"Ugh...ugh...”

"Is it working?”

I watched the unusual behavior of the infected creature on the screen. The creature, previously charging wildly, stopped abruptly before colliding with the megacolony. It began to whimper, much like a puppy in the presence of its mother.

[The destructive bacteria megacolony communicates similarly to the hive consciousness of the legion. The mutated megacolony has the ability to maximize this.]

This was a form of telepathy, an ability the legion had also acquired. The situation was reminiscent of a previous battle with the guardian spirits of the Moonlight Elves, lust as the moth, the leader of the guardian spirits, had momentarily disrupted the legion-’s hive consciousness through a spiritual attack, the legion was now interfering with the mental system of the destructive bacteria colony.

The infected creature whimpered, staggered, and finally collapsed. The legionnaires promptly dragged it into their nest.

[The destructive bacteria will no longer resist us. They will serve as nourishment.]

The destructive bacteria, once thrown into the nest, began to be digested. The enhanced infectivity, a result of the battle with the variant, allowed the legion to devour it instantly.

"This psychic reaction ability can be used in other ways, right?”

[Although there is no suitable application yet, it is certainly possible. The psychic reaction, based on the legion’s immense mental power, is potent. It far surpasses the megacolony.]

I

The infected creatures charged mindlessly. It was a pivotal moment when the legion gained another weapon and a new source of nourishment.

"Of course, reconnaissance comes first, right?”

[Yes, they have dispatched scouts now.]

Having observed the legion’s behavior for a long time, I was familiar with their patterns. As anticipated, they immediately commenced their exploration activities. There was no reason to delay reconnaissance. Real-time reconnaissance using hive consciousness could overcome all the disadvantages of such activities.

The small map, originating from the lower level of the hive, gradually expanded. Before long, it all became the body of the legion, their nest.

"What are they doing now?”

I switched the screen, covertly observing the legion as they interacted with my sister.

"I won!”

"...Let’s play again.”

They were engrossed in a card game, a gift I had presented. Despite their superior intellect, they seemed to enjoy a game based on chance.

"Alright.”

My sister chuckled, shuffling the cards again and dealing them. The gleam in their eyes behind the mask sparkled as they scrutinized their hand. Their competitive spirit was as fierce as when they were in battle.

[The legion had the ability to see and hear everything Kang Do Yeon did. However, they chose to block that information for a fair game. They were a proud entity and wouldn’t stoop to such tricks to win a card game against Kang Do Yeon.]

"...It may seem trivial, but it’s nice to see.”

[Is this the picture you wanted?]

"The madness for growth and obsession with me are good, but there should be times to rest.”

Honestly, I didn’t know. I wasn’t an expert, nor had I experienced it. The same applied to my sister, who was now bonded with the legion. The only thing I was certain of was that

I wanted to show the legion other forms of happiness besides devouring.

I cared for them as if they were my own child. They were as important to me as a child would be."Let me know if there are any unusual findings. For example, what was on the upper floor that made the destructive bacteria megacolony give up on devouring? Or what’s in the newly

discovered passage?”

I turned off the screen and grabbed the items the legion had given me before stepping outside.

*

"Hello?”

"Ah... Lieutenant Yoon.”

As I exited the barracks, I bumped into Lieutenant Yoon Soo Ah, already fully dressed in her military uniform.

"It’s an emergency. I’m a soldier.”

"Ah, right.”

Her playful smile showed no signs of tension.

"Honestly, I wish we could fight sooner. Isn’t this dragging on too long?”

Her eyes sparkled as she gazed towards the enemy’s base. I simply nodded in agreement.

"Damn...”

"Finally. I’ve heard rumors. They might strike first. So, make sure you survive and see it through to the end.”

As if on cue, a loud siren began to wail throughout the temporary garrison. The siren was a frantic, pulsating red light, signaling an imminent enemy attack.

"Lieutenant!”

"Yes?!”

"If you end up in combat, be careful. Never let your guard down. You never know what kind of tricks they’ll pull, whether it’s magic or something else. Always stay alert!”

I offered her the best advice I could as she sprinted away. I hoped she would heed my words and trust me.

"Move! They’re coming!”

"Quickly, over here!”

I sprinted in the opposite direction of Yoon Soo Ah, heading to my designated position. Robert, who had been waiting for me, handed me a gun.

"lust in case.”

"I understand.”

I accepted the gun, though I had hoped I wouldn’t have to engage in direct combat. Of course, I trusted the power of the ore I was clutching in my arms more than the firearm.

*

"Have those monsters gone mad...?”

The enraged Allied Command was in an uproar.

The enemy, who was under real-time surveillance, had blatantly begun their march.

"They’re about to enter our artillery range!”"Are there any signs of them approaching from another direction? We don’t need air support, do we?”

Their attitude was so confident that it left the command bewildered as they had been fooled several times before.

"Could it be another trick?”

"No signs of flanking. We’ve run both infrared and sonic detection!”

"And the detectors from Evolution?”

"They’re working fine.”

They were thoroughly prepared for the possibility of a feint. But it wasn’t. The Demon Army was genuinely marching straight towards them.

"Those bastards!”

Naturally, they were livid. They had hesitated momentarily due to the enemy’s enigmatic tactics and guerrilla warfare, but they were confident they wouldn’t be pushed back in a direct confrontation. The thought of being underestimated by the demonic creatures, even if they had been slightly deceived, was intolerable.

"They’re dividing their forces! lust shy of our firing range...!”

"We should bombard them immediately!”

The Allied Command deployed their most potent artillery first. The cannons of the stationed artillerymen were simultaneously trained on the enemy’s coordinates, and they commenced firing.

"Fire!”

They unleashed their assault without a second thought. As the flashes of light cut through the sky, the demonic creatures began to scramble in panic. The firepower of the 155mm shells was undeniably a strain for them, despite their vaunted spells and equipment. Soon, the entire screen was consumed by explosions.

"...What’s the outcome?”

"Damn it.”

The dust settled after the initial bombardment. At least half of the exposed ones should have been obliterated. The commander’s face twisted in frustration. In the end, the enemies had suffered casualties, but not as many as expected.

"They’re charging straight at us now!”

The enemies’ movement was nothing short of a provocation. As soon as the pre-planned bombardment ended, they began a mad charge towards the center before the next round of bombardment could commence.

"Could it be...?”

A lone Kobold at the forefront flashed a sinister grin. As soon as they were within range, he unleashed a Spatial Leap spell. A vast magic circle unfurled before them, transporting them directly to the base’s doorstep.

The enemies, having covered tens of kilometers in an instant, charged fiercely towards the base without losing momentum.

"Reload and bombard again...”

"But they’re too close! Their main force isn’t using that strange magic circle, they’re just charging straight at us!”

"Deploy all forces to defend the base right now!”

Pandemonium ensued in the command center. All standby troops were dispatched to their assigned defensive positions.

"Sergeant Jeong, those bastards...”

"Just shoot them all! Shoot!”

The soldiers at the scene fired their guns in a frenzy at the enemies who had breached their defenses in an instant. Even those infused with the power of darkness could fall under the relentless barrage of machine-gun fire.

"Ah...”

In the midst of the chaos, some particularly formidable figures emerged. Radiating magical power from their entire bodies, they decimated the soldiers with their flaming swords and unleashed magical power. Personal firearms were ineffective against them, and they were too nimble and small to be targeted by larger weapons.

"Keep firing at the others. We’ll handle these ones one-on-one.”

In that moment, a young private, overwhelmed by the sight of the advancing enemy, clutched his helmet and charged forward. For situations like this, Lieutenant Yoon Soo Ah and the

other hunters had been on standby. Each faced off against a formidable enemy, unleashing their unique abilities in a surge of power.