NOVEL NEXT Chapter 185
Chapter 185 – Savior (5)
“If by any chance we end up meeting people from the Empire, we have no choice but to do so, but it’s best to avoid showing ourselves as much as possible. Rasen, you must firmly inform the others as well.”
“Why is that?”
“We don’t know how they will react yet, but it’s hard to have any positive predictions. Right now, we are too occupied with fighting the Black Monsters and defending our strongholds to worry about anything else.”
Just before their departure, Balun called Rasen, who had now become a crucial power within the group, and imparted several warnings, one of which was to avoid getting involved with the Empire.
“I heard that the newly ascended Emperor of the Empire is cold and ruthless. He was the first to draw his sword in a confusing succession struggle, pushing aside his own brothers and pressuring the previous Emperor to seize the throne.”
“Is… Is that so…?”
“Not only does he consolidate internal control, but he also has grand ambitions toward the outside world. He aims to forcibly subjugate other kingdoms and tribes to expand his territory. Such a person will never miss an opportunity.”
Most of the information about the Emperor came provided by the people of the Kingdom of Baruk, including Rihar, so it was somewhat biased but not false.
The tribes from the western grassland that recently joined were also already in contact with the Empire before coming under Luke’s command, and all the news indicated that the Emperor was indeed a dangerous figure.
“You mentioned that the World Tree is returning to sapling form and that the barrier has disappeared, allowing the Black Monsters to move directly or open a crack to cross into the Empire. If they understand the terror of the Black Monsters, won’t they help us? Hasn’t that been the case up till now?”
Rasen couldn’t understand why Balun was so wary of the Emperor.
Various factions including other tribes, the Kingdom of Baruk, and the Elves had previously been in conflict with the Arin Tribe, but they all actively cooperated after experiencing the wrath of the Bugs.
“That could be true or it might not be. But many lives, including mine and the trust of that person, depend on my choices. Therefore, I must make the wisest decisions possible.”
Balun grinned and shook his head.
Having once been a mere chief of a small tribe, he already understood what it meant to lose. Even as a king now, unifying the grassland and commanding many, it didn’t mean he could enjoy the same luxuries as kings of other kingdoms.
His rise to kingship was not solely due to his abilities. The heavens are always watching. Given that, it was nonsensical to entertain other thoughts or become complacent.
This was also why Balun could be more diligent and honest than any other king.
“And that goes for you as well, Rasen. Not just you, but everyone who has received grace from that person. You have achieved success with their help, so you wouldn’t think of falling into corruption and hesitation, would you?”
“Of course not! I will remember it without fail.”
With a chuckle, when Balun put on a serious tone, Rasen flinched and quickly nodded.
His influence was not limited to Balun, the representative and king.
From warriors and mages to ordinary soldiers, even common citizens, all the civilization and power they enjoyed stemmed from him.
Although some occasionally tried to forget this fact, Balun continuously educated his people to ensure that such things never happened.
“The rumors about the Elves have already spread, and that could be dangerous.”
“With such a large nation, why can’t they even control the thieves?”
“The king expressly said not to get involved with them…”
“But we can’t just leave them alone. Above all, this is the will of that person.”
Recalling his conversation with Balun just before their deployment, Rasen bit his lip after learning the circumstances from a captured thief they had wiped out in one strike.
Capturing the thieves trying to cross the border was a command from a being they could not defy.
Rasen, along with everyone else on the scene, had a gut feeling that if things continued like this, there would surely be a meeting with the Empire.
‘I expected it, but there are too many scoundrels.’
The intuition of the residents present was not mistaken. Watching the screen, he monitored parts the residents hadn’t yet confirmed while continuously capturing the intruders trying to infiltrate across the border.
And each time, he took action himself or, if he couldn’t, he had the residents handle the situation.
‘I cannot allow even one hindrance.’
This was an obvious course of action for him. Currently, the Sacred Brigade led by Riena was smashing the enemy’s main force and charging into their stronghold.
The main force followed the Sacred Brigade’s lead, removing the enemy’s nests one by one, eradicating the Bugs from this land. If all went well, they could end this tiresome battle—something he and the residents had nearly missed once before, which is why they poured every ounce of effort into this war.
Because of that, with tensions already high, they couldn’t create any more variables.
The intention to block any newly formed connections with the Empire following the collapse of the World Tree was part of that strategy.
‘Should I decorate the defense towers? Nah, lacking resources.’
He even contemplated closely placing defense towers near the border.
Even the lowest-level defense tower could send unarmed intruders flying in one shot.
Though he couldn’t execute that plan due to resource scarcity, if things got any worse, he would be willing to dismantle some defense towers to push the plan forward.
“I’ve been hearing strange rumors since a few days ago.”
But even with his earnest wishes, in places out of sight and reach, tasks were already progressing steadily.
In the grand hall of the Imperial Palace, showcasing the astonishing scale and intricate grandeur of a powerful nation, a young blond man sitting on the throne casually opened his mouth amidst the gathered officials.
“I’ve heard the Elves, once thought to exist only in legends, have actually appeared on the western border. They said the barrier prohibiting access to that area was also lifted.”
“Your Majesty, that isn’t confirmed yet…”
“They wouldn’t have reported such things without being certain.”
The officials were abuzz, but the Emperor seemed relaxed as he had already made up his mind.
In front of the Emperor’s composed demeanor, only the most solid and foolproof arguments could sway him; as a result, most gathered remained silent, choosing not to speak.
Having overthrown the royal family to claim the throne, the capable and ruthless Emperor had already shown many times that any pitiful attempts at opposition would only lead to disgrace or being marked.
Moreover, the fact that the cautious Emperor spoke with such certainty suggested he must have other conclusive evidence aside from reports.
“It’s clear that something has happened in that long-unreachable mysterious land. According to the Elves, something has happened there. I ordered the Elves to be sent here, but waiting is a waste of time. I’ll send an investigation party instead.”
“Your Majesty, the Elves might resist. They are a race that has voluntarily chosen to sever ties with the world for centuries.”
“If they can’t handle the internal situation to the degree of breaking centuries of severance, then there’s no need to worry.”
The Emperor’s eyes sparkled with intensity, reflecting the strength of his will. The thought of uncovering and conquering the western forbidden land, something even great former Emperors could not achieve, set his ambitions ablaze.
“It would be best for the Imperial Guards to go personally. They must determine the exact situation, what kind of place it is, and the status of the Elves.”
“Understood.”
Given the significance of the matter, the Emperor decided to dispatch trusted subordinates. Things began to unfold in direct contrast to the wishes of the Elves and the fighting Arin Tribe there.
Nothing had been fully revealed yet, but the Emperor was already fervently determined to make what was once inviolable territory into his own.
*
“What could come after the Colony-Type? If we fail to finish the battle with the Bugs and give them more time.”
– Surely they wouldn’t evolve into another form there, would they?
This conversation came about as the residents were taking a moment to rest while fighting simultaneously in various places.
Spending all day simply staring at screens naturally left some time to spare, but it felt awkward to leave their posts, leading them to use the community to chat away about anything.
She was no different. In fact, it was a habit or kind of occupational hazard shared by all users.
– I can’t put my finger on it. While it was easy to predict the Bugs might gather in groups, isn’t the Colony-Type the final evolution?
Lee So-Yeon wondered if there could be a form stronger than the Colony-Type.
When the Bugs first appeared, they were nothing more than a few glitch-level enemies, let alone Bugs. Even when those glitches evolved into Bugs, their numbers were so few, and nearly none moved as factions.
Those once disorganized beasts had evolved through competition with them and established themselves as a massive, structured force, no longer mere beasts.
And their growth did not stop at this very moment.
‘It’s definitely not the end. So we must conclude it here for sure.’
Complacency towards the Bugs was forbidden.
They could resurrect or grow in any form or any manner, and she longed to completely uproot them while they were still in the Colony-Type stage.
Many other users also recommended that the confrontation occur while the Bugs were still in the Colony-Type stage.
“We’ve found a way to block the gates they open. If they gather around the Colony, then the opportunity to eradicate them increases; I see it as a chance.”
– I agree, but I’m not sure how others will see it. If there was a clear precedent, it would be easier to convince them.
“A precedent… then let’s make that precedent for sure.”
So far, no user had emerged claiming to have completely annihilated the Bugs.
Thus, she decided she would be the one to do it. If she could perfectly repel the Bugs within her computer alongside the residents, then others would hopefully muster the courage to join the fight as well.
‘A massive emergence of Bug colonies? Have they built a nest deep underground to avoid bombardment?’
However, urgent news broke the following morning.
They kept trying to forget, yet the enemies fiercely battling alongside the residents in that other world were precisely those who had already been slowly eroding this world.
Growth and evolution, imitation and learning—this applied equally to the Bugs that had emerged in Earth as well.