Chapter 23
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Eastern Alliance (1)
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The ants were always sincere.
From the moment they appeared in this world, it had been that way—and now that they served their own god, it was even more so.
To them, jokes or pranks were nonexistent concepts.
They simply didn't show it on the surface.
The result was this massive army that the ant colony could now deploy, and the subjugation force—formed by the Golden Mandate Society and the lords of the region—found itself squarely up against that power.
'No other options, huh.'
Daniel bit his lip, his face stiff as he gazed at the swarming ants.
The Golden Mandate Society's forces were still largely concentrated in the kingdom's heartland.
They hadn't anticipated the ants' growth reaching this level, so they'd dared to chase other pursuits even with the ants right in front of them.
But those present here had no choice—they had to squeeze out every last drop of strength, quite literally.
Otherwise, they'd end up as mere fodder.
"Mages...! They're weak to fire! Hold them back with fire magic!"
Though few in number compared to the total forces, the mages—long hailed as the flowers of the battlefield in these lands—raised their staffs, mana amplifiers, and unleashed their spells in unison.
'Right, flames are definitely one of their weaknesses.'
Seira, gritting her teeth, was one of those mages.
Including her mid-tier spell Blazing Inferno, the fire magic launched by the mages detonated across the field.
Whether long-range or short-range spells, the goal was the same: set the plains ablaze, disrupt the ants' advance, and inflict damage wherever the battlefield raged.
In truth, the ants were vulnerable to blazing flames, just like any living creature.
They hadn't yet found a way to bolster their fire resistance.
[Subordinates decide to break through the flames and advance]
"No way...!"
"They're pushing through with their bodies!"
But no matter how the mages tried to turn the tide, the ants made swift decisions through their hive mind and crunched the numbers.
The colony as a whole had already concluded that ignoring the flames and charging straight through was the way to go.
'Because there are so many of them.'
Kim Jin-hyuk, now familiar with the ants' habits and behavior, saw right through their actions in an instant.
Sometimes, raw size and numbers crushed complex tactics and strategies far more efficiently.
The ants had already realized their sheer numbers were their greatest weapon.
"Q-quickly, unleash the next spells! Don't stop!"
The panicked mages hurried their incantations.
Mana-fueled flames roared fiercely without need for fuel, yet the ants charged on mercilessly, smothering the corpses of their incinerated comrades without hesitation. The sight was brutal and grotesque.
"H-hurry..."
Seira, sweat beading coldly on her brow, rushed her next incantation as well.
If she hesitated even a moment and they lost, her homeland would be trampled, its people massacred in horrific fashion—just like the nightmare that still haunted her.
"It's not over yet."
And in that instant, a powerful energy surged into her body, amplifying her mana.
Seira's eyes widened in shock as she turned to see Daniel, armored and standing beside her.
"Surprised? I can wield both priestly and holy knight powers. That's why He chose me as His inquisitor."
Chuckling at her reaction, he drew his sword without withdrawing the holy power he'd invoked.
By now, the ants had closed in despite the subjugation force's desperate resistance.
"You're going to fight personally?"
She murmured dazedly. The Daniel she'd known was a cunning politician through and through.
He'd sacrifice lives without mercy for gain and scorn those he deemed worthless—an arrogant noble.
For such a man to step to the front lines himself was hard to believe.
"Everything I have exists solely for Him."
Letting out a hollow laugh, Daniel placed a hand on his chest.
"The Goddess exists. I should have died from a congenital illness, but thanks to Her, I live. My remaining life is dedicated to Her—that is my mission. I've sacrificed much for Her, and my life is no different."
It was possible only because of an unshakeable faith that nothing could sway.
While Seira stood speechless, Daniel charged forward with the other holy knights as the variant ants began their assault on the front lines.
'Is that why he fears not those monsters.'
Clutching her staff, she mustered her strength once more.
As Daniel had said, it wasn't over.
Amid the shining golden light, their hope still blazed against the onrushing black tide.
[The widely deployed subordinate forces envelop the enemies' flanks. Subordinates' goal: total extermination of the prey]
"That's something you can do when you've got numbers like this. What if they'd retreated and gathered more troops instead?"
From high above, Kim Jin-hyuk watched the massive battle unfolding across the vast plains as if looking down from the sky.
And as the spread-out ants pierced through the fierce magical barrages and arrow volleys to initiate their specialty—close combat—he muttered softly.
[The Queen senses things proceeding as calculated and prepares for the future]
He, of course—and the ants as well—anticipated victory.
The basis was simple: the disparity in forces.
Compared to the subjugation army that had been struck first, the ants surrounded and hammered them from all sides in overwhelming numbers.
Giant soldier ants clad in thorn armor, blade ants immune to holy power, ants armed with venom and stingers, and more.
On top of that, their precise, organized combat rooted in the hive mind was a strength the ants had already demonstrated in prior battles.
This time, sheer numbers tipped the scales decisively.
"No, hold your positions!"
"The right flank's collapsing! Stinger ants are breaking into the formation!"
"Mages! Hurry with the barrier..."
As Jin-hyuk zoomed in on the screen, desperate screams and shouts filled the air without end.
Layer upon layer of ants surged endlessly toward them, refusing to yield no matter how many were slain.
Even with legs severed, jaws shattered, or heads lopped off, the ants pressed on to fulfill the hive's command: kill.
"What the...?"
But just as the entire subjugation force seemed on the verge of annihilation, a brilliant flash erupted, followed by a radiant pillar of light shooting skyward.
He widened his eyes at the magnified view.
A blond, burly man held a glowing sword aloft, holy power pouring from his entire body.
The light was so intense that magic-born variants incinerated instantly, while standard ants and mana-based variants were crushed or flung aside.
"May His judgment be upon the wicked Outer God and its subordinates."
Daniel's sword, eyes gleaming heavenward, cleaved through the ants in a single stroke.
The compressed power was beyond reason—even holy-resistant ants were bisected in one hit.
"How is this possible!?"
"The Goddess has granted Her direct blessing to the inquisitor...! This is our chance!"
Jin-hyuk wasn't the only one shocked. Everyone on the field reeled in chaos at Daniel's super awakening.
[Subordinates are thrown into panic. An unprecedented event has occurred, and this unexpected variable is disrupting their calculations single-handedly]
"N-no way. All this because of one guy?!"
A streak of light pierced the battlefield, relentlessly slicing through ants without respite, shattering the suffocating pressure of their advance.
Beyond anything, it had shifted the momentum.
Unlike the ants, who shared one purpose and action via hive mind, humans' combat prowess fluctuated with morale.
Jin-hyuk's eyes trembled in fluster.
Defeat for the ants he'd nurtured would mean his own defeat.
And for a bottom-tier deity with a fledgling domain and subordinates, defeat meant death.
'Calm down. If he could've used that power freely, why not earlier? There must be limits.'
He forcibly steadied himself.
If he panicked, the ants' confusion would worsen.
Having experienced ants rampaging due to his emotions before, he desperately suppressed them.
He thought fervently that, like Goddess Henes aiding her own subordinates, he needed to help his ants.
But unlike her, he had no way to directly assist the ants on the field.
"If only there'd been more time."
With panic quelled, anger rose instead, twisting Jin-hyuk's face.
The Queen's evolution—the core of advancement—had only just completed.
It had opened new evolution paths and research options for the ants, but unable to wait, they'd rushed into battle at full speed.
"Is this enough..."
"Inquisitor!"
Yet in that moment, Daniel—who'd briefly awakened transcendent power and shifted the battle—staggered, vomiting black blood.
"Their encirclement's loosened, and I've taken out most of the biggest threats. Everyone, retreat now and save yourselves. The price of borrowed power? Just returning this life the Goddess already saved me once—it's not hard."
"You..."
"Did you see? The world's hope lies... only in Him..."
Collapsing into his comrades' arms after his mad rampage, Daniel smiled wryly at Seira, who clutched her mouth, before closing his eyes.
It was all his sacrifice. To save even one more by retreating now.
He'd acted that way because it was the sole path for those he believed in and followed.
"Issue the retreat order!"
"The flanking enemies have pulled back momentarily. Now's our chance!"
The holy flames on Daniel's corpse dimmed rapidly as time passed.
Baring his teeth, Baron Radion and the command staff seized this lull in the ants' momentum to hurriedly withdraw the forces.
'Hope... or despair?'
Seira, pale-faced and dragged away by Butler Rogers gripping her arm, felt the same.
Should she see Daniel's miraculous power as hope they must claim, or despair at an army unbeatable even with such miracles? She couldn't tell.
"One thing's certain! To stop those endlessly strengthening, proliferating monsters, we all must do whatever it takes together!"
Rogers spat out an answer-like response as he pulled her along.
No one present could deny the ants posed a threat to the entire world.
"No... we have to thin them out as much as possible. Before full-scale war erupts."
[Subordinates detect the enemies' intent and begin pursuit]
Jin-hyuk and the ants knew their mindset too.
The chase waged fiercely—to kill one more on one side, to survive one more on the other—lasting until the nearby fortress.
'No time to hesitate.'
Though victorious, Jin-hyuk's face remained grim.
Unlike before, it wasn't hardened by the ants' brutal killings.
He was tormented by thoughts of how to grow the ants stronger and faster.
Shut up and get your asses to Edellion right now. I'm recruiting guys to rip those monster bastards apart. You thinking of infighting even in this situation?
Another deity, having directly participated in this war and lost valuable subordinates, felt the same.
[The Queen ponders further growth through secured resources and gained experience]
[Your subordinates are satisfied with the abundant food supply]
In the end, the only ones content with this war's outcome seemed to be the ants, solely focused on devouring the spoils.