040. The real war begins (1)

The Demon Legion has quite similar weaknesses to Nemesis’ Legion.

The legion of demons had a very fatal disadvantage of losing power in an instant if the head to command and direct the troops flew away.

The number of high-ranking demons is too small to cover all the territories they rule. In a word, they are said to have strong individual fighting power like ‘The World of Gangho’, but the population itself is not so large.

So, demons tend to use strategies such as creating a large number of entities called low-level demons that resemble their image for war, and putting those entities into the battlefield through the [gate].

The duke of this estate was killed by the administrator’s incarnation, and the lesser entity took no more tactical action after that. It was just beaten like a punching bag and became a good source of protein for the delivery target and colony.

As now, if the focal point for sending troops and giving orders in the demonic territory dies, the game will flow one-sidedly.

Nemesis’ legion also becomes like a wild animal if it loses all of the colony’s dominant objects. Excluding those guys, the combat objects are really like spiders whose size has only been enlarged, so they just live by instinct once they get out of control.

Of course, the number of dominant objects is overwhelmingly high on our side, so we are much freer from this weakness than the demons. It’s a matter of taking more pictures if needed.

Anyway, it was about a week after the players, the apostles, and the corps entered the Pandemonium’s territory.

All the Pandemonium plant colonies at the base of the territory were demolished, leaving only the Legion’s colony and players’ camps in their place.

“Humanity’s victory!!!”

“Long live the manager! Long live the ruler of the legion!!!”

Even though there is little practical activity in battle in the weak frontier territory, it was a shocking event for the players to set foot in the territory of the devil and take their land.

In fact, even if you call it a war, it is a situation that should be seen as a local war. However, victory is always sweet no matter how big it is.

“Players who will live here should apply quickly.”

With the help of the apostle’s construction drones, the players hurriedly started building a pioneer city here in the (old) Pandemonium Frontier Territory.

According to the apostle’s opinion, the name of this city, which mankind will build for the first time in another world, was named ‘līmen’, which in Latin means ‘beginning’.

“Jiwoo, this territory will now become a new home for mankind.”

“… … Well, I guess.”

Of course, when the players are excitedly organizing the territory, those who are originally at the top are busy calculating the profits they will reap.

Regarding this land, I was negotiating with a manager’s apostle, Jeong Seong-cheol, whom I could not back down from.

The administrator wanted to determine the ownership of this area.

“To be honest, we have some stake.”

“… … Well, it is.”

Apostle Jeong Seong-cheol’s will is the same as that of the manager. It seems that the nobleman is more greedy for land than he looks.

“The Legion has Nemesis, and there’s another planet over there, right?”

“… … Well, that’s true too.”

Well, getting hold of an alien planet that can be inhabited is a really great thing both in human history and as an administrator’s own achievement.

When science fiction writers use the genre of space opera, is it not ‘space exploration’ that always appears in the dream that they dream while exerting their imagination to the fullest?

So, the manager’s apostle, a man named Jeong Seong-cheol, requested that this demon territory be ‘jointly owned’ rather than owned by the corps, and that the colonies that were in the way to establish a pioneer city be withdrawn.

Ha, aren’t you trying to eat this raw?

“Sado, not a single player died in this operation. In that fierce war of attrition, it was billions of legion spiders that died on behalf of the players.”

“… … For the Legion’s sacrifice, the Administrator and his disciple offer my deepest condolences.”

“… … No, there is no need for consolation.”

Well, I admit that it was easy with their help. It was because the apostle cleared the way and the manager gave him a great one-shot technique, so he was able to clear this territory faster than expected.

However, my legion was able to eat a territory with this level of strength very lightly even without anyone’s help.

“The ruler’s opinion is valid. You are capable of it. By the way. If it weren’t for the players who infused the bracelets with divine energy, the easier capture would have been difficult.”

“… … .”

“Woo Jae-hyung also wants this planet. Of course, I’m not asking for free. Players will continue to provide [gates] with dedication to the Legion’s operations… … .”

Well, I shouldn’t have been like this, but I was getting annoyed.

“That [gate] I got and passed. In the first place, if I wasn’t there, you couldn’t have made an item like that.”

“… … .”

“Besides, wasn’t it possible that the manager was able to use his powers himself because of my help?”

When I said with a slight frown, Jeong Seong-cheol, who usually seemed friendly, began to harden his expression.

“Jiwoo, is this really the place the legion needs?”

As the apostle said, this Pandemonium Territory was not an unconditional necessity for the legion. This demonic territory itself was a place where the demons had already devastated it once, so it was an environment comparable to motherhood to be barren.

In addition, since this is a demonic territory that is widely spread, I am in a situation where I can choose a territory with a better environment than here and hit and eat it.

There is no reason for the legion to obsess over this territory, so I have nothing to do with meeting the alliance’s request. It’s not like this territory is full of resources like Nemesis to use to strengthen the legion.

Administrators and apostles must have already known that, so they made this request to me.

Yes, the land is of no use to me anyway. After eating all the by-products left by the demons, this is a place where only a desolate land is left that requires a long recovery period.

In a place like this, the environment is not very good for the pioneers of mankind and legions to rub their bodies and live together.

However, this seems to be too harsh, even if it is a little condescending.

It was I who handed over the Authority, it was I who provided the incarnation, and it was I who provided meat shields for the players to their heart’s content.

Even this is now a land where the legion has a clear influence. Putting things aside for the time being, it is correct that the players should have received my permission to develop the Pandemonium Territory.

“Whether the Legion needs this estate or not. Isn’t it the apostle who started building the pioneering city right away without consulting in the first place?”

“… … It’s because Woo-jae hyung-nim ordered it.”

Considering the difference in contribution, isn’t condescension here rather something I have to pay for?

“What are you doing now, manager?”

“… … Well, I hear you’ve been busy for a while. He said that the power of the incarnation needs to be restored quickly, and that the tower has a lot of overdue work.”

Apparently, it doesn’t make much sense to talk like this through an apostle. This person is the manager’s minion anyway, and he does not have the authority to make decisions on his own.

“Ask them to come in person.”

I wouldn’t know if the manager asked me directly, but honestly, it felt bad to ask for it indirectly through the mouth of an apostle.

No, manager, are you the only one busy?

“… … Ji-woo. As you know, it is difficult for Woojae hyung-nim to go out freely outside the tower due to circumstances. If you want to have a direct conversation, why don’t you use the method of dreaming while sleeping for a short break?”

“Apostle, if you keep doing that, you can plant a colony in the earth.”

“… … .”

I am in a situation where I cannot take a break from using the main body’s abilities and calculating accordingly, in order to check the next attack target, plan a strategy, and monitor the enemy’s movements.

It is absolutely not a situation where you can sleep well by selling now. While I’m sleeping, I might miss important parts like the demon’s movements.

“Apostle. Please don’t force me to do anything.”

* * *

Eventually, the manager showed up and asked me for a favor. I felt sorry for his pale face, but I have no intention of backing down.

Nothing is free in this world.

“… … Well.”

“Hey, let me ask you a favor. We need a forward base too.”

“… … Mmm.”

Yeah, that’s it.

In the current situation, Gap was not the manager, but rather me. I deserve to be compensated.

“For free?”

“… … what do you want?”

Giving up a seat for free somehow made me hate it. You want to rip something off in exchange for complying with the manager’s request, but what should you rip out to get a satisfactory result?

“What can you give me?”

At my question, the manager was troubled as Green Light chewed a bunch of chocolate. He seems to be thinking about the price he will give me.

Actually, I didn’t know what to ask for either, so I thought of listening to and reviewing the compensation suggested by the manager first.

But I am also a chocolate lover. But do you mean to eat alone?

“… … .”

As I continued to stare at the chocolate, the manager, who read my gaze, hurriedly took out a large piece of chocolate from his pocket and held it out to me.

“Jiwoo, would you like some chocolate?”

“Well, I’ve been taught not to say no.”

“… … .”

I peeled off the wrapping paper from the chocolate and took a big bite.

Creepy-!!

… … Um, what is this? The taste is a bit odd.

“How does it taste?”

“… … Um, well.”

Anyway, it’s been a while since the manager chewed on the chocolate and was lost in thought. He finally opened his mouth.

“Do this.”

It was a moment when I was really looking forward to what kind of bundle the manager would unpack for me, as it was the price for the pioneering city of the earth to enter the Pandemonium territory dominated by the corps.

Creepy!!!

“… … what?”

I had goosebumps all over my body. I sensed a very strong risk factor in my body, which had been monitoring the situation continuously using my intuition at full power.

Something happened.

“What the fuck, is the Great Demon King a bastard?”

The crisis was not only felt by me. The situation was so serious that the manager threw his favorite chocolate on the floor.

[Players, return to all but the pioneers!]

[Jeong Seong-cheol! Burn all players returning to the battleship!]

* * *

Me and the manager looked at each other for a moment, dumbfounded.

“Fuck, what is that again?”

Above the sky of Nemesis, which hastily returned, there was a very hideous object that made me wonder how such a thing could exist.

[Demon Castle] did not appear directly like the previous invasion of the mother castle, but somehow the feeling and atmosphere itself is quite similar to that time.

“How could such a gross lump of flesh be bigger than the moon? Does this make sense?”

“… … Well? Elders, haven’t you seen that?”

“I haven’t seen it. What is that? uh huh Divide that? What kind of alien is that?”

This was a bit surprising. The manager had no information about the uninvited guest.

But that, I’m a familiar guy.

A super-large lump of flesh comparable to a small planet with a rugged shape, that was ‘those disgusting bastards’ I met and woke up in [Demon King].

However, I never expected that such a big thing would exist. My God, what kind of planet level are these terrible guys united?

“Are those dangerous bastards?”

“It’s dangerous to come.”

“Fuck.”

As I explained the information I had learned about the flesh corps, the manager’s expression began to change to a crumpled piece of paper.

“The Great Demon King, you crazy bastard. Did you release those things into the world? Are you saying let’s all get along well together?”

“Old man. Don’t you think now is the time to be like this?”

The situation is serious. The fragmented pieces of flesh began to fly in the direction of Nemesis and Earth, as if they were about to launch an asteroid bombardment.

“Jiu, ruler of the corps. Can you stop those bastards?”

“It’s okay if it fell on Nemesis, but if it falls on Earth, I have no plans.”

Upon hearing my words, the administrator’s body instantly began to pour out a huge power that shook the world.

[The administrator grants the system to all mankind with divine power.]

It was the beginning of a real war.