Chapter 58: Entangled (2)
“Ugh… Ugh…”
“Does it connect?”
As I watched the screen, I noticed the abnormal behavior of the infected entity.
The entity, which had been charging madly as if it were a given, suddenly stopped just before colliding with the much larger Legionnaire, whining like a puppy standing before its mother.
[The Devouring Fungus organisms have a line of communication among themselves, similar to the Legion’s collective consciousness. The mutated Great Army Body maximizes that ability.]
It was a kind of telepathy. The Legion had fully inherited that ability.
It resembled the situation that the Legion had encountered in battles with the guardian spirits, which had been involved with the Moonlight Fairies, in the past. Just as the moth, the leader of the guardian spirits, had severed the Legion’s collective consciousness through a spiritual attack, the Legion was now invading and interfering with the mental system of the Devouring Fungus organisms.
The moaning Devouring Fungus infected entity staggered and collapsed.
The Legionnaires dragged it away and threw it into the nest.
[The Devouring Fungus will no longer be able to resist us and will simply become nutrient.]
The Devouring Fungus thrown into the nest began to be digested.
The infection power, enhanced through battles with the mutants, was now enough to instantly devour a mere Devouring Fungus.
“This psychic ability… It can be used in other ways, right?”
[So far, there aren’t many practical applications, but it should definitely be possible. The psychic communication based on the Legion’s powerful mental force is formidable—far beyond the Great Army Body.]
I observed as the Devouring Fungus entities rushed mindlessly.
It was the moment the Legion acquired another weapon while also securing a new nutrient supply.
“Of course, they will conduct reconnaissance first, right?”
[That’s correct. Reconnaissance troops have been dispatched.]
Having watched for a while, I had a good understanding of the Legion’s behavioral patterns.
Just as I thought, the Legion immediately began searching activities first.
There was no reason to neglect reconnaissance. The simultaneous, real-time reconnaissance utilizing the collective consciousness could cover all the disadvantages of scouting.
The map that had once started from a small lower-level dwelling was gradually expanding.
And that entire large map was soon the body of the Legion—the nest.
“What are they doing now?”
I switched the screen. The Legion, unaware that I was watching, had its body with my younger sibling.
“We won!!”
“…Do it again.”
Right now, they were playing with something.
The identity of it was the cards I had given as gifts.
Even against an opponent with superior intellect, it seemed that relying on luck was something that Kang Do-yeon could still manage.
“Alright.”
My younger sibling grinned and began to shuffle the cards again, dealing out several.
The light within the mask examining the cards sparkled. The display of competitive spirit resembled the way they looked during battles.
[The Legion can know everything Kang Do-yeon sees and hears. However, for the sake of a genuine competition, that information has been blocked off. Being a proud entity, it wouldn’t resort to trickery to win a card competition against Kang Do-yeon.]
“…It seems trivial, but it’s quite nice.”
[Is this the picture you hoped for?]
“A madness for growth, an obsession with me. Those are all good, but you need to take breaks too.”
Honestly, I didn’t know either. I wasn’t an expert, nor was I an experienced one.
The same went for my younger sibling, who was stuck close to the Legion. However, one thing was certain: I wanted to show the Legion another kind of happiness beyond devouring.
I was truly concerned, as if they were my child. After all, they were as important to me as a child would be.
“Let me know if you find anything unusual. For example, what could possibly be on that upper level that made the Great Army Body of the Devouring Fungus give up its feeding? Or what exactly is in the newly discovered passage?”
I turned off the screen there.
Afterward, I grabbed the items given by the Legion and went outside.
“Hello?”
“Oh… Lieutenant Yoon.”
As I exited the barracks, I ran into Lieutenant Yoon Su-Ah.
Wearing her military uniform, she had already fully armed herself.
“Well, it is wartime. I’m a soldier.”
“Ah.”
She chuckled lightly. She didn’t seem tense at all.
“Honestly, I was hoping it would start soon. Isn’t this dragging on for too long?”
Her eyes sparkled as she looked towards the enemy’s direction.
Having already heard the story, I simply nodded.
“Indeed…”
“Finally. The talk has been going on. They might move first. So, make sure to stay alive until we see each other again.”
Just then, loud sirens began to blare throughout the temporary encampment, as if they had been waiting for that moment.
The type of siren was a frantic, rapid red light that signaled enemy incursions.
“Lieutenant!”
“Yes?!”
“If we have to fight, be careful. Never let your guard down. You never know what kind of tricks they might use, be it magic or anything else, so always be vigilant!”
I shouted my best advice as she ran away.
I sincerely hoped she understood and would trust me.
“Move! They’re coming!”
“Come here quickly!”
I ran in the opposite direction of Yoon Su-Ah, heading to where I needed to be.
Robert, who was waiting, handed me a gun.
“Just in case.”
“I know.”
I accepted the gun. I had thought I wouldn’t need to fight directly when I came here.
Of course, right now, I trusted the power of the ore I was keeping close to my chest more than the gun.
*
“Are those monsters insane…”
The joint forces command was boiling with anger.
This was due to the fact that the enemy had blatantly begun their advance as observed in real-time.
“If they continue marching like this, they’ll soon enter the range of our artillery…!”
“Then there’s no sign of coming from another direction. We won’t even need air support, will we?”
Their brazen attitude left the command struggling to respond.
Yet, they had already been burned by arrogance several times.
“Could it be another one?”
“For now, there are no movements indicating a flanking maneuver detected! Thermal imaging and sound detection are all clear!”
“…What about the detectors provided by the Evolution?”
“That’s not a problem, either.”
They had prepared thoroughly, suspecting a feint.
But it wasn’t. The monster alliance was indeed charging head-on.
“Those bastards!”
Naturally, they were furious.
The momentary pause in their advance was due only to the opponent’s bizarre tactics and guerrilla-style, but they held the assumption that they would not lose in a full frontal struggle.
Even though they had taken a few hits, they could not tolerate the fact that they had been underestimated by the monsters.
“They are breaking apart! Right before the range…!”
“All that does is delay. Right now, let’s shell them!”
The allied forces command first mobilized the artillery unit with the most formidable firepower.
The cannons stationed began to aim at the coordinates of the enemy.
“Fire away!”
And without delay, they began shooting.
The monsters started moving clumsily as the blazing lights streaked across the sky.
The firepower of the 155mm shells was certainly a striking blow, even beyond the monsters’ proud spells and equipment.
Soon, the entire screen was engulfed in explosions.
“…What’s the result?”
“Oh dear.”
The impact of the first bombardment subsided.
According to forecasts, those exposed to the bombardment should have lost half of their numbers.
“I thought they had some faith in their abilities!”
The commander’s face crumpled.
As a result, while the enemy sustained quite a number of casualties, they hadn’t died as many as initially expected.
“They’re charging head-on from the front!”
Ultimately, their movements turned out to be a kind of frontal assault.
As the waiting artillery fire concluded, the monsters charged madly in a straight line toward the center before any re-fire could take place.
“Could that be…?”
One Kobold leading the charge grinned, its eyes shining.
As it reached the range, a spatial leap was cast.
A massive magic circle unfolded in front of them.
Towards that, a troop clad in pitch-black armor leaped forward.
The other end of the leap was right in front of the encampment.
The enemies, having crossed dozens of kilometers in an instant, charged furiously toward the encampment without even a hint of slowing down.
“Reposition for artillery fire…”
“But they are too close! And their main force is charging straight in without using that strange magic circle!”
“First and foremost, all troops, prepare for defense of the encampment!”
The command center was thrown into chaos.
The stationed forces were all deployed to designated positions for defense.
“Sergeant Jeong! Those bastards…”
“Just shoot them all! Fire!”
The soldiers assigned to the frontline unleashed a torrent of bullets at the incoming monsters.
Concentrated fire from machine guns could take down even those endowed with shadowy powers.
“Ugh…”
And amidst this chaos emerged particularly powerful entities.
Shedding magical energy from their bodies, they swung flaming swords, slaughtering the soldiers who had been shooting from cover.
They were too nimble to deal with using personal firearms, and too small and agile to capture with heavier weaponry.
“Please keep firing at the other ones! Let me fight those bastards one-on-one.”
At that moment, a young private, filled with despair, sprang up, stepping over the bullet-riddled helmet of a soldier charging in.
The Hunters, including Lieutenant Yoon Su-Ah, who had been waiting for this situation, each exploded into their powers as they stepped out to face the strong enemies.
