Episode 43 – The Art of Ruling (3)
“Player, are you sure? Nothing’s popping up for me?”
“That’s a lie, isn’t it? There’s no way you’re only the one suffering.”
“Shut your mouth! We’re in serious trouble right now!”
In the vacant chatroom that might as well be their own world, chaos reigned due to the actions of one individual.
“There’s something going on, and we need to take it out immediately. Haven’t you seen the insane breeding speed of those mad monsters?!”
The player of the Lamias, who was one of the culprits, was adamant that all resources must be used immediately to eliminate the new Dark Ghost Mana Beasts that had appeared in the northern region.
He also mentioned that these ghosts were part of another Player’s Legion.
However, the reactions of the others were somewhat indifferent. This was understandable, as those present were already familiar with each other, having previously clashed and interacted before.
Even though they had agreed to collaborate when necessary while avoiding unnecessary interference due to their mutual interests, at their core, they were still competitors like the Demon Lords.
“There’s none of us who have yet reached the level of Lord. Meanwhile, if those creatures get recognition, they will have already reached that level. To defeat them, we need the local Lords, which won’t be easy.”
“They’re fools who can’t avoid getting exterminated! If they don’t act, they’ll be completely devoured!”
For those who still lacked sufficient power, this was the time to focus on expanding their influence and focusing on internal matters.
The suggestion of mobilizing all their forces for a total war was far from appealing.
The player of the Lamias, who barely managed to flee with his soldiers, screamed in frustration. However, as time passed, the demons were already in the process of completely overrunning the Lamia territories.
“Betrayed and fled? Huh.”
“Please, it’s the truth! It really is!”
With her mask removed, Syla sneered at Rozalyn, who was prostrating herself in front of her, reporting that the Player forces had fled.
Meanwhile, Rozalyn, abandoning all dignity in a desperate bid to save her life, repeatedly bowed before the army she had once despised as mere insects.
“There’s no way we can let her slip away. Keep chasing them, Syla.”
The Queen then ordered Syla to leave Rozalyn behind and immediately pursue the main forces.
The purpose of this war was to eliminate the Player forces within the Lamia territories. Even if the territories were destroyed and occupied, allowing their escape would essentially mean mission failure.
“Eh…?”
Rozalyn hesitantly observed the soldiers following the Queen’s orders and moving out.
However, the Queen’s command to leave Rozalyn behind was not an act of mercy.
“Hi-iiik! No, don’t come closer!”
Numerous workers swarmed and began dragging Rozalyn off somewhere.
Panicking, Rozalyn resisted fiercely, but in the collapsed territory, no soldiers or warriors remained to protect her.
*
‘Although she falls short compared to Syla or Cruiger, it’s fine. After all, I can provide her with everything she needs.’
The Viscount of the Lamias, Rozalyn, happened to discover the rare talent of telepathy in someone, which wasn’t something initially planned or anticipated.
Nonetheless, since it was a rare resource, she decided to put it to use.
Unlike Cruiger, Rozalyn was already a prisoner, captured after an already occupied area; hence, Syla quickly connected her mind to the collective consciousness of the swarm.
“Y-Your Majesty, the Queen…”
“Why are you so scared? You should know by now – we’re all one entity.”
Without the need for further explanation, by connecting her mind to the collective consciousness, Rozalyn learned all the truths.
Facing me, the Queen, in this vast consciousness, she trembled in deep fear.
“I – I can’t even fight properly… Eep!?”
“It doesn’t matter. I can manipulate both your body and mind at will. So relax and be reborn as a Knight loyal to my command.”
Whether a coward or immortal, it didn’t matter to me. Even if there was a physical issue or if the innate talent was below average—it made no difference.
I would recreate a new body for her, and if necessary, even adjust her mind.
As Rozalyn, her consciousness, stared in horror at me blocking her mouth, I grinned.
[The birth of a new knight will take time.]
“Rozalyn is, in a way, nothing more than an accidental bonus. That’s not what’s important.”
I watched as Rozalyn’s body dissolved in digestive fluids and recreated at the cellular level.
Syla is chasing after the enemies as we speak. However, that wasn’t the only issue.
With Viscount Orc Zik and Viscount Lamia Rozalyn falling one by one to my hands, nearby Lords were thrown into emergency.
“The Lamia territory has already fallen. Refugees are moving to neighboring territories and they are hastily gathering their armies. The war is going to get bigger. It won’t stop anytime soon.”
“The battle against those insane creatures will continue. So Cruiger, become our new Captain! You have the ability to fight them!”
The survivors, who had held out against the assault of my soldiers and retreated strategically after hearing the fall of the Lamia territories, began to take their own paths.
Among them were many mercenaries who approached Cruiger asking to join his ranks, believing that survival under his command was feasible.
Thanks to this, Cruiger’s group swelled to several dozen in no time.
Though this number was still insufficient to reclaim a territory as he desired, considering the saying “a beginning is half the battle,” he had indeed crossed a significant milestone.
“There’s plenty of work. The ghosts won’t stop attacking. Truth be told, I’m also considering moving to a different region to continue my activities. Those ghosts are too dangerous, although we managed to hold them off.”
At this point, Cruiger confided his sincere thoughts to me.
He had fought the soldiers again and again, glimpsing something in their nature that filled him with fear.
“An opportunity in the face of crisis.”
I didn’t care which choice he made, so I waited for him to make his own decision. If he chose to continue fighting here, I would support his success and help expand his forces. If he wanted to retreat, I’d let him gather forces elsewhere while collecting intelligence.
“True. If that incident hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have gained so many allies so quickly.”
Ultimately, he decided to keep operating here.
After all, in this area, there would be a constant demand for mercenaries.
“Attack their nests! We must reduce them, otherwise, the fighting will never end!”
As the neighboring territories of the fallen Lamia region were now directly under threat, the Gargoyles immediately mobilized.
With their excellent mobility, they gathered elite soldiers and prepared for aerial combat, attacking my nests scattered across various locations.
My Flying Combatants were unable to halt these strikes, resulting in nests being torched and destroyed.
‘It’s time to build a defense system now.’
Even though this particular nest was only a simple logistical support point for nutrient collection and distribution, the destruction still left me with a bad feeling. Even though it was a minor loss, the nests were still an extension of my body.
[Are you considering creating new soldiers?]
“Are they soldiers? Come to think of it, the artificial wombs and digestive systems are soldiers in their own way.”
After reflecting on the system message, I nodded in agreement.
The soldiers I wanted to create this time would function as anti-air towers, deeply rooted into the nests, supplied with nutrients, and equipped with capabilities to fend off aerial attacks.
This time, however, their base wouldn’t be common Mana Beasts or Demons. Instead, I planned to use a purely plant-based entity that, while similar to Sunflower Plants, was entirely a plant.
“Nephentes.”
Of course, insect-eating plants exist even in the Demon Realm.
But the insects consumed by these plants were not cute or small but were the huge and powerful Mana Beasts of the Demon Realm, driving them to evolve to horrifying extremes.
“Make it bigger. Enhance its poison.”
The Nephentes, a monster of this kind, could fire concentrated toxins like bullets and grab enemies with its tendrils.
I intended to grow it to house-size, enhance the poison of its projectiles, and implement it at the nests.
This way, it would be possible to repel invaders or hold out until reinforcements arrived.
‘To check if it’s properly made, I need to test it.’
Since I had removed all unnecessary organs, this Nephentes would die instantly without direct nutrient supply via the tendrils in the nests. Thus, its only purpose was to wait for invaders to attack and then do its job.
