[The legion spent time interrogating the prisoners and learned quite a lot about their language, history, characteristics, culture, religion, and so on.]

"...Is that important right now?”

[New units have been annihilated. There will be rewards.]

"What's the purpose? Why did you hide it until now and show it to me now?”

The chattering text was barely visible.

As soon as I woke up, I checked my phone with trembling hands. I hadn't been able to check it earlier because I was worried about Cha Ji Yeon's reaction. These were the events that had unfolded while I was unaware.

[I can't actively interfere, so I'm just making the most of the features I have.]

There was no emotion in the text.

I barely managed to calm myself down.

The videos sent like a bombshell. They were all records of the actions the legion had taken, from creating their own bodies to hiding them from me and, most recently, putting a mask on Kang Do Yeon.

"I can't understand. Why now, of all times? You should have told me from the beginning!”

[Think for yourself and find the answer. Why am I acting as a double agent and revealing the truth to you?]

I

The typically chatty creature held its tongue, suggesting there were certain limitations. I groaned, clutching my head.

[If the reins are loosened, the potential cannot be fully realized.]

"...Potential?”

The final words hinted at something.

A bitter sigh slipped past my lips as I grasped the implication.

"The legion needs to maintain its aggressive growth, just as it is now. You refrained from telling me at the start because I might interfere. But you're telling me now because I need to know the truth.”

[You're close to the correct answer. The legion has become a runaway train, driven by its own values and beliefs, and the acceleration is sufficient. That's why I'm telling you.]

"You're incredibly audacious. But then again, you've been like that since we first met.”

My emotions were a whirlwind.

If you didn't trust me, you should have kept this secret until the end.

What's the point of revealing it now? It's pointless.

[A parent should know what their child is up to.]

"I'm not in the mood for jokes.”

[Nevertheless, through your training with Cha Ji Yeon, learn to discipline yourself and control your emotions. The most significant influence on the legion is the string connecting you two. The legion, now developing its ego, considers everything in relation to you. That's one way you can interfere.]

"...Insane.”

It felt as though my emotions were under constant surveillance.

But there was no way out of this predicament now.

"How can I trust what you're saying? How do I know you're not lying? How can I tell if you're not trying to deceive and manipulate me? You've already lost my trust. How can I know you won't do this again?”[Don't forget that, although this game's essence is an ecosystem where you have to fight and survive, it's still just a game.]

"...Right. This is a game that's been forced upon us, regardless of our will.”

I collapsed onto the bed. Regardless of whether it was a player or a unit, whether they reaped benefits or grew stronger, they were still compelled to fight, to wage war.

"What's the real purpose of this game?” I questioned. "What's the point of creating the strongest units in each world, or 'server' as you call it? What are you trying to achieve with them?”

I hoped it wasn't something as absurd as a server integration war.

[To nurture the strongest survivors who have surpassed their limits. To create new beings.]

"So, you're creating these groups in each server, or world, for what purpose exactly?”

[The final war. You'll find out when you become the last surviving winner. One thing is certain: the real enemy is elsewhere.]

That was the end of the conversation. I couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. From the start, getting involved had been a mistake.

['We' exist solely for that purpose.]

The word "we” caught my eye.

It was interpreted differently from the usual meaning.

"So, to you guys...whether it's a player or a unit, we're just pawns for that purpose? Are the restrictions placed on us just for competition among the same administrators?”

[Is that a problem? Nothing changes. I merely observe and guide; in the end, you all make the crucial choices. I'm incapable of deceiving you or withholding information. Utilizing me effectively is also a part of your skill set.]

His answer was brutally honest, leaving me speechless. Even if I could manage to escape this game, the world had been ensnared in its clutches for far too long. The haunting images of those who had been attacked and killed were still fresh in my mind. The sight of my sister, transformed into a grotesque mass of flesh, was equally disturbing. The only reason I had survived and managed to save my sister as part of the legion was due to my involvement in the game.

"Tell me the rewards. What did we get?”

I shifted the topic, craving a cigarette I had given up years ago during my army days.

"300G... Is that it?”

[There's no reason to offer a generous price to a defeated and decimated race. Especially not to an underdeveloped tribe.]

The worth of eliminating the remaining Moonlight Elf units was less than a single assassination right. It had always been this way, but the bitterness was more pronounced now.

"It's such an unfair game. There's no balance patch for the players or units whose levels vary greatly. There's only restrictions.”

The Moonlight Elves were beings with undeniable potential. If they had started in a proper village instead of being destroyed as refugees, what would have happened?

[Fairness is a rarity in this world.]

Of course, lamenting the unfairness wouldn't change anything. Whether weak or strong, the only rule was survival. That was the crux of it all.

[This is a reward for annihilating a certain type of unit.]

[Unit Summoning Ticket xl]

However, there was another reward. This time, it was undoubtedly an exceptional item.

"Could it be what I'm thinking?”

[It's a remarkable item that allows you to summon your unit for a specified period.]

A chill ran down my spine. Could the legion establish their foothold here with this?

[However, once the time elapses, they will be recalled. Everything the legion possesses is part of them. Even if they leave something behind, it will be retrieved in its entirety.]Regrettably, that thought was quickly quashed. Nevertheless, it was a valuable item. Even for a brief period, it could be utilized effectively.

"So, we've reached the end of the system rewards. But we've gained more than just this. Show me.”

[The legion has already amassed a wealth of information.]

The dark screen gradually lit up, unveiling the interior of the hive. After expelling the destructive bacteria-infected creatures, the legion's nest, which had extended this far, was still pulsating and enveloping its surroundings.

"..They're unaware that I'm observing everything, aren't they?”

[Correct. I informed them you're currently asleep.]

In a corner of the nest, the hibernating legionnaires were replenishing their sustenance. Kang Do Yeon was doing the same. Next to her, or rather, next to it, was a creature identical to my younger sister, donning a mask.

"Inform her that I'm waking up and about to switch on my phone.”

[Your message will be relayed.]

I tested the system by having my words conveyed. My sister, previously in a drowsy state, suddenly widened her eyes as if the message had reached her.

The legion, which had been seated next to her, swiftly concealed the human-like form it had crafted within the flesh wall. The grand chair it had occupied also vanished. It appeared as though I was rousing a bit. Particularly after learning that it refrained from revealing its form because it was incomplete.

"Oppa! Can you hear me?!”

My sister shouted, gazing up at the sky.

"I watched the video. You were fighting.”

"Huh?! Uh... I'm perfectly fine. Honestly. This was my choice.”

The lie was clear. She must have been instructed to say that. However, the legion that compelled her to lie didn't seem to have considered that. Inexperience must be the reason.

"Understood.”

I didn't press further. I was aware of what the legion had done to my sister. Despite the crude method, the intent and outcome were to safeguard her psyche, so I tolerated it for the moment.

"Don't fret about it either. They're merely units, and inevitably, one side had to die.”

"I agree. If we hadn't eliminated them, it would have been us instead.”

As I attempted to console her, she forced a smile. I too, strived to maintain my calm. If my emotions fluctuated, the legion would detect it. I ascertained this from its previous appearance. Regardless of how intelligent, intimidating, or aggressive it was, the legion was still an inexperienced, immature entity unable to escape this labyrinth.

[The prisoner's information revealed that their player is an elf, nurturing the World Tree Garsil in a world known as Eden.]

"That information isn't crucial at the moment. Continue.”

[They are the descendants of survivors who lived modestly, barely managing to survive in the remnants of a civilization that collapsed roughly 200 years ago.]

I listened attentively to the gathered information.

Destroyed 200 years ago? Has it been that long?

[The origin of the destructive bacteria remained unknown, but one thing was certain: it descended from above. As suspected, the Moonlight Elves were forced from the surface, taking refuge in this labyrinth where they evolved in their own unique way. However, their greatest mistake was their inability to unite against the onslaught of the destructive bacteria.]

"So, we must ascend again to uncover more?”

The information gathered was plentiful, yet not quite enough. I was certain the battle with the infected destructive bacteria was far from over.

[Nonetheless, we had grown significantly stronger. We discovered something through our captive. The blue ore of the Vajra, which we had been effectively utilizing, contained energy that could be harnessed for Formative Force.]

Several of the legionnaires scoured the nearby hives, including the survivors' hideouts. Weapons and ornaments embedded with similar minerals were discovered in abundance.

"Why didn't they utilize this?”

[The most likely explanation was the disappearance of the essential technology. Of course, the legion had its unique ways of utilizing it, which were unknown to them.]

The gathered ores started to pile up in one place. I had seen their power with my own eyes. As anticipated, the legion, having mastered the Heavenly Soul Art all at once, acquired a newfound power of its own.