Duke Oropon looked at the front lines and grew anxious. Because the more monsters died, the more enemies increased. It was like facing an immortal demon, but even worse.
Even if corpses became zombies, they were clearly weaker than when alive. But those things—even after dying and falling over, the same ones popped out soon after, driving him crazy.
“Was this the kind of army Duke Akirif wanted?”
It was well known in the Greed Legion that Duke Akirif had tried to raise the Devil of Devouring. Most mocked him, asking if that would even work. They had heard the infamous reputation of growing stronger the more you fight, but there was no guarantee it was still that strong now. However, after facing it, they could tell that even half that reputation was no lie.
“Where’s Silvius?”
“Contact has been lost.”
“Did she go to attack the allied forces?”
Duke Oropon thought with uneasy eyes about what more he could do.
There was nothing.
The demons only thought about fleeing, and the magic beasts were weak. Even the large magic beast he had raised with care was long since torn to pieces by the 500-meter size, becoming prey.
Then, Gratis began to move.
The slaves, the lowest rank, came out of the narrow tunnels carrying something on their backs. With glazed eyes, the slave went out to the Walker without any resistance. The Walker simply bit the slave in two with its large jaw.
Bang!
The backpacks exploded, and green smoke spread thickly.
The Walker whose head was blown off crawled backward using Death Resistance. It was to make it easier for another Walker to recover.
“Ku-eong.”
At Kuongi’s order, the Walker retreated, and the Rifle Scout stepped forward. When the slaves ran, they shot Chitin Spikes to stop them.
Explosions occurred everywhere.
The Pajijik Cannon installed on high ground also activated.
Flying Apocalids fell one after another, and the rampaging Warrior had to find cover.
As Gratis stepped forward, the Dark Elves also revealed themselves. When the Dark Elves began shooting arrows in earnest, Walkers and Scouts collapsed in droves.
“I guess we need to send the Swarm Giant.”
“Ku-eong.”
The Swarm Giant, positioned between the front lines and the Cannon Giant, ran forward. It passed the Walkers and Warriors, took a position on high ground, opened the holes in its protrusions, and sprayed Corrosion Spores. The Corrosion Spores fed on surrounding organic matter and multiplied, and in no time, purple smoke covered the front lines.
Gratis and the Dark Elves panicked. No matter what they tried to do, they couldn’t see ahead.
Gratis’s bombardment and the Dark Elves’ rain of arrows stopped abruptly.
“Cover your nose and mouth! Get out of here!”
The plants took damage from the purple mist, and it couldn’t be good for the respiratory tract. The Dark Elves wrapped cloth or bandages around their mouths and ran back.
Then their sensitive ears caught footsteps.
They weren’t the Dark Elves’. Dark Elves ran much lighter and quieter; they didn’t make such overt footsteps.
“Shoot!”
The Dark Elves shot in the direction of the sound without aiming properly. Of course, the accuracy was terrible.
On the other hand, the Scout running could clearly see the Dark Elves. The Rifle Scout’s Chitin Spike pierced the Dark Elf’s chest. Confusion arose due to the Parasite, and the Scout pounced on the Dark Elf.
In an instant, over a hundred Dark Elves became corpses.
The Scout, replenishing nutrients by eating the Dark Elves, immediately moved to the location indicated by the Central Command Warrior.
And another unit of Dark Elves was annihilated.
“We need to get out of here!”
“Get into the tunnels! They won’t be able to follow!”
Gratis’s situation was similar. They abandoned the Pajijik Cannons and burrowed into the tunnels. Digging tunnels was their specialty, so they thought the enemy wouldn’t easily follow.
But the Gratis here didn’t know that it had been a while since Choi Kangjoong obtained the evolution code called Digging. Nor did they know that the Wave Radar could see through the underground.
A tunnel where Gratis were gathered. It was a wide resting place, so a thousand Gratis were resting there. All of them felt relieved to have escaped the ground where monsters roamed.
Some Gratis were sound asleep.
All the lounging Gratis turned their heads to one side as if they had made a promise. Even the sleeping Gratis opened their eyes wide.
Soon after, the wall the Gratis were watching collapsed.
What came out from there scanned the Gratis with emotionless eyes.
“It’s them!”
“Run!”
“I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!”
The Gratis crowded into several tunnels. The tunnels were just barely wide enough for one to pass, so it took time for all to escape.
Meanwhile, the Walkers that came out of the tunnel killed the Gratis.
A Walker that had reached three species evolutions at Stage 8 could easily bite a hundred Gratis to death alone.
The Gratis crawling through the narrow tunnels felt relieved by the fading screams, but only for a moment.
A Walker blocked the front of the Gratis. The Gratis quickly dug a tunnel in another direction, but the Walker’s speed in catching up was far superior.
Crunch.
The Walker, crushing the Gratis’s head, moved toward the next Gratis resting place.
“It’s going well. The Corrosion Spores effect is solid too.”
“Ku-eong.”
Choi Kangjoong was watching the Apocalid’s battle from atop Kuongi’s head. In the area where the Corrosion Spores spread, the Apocalids were overwhelming. Gratis were originally weak in close combat, and the Dark Elves, unable to provide ranged support, were busy fleeing.
“But what’s that?”
Silvius’s flagship was moving, but something was strange. It was a dimension ship larger than a Life Spirit, yet the creatures felt inside it were very few. Even the area with creatures was only a small central part.
“Ku-eong.”
“You think it’s a deception? What would she try to fool me with that?”
“Ku-eong.”
Kuongi recalled the major targets Silvius might aim for. Choi Kangjoong himself, the two Hive Class Apocalids, and the expedition fleet.
“What do you two think?”
Choi Kangjoong asked Iselin and Dielka through his consciousness. Dielka was also connected to the Apocalid Consciousness by twisting the source.
“I think the same as Maelstrom. With a dimension ship that size, that number of creatures doesn’t make sense.”
“If I were that Dark Elf, I would attack the expedition fleet. There are people important to the Lord Outer, and it could definitely cause damage.”
“That could be possible. I’ll expand the Wave Radar that way, so please calm the fleet personnel.”
Iselin relayed to all fleet members to prepare for mental shock.
Choi Kangjoong spread the Apocalid Wave widely centered on the expedition fleet. There was some commotion in the fleet, but it also yielded results.
“It’s hiding over there.”
On the opposite side of the dimension where the battle was raging, a dimension ship of enormous size was hiding. When did it get there and how it was hiding were questions, but it was certain that Silvius was there too.
“Should we attack?”
“No. Let’s lure her to a position advantageous to us and hard for Silvius to escape.”
“Then that place would be good.”
Iselin pointed to the dimensional sea at the end of the long front line. She merely thought of the location, but Choi Kangjoong and Dielka could pinpoint exactly where in the dimensional sea it was.
“It’s close to the Lord Outer’s forces, so it’s easy to receive support, and Silvius will think the expedition fleet is moving to help the Lord Outer.”
“Right.”
“Right.”
Choi Kangjoong and Ku-eong agreed. If they lured her there and used Gate Interference Magic, even Silvius wouldn’t be able to escape easily.
“Let’s move.”
The expedition fleet began to move. They showed the vulnerable rear of the dimension ship without reservation, as if they hadn’t noticed Silvius’s flagship.
Silvius, dreaming that she had been caught, followed quietly.
Duke Oropon’s fleet tried to block the expedition fleet.
The Dark Eater folded its biotubes and advanced.
The Mana Cannon’s range increased, so Ku-eong could attack the demon dimension ship even in the Dimensional Erosion state.
The Super Titan and Titans also fired their Mana Cannons. The dimensional sea was covered in the flash caused by the Mana Cannons.
The demons maintained a moderate distance and attacked with Chaos Magic. The Dark Elves tried to encircle from left and right, and Gratis supported the demons from the front.
“Show them what this fleet can do.”
The Dark Eater moved to the left along with the fastest Light Titan. The Dark Elves maneuvered to the opposite side as if to catch up, but as the Dark Eater grew larger, they turned pale.
When the Dark Elf dimension ship approached, the Dark Eater used Rapid Movement.
Kwaaaaaang!
The 3-kilometer dimension ship was destroyed in one blow. It was a brutal mass attack.
“It’s right in the middle!”
“Shoot fast!”
“It can’t use something like that again!”
Arrows and magic concentrated on the Dark Eater. The Dark Eater endured with its thick Chitin Gauntlet while guiding the Light Titan.
Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
The Light Titan’s ram smashed the Dark Elf dimension ship without fail.
The Dark Elves on the Arrowhead tried to assault the Light Titan, but the Chitin Cannons made it hard to even approach.
Kwaaaaaang!
The Dark Eater rammed the largest intact dimension ship. The 3-kilometer ship collapsed meaninglessly, becoming debris floating in the dimensional sea.
The Dark Elves fell into chaos. This was the first time they had been toyed with by a superior speed when they had always toyed with enemies.
Kwaaaaaang!
The third largest dimension ship among the Dark Elf allies split apart. Before the Dark Eater’s large, hard jaws, the Dark Elf dimension ships were no different from Lego.
The other side was no different.
They couldn’t even approach due to the Super Titan’s Breath and Mana Cannons. Gratis was the same.
They pounded them unilaterally using their long range.
The expedition fleet also aligned in the dimensional sea and began bombardment.
Mages like Choi Yunseo stood on the deck and cast spells.
Countless luminous bodies fell into the dimension, exploding or freezing and cutting magic beasts.
“It looks like water flowing. How many are there?”
Han Junghwa said. As they got close to the dimension, they could see the Apocalids’ movement from the dimension ship. Scattered in five branches, they crossed the collapsed defense line and entered the purple mist.
“I heard before that it’s over 10 million.”
“Each one of those is like a Hunter, and there are 10 million? That’s seriously national military power.”
“I don’t know when he increased them so much while always staying in his room.”
“He can control them from very far away. Anyway, Yunseo, aren’t you hot right now?”
“Should I call him?”
“Hey! Hurry!”
Called over, Joo Eun-jong scowled heavily and casually stirred up a gust of wind. A moment later, the cooled Choi Yunseo and Han Junghwa waved at the departing Joo Eun-jong.
At that moment, the expedition fleet personnel were relaxed.
Silvius’s flagship increased speed. As the stealth magic was released, a dimension ship larger than a Life Spirit was revealed.
It was shaped like a tulip bud pressed from top to bottom, and the front and back were not much different.
That was because the ship’s spirit could freely generate propulsion in any direction, front or back.
“Finally showing its face.”
Duke Oropon smiled.
But his smile was short-lived.
The Dark Elves sent by Silvius summoned spirits.
“What’s going on?”
Feeling an ominous mana wave, Duke Oropon looked outside. In the splendid city, Dark Elves were standing openly in various places. He didn’t know what they were trying to do, but their intentions were clearly bad.
“Already trying to betray me?”
Duke Oropon sneered. The Demon of Greed was a race second to none when it came to betrayal. He had prepared in advance.
“Deal with them. Capture the useful ones. Selling them as slaves will make money.”
Duke Oropon gave the order, but nothing changed.
It was because the spirit that swept through the mansion and surroundings had swallowed everything.
Awavering spirit came right up to Duke Oropon’s nose. With its silvery glistening body, even his accumulated knowledge from long years couldn’t identify it.
“W-wait…!”
The spirit spread its body wide and swallowed Duke Oropon. From inside came the sound of bones breaking, and the spirit’s body expanded explosively.
Thud! Thud!
The spirit, now having two arms and two legs, stepped on the ground. In its right arm, it held a rod longer than its own height. That rod changed forms like a sword, spear, whip, etc., in an instant.
“What is that?”
Even Choi Kangjoong on the opposite side of the dimension could see the unusual spirit. He sent a Central Stealth Scout to observe up close.
“It’s an Artificial Spirit. What is it specialized in?”
Choi Kangjoong gazed into the interior of the spirit. Various wills were felt. Slaughter, destruction, power. Among them, the largest was battle.
“Should I see it as a Spirit of Battle?”
At first glance, it was a formidable opponent. Ku-eong thought so too and woke the two Lutal.
“Kreuk.”
“Kreuk.”
The two Lutal, now one with their boosters, went out to Kuongi’s side.