Episode 32 – The Legion (2)
“There’s no way we can let them escape. Each one of them is fertilizer.”
From the perspective of looking down from the sky, I could see the sight of our enemies collapsing one by one, unable to withstand the assault from our throwing troops, now that the suicide squad had been annihilated.
Whether friend or foe, neither side has infinite stamina. Regardless of how machine-like their movements may be, in the end, energy is required. The more intense the fighting, the more one’s strength diminishes.
However, in terms of energy efficiency, our troops, designed with that very aspect in mind from the moment of their creation, were slightly more advantageous.
Our soldiers had removed all unnecessary bodily organs, making their use of nutrients far more effective.
These beings, who existed solely for the purpose of fighting, were naturally able to endure combat longer than those who did not.
“Let’s give chase.”
We wouldn’t let them retreat. If some of our soldiers were to die, that was acceptable. Killing more enemies meant gain.
“Ahhh, no!”
Amidst their shattered defensive formation, the charging warriors spread their large blades like scissors and in an instant, their enemies were sliced in two, showering blood as they collapsed.
With normal units swarming and shooting poison stingers from all sides, and poison breaths from our throwing units, already more than half the foe had fallen.
‘Looks promising.’
If I were the enemy commander, how could I possibly stand up against my legion?
I couldn’t come up with any immediate answers to that.
From my knowledge level, it seemed the best they could do had already been reached.
In the end, it was a fundamental difference in power.
The Viscount Zik of the Orcs may have jurisdiction over a territory similar in size to my own, but the productivity he draws from his region was on an entirely different level.
“The species you’ve created exists solely for war and consumption.”
The system message accurately stated that until now, I had focused on growing my army with only one purpose.
And I’ve concentrated all of our efforts into that single focus: to fight and consume.
Even if handed fields of the same size, those who contentedly farm and raise livestock would be too slow compared to us, who sever every root and every seed.
‘Is this the right path?’
Of course, there are moments when I question whether the path of evolution we’re on is correct.
Victory always isn’t feasible, neither is eternal fighting.
The end of this endless battle ultimately points to just one thing. Indeed, right now, my legion and I are like torches burning ourselves out, racing forward without looking back.
“… It’s fine. We’ll transcend that as well. There’s definitely a way.”
Clamping down on my doubts, I shook off such idle thoughts.
Even though my Auxiliary Brain can handle countless tasks simultaneously with remarkable efficiency, there’s no point wasting its capacity on such musings.
For now, we will devour everything that exists before us.
We simply need to move forward with that sole purpose.
“The enemy’s forces have already been reduced to scattered remnants. I’ll leave the clean-up to Syla’s main unit. The remaining forces will immediately replenish their nutrients and move to conquer the remaining towns and villages.”
Having determined that we had won the head-on struggle, I immediately split our forces.
Part of the army would continue chasing and eliminating the enemies. The remaining soldiers would turn back and fall upon the townsfolk who, believing they were safe, would have their illusion shattered.
The gains from doing so were immense.
Every conquered region allowed us to establish temporary bases, or nests, for the digestion and distribution of nutrients, which allowed our troops to move without rest.
*
“How could something like this happen…”
While the victors celebrated with the spoils of war,
those who escaped defeat did so in despair.
Viscount Zik of the Orcs had nearly lost all of the main forces he had mobilized in this campaign and fled back to his base aimlessly.
But just surviving didn’t solve the problem. The only thing remaining with Zik, who had narrowly escaped from the monstrous hordes relentlessly pursuing them, were a handful of battered soldiers.
‘Those fiends won’t stop until they’ve exterminated all of us.’
This was a battle Zik and his vassals had never experienced before.
A struggle not for land or conquest, but solely for total annihilation — where one side had to entirely wipe out the other in order to exist.
There was no mercy to be had from these mad beasts. Even if Zik were to offer himself in exchange for the safety of the villagers, it wouldn’t change the situation.
Since the true purpose of the Legion was resource acquisition, it was impossible to accept surrender.
“What are we supposed to do now? They’ll be here soon enough!”
“Of course, we need to seek help from our surroundings, my Lord. We still don’t know exactly what these monsters are, but they’re clearly a menace that mustn’t be left unchecked. All factions must unite to destroy them!”
“That’s right, Chief. We need to contact the Hobgoblin Count immediately. These creatures are something that transcends everything else!”
The reactions were similar among his vassals and surviving mercenaries who had directly seen and fought against the enemy.
The previous dismissive attitude considering them mere mana beasts had disappeared entirely, replaced now by fear and the urgent need to seek external aid.
“Send a few mercenaries along with some trustworthy vassals to gather reinforcements.”
In the end, Zik ordered those vassals he deemed trustworthy to seek assistance from neighboring lords he could call allies.
During that time, he would, he promised, gather all of his remaining strength for a last stand here.
“…We will surely bring back reinforcements. As quickly as possible.”
Those sent off departed with determined expressions, leaving behind family, homes, and wealth without time for farewells.
Because the monstrous horde that had already routed the defenders showed no signs of fatigue, completely devastating the eastern part of the domain.
As it was, urgent news and streams of Refugees were pouring into Ingots, the center of the domain and its largest city.
Every bit of news was horrifying and filled with despair — cities overtaken, villages entirely wiped out.
“Of course, they are likely sending frantic cries for help and trying to gain support from nearby regions. Although unlikely to receive immediate aid, it would be bothersome if they manage to mobilize reinforcements. Before they get help, we need to overrun this place and make Viscount Zik’s territory ours.”
“I’ll move out immediately.”
Queen watched as the refugees gathered and defenses in the territory’s center were bolstered, her army still moving relentlessly.
Indeed, they didn’t need rest. The Legion only needed to be resupplied with the necessary nutrients at their bases, just like refueling a car at a gas station.
After resupplying, they immediately headed back into action.
The Workers cleaned up the battlefield, recovered supplies, and replenished nutrients, while the soldiers acted purely mechanical in their roles, focusing solely on combat.
Thus, before too long, their vast army, numbering over ten thousand, was able to reach the central territories a mere few days after overwhelming the eastern region.
“T-t-those bastards…”
From the front of the fortress, Zik trembled as he watched the monsters he had encountered days ago.
All his bravado from before was now gone; his promise to personally lead the charge had been replaced by silence and mere looking on.
Even behind the strong fortress walls and expensive defense towers, the fear already engraved in his mind could not be shaken off.
“Throwing units forward.”
In the midst of all this, the Queen confidently sent forward numerous throwing units, seemingly confident they would win again.
“Bombs! Toxic bombs are coming!”
Those who had already once experienced the power of the biological bombs filled with toxins were terrified at the sight.
“Stay in your positions! We can withstand it!”
The commanders struggled to control the growing panic, but fear had already spread uncontrollably among those who had retreated after previous defeats.
At that moment, countless bombs rained down on the fortress walls.
“Erect the defenses!”
Wizards and Shamans attempted to block the attack with defensive barriers, but they could not maintain them infinitely. Moreover, these defenses were hastily arranged and were riddled with weaknesses.
Gradually, more and more fell victim to poison, stumbling or screaming in agony, and even though they were few, this inevitably caused cracks within the group.
‘We don’t have such vulnerabilities.’
Grinning at the scene, the Queen ordered the full army to advance.
Her soldiers, designed solely as teeth and claws for the Legion, had no concept of fear.
For them, they were merely faithful components, ready to sacrifice themselves for the mission.
