Chapter 81
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Bioweapons (2)
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“Oh ho, so this is the Overnium Observation Orb.”
“Using this, we can observe much farther distances than with familiars.”
The massive Glory Wall, constructed in the north by linking the existing fortresses the Lukadia Empire had built to block the orcs.
A group of soldiers and mages there were gathered around something, marveling at it in awe.
This magic tool—a precisely carved spherical wooden orb fitted with a magic stone and inscribed with a magic circle—began to float up into the sky.
“Link successful. The view is crystal clear.”
One mage smirked and unrolled a scroll inscribed with a magic circle. A translucent beam of mana projected a screen into the air.
It was the view of the ground as seen from the magic tool now floating high in the sky.
The soldiers and knights buzzed with excitement at the sight.
The Lukadia Empire's magic, developed with support from the higher-world deities of Arcania Zero, was far more refined and intricate than traditional spells.
“No more need to risk sending scouts beyond the wall. And this is just the beginning. Once our magic advances even further... there will be nothing in this world that can stand against us.”
Staufen, the elderly mage from Arcania Zero leading this experiment, stroked his white beard and let out a hearty laugh.
‘What a shame. If only I were a bit younger, I could achieve so much more... No. The Supreme Sage of Magic himself said that selected talented mages can receive priority for spells that reverse physical age. My chance will come.’
Despite a recent unfortunate incident, Arcania Zero remained unscathed in the end. It had only delayed things a little.
They could simply move into new facilities without needing repairs and continue their research.
As the wealthiest nation in the eastern continent, the Lukadia Empire drew in all the manpower and resources it needed, fueling tremendous progress.
Thus, the Lukadia Empire was evolving into the continent's premier magical civilization.
Did you see that? A systematic system, concrete plans, and the ability to place the right talents exactly where they're needed. Heroes are ultimately powerless before an advanced system like this.
Such arrogance. You haven't even set foot outside your empire's borders yet.
Why don't you say that after you've fully cleared out those Outer God subordinates on your side?
Astragon's provocative attitude wasn't going to win him any fans.
When someone called him out, Astragon checked who it was and sneered.
‘Those fools trying to combine machines and magic!’
He was a deity who had made the Edellion dwarves his subordinates, expanded his forces, and finally begun extending his influence beyond the great mountain range.
Astragon despised him.
To Astragon, who pursued pure magic and led an advanced higher-world magical civilization, those who blended magic with machines were nothing but mutants.
The outcome will come eventually. It's not like it's just us.
He brushed off Astragon's sneer.
As he said, no one knew what the future held.
“Wha!? Wh-what?!”
Then, change began to unfold in reality.
The first signal came from the mage piloting the new reconnaissance tool, the Overnium Observation Orb.
“What is it? Why the commotion?”
Staufen, who had been leisurely sipping tea with the knight commander, furrowed his brow.
But the mage controlling the orb remained frozen in a bizarre pose, twitching oddly.
“L-look!”
The mage soon snapped out of it and shared what he saw via the scroll with the group.
Everyone present froze at the translucent image projected in the air.
“This can't be...”
Staufen muttered blankly, his eyes widening involuntarily.
Countless monsters were bursting through their nest, swarming straight toward them.
The ants' re-invasion had begun after a period of silence.
“Wh-what kind of mutants are those? They're nothing like what I know!”
But that wasn't all. As the frantic knight commander said, unknown new variants were mixed in among the ants.
Their defining trait was their enormous size.
Far larger and tougher than previous variants—evolved beings that transcended the limits of life itself.
Their ferocious forms looked incredibly sturdy and resilient, exuding raw power just from their appearance.
“If the Tyrants perform as expected, they should hold their own against the empire's magic weapons...!”
Seira, who had been watching the scene, bit her lip at the mass deployment of the new variant type she had helped create: the Tyrants.
“Sound the emergency alert!”
“Ring the bells. Battle stations!”
Though still far off, the panicked imperial forces rang the bells and prepared for combat.
The tension in the forward region, which had begun to ease, snapped taut once more.
“Everyone, stay calm. Have you forgotten His teachings?”
Knight and soldiers climbed to the wall fully armed, while golems stood ready for deployment.
Behind the wall, numerous mages gripped their staves tensely, prepared to unleash barrages.
“Our magic has already surpassed the critical threshold in war-related aspects. It's no longer primitive primal magic.”
Staufen paced with hands behind his back, barking at the mages to steady their nerves.
“Those demons are still living flesh and blood. Even if those mutants carry some crude inner energy in their bodies... creatures made of bone, meat, and muscle can't withstand our war magic.”
Staufen was tense but not afraid.
He firmly believed the magic he knew—the evolved empire's civilization—far surpassed the horde of monsters approaching beyond the wall.
This was knowledge directly verified and shared by the deity Astragon.
How could he doubt it?
“So show those wicked demons once more. Prepare the formation!”
At his command, the mages—spaced at intervals—began manifesting large-scale spells in unison.
Magic cannons operated by individuals began to reveal themselves one by one.
Composed of complex magic circles and refined magic stones to amplify the mages' output, their power was incomparable to the past.
“Fire!”
Staufen, atop the wall, issued the firing order via amplification magic.
Myriad elemental projectiles streaked through the sky, trailing long tails as they arced over the wall like meteors, raining down on the approaching ants.
Asmora rages at the sight of the enemy's hateful magic.
The ants, too, saw the firepower raining down on them.
In the previous battle, even the strongest variants had been forced to retreat before such overwhelming force.
But this time, the ants had something to rely on.
The Tyrants—whose bodies had been enhanced beyond limits with implanted Demonic Power hearts—stepped forward.
Their numbers were still limited.
Thus, Asmora had pondered how to maximize their efficiency, resulting in the Heavy Armored Ant Tyrant, remodeled from large heavy armored ants.
Based on stag beetle-like giant armored insects, it incorporated every shell, bone, and armor Asmora had collected, optimized solely for ultimate defense.
“As expected...”
Jin-hyuk the deity, Seira the designer, and Asmora the queen.
All watching from the ants' side shared the same thought in that moment.
The Heavy Armored Ant Tyrants moved in perfect unison, forming a wall with their bodies to absorb the barrage.
“Th-that's impossible...!”
The other side reacted with uniform shock.
Amid the choking smoke and fierce explosions, the Tyrants emerged with mere cracks in their shells, broken horns or legs—yet otherwise intact and advancing steadily.
“No way. They can't survive that explosion!”
Staufen shouted in disbelief.
Hard to aim or not, the blasts could vaporize even hero-tier foes if they stood still for a direct hit.
Yet these monsters were taking it all with their massive bodies and walking on unscathed.
“Keep firing! It's just luck! They can't withstand it twice...”
“The sky!”
Even if they could endure, limits existed—but Asmora allowed no such gap.
As Staufen hurriedly ordered a second volley, a desperate cry pointed to the sky.
“Damn, the shield first.”
He scowled at the dense flock of flying types filling the sky with ferocious wingbeats.
For now, the skies belonged to the ants.
“But their assault won't last long. The moment those sky swarms fail to pierce our large-scale resonance barrier and retreat, we'll pour the firepower on them again.”
“Then we'll deploy the golems in sync.”
The garrison commander nodded at Staufen's words.
Magic circles activated across the area, deploying a massive translucent barrier into the air.
An advanced defensive magic formation that could be toggled freely and covered the entire battlefield.
‘Annoying pests. Once we advance to spirit magic levels, your flying days are over.’
Staufen frowned, gazing at the sky from within it.
Hurling Honeypot Ants filled with venom wouldn't pierce this sturdy mana barrier.
“...Huh?”
But moments later.
Staufen froze as something hurtled from the sky at tremendous speed, piercing a subordinate mage's head clean through.
The mage, unaware of what hit him, collapsed with blood and brains spilling from the hole in his head and face.
“The barrier...”
“The barrier's breached!”
Soon, a hail of unseen projectiles poured down, shattering the barrier and bombing the ground.
Terrified people screamed and fled, only to be pierced by the invisible high-speed strikes, dying or losing limbs.
“Poison... stinger.”
Staufen, dragged to safety by his men, swallowed dryly at the object embedded in the ground.
As thick and long as a spear, it was a jet-black poison stinger.
Notably, its tip and parts shimmered with a crystalline coating, razor-thin.
Realizing it was a magic tool akin to those using magic stones, Staufen held his breath.
Asmora is satisfied with the test of her new variant.
Hornet Ant Tyrant.
Previously specialized only in melee, these had mutated beyond limits with new hearts.
Triggering internal gas explosions to detach and fire stingers like hornets at extreme speeds, then regenerating the stinger and launch organ—transforming into versatile soldiers capable of ranged attacks.