Chapter 83
[In any case, the Legion had once again achieved victory. They had bought time, and there were no more obstacles to their expansion toward the goal.]
"...For now, we can take a breather."
The screen showed retreating humans and the Legion Soldiers watching them.
It seemed like a crisis, but as always, Eve had a contingency plan.
"Now, it really feels like you've grown up."
Kang Shin-Woo let out a bitter smile.
When he first saw the colossal Over-sized Species, he felt it.
Eve no longer needed his help. The current Eve was no longer the small colony he had raised by feeding it small animals and bread-like food.
She was now strong enough to devour that world on her own.
[Well, help will still be needed in the future.]
"Of course. But thinking about that will just give me more headaches."
It didn't make sense for him to stand idly by and just watch.
For now, his influence over Eve was still significant.
However, since coming to the surface, Eve had been absorbing an enormous amount of information every day. It was uncertain how long his influence would last, or whether it would remain unshaken.
Thus, he had to keep offering 'help.' Just as he had given her a name, he needed to continue providing support that maintained his influence.
"Is the video record over?"
"Ah, it's done now."
Cox, a Mercenary Unit Member seated beside him, casually opened his mouth. Kang Shin-Woo nodded nonchalantly.
Completely unaware of the Korean language, Cox thought everything Kang Shin-Woo had been saying until now was for the video record.
"Strangely, they seem passive. Just a few days ago, they had the upper hand."
"They're probably waiting. Just like us."
At Cox's question, Kang Shin-Woo muttered absentmindedly while staring out the window.
Their current enemies were the Gnolls and Kobolds. They were also units.
So it wasn't strange for them to stall for time. The longer they stalled, the more unpredictable and powerful they could become.
For now, even their Allied Forces had taken time to regroup and grow with the help of the Guardian Alliance.
Both sides believed that growth would allow them to overcome the other, and now it was time to prove it. They were heading straight toward the enemy camp.
"If they're waiting, they might regret it."
Cox chuckled at Kang Shin-Woo's comment. At the same time, something roared loudly as it crossed high above in the sky.
The Allied Forces had deployed a new weapon: missiles. These missiles were filled with cluster bombs prohibited under international law.
Moreover, if needed, these missiles could even be equipped with nuclear warheads. They were currently flying through mid-air to strike the enemy camp. According to reports, nuclear warheads had already arrived at their encampment.
"An attack!"
Almost simultaneously, it seemed the enemies had begun their counterattack.
As the vehicle came to an abrupt halt, shouts could be heard both over the radio and outside.
Gunfire and the booming sounds of tanks firing their shells filled the air.
"Get out. Fortunately, it seems to be at the front."
They began their work as well. Their task was, of course, to escort the researchers affiliated with Evolution.
Grabbing the sword that had now become his weapon, Kang Shin-Woo got out of the vehicle and instinctively checked the front where Cha Jiyeon was likely located.
"Damn it... Just my luck..."
"They're coming! Take positions!"
Although they initially thought they were safer in the rear, away from the ambush, the enemies launched an all-out attack as if they had planned it.
Right in front of them, a distortion in space appeared, and a small Gate materialized.
"Fire!"
The moment a blurry figure appeared inside the Gate, the firearms of the waiting troops erupted in flames.
The firepower was enough to instantly shred an elephant to pieces. However, the first to emerge were Gnolls wielding large shields, and their shields burned faintly with a blue light.
"These bastards..."
"They're pouring out!"
The moment the concentrated fire was blocked, the shield-bearing Gnolls began to surge out.
Kang Shin-Woo spotted a Kobold wielding a staff. For a moment, its appearance overlapped with the mages Eve had faced.
"Keep firing!"
"What..?!"
Leaving Cox behind, Kang Shin-Woo rushed forward. He wasn't the only one.
The trainees of the Guardian Alliance, meant to supplement the insufficient Hunter battle power, also moved forward to confront the enemies that ignored the bullets.
"Ugh."
Dodging a swung shield, Kang Shin-Woo slashed with his sword, cutting the enemy down. His movements had significantly improved compared to before.
"Is it just me, or is this really happening?"
Gritting his teeth, Kang Shin-Woo swung his sword, unable to shake off the sense of unease.
"These bastards... No matter how I look at it, it feels like they're using magic that I know!"
[Currently inquiring with Eve.]
He split the head of another Gnoll charging at him with a sword.
The positioning of the enemies bothered him immensely. The way they moved in a deliberate formation felt eerily familiar.
Moreover, even the units classified as regular foot soldiers seemed to match their strength.
'Stas Academy.'
Kang Shin-Woo recognized this formation. It was one of the Group Tactical Magic spells Eve had faced and later learned to use herself.
It was clearly a group magic that manifested through the creation of a specific formation.
"These bastards don't even have proper equipment..."
"We're being pushed back!"
The Gnolls, bolstered by magic, were overwhelming them despite lacking equipment provided by their Player. The uninformed Allied Forces were caught off guard, leading to mounting casualties.
Kang Shin-Woo steeled his resolve. There was nothing strange about this. If the Kobold Players enchanting the Gnolls were among the mages Eve was currently confronting, they were his enemies.
"Snipers, take out those Kobolds!"
The Allied Forces were well aware that the Kobolds were up to something. An anti-tank rocket fired by someone shattered the barrier deflecting rifle bullets, killing one of the Kobolds in a magic explosion.
But it was futile. They needed to identify and eliminate the real one among the Kobolds. The real one was the core of the formation.
[Circuit Complex Connection. Using that power, they can enhance multiple individuals simultaneously. However, this circuit has a single focal point. If that focal point disappears, the entire circuit collapses.]
Eve, aware of Kang Shin-Woo's situation, conveyed the information clearly.
"Tell Eve that this time, I need her help."
[She agreed enthusiastically. Later, make sure to watch how delighted she is on the screen.]
Without hesitation, Eve provided assistance.
With a simple verbal explanation, Eve rapidly reverse-engineered the enemy's formation and delivered the solution.
'That one.'
The target that matched Eve's description caught Kang Shin-Woo's eye. It was the center of the formation.
The Kobold standing a step back was cleverly shielding itself with the barriers of the other Kobolds. To break through that, a high-caliber shell would be necessary.
"That one. Kill that one, and the power surrounding them will dissipate. If we snipe at random targets, we'll waste everything!"
"How does Kang Shin-Woo know that?!"
Grabbing a Special Forces Soldier fighting alongside him, Kang Shin-Woo addressed the man. The soldier, wearing a combat uniform with a captain insignia, was originally an artillery soldier who had been recognized for his talent and retrained in the Guardian Alliance's teachings as a special forces operative.
The soldier also happened to be someone familiar to Kang Shin-Woo. He had even sparred with him before.
"...If you can't join me, I'll go alone."
Faced with the soldier's bewildered reaction, Kang Shin-Woo hardened his expression. There was no time to explain everything.
"I'll go. If there's a way."
Fortunately, the soldier seemed to recognize Kang Shin-Woo's sincerity and followed him as if entranced. Kang Shin-Woo flinched momentarily as the gathered soldiers quickly surrounded him.
"I'll lead the way. Help me clear a path."
Kang Shin-Woo conveyed his intent clearly.
He wasn't sure if it was appropriate to give orders to them, but it wasn't the time to worry about such formalities.
"Understood."
"Captain, can we trust this guy..."
"We have no other choice right now. Besides, Kang Shin-Woo's abilities are more than sufficient."
Naturally, there was some resistance, but the captain and some of the soldiers who were familiar with Kang Shin-Woo, having sparred with him and experienced defeat at his hands, vouched for him.
"Then let's move."
Not a second could be wasted. If the frontline broke and the firepower collapsed, they would all be wiped out. Without the soldiers' firepower, even if they survived, it would be impossible to deal with the sheer number of enemies.
Before that happened, the focal point of the formation—the Kobold—had to be eliminated.
"Relay everything to Eve. Tell her exactly what I'm doing with her help!"
[Does he have that intention?]
"Our connection is mutual, after all."
Kang Shin-Woo gripped his sword tightly and charged forward.
The swarming Gnolls, empowered by the Formation, immediately blocked their path.
His heart pounded, resonating with the power accumulating within his body. It was the Resonance Method, an internal technique improved exclusively for him by the Legion, based on the training method Ji Changhyun had taught him.
With this, he could accumulate power faster and stronger than others. Just before colliding with the enemies, Kang Shin-Woo swung his sword without hesitation.
"Kiik..."
"Kieek."
Several Gnolls collapsed, cut into pieces by the sword charged with power.
Some managed to avoid his unrefined swordsmanship, but it wasn't an issue. Those were taken care of by his companions who fought alongside him.
"But! Our strength alone cannot break its Barrier!"
"There is a way."
At the urgent shout, Kang Shin-Woo pulled out a piece of Crimson Ore from his pouch.
Simply throwing it as he had done before? That wouldn't be enough to destroy the Overlapping Barrier.
Once again, he relied on Eve's assistance.
The method used by the Higher Species of the Legion to employ Formative Power allows them to draw power from the Core Engine instantly without delay or calculation.
Kang Shin-Woo mimicked that method. Adding to the power he already possessed, he absorbed the energy stored in the Crimson Ore he held.
"Shin-Woo's sword..."
His sword ignited in a crimson blaze. The greatest advantage of the Resonance Method he had mastered was its ability to amplify by resonating, rather than rejecting, different and heterogeneous powers.
It was a power befitting the Legion’s Identity, which consumes and assimilates everything into its own.
"Die, you bastards!"
With all his strength, Kang Shin-Woo unleashed his sword.
Just like the Legion Soldiers and his younger sibling Kang Do-Yeon had done, the Dark Crimson Slash tore through the ground, cutting the enemies and their Barrier in half.