[The moment they first glimpsed the world beyond the cave, they made a vow. Can they fulfill it?]

“Well, I had a rough idea.”

Even though I claimed to have turned off the screen, I was secretly watching, my anxiety causing me to pull at my hair. It's true that I felt a slight relief when I saw them trying to make a video for me, but I didn't let my guard down. That's the relentless, inherent nature of the legion.

I transferred the video of the legion's mind technique, the Resonance Method, which my sister had filmed to my phone. Then, I refocused on the screen.

“So, the legion, after emerging from the abyss, declared they would devour the world. How are they acting on that?”

[Look at the screen. Their priority is information, and they are currently acting to obtain it.]

The legion does not hesitate. There's no need for discussions to make decisions to mobilize the army. Once they decide, they push relentlessly without a pause.

Several unique flying creatures broke off into smaller groups, cutting through the darkness and navigating the floors. The perspectives of the scouts monitoring the mages also appeared on a section of the screen. The golems they directly controlled seemed to be bustling about, unlike the other golems. But weren't these mages supposed to observe and make decisions based on the views of these golems, which essentially functioned as surveillance cameras?

“@#%~W.”

“&%A~@? #####.”

However, seeing them chatting and laughing amongst themselves, I felt there was no need for concern, even though I couldn't comprehend their language. How lightly were they taking this labyrinth to be so nonchalant?

“Would it be hypocritical to... pray for their souls?”

I wasn't sure of their power yet, but I couldn't help but smirk, anticipating their downfall.

“@%?”

[The legion's small flying types successfully infiltrated the ceiling of the 100th floor without them noticing. They still haven't realized it.]

The small flying creature the legion dispatched this time resembled a bat, from its fur to its tail, except for the stinger. This legionnaire, with its four pairs of membranous

wings, crawled upside down on the ceiling. Then, opening its mouth wide, it began to quietly release a biological gas.

[The gas contains infectious bacteria that the legion has enhanced to the extreme through battles with the destructive bacteria. The Moonlight Elves have immunity to infections

that penetrate through the air by sharing the power of the sacred tree, but what about humans?]

“Zoom in on the screen.”

I glanced outside the tent and zoomed in on the screen. When the screen was magnified enough to show the microscopic world, I could see the bacterial legionnaires floating in the air. They dispersed in the air and naturally began to adhere to the respiratory tract and eye mucosa of the mages.

“Achoo!”

Sneezing and tears, the body's defense mechanisms, immediately started working, expelling the bacterial legionnaires that were secreting toxins to attack the surrounding cells. Of course, that wouldn't be enough to stop them.

[It seems that due to the special power they possess, infection through such an easy method is impossible.]Suddenly, the bacterial legionnaires began to die off. The mages, taken aback, seemed to notice something as they exchanged glances with each other.

[Then, we have no choice but to directly inject a large amount of powerful and heavy infectious bacteria into the blood vessels.]

Of course, for the legion, it was just one of many plans that had been thwarted. The flying types perched on the ceiling quietly aimed their stingers at their targets.

“@ ?%. ”

fCO/ »

The mages seemed indifferent, returning to their tasks. Suddenly, the aimed stinger exploded with a loud bang, and the embedded stinger was launched at an incredible speed.

“Ugh!?”

The stinger was deeply lodged in their neck. It was thicker, longer, and most importantly, the saw blade that grew in the opposite direction acted like a hook, digging into the flesh and making it difficult to remove.

They recoiled in shock at the sight of their comrades, who had been unexpectedly sniped in the neck, head, and shoulders. They clutched their wounds and collapsed.

[These are different. They're injected directly, not through air transmission. They're stronger, bigger. A formative force as weak as a heartbeat won't affect them.]

“Ugh...”

The victims' wounds frothed, rapidly darkening as black blood seeped out along the surrounding blood vessels.

Cellular warfare had become the legion's specialty. The victims, their cells being destroyed and devoured alive, convulsed and contorted grotesquely, their eyes rolling back.

The magicians, who should have acted, were greatly flustered by the sudden sniping and missed their only opportunity.

“Argh!”

Soon, the legionnaires that had infiltrated the central nervous system and brain seized complete control of the body. The victims abruptly rose and attacked their comrades who were checking on them, biting into their flesh.

“Ah...Ahhhh!”

“Argh!”

The horrific screams involuntarily furrowed my brows. It was challenging to watch the gruesome spectacle of people being torn apart alive with a calm demeanor. It was more horrifying than any zombie movie, especially since this wasn't a film.

[They're not fools, of course, they resist.]

Amidst the chaos, one man, who seemed to have regained his senses unusually quickly, hurled a fireball from his hand at a comrade rushing towards him. His other comrades were being brutally torn apart. The power was substantial. The explosion that ensued with a bang was equivalent to a decent grenade. Moreover, the man traced a complex motion with his hand, simultaneously creating and throwing about a dozen such fireballs.

[The legion is measuring their power.]

“...Honestly, they seem pretty strong?”

I was slightly taken aback. For one, the magic was stronger and faster than I had imagined. The man who was now left alone began to take down his rushing comrades one by one.“Are we going to lose him at this rate?”

Under his breath, he muttered an incantation, casting another spell on himself. His movements became swift, and he landed a punch on a comrade who was charging at him with bared

teeth, crushing his nose. He had been gradually retreating during the fight, but now he was on the verge of fleeing the cave. After annihilating the upper body of the last

remaining comrade with a flaming spear, he spun around with a look of terror and started to run.

[No, he will not escape.]

Escape, however, was not an option. A spear, slicing through the air, shattered the translucent barrier around his body and pierced it. The high-ranking legionnaire who had thrown the spear, crafted entirely of red ore and emanating a crimson aura, had arrived unnoticed to even myself.

“When did...”

In a state of shock, I murmured to myself. The high-ranking legionnaire folded its wings, tucked them into its carapace, and strolled over to retrieve its spear.

[Having neutralized all of them as planned, all that's left is to acquire information.]

“@...”

The legionnaire seized the man who was muttering in a trembling voice by the head. I sighed inwardly. Once in the legion's grasp, he wouldn't have the luxury of death, even if he wanted it. The wound, already tainted with infection, was healing at an alarming rate.

[The legion will study them and this world, then begin to act in earnest.]

“...I'll turn off the screen. Alert me if anything unusual occurs.”

I switched off the screen. The forthcoming spectacle was predictable, and I had no desire to witness such a scene.

“Shin Woo, are you in there?”

“Yes. Come in.”

Unable to bear any more for the moment, I allowed Cha Ji Yeon, who was causing a commotion outside, to enter. However, she wasn't alone. She was accompanied by Chris, a colleague from Evolution.

*

“Guardians Union.”

“Honestly, it's a bit amusing, but... I don't want to belittle them. They are, after all, quite extraordinary compared to us.”

Chris chuckled, taking a sip of his coffee. The information they shared with me was about the collaboration between Evolution and the Guardians Union. Given that the core of the Guardians Union comprised players and units, their choice was somewhat unexpected to me. I had always perceived their players as arrogant and aloof.

“Extraordinary people, but also lunatics. Moreover, the current situation isn't exactly favorable. As you're aware, the monsters, primarily the units, are forming alliances and acting with increased aggression. Here, the situation is relatively stable, right? One of the legions of the Eastern European Allied Forces has been annihilated.”

“Annihilated?”

“The creatures we commonly refer to as Minotaurs were units there.”

Chris chuckled at his own words. The image of the muscular monster with a bull's head, a three-meter-tall A-rank monster that could easily overpower an orc in terms of physical strength, was a unit. A chill ran down my spine.

“The situation is becoming more complex, separate from this damned death game.”

Chris finished his last sip of coffee.