NOVPUB< Final Chapter-008. >
“What’s the situation?”
Supreme Commander’s residence operations room.
The high-ranking mages of the Special Magical Power Unit and each corps commander saluted, but there wasn’t even time to acknowledge them.
“Confirmed Great Rupture appearance and contaminated zone formation. All of Westraine is covered in contamination, and monsters are pouring out from within.”
Intelligence Department Director Rebecca handed over photos and reports as she spoke.
In the brief time since I was contacted and arrived at the Supreme Commander’s residence, she had compiled this much information.
“Local response?”
“Republic government forces were deployed for subjugation. They said they would begin bombardment using airship fleets and armored trains, but…”
Rebecca let her words trail off and instead activated the video playback device at one end of the conference room.
Black and white footage that looked like it was from the 1900s.
Though the quality was poor, the footage was enough to make everyone in the conference room shudder.
[Unit 1 destroyed! Heavy monsters have broken through the defense line!]
[Everyone retreat! I repeat! Everyone retreat-!]
[Pure-breed charging into the airship fleet!]
[Mages! We need mages-!]
Armored trains crushed under the feet of massive heavy monsters, and pure-breed monsters weaving through the firing lines like they owned them.
“This can’t be. Even though we supplied 2nd Army equipment for peacekeeping…”
“They’re breaking through that much firepower like it’s nothing?”
The generals couldn’t find words as they replayed the footage several times.
“Multiple pure-breed monsters that hadn’t shown themselves until now have been confirmed, and strategic coordination between lieutenant general types and lightweight monsters has been observed centered around those individuals.”
“……”
“This isn’t normal monster behavior. These monsters…”
“Wait, wait a minute, Director.”
Ortega, who had been sitting casually in the conference room, interrupted Rebecca.
With wide eyes, he asked in disbelief:
“Are you saying these things are using human tactics right now?”
“Precisely.”
Monsters forming battle lines, dividing roles, and acting together toward a common strategic objective.
Just like humans.
“And the strangest thing is… this.”
Along with Rebecca’s voice, the recording device at one end of the conference room printed a photo.
A large photo posted on the operations board.
What appeared in it was…
“A flower?”
“Yes. In the center of the monster forces. A giant flower bud surrounding the Great Rupture.”
Rebecca slowly nodded at Ortega’s words from his seat in the conference room.
“The monsters gathered around that flower and… they’ve stopped advancing beyond that point. Rather, they’re maintaining a defensive posture while strictly controlling the spread of contamination.”
Monsters using tactics and strategy, halting their attacks and focusing solely on defense.
And in the middle of this monster fortress, a flower blooming as if on display.
In other words…
“You’re saying we don’t know what will happen if we leave that black flower encasing the rupture alone.”
A single comment from Guille seated in the conference room.
“But our situation isn’t exactly favorable either.”
Following that came Erich, who entered carrying stacks of various documents.
“To subjugate a rupture of that scale, we need to scrape together as much of our forces as possible. However…”
His gaze turned to the corps commanders in charge of regional defense and their subordinate division commanders.
Hearing Erich’s words, they could only show troubled expressions.
“Knight Orders and resistance forces still remain scattered throughout the old magic nobles’ territories. We can’t withdraw troops stationed in the provinces if we need to suppress them and maintain local security.”
“If we gather the Kalhyram Army forces spread across the continent, those resistance groups will jump at the opportunity.”
Creating a security vacuum rashly to stop the monsters could mean the order built over nearly 5 years turning to dust in an instant.
The butterfly effect of completely expelling the magic nobles had come back to bite them.
“But now’s not the time to worry about that. We can deal with those resistance guys later, right now we need to hurry and deal with the monsters…!”
“No.”
I cut off Ortega as he raised his voice in frustration.
“We won’t deploy regular forces.”
“Hey, Eugene…!”
“If we waver here, the peace we worked so hard to build ends. And we don’t know how much more time we’d need to invest to restore it.”
A handful of remnants had managed to blow off my upper body.
If we don’t suppress them now, the enemy’s remnants will continue to grow and eat away at the continent.
Kalhyram, exhausted from the war with monsters, would no longer be able to control it.
So this could be seen as a kind of test.
Whether this system I created can keep the continent safe.
The answer to that question.
“What about the Republic’s local forces?”
“They’re forming defensive lines in western Viselgrad.”
“Good. In that case, provide them with military supplies and dispatch three stroke and lower mid-to-low rank mages. So they can contain the monsters.”
“Our people to the Republic government forces?”
Ortega immediately questioned my order.
“Is it really okay to join forces with those Republic guys? They’re probably just untrained rabble…”
“They may be untrained rabble, but they won’t provoke local sentiments and they’re familiar with Westraine’s terrain. We can’t use them for offense, but they’re perfect as defensive forces.”
I continued speaking while pointing at the map.
“While the Republic’s local forces hold back the monsters’ advance, we’ll use an elite strike force for a single point breakthrough. We’ll eliminate that black flower, the greatest variable, before any more variables emerge.”
“……”
The reason monsters are threatening isn’t the monsters themselves, but the rupture spewing them out.
If we eliminate that, we can work with the Republic government forces to gradually exterminate the rest over time.
“And for that…”
Failure absolutely cannot be tolerated.
After letting my words trail off briefly, I looked at my old friends seated among the group.
“We need mages of the highest caliber.”
Guille. Ortega. Matt.
My friends who changed the Empire with me.
“Surely you haven’t just been playing around these past 5 years?”
At my quiet words, the three people seated in the conference room slightly lifted the corners of their mouths.
“It’s been a while since we worked together.”
“Finally some field work! Perfect timing, I was getting restless lately!”
“Let’s look for personnel in other areas too. No one would refuse a direct call from the Supreme Commander.”
Not a single one trying to get out of it.
What a bunch of crazy bastards.
Thinking that, I looked around at those gathered in the conference room and opened my mouth.
“As of this moment, Supreme Commander Eugene Lorentz delegates all state operation authority to Treasury Minister Erich Hartmann and will serve as Field Commander and Marshal of the Kalhyram Army.”
“Treasury Minister Erich Hartmann. Accepting Supreme Commander’s orders.”
Erich answered in an unusually solemn voice.
Looking at those who stood up simultaneously, I continued speaking.
“Freedom Knight Order and Special Magical Power Unit available personnel are to move to the Republic immediately. We’ll begin breakthrough operations as soon as available forces are gathered.”
“All forces to positions.”
There was no verbal response. Everyone immediately stood up and returned to their positions.
All those working at the Supreme Commander’s residence began moving about busily.
I should prepare too.
Just as I thought that and was about to move.
“Your Excellency.” 𝒏𝒐𝙫𝙥𝙪𝙗.𝒄𝙤𝙢
Rebecca approached me and spoke in a quiet voice.
“Lady Marlene, who participated as a peace envoy to Viselgrad… has gone missing.”
“……”
My fist clenched unconsciously.
Mari had headed to the western Republic to resolve conflicts in key disputed areas after arriving in the Republic.
“It’s difficult to say this. But given the monsters’ advance speed and the situation at the time…”
“No.”
“Pardon?”
But I spoke to her in a calm voice.
“Mari is probably safe.”
The pattern of movements showing strategic coordination.
Pure-breed monsters moving by their own judgment rather than direct orders from their queen or instinct.
And the Black Rose blooming as if for display.
When considering everything, there’s only one conclusion.
“I thought everything would end if we killed Arachne, but I guess not.”
The monster queen who had been storing up power longer than any other.
The one who commands the army of destruction in the prophecy.
“Isn’t that right, Irene.”
The one commanding this monster army is her.
***
“Please move to the exits quickly! There’s no time!”
“How long has it been since the war ended, and we have to evacuate again…!”
“What do you mean conscription! I don’t want to die fighting monsters!”
News of monsters appearing in the west threw the citizens of Viselgrad into panic.
Not just Viselgrad, but Republic cities relatively further east were the same.
As a result, the Republic’s interior was chaos with refugees and soldiers heading to the front lines all mixed together.
“The team that evacuated through the north exit has joined the temporary residential zone.”
“We’ve completed medicine transport, but there’s a shortage of licensed medical personnel on site. We need support from the home country…”
“The eastern refugee camp is impossible! It’s already full of people with no room for more refugees!”
Westraine Republic capital, main Kalhyram embassy.
In the midst of papers flying and shouts ringing out, a red-haired girl was directing people.
“Send the team departing at 2 o’clock to the northern refugee camp! The train should be ready!”
“Saline and anti-inflammatory drugs to Zone 77! There will be many trauma patients coming in, they’ll need support!”
“Get me the person in charge on the phone over there! Put them through to me!”
Though the Republic government forces were in charge of maintaining local security, they too were struggling with evacuation guidance due to monitoring rebellions everywhere.
With no personnel to manage the refugees, Mari and her security detail were deployed to fill the gap.
Creating temporary residences to accommodate refugees, requesting supplies to feed and house them.
Securing medical supplies and doctors, and sometimes using private funds to help people immigrate to the home country.
“This is strange.”
While Mari was doing this in central Viselgrad.
Mari’s colleague Anthony had formed defensive lines in western Viselgrad by deploying Republic government forces’ main units.
Reading reports sent in real-time by observers.
Anthony could only furrow her brow.
“They’re not moving? Fortification?”
The monsters staying still as if waiting for something, holding their breath.
Moreover, some reports confirmed monsters moving furniture and bedding.
‘No matter how I look at it, these aren’t the secretary general’s experiments.’
If these were monsters created by the secretary general, this force would have literally melted by now.
Then, what are these things?
Where were they born?
As these questions deepened.
“C-Commander! Over there!”
One of the observers pointed toward the monster formation.
Visible in the distance was a flower made of monster tissue.
Slight changes were observed in the ominous Black Rose-shaped flower.
“The petals.”
“Are open…”
The flower bud opening slowly like it was blooming.
While they watched as if entranced, something burst out through the gap in the flower.
A monster that emerged like being born from a chrysalis, slowly flapping its wings.
…Wait.
Wings?
“This is insane… Insane, insane! INSANE!!”
Finally realizing the situation, Anthony immediately deployed her imprint.
‘An unfamiliar long-range attack spell. But…!’
Being a seven stroke imprint.
She should be able to take down one monster easily!
Thinking that, Anthony immediately fired a magical power beam.
Clang–!
The beam that flew in a straight line was futilely dissipated after hitting a barrier.
“This can’t be…”
Anthony slowly trailed off in disbelief.
Infiltration using flying monsters. And magical power barriers protecting them.
Wasn’t that combination…
The tactics frequently used by the Revolutionary Army…?
Thud!
Like firing a cannonball, flying monsters shot out from the flower bud.
Breaking through anti-air firing lines, monsters flying toward civilian residential areas.
And where they landed was the Kalhyram embassy in central Viselgrad.
Boom—!
With a thunderous noise, holes opened in the ceiling.
Mari protected refugees with barriers along with her security detail.
“Is everyone alright?! Any injuries…!”
Just as she asked urgently.
Before Mari’s eyes was a humanoid monster clad in black carapace, its eyes gleaming.
“Damn it, Lady Mari…!”
Boom-!
The monster that sent Leopold, in charge of security, flying with a single blow.
Seeing that form bearing a seven strokes magic imprint, Mari ground her teeth with a pale face.
This is a monster.
The one that did that to my mother, whom I never even saw…!
With hatred bordering on frenzy.
Just as she activated her imprint and tried to generate the final spell.
“Please come with me.”
“From the monster’s face came an exceptionally polite baritone voice.”
“The Queen requests a meeting.”
