Chapter 51 – The Defeated (1)
Unlike the other players who voluntarily joined the game, when I fell into this world without warning or reason, I felt despair and fear.
Now, that sensation has greatly faded. And in its place, something else has begun to take root.
In this very moment, within the ever-growing consciousness, a singular purpose is blossoming.
To keep fighting and to keep winning. I wasn’t fighting to gain something but had made myself, and us, a being that fights to survive.
It’s enjoyable. I want to move forward more.
Somewhere along the way, I truly began enjoying this life.
It’s similar to how I manipulated the bodies of Syla and Rozalyn, twisting their emotions and thoughts. In a way, I’ve re-engineered myself into the true queen of a legion.
‘I can no longer stop now.’
Until now, I had anticipated crossing the line only after devouring the entire territory of the Hobgoblin Lord Ludras, but my prediction was incorrect.
The moment I realized how many opponents we still had to face, I was certain that we could no longer stop.
‘I’ll crush his territory before Ludras can gather his senses. Any losses…can be compensated for from the occupied territories.’
I paid quite a price by luring the Hobgoblin elites sent by Ludras deep into a trap and annihilating them.
Many of our nests were destroyed. Of course, the majority of them had already ceased activity and entered hibernation because there was no nourishment left nearby, but I planned to exact retribution for the costs.
“Push forward.”
At this moment, I amassed the forces pouring out from countless nests and launched an assault on Ludras’ territory, where most of the dispatched troops had been obliterated.
Although Ludras had not redirected the defensive forces from other regions out of caution, the northern route, used as our attack path, remained somewhat empty.
Both sides worked hard to find and exploit weaknesses.
Before they could figure out ways to counter the rumors about our secret weapon, the large creatures that I had mobilized, I intended to take maximum advantage.
“Then, should we stop advancing and just maintain the front line?”
“Nearby lords were panicking, worried that Ludras would not help them and they would fall. They threatened him by mentioning that if they were to collapse, Ludras, surrounded by us, wouldn’t survive either. But the reverse is also true. If Ludras falls, they will collapse as well.”
Therefore, I instructed the other Syla and Rozalyn, who were battling with other lords in the west, not to push themselves too hard and merely maintain the front lines.
After all, the power lies in our hands. Depending on where we focus our strength, they can only be swayed in that direction.
—
“They’re coming…!”
The cycle of gathering and replenishing troops after a battle is incomparably faster for me, who has been constantly remodeling and improving soldiers for just that purpose.
Not even a full day had passed since my soldiers annihilated the enemy on the battlefield, and their arrival at the border shocked the defenders who had received news of the defeat through the routed troops.
It was probably just before that the fleeing stragglers reached them. From their perspective, the enemy forces that had so thoroughly defeated their main force had miraculously caught up in just a day.
“It’s just like the normal conquests we’ve always done.”
I gathered my soldiers into a single point and launched an attack on the enemy’s defensive fortresses.
Our method of combat is slightly different from their norm. We don’t take prisoners, nor do we encourage surrender.
Since we intend to turn all our conquered foes into nourishment, there’s no reason to capture prisoners.
And the areas we conquer immediately become our nests.
Incorporating war trophies and all surrounding resources, we convert everything into nourishment for reinforcements and supply.
“We must abandon the fortress!”
“But if we do, these enemies will…”
Knowing this, the defending troops could not easily retreat.
Because it is widely known that once we capture a fortress, the area will be devastated, and even if it is reclaimed later, rebuilding it will require a massive amount of effort.
Amidst this hesitation and confusion, I calmly mobilized my troops and relentlessly pressured the disoriented enemy.
“It’s them! It’s them! They cannot be stopped unless they are targeted by siege towers!”
As the vanguard were fiercely assaulting the fortress, the large creatures revealed themselves, causing some individuals to leap about in panic.
They were most likely the routed stragglers who survived our previous battle. The large creatures they had escaped from had already become a source of fear for them.
However, despite being aware of the existence of these large creatures, they had not managed to devise any effective countermeasures in such a short time.
According to what they had learned, these large combat creatures only needed to be wary of siege towers of a certain size or larger, as they had already surpassed what an individual could manage.
—
[However, even large combat soldiers can’t collapse thick fortress walls.]
“Spare parts aren’t worth sacrificing.”
As stated in the system message, I had no intention of using the large creatures as suicide bombers to break down the fortress walls.
Instead, I loaded the Alpha Type Fallen Ones onto their backs. The enemy had prepared quite thoroughly for the siege, successfully defending against our troops climbing the fortress walls.
I was about to break that defense.
“Advance!”
Once again, the large combat soldiers, comparable in size to large dump trucks, charged forward, shaking the ground. The cannonballs fired from the magic artillery weren’t enough to stop their advance.
“Aaaah!”
“The walls…!”
One large creature broke through the barrage, ramming into the fortress walls. The force of the impact was so strong it caused the walls to tremble, causing the defenders standing on them to stumble.
Needless to say, the walls did not crumble.
But that was fine, because I had planned for this.
Just before colliding, the troops that had been clinging to the backs of the large creatures leaped in unison, rushing onto the wall.
“These… These are strong ones!”
I deployed the Alpha Types, created by condensing mana.
With their mana shield, they could oppose the enemy knights, mages, and shamans, high-ranking opponents.
While they wreaked havoc on the wall, many of our own troops who had been prevented from climbing earlier began to scale the walls and flood into the fortress.
‘This is the end.’
It was then that the Eastern Wall was completely captured.
Now the enemies would have to defend against us coming not only from the front but from the sides, and possibly behind.
As long as any one section was breached, the siege would be over—the victory would be ours.
‘The defense facilities of the enemy are concentrated around the fortresses. Now, since the fortress is lost, can they still stop us?’
Our offensive strategy is different, just like our defensive tactics.
The hobgoblins, who lead normal lives like farming and cultivating villages, consider their economic activity—daily life—very important.
This means they cannot station troops at every base or build defense facilities like we do.
It also applies to most demons, so it’s not much of a problem for them, but if they were to face us, who only contemplate battle, the situation would be different.
If they wish to survive against us, they would have to completely change the lifestyle and pattern they have maintained for ages.
*
“My Lord! They’re ravaging the northern part of the territory as we speak!”
“Since the fortress fell, countless groups ranging from dozens to even thousands simultaneously swept across the northern region! This is a strategy to prevent us from concentrating our army in one place!”
The news of the main force stationed to the north being annihilated by creatures the size of a house had not even been a full day old.
However, within that single day, news flew in that the northern defense had been breached and the monsters were dispersing across the region.
Lord Ludras, who was within the castle, glared at the flustered ministers after hearing the news, staying silent.
“Sir. At times, they act like a single, meticulously moving army, while at other times, they are like a pack of beasts mercilessly rampaging and slaughtering. We should join forces with other lords immediately…”
“They also have their limits.”
The oldest minister opened his mouth cautiously, but Ludras shook his head.
His gaze shone, as if he was committed to seeing this through to the end.
“Issue a mobilization order across all territories. We will crush the invading forces in the north and counterattack. Based on reports, the north has become a desolate land completely devoid of life. But how about the east? The northeastern forest, where they first appeared in our territory.”
Finally, Ludras issued an order to gather all forces, his gaze directed towards the northeastern direction.
It was the place where a small town fell to an attack by an unusual group of mana beasts.
‘Thinking about it, it’s strange. They devastate every place they conquer as they push forward. Yet, the very place they first appeared is still green.’
Upon reflection, he, who was among the first lords to encounter the legion, suspected the direction of the Queen’s main forces.
And instinctively, he also realized that if he were to place his final bet, it would be there.
