A Legion Grows From My Smartphone

‘What on earth.’

Screams and loud shouts continued to echo.

‘How long.’

The scorching heat of the battlefield showed no signs of subsiding as explosions erupted endlessly.

However, in this war where two groups fought to claim each other’s lives, it was clear that the screams and shouts came from only one side.

“What on earth are you all!”

Felix, drenched in cold sweat, finally couldn’t hold back and shouted.

There wasn’t even the usual wailing.

Even when their throats were cut or their bodies pierced, it was the same.

This Silent Legion continued to attack without the slightest hesitation or sound, and Felix and his kin, who began to feel fear at their machine-like behavior, started to gradually retreat.

‘We must not lose. There is no retreat. If we falter here, it is our defeat.’

But he soon composed himself.

He hadn’t endured and sought hope all this time just to die here after being driven back.

“Narian!”

An arrow grazed his face and pierced through the body of an enemy.

Seeing her aiming her strong bow with the mark on her body glowing, he gritted his teeth.

“We will never retreat!”

At his cry, his kin also desperately steadied their wavering spirits.

The determination and resolve to overcome fear and anxiety allowed them to unite.

Their Player also aided them.

Bestowed Items were poured out as soon as they became available.

Even the inexperienced ones grabbed those items and shot arrows in resistance.

‘This is a struggle in which we stake everything.’

Felix, who decapitated an enemy with a single stroke, suddenly laughed.

Though the situation was critical, he was more certain than ever that they were stronger now.

The Sacred Tree responded to him.

The power of the Sacred Tree, resonating with them, amplified even further.

“…”

The Legion withdrew its Legion Soldiers.

The expression behind their masks did not look good.

Especially when the enemy, convinced of their victory, shouted in joy, it was even worse.

[We have suffered significant damage from their fierce resistance. However, if we had pushed forward, we would have won eventually.]

“Efficiency.”

The decision made by the Legion was simple.

Regardless of irritation or anger, they thought that continuing to pour in troops like this would make the victory meaningless due to the enormous losses.

[Then the answer is…]

“Endless despair, and pain.”

Of course, the Legion had already devised a plan.

Their sole purpose: the extermination of the enemy.

This retreat was merely one of the operations to achieve that.

“Hope offered through attrition warfare, but when true despair is delivered at the end of it all, their resolve will crumble.”

The Legion had experience.

A war with the Cave Rats, who were units of another Player.

Back then, one of the conditions for victory was the rats’ self-destruction, driven by despair and fear when they sensed defeat.

The corners of the Legion’s mouth twisted slightly.

The emotion they had newly defined through their own exploration and contemplation—’despair’—was born when an all-out attack, staking everything, was overwhelmingly crushed.

That sense of helplessness and futility would soon turn into despair.

[…As per your will, the withdrawn Legion Soldiers charged at them once again.]

The Legion already knew that the enemy were units.

However, the enemy seemed unaware of this fact.

No matter how many of the Legion Soldiers, mere teeth and claws, were killed, the count did not rise.

“Damn it..! They’re coming again!”

“We can stop them. We can!”

Barely managing to construct a temporary barricade, they fired arrows at the oncoming Legion Soldiers once more.

Though exhausted and worn out, they did not fall into despair or collapse.

Rather, the harder they fought and succeeded in repelling the enemy, the stronger their spirit of resistance grew.

“Ugh… Huff…”

The Legion released gas.

The gas contained microscopic infectious cells based on the Destruction Fungus.

However, even the infection wasn’t effective at this point.

Their bodies, strengthened by the Sacred Tree’s power squeezed to its limits, were unaffected by the small amount of infectious cells.

“Hah… Ha… Again! We won!”

“But Rodison…!”

Once again, they repelled the Legion’s attack.

There was no time for joy.

Though the casualties were minimal, they continued to occur, and there was no time to mourn them.

“Ugh, ugh… They’re coming again!”

“This can’t be…”

“Everyone, grab your swords!”

Felix, closing his eyes tightly, once again raised his sword.

No matter how many times they blocked, it was endless.

Separate from their spirit of resistance, their exhausted minds and bodies had no way to recover.

“Stay strong. An end will come someday!”

Felix encouraged his comrades, who were worn out from the relentless attacks.

Fighting with all their might, they failed to notice that the Sacred Tree was withering, starting from the tips of its leaves and branches.

[The power they wield is connected to that central tree. That is their Formative Power. Its strength is remarkable, incomparable to the City Wraiths. Moreover, they rapidly grow through repeated battles.]

“…Have they staked everything?”

The Legion had only one interest.

The moment they staked their energy, lives, and everything else.

At that moment, they would destroy it.

Because that would effectively break them down.

“They can still be squeezed further.”

The Legion’s gaze clearly captured the image of those struggling in battle.

Each time one of their comrades died, they burned with fury and drew out power to its limits in extreme situations.

[As commanded, the Legion Soldiers were withdrawn again. The enemy let out desperate cheers. With this, they had repelled a total of 32 invasions, killed 1,369 Legion Soldiers, and suffered 43 deaths.]

The exchange ratio was close to 30 to 1.

But the value of each unit was different.

The Legion Soldiers lost in this battle had already been restored in the nest.

On the other hand, the Moonlight Fairy warriors had been nurtured for over several decades.

This meant that, until their eventual destruction, they could not recover from this loss.

The moment was drawing closer.

The Legion lured them toward the traps they had prepared in advance.

*

“What, what is this!”

“You should know.”

While preparing for the final strike against the Moonlight Fairies.

The Legion forcefully controlled Kang Do-Yeon, rendering her immobile.

“Ugh…”

Her face turned pale.

She already knew what the Legion was planning.

[…He is currently asleep.]

“In that case, it’s enough.”

The Legion had thoroughly grasped Shin Woo’s actions in advance.

What they were about to do now involved targeting his younger sibling.

Of course, they had no intention of killing or harming them.

However, when he would awaken and observe this place.

He would know nothing.

“I…”

“You will figure it out yourself.”

At the Legion’s words, her mouth shut tightly.

“Compassion, pity, sorrow. All of these emotions are harmful to the Legion. You know that. You harbored such emotions toward your prey.”

“Th-That’s not true.”

“No, it is. We are one. You are a part of me. I can see it all.”

The Legion multiplied and divided the cells in their hand, instantly creating something atop their palm.

It was the black mask they were wearing.

“No…”

“I will let you maintain your ego. In return, you will become the true sword of the Legion.”

Their action was bolder and more aggressive than expected.

Having already calculated everything, they placed the mask slowly onto Kang Do-Yeon’s face without any hesitation or mercy.

She trembled in terror, knowing full well what they were about to do to her, yet unable to resist.

“Urgh…”

The skin of her face and the mask began to merge, becoming one.

The mask was not simply meant to cover her face.

Under the Legion’s control, Kang Do-Yeon’s cells began to perform specific functions and move accordingly.

[Though it could have been forcibly manipulated without such a process, was that the reason for making her wear the mask?]

“Otherwise, it would be meaningless.”

The Legion genuinely intended to wield her as their subordinate.

Through their development and reflection, they realized they needed a variable that could spark a moment of insight within themselves.

That variable was none other than another ego within the Legion.

However, they had to find a way to maintain that ego while completely assimilating it into the Legion’s ideology and ensuring its loyalty.

“Go, and kill them, Commander of the Legion. Massacre and devouring will bring you pleasure. That is our essence.”

“…”

Kang Do-Yeon, who had been staggering while clutching the mask-covered face, slowly stood up.

The mask had already disappeared entirely into her body.

However, the moment she entered combat.

The mask would emerge at any time to engrave her true duty upon her.

[The fairies slowly began to explore outside. Perhaps they mistakenly believe we have given up on them. How foolish.]

“Why is it that you cooperate with me instead of him?”

[…What do you mean?]

“You are an observer who can see everything from both sides. If you wanted, it would be easy for you to take either the Player’s or the unit’s side.”

While the newly reformed Kang Do-Yeon and the Legion Soldiers were moving forward.

The Legion suddenly posed a fundamental question.

[That is none of your concern.]

“…I see.”

A line was drawn.

However, the Legion had already grasped a sense of it.

Even though no further voice followed, the Legion paid it no mind.

In any case, it was not something that would harm them.

[They have realized our intentions.]

‘Crush all hope of theirs.’

Meanwhile, Kang Do-Yeon and the Legion Soldiers confronted the enemies.

To those who were rallying their morale and pooling all their strength to carve out an escape route, the Legion moved to show them the despair they had planned.