Chapter 68

Episode 68 – A Grave Threat (8)

‘This is the start.’

My clone and soldiers with them mean I am effectively present on every part of the battlefield. As a result, the battlefield panoramas both in front and behind are slowly coming into view.

Because of this, I was able to take a fairly objective stance on judging the situation.

First, the enemies started acting just as I had predicted they would.

“The foe is attempting to nullify and exterminate our assault using overwhelming concentrated firepower. If we can break through that, we can crush them outright.”

My clone was stationed with the mercenary band on the right flank, but through Marcela, who had been previously nagging me, I learned the exact strategy the central command wanted. I therefore knew they trusted thoroughly in their firepower.

If the firepower gets neutralized, all that remains is the collective melee combat they theoretically prepared and braced for.

However, although it’s been slowly changing, that melee chaos is our strongest advantage as well.

Even if they’ve prepared, they can’t hope to stop our breakthrough with their secondary strategies.

“When we attack, they’ll start the barrage. As they do, the Wall Ghosts will run alongside, resonating mana to maximize the defensive barrier, minimizing the damage, and while doing that we’ll break through and shatter their formation.”

“Shall I take the vanguard?”

“No, Syla. You’ll have to deal with Marcela and the vampires.”

I share consciousness and thoughts with my clone, so verbal communication is unnecessary. Despite this, this communication with Syla, who is quietly waiting among the ranks of the Legion, was also confirmed vocally.

She’s been conserving her strength according to the original plan and will intervene once the enemy’s plan collapses in disarray, hunting the targets we’ve identified.

While the parties involved don’t know, Marcela and the vampires participating in this battle are underlings of Irwan, who wiped out her family line. They’re her personal enemies.

“After we break through the center and their formation collapses into chaos, I’ll step in and intervene in the chaos through my Auxilliary Brain as well. Focus only on your fight, Syla.”

“I’ll follow your orders.”

In any case, I am the one directing through the Auxiliary Brain. Syla nodded without hesitation, fully accepting the tasks given to her.

Our chances of victory are upwards of 70%. This was the result of my calculation, knowing more about the opposition than they know about us.

“Now, let’s begin.”

And almost simultaneously, the war started.

The start was marked by the forward movement of my soldiers, following my order.

‘This is it.’

The thrilling sensation of a massive collective consciousness moving solely in accordance with mine — that sense of enhanced perception.

No one who hasn’t directly experienced it can ever truly know it. It’s impossible to adequately describe with human language.

Even before the possession, I was once a mere human spirit, but as the Legion grows larger, it becomes more impossible not to be addicted to this thrill.

If my Legion, my mass, our bodies grow and multiply even more in the future…

Just how exhilarating will it be?

*

“Let’s begin. Fire the signal flares and sound the trumpets!”

Monstrous creatures, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, gathered together. As they moved in perfect unity, the ground trembled, and the air crackled.

Even the warrior Orcs, known as the battle races of the Demon Realm, were forced to tense up in nervousness. Meanwhile, Zrun and the other commanders hurriedly prepared for the fight.

“Everyone to your positions! Quickly, aim the mana cannons!”

They had hastily erected barricades using spells and magic, causing rocks to rise up from the ground, and were deploying their trump cards, which they had prepared beforehand.

The modified mobile magical artillery towers possess a powerful firepower that surpasses even considerable magic, with an impressive rate of fire.

The cannons, from those quickly mounted on stands to those carried and brought by beasts of burden, all aimed collectively at the approaching massive army.

“Wow, they actually look way more brutal in person. And there’s so many of them…”

“In that case, we need to tear them apart before they get here. Keep moving!”

It was the same with them. Among the Igor’s employed Orc army was a group of imps who usually participate in battle to handle cannons.

Those who often join the battlefield to operate mobile mana cannons followed orders quickly, swiftly assembling the cannons to aim at the approaching Legion.

‘With these thorough preparations, there’s no doubt…’

One of them glanced around while trying to calm their tension. There were already numerous cannons around them, ready to fire.

While it’s customary for Demon Realm Lords to argue and fight, there hadn’t been a battle of this monumental scale in recent history in such a delicate balance.

Thus, this was the first time they had seen such a massive number of troops gathered for a fight.

“Definitely gigantic, but that big size makes them easier to hit!”

At that moment, a high-ranking imp commander pointed at the colossal combat unit slowly accelerating towards them while squawking.

Clearly larger than even an average house, and especially threatening to the imps with their small stature, the assault by these massive battle units was beyond imagination. They could be crushed like ants under their mighty feet.

However, they still believed with confidence.

All they had to do was fire their cannons, explode the massive bodies, and make them collapse.

“Fire the cannons! Shoot!”

The order to fire came almost simultaneously from the main force.

The imps swiftly launched magical projectiles loaded with mana, utilizing the basic principles of magical engineering, with the magic stones inside the cannons exploding and firing the spells out of the barrels.

“Oh…”

Not just the artillerymen who had fired the shots, but the infantry waiting in the front and the commanders directing from the rear, all of them stared at that moment.

With so much large-scale warfare scarce recently, the simultaneous firing of hundreds of magical cannons was a rare sight.

From top to bottom, the hundreds of cannons fired their shells in parabolic arcs, and everyone firmly believed that upon impact, a plethora of spells would explode, toppling the fearsome beasts charging forward.

“Wall Ghosts, begin your actions.”

However, at that moment, among the countless monsters rushing forward, a uniquely shaped group began unfolding their large and round backplates, revealing massive wings.

These unusually large wings were not designed for flight. The circuits intricately embedded in the translucent wings were not muscles but body systems that resonated mana.

The Legion, mimicking the abilities of cave-dwelling bats that hunt smaller prey using sound waves and even improving upon this through their own evolution, was a miraculous feat achieved by reaching beyond Level 10 Specialty Levels.

“The projectiles are all blocked!”

“What in the world is that!?”

As the mana barriers emitted by the Wall Ghosts resonated with each other, growing like soap bubbles to immense sizes, both the low-ranking soldiers and Commander Zrun looked on in shock.

The reddish barriers cracked and fractured from the impact of the many flying projectiles, but that was enough.

After all, simply consuming the ammunition was sufficient.

“Keep firing!”

In a panic, they only leaned more on the cannons instead of seeking alternative methods, which became a fatal mistake.

The Wall Ghosts kept alternating to maintain protective barriers for their allies via resonance, preventing even half of the firepower the enemy anticipated.

As the distance closed, the barriers repeatedly broke and reformed, and while the Legion soldiers did suffer some damage and collapsed, they were mere few compared to the original plan of obliterating more than half the enemy with this salvo alone.

“Charge and crush them. It’s our turn now!”

“You bastards…”

At the command of the Queen, who grinned with menace, the Legion soldiers charged straight towards them. They had hastily formed basic barriers with the infantry but trembling among the soldiers was understandable.

Most significantly, the massive combat units at the forefront, creating tremendous vibrations with each footfall, were almost unscathed. Even the most skilled warriors couldn’t stand against enemies with overwhelming mass and rank unless they had mastered heavenly feats.

Amidst this chaos, Marcela clenched her teeth while watching the Wall Ghosts skillfully handling mana at levels beyond even a notable Demon.

She vividly remembered one day when she casually spoke with the silver-haired human woman she had been observing.

The woman’s words about when and how the Legion might create a new type of soldier and trample them underfoot now seemed prophetic.