Chapter 13: True Power (2)
The Legion undoubtedly possessed immense potential.
With that potential, it became a force that could aspire to reach the higher levels from the humble mass of cells of the lowest level.
However, this vast cave’s ecosystem was teeming with a variety of life forms.
[The reconnaissance results are in. Countless traces were discovered, but unfortunately, no signs of a group were found in the next level.]
“…What judgment has the Legion made?”
[In truth, the Legion is accustomed to such matters. Acquiring and analyzing unknown information that is. But now, they are being a bit more cautious.]
In reality, the Legion hadn’t taken any significant action; they simply intensified their reconnaissance.
No one knew better than us how strong the power of a group could be.
After all, we hadn’t fully absorbed the higher levels yet.
“The problem isn’t a simple group we can guess about. What should we do in this case?”
[You mean units of players clashing with each other? Of course, there is only one answer.]
It’s a simple phrase, yet somehow it sends a chill down my spine.
I somewhat anticipated the response.
“To fight?”
[Competition, victory, elimination. What exactly is the problem? Ecosystems inherently function this way.]
We spoke almost simultaneously.
Of course, knowing this didn’t ease my mind.
“If we win, the opposing player will…”
[If we lose, you will also die.]
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Yeah, from the moment I got tangled up in this strange application.
Everything has been going wrong since that moment.
I enjoyed it like raising ants, but I could no longer take it so lightly.
“…Then we have to win. What should I do?”
[As always, you must watch over your children. When it seems they are hindered, then tell them the way.]
Ultimately, what I had to do hadn’t changed.
I had to watch over them as I had done until now.
And… if I could offer any assistance at all, that was all.
“I first need to know exactly what they are.”
[That’s right. In fact, the Legion is continuously scouting while accumulating energy to explode. The place we would call the 11th level is merely a small tributary that can’t be classified as a higher level. There are only traces of them, and those traces lead to the upper levels.]
The Legion made good use of the various sizes of scouts it had created so far.
From small bees to birds, and lizards with bat wings reminiscent of wyverns.
After thoroughly searching the 11th level, all we found were traces.
Thus, the conclusion was reached.
They had embarked on an ‘expedition’ from the upper levels downwards.
“If the opponent has seen us… they may not know, right?”
I had forgotten something obvious.
Our Legion’s racial trait and its strongest advantage.
[That’s right. We are not the only ones lacking data. No, the one at a disadvantage in information warfare is rather the opponent. Look. The Legion’s scout has discovered something.]
Just then, the screen abruptly changed, indicating something had been found.
I tried to calm my racing heart as I examined the screen.
The scout in the form of a bee was observing the appearance of the 12th level.
“…Mice?”
A group of life forms was visible.
However, those creatures were completely contrary to my expectations, like many beasts living here.
Fluffy fur.
Pitch-black eyes and sniffing noses.
A long, outstretched tail and a small stature neither too big nor too small according to the standards of this cave.
At least from appearances, they looked exactly like mice.
“But what are those little bastards…?”
Yet, their behavior and intricate movements contrasted sharply with the mice I knew.
First, it seemed as if they were a scouting party, standing hunched over, using their hands freely.
Moreover, they were holding various tools.
Spears tipped with sharp points, crossbows loaded with needles, shields or helmets made of metal scraps, and so on.
[The Legion has no information about metal. They only assume that if they can hunt zillas, they must be quite strong. More importantly, they were more collective and intelligent than any life forms we had encountered so far.]
“I still have no idea where their base is or how many of them there are.”
[They have discovered our scouts. A small lizard with bat wings. The Legion decided to intentionally throw a scout at them to measure their combat strength since they were already in a quarrel.]
That’s when the collision occurred.
Some of the mice aimed their crossbows at the flying lizard charging at them.
It was a delicately crafted ultra-small crossbow. I assessed that those mice couldn’t have made it themselves.
“&@%♤!”
With a screech, needles shimmering in the light of the luminous stones shot out, piercing the lizard’s wings and body.
I had anticipated this to some extent.
Scouts that had to fly had a weak durability, to begin with.
“..Tch.”
However, seeing the way the fallen scout’s body pleased them made me feel inexplicably nauseous.
[Ah, the Legion is pleased.]
“What?”
Yet, I seemed somewhat insufficient in my understanding of the Legion.
[Tools, they covet tools. Those shiny, sharp objects are alluring. Those little furry creatures used extraordinary items to capture a much larger opponent. They yearned for that power. The Legion was convinced that this was a clue that would evolve us to the next level. This will be recorded in our history. This is the first moment the Legion encounters tools.]
“…That’s right. The concept of tools is just now coming into existence.”
[The Legion, realizing that this was the secret to the mice’s strength, set a goal. They must eat them to gain that power. However, they used those crude tools to hunt zillas. Surely, that can’t be all of them.]
“What are you planning then?”
[There is only one answer. First, we will eat some of them and learn everything about them.]
A sinister cry came from below.
My condolences to those mice.
Unless they have a collective consciousness like us, those scouts will be hunted here.
[We don’t know what the traits of their species are. In the first place, the Legion doesn’t care about such things. Even if we are discovered this moment, what’s the problem? They will simply be eaten by a large new species of lizard in the lower levels.]
The legionnaires, prepared with their dark-blue shells to face zillas, crawled up to face them.
Even with a mouse’s face, I could see their expressions. They were stiff with fear.
[They are clever. They are trying to escape, thinking five is not enough to face us. But the Legion is serious.]
Behind the small car-sized lizard slowly emerging, dozens of large flying creatures with bat wings soared simultaneously into the air.
“@%#&!”
Startled, they released their crossbows in a counterattack.
However, those were not creatures designed for reconnaissance but for aerial combat.
Great wings comparable to those of birds of prey.
With claws, poisonous stingers, and armored shells, they charged in a single wave and slashed at the mice.
[…A solitary large beast would have been easily hunted. But do they have the gall to hunt us? They will have to engage in war, not mere hunting.]
All the corpses were collected and delivered to the nest below for digestion and absorption.
Not only living beings but also any tools like needles, crossbows, and spears that couldn’t be absorbed were all retrieved.
[The Legion is curious. What exactly are these tools? How are they used?]
The Legion’s gluttony was now surpassing mere predation.
*
[The Legion began preparing for war.]
The reconnaissance continued, and additional discoveries were made about them at the 13th level.
A fortress built with rocks and mushrooms became visible.
It was crude but obviously a fortress.
There were at least over 100 mice there.
“Could they be trying to imitate them right away?”
I flinched and muttered.
If the Legion wanted tools, I had to give them.
Just like the opposing players.
[Considering both efficiency and potential, an optimal conclusion was drawn. It’s still too soon. They were certainly planning to evolve in a better, more efficient way.]
However, unexpectedly, the Legion was not fixated on the tools.
In purpose, they remained endlessly rational and cold.
After all, they were beings who couldn’t be understood with human emotions.
[Their response is dry and lukewarm. They are clearly unaware, even the opposing player.]
The energy accumulated until now began to explosively manifest.
Countless massive eggs began to pour out.
[It’s time to show the arrogant furry beings, who have thrived by hunting beasts like us until now, what true war is. This is definitely a war fought amongst factions of the same kind.]
[But who would be better at fighting a war? The Legion was confident it was us. There is no other legion that fights wars as well as we do.]
The situation was tense.
The Legion, having steadily reinforced its soldiers, would employ overwhelming numbers and the razor-sharp command and skills unique to collective consciousness in a swift and decisive tactical maneuver.
From my perspective, if those mice had no hidden means, we likely could win this fight.
“If we win in the war against the players, what rewards will there be? No, honestly, tell me. Are the players of those mice… on Earth?”
I found myself muttering blankly at the screen.
It was one of the questions that had remained unanswered thus far.
Just how vast is the scale of this game board?
