Chapter 75: Invasion and Erosion (4)
“Just tell me one thing.”
[What do you want to know?]
“Is there something that can defend against the Execution Authority?… It’s not something silly like Execution Reflection Authority, Reflection Ignoring Authority, or Rainbow Reflection, is it?”
[Of course, such things do not exist.]
It seems it was an absurd question; even he answered it readily.
Of course, it was true that it was difficult to comprehend. If there weren’t any systematic defensive measures, how could Ji Chang-hyun remain so calm?
The Execution Authority, a systematic power that doesn’t discriminate, is fearsome to players, but in any case, isn’t the most dangerous to units? It was something that could tear apart a ghost race that lacks a physical body.
Players can simply focus on surviving by hiding their bodies, but units, by nature, must step forward.
[What he said is not wrong. The game is… just a game.]
“Are you trying to say it’s not absolute?”
I forced a bitter smile. Powers like the Execution Authority, which are embedded in the system, were indeed something unimaginable.
It holds the power to connect worlds, forcibly bind groups and individuals, and take lives without any strong resisting.
But does that make this system absolute and true?
[In this universe, there are many powers that surpass this system. The Execution Authority merely pushes a target toward death. Then, what is that death? Is it not commonly referred to as the cessation of the body’s activities and the soul’s departure from the body?]
“So, if one can overcome that state, if one can return from death using some trick, then the Execution Authority becomes nothing to fear?”
I let out a hollow laugh. However, I didn’t think it was a nonsensical story.
Legions are free from the Execution Authority. A legion is one entity as well as multiple. Even if one of its individuals dies, it’s merely shedding part of itself, and the moment the soul departs, the connection is severed, leaving the main body unharmed.
Contrary to existing values, the idea that death might not be such a big deal crossed my mind.
“That’s irrational.”
A phrase that Ji Chang-hyun often uttered slipped out of my mouth.
If the system, which I thought was absolute and capable of maintaining balance, could be escaped, then the outcome was predetermined from the start, wasn’t it?
[Don’t be too reassured. Even if for a moment, it can be evaded by tricks, such simplicity and clarity apply only to the Execution Authority, and that too is limited to units. The souls of players, trapped in the game, have no way out. And the world is fundamentally irrational; reality is not a game. If you cannot overcome competition and are eliminated… dying is the truth of the world.]
He countered again with fundamental reasoning. It wasn’t incorrect. Indeed, the purpose of this game is to compete for survival.
And it is an extremely irrational competition. In a fight of reality that neglects balance patches, the losers are nothing more than experience points for the winners.
I wasn’t feeling particularly comfortable. In a situation where miraculous growth stories, akin to those found in creative works, were essentially impossible, my unit epitomized the word “growth.”
“…Open the screen.”
Feeling somewhat uneasy, as usual, I stayed alone in the barracks during my remaining time, overseeing the legion. Unbeknownst to me, the legion continued its activities.
Watching the legion kill humans had now become a matter of indifference to me. What filled my mind was what name I should give to that child.
It needed to be meaningful and beautiful, if possible.
*
[He has learned the Resonance method, a mental training that allows you to manifest Formancy, through the refinement you have given him, and he has succeeded in being acknowledged for his achievements and growth.]
“Were you happy?”
[…Yes. Perhaps I might mention it in the next video.]
“In the next video.”
The legion, unaware that Shin Woo was watching, felt slightly happier hearing about what happened to him today. Whether he was recognized by those around him was not what mattered.
What mattered was whether he liked and appreciated his gift. That was all.
“I’m thinking of gifts that will make him stronger. Surely he’ll like them more.”
[That is a sound judgment. He must grow stronger for your safety as well.]
Since coming to the surface, the legion had succeeded in acquiring a much wider variety of knowledge.
The data analyzed by devouring directly became a property beyond mere hearing and seeing, and even things that could not be obtained through consumption had no issue being acquired.
“Ahh!”
“Speak… I will speak! First, draw a line towards the northeast and from there…”
This place was in the middle of the forest that the legion had made its nest.
Once lush greenery occupied this area, but now only the occasionally pulsating crimson rock walls and grotesque, dark brown trees soared into the sky.
At the base of those twisted giant trees, which shaded the sunlight, eggs producing legionnaires were located, half-buried with screaming people.
“Ugh… Ugh…”
Experiencing extreme pain from infection bacteria infiltrating their bodies, those who were divulging all their knowledge and everything they knew, as per the legion’s intent, were all related to magic.
Currently, the legion was extracting magical knowledge while simultaneously gathering information about this world from those in the higher social classes.
“But for now, it’s not much.”
In this place, where not a single bird song or insect sound could be heard, only screams and howls echoed, the legion shook its head while conjuring a fireball in its hand.
They had brought in prisoners, interrogated them, and drawn out what they could, but satisfactory results had yet to emerge.
Low-level magic learned indiscriminately was not worth learning due to its lack of power, while even the magic of somewhat skilled mages fell short in efficiency.
Having already witnessed the high-level magic cast by a sub-commander, the legion desired at least that level of magic.
[In just one day, we hunted an entire city, 23 villages, and around 20,000 humans. And that hunt is still ongoing. Humans have already noticed our presence, and they will surely prepare appropriate countermeasures.]
“The troops we have sent are merely stalling tactics. They do not know our true nature, preventing them from noticing our expansion.”
The legion redirected its gaze ahead. Far from the nest, which was tirelessly devouring all plant life and expanding.
Initially collecting as many as possible while trying to save them, the legionnaires, numbering in the tens of thousands, then spread out violently, indiscriminately massacring across a wide area.
Their reckless and violent advance seemed to carry the intent to draw attention.
As the panicked humans turned their gazes there, the intention was to devour everything in that area without interruption.
And then, they planned to cover the entire forest and earth with the legion’s cells.
“By widening the nest and acquiring vast energy, we can do what we couldn’t do underground due to efficiency issues.”
In the legion’s mind, an aerial map based on the human knowledge they had acquired was being unfolded.
Releasing countless flying species at once, the accurately crafted aerial map revealed the corners of the continent gradually turning black.
According to their self-calculations, if they devour this corner of the land, they would be able to produce millions of medium-sized legionnaires every day.
Or, it would also be possible to attempt various combinations that had yet to be tried.
‘Capture a mage from the academy who has mastered high-level magic. Kill all others to use them as nutrients.’
The legion directed once again towards the legionnaires fighting on the front lines.
For this minimal stabilization, disrupting tactics were absolutely necessary.
‘Mage Academy, and the Continental Assembly.’
They now had detailed knowledge of the local powers and how they wielded authority and strength.
Aware of their ferocity, the legion remained vigilant, aiming for victory with minimal losses.
To grow until they could crush and burst with overwhelming strength, the foremost goal was to plunge them into confusion.
[Understanding the need to capture mages or strong martial artists make sense.]
“Please spare me… please…”
“Let me go…!”
[Then what is the reason to capture them?]
At that moment, a group of people started being dragged into the center of the nest.
Manipulated by the infection bacteria to walk forcefully, they arrived at the nest while letting out powerless screams.
Drenched in fear and despair, disregarding status or origin, the selected individuals were all local women.
Their commonality, having been dragged from various places, was that they were all young, healthy individuals of childbearing age.
“Of course, it’s for analysis.”
[…What exactly?]
The nest, which handled production and digestion, grew larger and further divided its roles.
The reason for bringing them to this place, a nest not designed for quickly digesting organic material to feed legionnaires, but for decomposition, absorption, and analysis to accumulate data, was simple.
“Ahhh!”
“No!”
Tentacles wrapped around their ankles, and slime emerged from the nest’s walls, engulfing them.
Unlike those who were dying and being digested, their slim thread of hope that they might somehow live was completely shattered in that moment.
“I don’t want to… no…”
Buried alive, their bodies covered in slime began to tremble and spasm.
Regardless of whether they were digested on-site to become nutrients or decomposed and analyzed here, the outcome of dying would be the same; however, the anguish of each path would be different.
[Do you really think he would like this? If data is compiled in this way to create beautiful bodies and faces…]
“For the first time, I felt the sky. Pursuing beauty is natural for beings. Kang Do-yeon said he likes pretty women, too.”
The legion naturally exhibited no agitation.
“…Huh?”
However, at that moment, the legion placed a hand on its chest.
Although it had replaced the heart with a power source, it learned from Kang Do-yeon’s usual habit of doing so whenever extreme emotional changes occurred.
“Why?”
The bewildered legion flinched. It was the first time that the collective consciousness had been shaken to such an extent.
“He is angry. Could it be that he is under attack?!”
[No, he is watching… starting to look at this spectacle. Will you hide your body?]
The voice of the observer echoed in their heads, as calm as ever. The shocked legion hurriedly rushed to hide its physical form within the branch of the Sacred Tree nearby.
