor in his gaze.

“Please wait a moment.”

The Chancellor raises his hand toward the air.

“Blood Magic – Bloody Bat.”

Mana spreads from his small body, transforming into a red sphere, which soon pops.

Countless blood-red bats scatter from the burst sphere.

At Ryuje’s gesture, the bats overlap and surround us, creating a slightly blood-scented dome as pitch-black darkness envelops us.

Within the darkness, a blue sphere begins to rise.

It is only then that I can see the Chancellor’s face.

“Edu.”

He speaks in a very serious tone.

I wondered if this was a bit excessive, but the Chancellor is not someone to act without reason.

“Yes, please go ahead.”

“Well, among the information you provided, wasn’t there a discussion about Cryptid parasites?”

“Yes, there was.”

Parasites, or parasites.

Contrary to their off-putting name, they have various inherent limitations, making their danger level low and easily removable by ordinary people, as they are weak Cryptids.

However, like most parasites, we cannot let our guard down, as this type of enemy can yield worst-case scenarios when falling into the hands of traitors.

“But why is that?”

Instead of answering my question, the Chancellor extends one hand.

A red sphere appears in that hand, bursts, and something round and coiled forms.

“Um…?”

A creature shaped like a caterpillar, roughly the size of a finger.

It could easily be mistaken for an ordinary bug, but its characteristic tentacle strands and human-like features provoke discomfort, revealing its true identity.

Cryptid, parasite.

With its disproportionately large head and white exoskeleton, it seems to be a high-ranking individual among parasites with control abilities.

“Where did this come from?”

“I discovered it while reading Vilren’s memories, so I brought it along. It seems to have been inside him for quite some time, but it hasn’t metamorphosed yet.”

Ah, he used that ability.

Since the Chancellor is even using powers he deemed taboo, it seems that Vilren was indeed quite the human trash.

Anyway, that’s not what’s important, so I focus on the parasite in front of me.

“It certainly looks young… But, can we know how long ago it was?”

“I can’t give a precise answer, but it’s certain that it’s at least between 10 to 20 years old.”

“Hmm, that’s really strange.”

Parasites cannot grow without a host.

For that reason, parasites typically maintain a symbiotic relationship with their host until they have fully metamorphosed and taken control of the host’s body.

However, that is still a limited relationship.

No parasite, no matter how slowly it grows, exists that can remain dormant within a human for decades.

“The growth is too slow. No, maybe it hasn’t grown at all…?”

“I also have something else to inform you.”

The Chancellor takes a deep breath and continues.

“That being is one that was handed over to this creature by another person, and it inserted itself into its own body.”

“What?!”

A loud voice escapes from my mouth without me realizing it.

“Um, are you saying that a person gave that parasite to another person?”

“Yes. It’s not certain, but the woman who handed it over did not seem to be controlled by anything else. Furthermore, contrary to the information you provided, it was not an egg but something that had already metamorphosed.”

“Huh.”

Someone who handles a Cryptid like a parasite freely, without even being controlled, is practically like a Queen who knows humans very well, isn’t it?

My body trembles with the horrific imagination.

At that moment, a siren blares beyond the red dome.

— Waaaang! Waaaang!

“Uh?”

“Uh?”

The Chancellor spreads his hands.

At that action, the blood-red bats that had enveloped us thoroughly scatter in all directions, causing the dome to collapse.

[ This is a communiqué from Headquarters! This is a communiqué from Headquarters! An invasion by Invaders has been confirmed inside the fortress. All troops, prepare your equipment and gather underground! I repeat, all troops— ]

A frantic voice echoes from the speaker.

The gazes of the Chancellor and I cross in the air, and as the Chancellor turns, I jump.

With perfect timing, I land on the Chancellor’s back.

“Let’s head straight to the command room!”

“Yes!”

We burst out of the commander’s office and head towards the command room.

Unlike the quietness we experienced earlier, the sounds of battle echo from all over the Under Castle’s underground.

As we leave everything behind and enter the command room, I see Ravan giving instructions with a worried expression.

“What is happening?”

“Chancellor! The Invaders have invaded the fortress!”

“I heard about that over the broadcast; explain in detail!”

“Yes, first, please take a look at this video.”

Ravan gestures with his chin.

The hologram screen soon shows a ground where a mirage rises and something wavering passes over it.

“Is that… using optical camouflage?”

“Yes. It seems to have improved compared to existing optical camouflage, as it has the ability to deceive our surveillance system—”

“Commander!!”

An officer rushes in urgently before Ravan can finish his sentence.

“What is it?”

“The Invaders are heading towards the underground command center!!”

“Have we established an emergency defensive line?”

“Their breaking speed is too fast for it to function properly. Commander, they will arrive here shortly!!”

A frantic cry.

As if to prove that claim false, the noise echoing from the corridor becomes increasingly louder.

“…Hmm, for now, let us gather the objects within the command room and build a barricade—”

“No.”

Cutting off Ravan’s words, the Chancellor steps forward.

— thud, thud…

“It is already too late.”

A swarm of gears emerges from the raised fingertips.

— thud, thud, thud, thud…

“Gear Release.”

[ I will convert the Gear into combat form, dear lady. ]

The polite voice accompanies the appearance of the great scythe.

“Everyone, step back!!”

As he raises his voice, he spreads his arms.

“Humanoid Summon, Marionette! Armament with KUSAS-12 and armor-piercing slug gun! Infantry set!”

— The KUSAS-12 and armor-piercing slug gun have not yet been unlocked. Would you like to spend skill points to unlock them?

“Yes!”

— Skill unlock complete. MP will be consumed to summon a familiar equipped with that armament.

Steel soldiers line up behind the Chancellor.

As the muzzle of the automatic shotgun aims at the door, a loud bang echoes as the iron door of the command room is bent.

Bang, bang! Bang!!

With the series of deafening sounds, the door crumples and breaks.

“…Edu, prepare yourself.”

“Yes.”

Boom!!!

The broken iron door collapses weakly, revealing the scene on the other side of the corridor.

A much larger figure compared to a person.

Where a face should be, only a red sensor burns brightly.

“Marionette! Fire!!”

Tat, tat, tat, tat!

The sound of gunfire hits my ears, and the smell of gunpowder fills my nose.

The barrage of 12-gauge armor-piercing slugs pours down on the intruder like rain.

Sparks fly as one by one the red sensors extinguish.

In the instant the drum magazine, containing about 20 rounds, empties, the Chancellor’s great scythe is stained red.

“Blood Magic – Bloody Slash.”

A blood-red blade is shot toward the corridor.

The cutting strike that cleaves the aliens in an instant flies toward the enemies.

[ Hooh. ]

In that moment, a figure dashes forward.

As it raises both hands, the blood-red blade collides.

Bang!!

Sparks fly and the body is pushed back.

It seemed that this alone would determine the course of the battle, but just as I thought that, the situation drastically changes.

[ Indeed, is this the extent of your output? ]

A blue flame bursts forth from behind the opponent.

‘Could it be, are they responding by increasing their output?’

A reckless action.

However, while I am thinking that, it performs the impossible task of blocking the cutting strike with its body.

“What the…?!”

The Chancellor is horrified.

The power-drained blade melts away to blood, and the opponent examines its hand, which bears a clear scar.

[ Are they utilizing their unique powers to instantaneously create and launch projectiles? Moreover, to inflict this level of damage upon this body… very interesting. ]

A voice calmly analyzes the situation.

Unlike the other Invaders, a mechanical voice resonating with clear intelligence fills the command room.

Clad in a thick gray cloak that encases a body much larger than the others, it resembles someone wearing a helmet, and the cone-shaped protrusions on its face reflect a soft green glow.

“What the hell…!”

A curse flows out automatically along my neck.

“The green light… Edu, could that be…”

“…Yes.”

An Invader commander entity with emotions and free will that appears in the middle of the game.

Among them, it is a peculiar individual who operates directly on the frontlines, possessing absurd combat abilities, and is known as the Grim Reaper of awakeners.

The Iron Knight, Eisen Lier.

[ Oh, you seem to recognize me. While I’m curious about the source of that information, I trust I’ll learn once we cross swords. ]

As it spreads its arms wide, additional arms rise from its shoulders and back.

They resemble the Asura from myths.

Six different arms of Eisen Lier pull out various armaments from within the cloak.

Great swords, particle blades, spears with electrical currents, chainsaw-like weapons, and firearms like assault rifles.

[ Now, my adversaries! Prove to me the power within you!! ]