NOVEL NEXT Chapter 187
Chapter 187 – The Savior (7)
“Wait! There’s someone there!”
In the dim forest, where one must find a resting place, the keen senses of the well-trained knight detected a presence lurking in the woods.
“Over there. It’s just one.”
The wizard hastily activated a detection spell, catching something in its magical net. Since the technique was designed to sense the opponent’s mana, hiding or concealing oneself wouldn’t help escape.
As everyone’s tense gazes turned in one direction, the figure boldly approached, seemingly with no intention of hiding.
‘What is that?’
Those seeing her for the first time reacted similarly, including the leader of the guards and the researching wizard.
A woman donned in armor that seemed more suited for mobility than weight. With her beautiful appearance, she had golden short hair and pointed ears.
She was the elf they had been searching for.
However, unlike the elves they knew, Valla wasn’t holding a bow. Infused with nanomachines enhanced by mana, she could now open a shop window anytime and anywhere to purchase firearms and ammunition.
Seeing the gun in Valla’s hand made them flinch. They hesitated, unsure if it was a weapon or not.
“Who are you?”
With her expression carefully managed, she spoke first. The strong will of the entity she regarded as her guardian had compelled her to come here alone.
Understanding the intent of that will, she calmly opened her mouth. She had heard that those sent by the Emperor were different from the mere bandits they had dealt with before.
“Elf…! We are those sent directly by the Emperor of the Empire! We wish to speak with you.”
The leader of the guards tried to steady his pounding heart and spoke first.
Their aim was to find the elves, gather detailed information, and report back. This report would form a crucial indicator in assessing how the Emperor would treat this land.
As a member of the Emperor’s inner circle, the leader of the guards knew of their ambition to solidify internal unity and project power outward, thanks to their remarkable abilities and unmatched achievements of past and present.
“What is it you wish to discuss? It’s true that there have been incidents near the border recently. It’s also a fact that some of us, while fleeing, trespassed into human territories. But that was an instantaneous accident. Just a light mishap that can be resolved with an apology. However, you humans were different. The moment the border disappeared, you armed yourselves and launched an attack on us.”
“No, that can’t be…”
As Valla spoke the truth, revealing her experience of personally slaying several bandits, the leader of the guards was taken aback.
While he had heard it from the lord, the realization that a few ruffians might ruin negotiations from the start made their urgency spike.
“You claimed there were disturbances occurring within your territory.”
“That’s true, but we are currently resolving that. However, obstructing us in this manner isn’t right. The inside of the border is land we’ve lived on since ancient times. That fact remains unchanged. If you truly are those sent by the human leader, then the first priority should be to control the out-of-control bandits.”
Valla rebutted their arguments before they could even interject. The leader of the guards tried to counter her reasoning but couldn’t bring himself to speak.
“What do you mean by that? If we return like this, His Majesty will be displeased.”
“We still lack information. You have raised your wariness too high; retreating for now would be wise.”
At the leader’s whispered suggestion, the wizard advised a retreat. They decided it was better to step back rather than make a hasty error.
‘Will they really back down like this?’
Representing them, Valla stated they would return for now and would thoroughly manage the bandits, keeping a sharp gaze on them as they slowly backed away.
It was an instinctual feeling. Even if they backed down now, they would continue to come after them. So before that, they needed to resolve the current situation.
‘We just need to hold out a bit longer until we can defeat the monsters.’
The Seed of the World Tree, which normally takes hundreds of years to grow, was now growing at an astonishing rate due to the power of those with the farmer trait from the game.
Thanks to this, the time it took for the World Tree to reestablish a barrier and attempt a disconnection was just a little over a year. Regardless of what the Empire might do, if the boundary was reestablished, there would be no issue.
“What do you think?”
“We have no options. Since the Emperor has taken an interest, we must resolve this as quickly as possible.”
The information obtained through Valla, who was also a spirit mage, was transmitted via wind spirits and quickly reached Chieftain Balun, who was commanding the main force.
Chieftain Balun had a similar thought. They needed to end this dreadful battle with the bugs before long. Having evolved repeatedly, digging their nests and forming a massive colony to confront them, the enemies’ resistance was now nearing its end.
After destroying their nests and killing the attacking foes, they took a breather before attempting another attack.
“Are you okay?”
“Their poison does not affect me.”
Riena was the same. Just before killing the adversary, she had been struck by a poisoned sting, yet she had long since healed from all her wounds.
At Shura’s concern, she smirked and displayed her perfectly restored arm. Even the tremendous poison that could dissolve a person to the bone was neutralized by her divinity. The eggs of the parasite bugs she planned to implant failed to even hatch and were annihilated.
“This time, I will end it.”
With gleaming eyes, Riena gnashed her teeth, standing before the enemies’ stronghold. The sticky and repetitive war was finally reaching its conclusion. There was truly no escape left for the foes.
If they tried to escape through a gate, they’d have to establish a new base, and even that was in decline as the lands permitted to open gates were continually shrinking.
So, for now, fighting head-on was their best option.
‘Do they know this?’
Tensed, he watched the screen, biting his lip.
The enemies had gathered nearly all their resources to guard their nests.
The land they devastated to build their nests lay bleak and lifeless, devoid of trees or even a blade of grass.
This was a clear sign of the devastation they had wrought on a world once lush with elves and their well-tended forests, now resembling a vast gaping hole filled with countless monsters.
This legion was the strongest force they had ever compiled, crafted from the data accumulated since forming their colony. Various variants designed according to their roles and uses, overwhelming numbers, and more.
Leaving these creatures unchecked would lead to a true catastrophe that could engulf the entire world, a fact verified by anyone who had directly faced them.
‘They can’t have been revived, can they?’
Though the Assassin had been resurrected just before being killed by Riena, it had been in a dismembered state. Wondering if it had managed to repair itself in just a few days, he zoomed in on the screen to search for the Assassin.
But he couldn’t find any sign of it.
“Then we can win.”
Unconsciously, he smiled faintly. The strongest foe was absent, but the hero of the allies who had cleaved that foe in half was still leading the charge, draped in golden light.
“…”
This wasn’t information known only to them. The enemies, resolved to eradicate them, were aware of it too.
“Our odds of victory are too low.”
Deep within the nest, where the Neural Body commanding the entire colony was located, the Assassin was also present. It had nearly recovered from its damaged form but chose not to venture outside.
“If this continues, we will fail.”
The Assassin was one of the few beings within the bug colony that possessed a self-awareness. Its brain had developed disproportionately large to gain significant power to confront enemies, particularly Riena.
When it assessed their imminent final battle against the allied forces determined to eradicate them, it found the odds of winning quite low.
“The enemy’s response is rapid.”
It marked the opponents’ quick responses as their downfall. United under the strong influence of the Guardian Deity, the Arin Tribe had almost none of the typical disadvantages associated with human groups.
No matter how quickly the bugs evolved, the allies responded just as swiftly.
Of course, had they been given a bit more time, the bugs, living solely for war, would have seized the advantage and exploded their production capabilities, but with Junyoung, who consistently made wise decisions, and the residents loyally following him, no opportunity was granted.
Relentlessly pushing forward, they ensured the enemies couldn’t amass their forces and kept a tight grip on the nests.
“Another method is needed.”
Yet, in the depths of the shell, several glimmering eyes continued to flicker. Their aim was to consume this world by any means necessary.
The bugs also had no intention of giving up. This obsession and madness were practically foundational to their being.
For that goal, they were even willing to cast aside everything they had built and start anew.
“Attack!”
Simultaneously, the battle began on the ground.
The residents, armed and resolute to end this fight while the bugs were still manageable in number, charged at the amassed monsters for defense.
Fundamentally, the bugs were larger and outnumbered.
They could easily be surrounded and brutally torn apart. Thus, charging in first required considerable mental preparation.
“Focus straight ahead. And endure. As long as His light does not fade, we will win.”
The frontline soldiers marched calmly, focusing only on Riena, who stood at the forefront, emitting divine light, eclipsing the approaching enemies.
That light brought terror to foes and healing to allies, serving as the lighthouse of the battlefield. Her accomplishments had surpassed mere capabilities of a warrior and reached a level of greatness.
Everyone present firmly believed they would win as long as that light did not go out.
‘Come.’
Like a living beacon, she spread her wings and soared into the air.
Countless aerial foes charging to ambush the main force swooped down on her as if they were flies buzzing around a piece of fruit.
Each one was a monster shrouded in sharp weaponry and fortified carapaces.
“Be gone!”
With clenched teeth, she summoned her strength and drew her sword.
The intense light already enveloping her erupted explosively, and the slash, shaped like a flash, swept through the area, incinerating and annihilating the swarming bugs in an instant.
It was a resounding signal that heralded the onset of serious combat. The soldiers charging forward, as well as he watching through the screen, gripped their weapons and mice tightly.
Chapter 188 – The Village Appears on My Desktop