Hey! This Is the Difference in Support! (3)
Beneath the fluttering snake banner that symbolized the Diablo 2nd Legion, a woman with a rock-solid physique walked out slowly. She wore armor—or perhaps just a collection of alloy plates—designed to protect only the most vital areas of her upper and lower body. She made her way toward the adjacent 3rd Legion. A moment later, a woman emerged from the front of that legion, wearing a black witch’s hat with a sharp, pointed brim and a corset cinched tight to accentuate her curves. Her black dress and hat looked like a perfectly coordinated set.
"Hey, you're here?"
"Yeah. Like we talked about yesterday, we’re going to go ahead and clear a path, so you just sit back and take it easy."
"...Are you really going to step out there yourself, big sister?"
"...Well, obviously. When else am I supposed to let loose?"
"...You’re a Legion Commander, though... you have a reputation to maintain... Fine. I’ll wait here, so go have your fun."
"Mm."
"You look like you’re grinning from ear to ear, sister. You can’t fool me~"
"...Tch. You caught me. I just wanted to rest a bit more, so don’t give me a hard time for showing up early."
After saying her piece, she turned around, waved, and headed back to the front of her 2nd Legion.
Waiting for her return was a woman with a sturdy build, copper-toned skin that complemented her golden hair, and sharp, piercing eyes—one of which was covered by an eyepatch. She was clad in black plate armor that covered just enough of her chest, while the lower half left her thighs completely exposed. With matching gauntlets, greaves, and boots, she looked like a walking blade.
The woman bowed to her superior and waited silently for her to speak.
"..."
"...Adjutant."
As if she had been waiting for the call, the adjutant responded sharply.
"You called, Legion Commander?"
"My fists are itching; I can't take it anymore. Ha... my knuckles are practically crying out today."
"Today... I feel my own fists burning with the same fire as yours, Commander."
"Hahahaha! As expected... you feel it too, Adjutant? Then... let’s get moving."
"Yes! As you command."
Pop-
Pop-
Pop-pop-pop-
As she stretched her joints, a series of cracking sounds echoed from the Legion Commander’s hands and feet. She cracked her neck from side to side, and the sound of popping bones rang out like a drumroll.
"Ah~ I guess it’s been too long since I moved~ My whole body is screaming that it’s had enough rest~"
As the Legion Commander began to walk slowly toward the Heaven-race camp, the entire 2nd Legion began to move in a swarm behind her.
It seemed the slogan on the banner—"Warrior! The stronger you think you are, the more you should strip!"—wasn't just a joke, but a sincere philosophy. Led by their 2nd Legion Commander, who wore the most revealing armor, all of her subordinates followed suit. While not as extreme as their commander, they all wore armor that highlighted their toned bodies, with unique designs that left one leg, half the torso, or scarred areas exposed.
Thud, thud.
Thud-thud-thud-thud.
Thud-thud-thud-thud.
Compared to the other legions, they didn't move in orderly ranks. They swarmed forward in their delinquent-style gear, looking chaotic and unruly. Yet, the sheer intensity of their glares, as if to prove their confidence in their own strength, was enough to make the Heaven-race soldiers gathered in the front lines flinch and hesitate.
The Legion Commander, displeased by the sight of the Heaven-race soldiers waiting there without a shred of spirit, called for her adjutant.
"Tch... nothing but small fry... Adjutant."
"Yes."
Bowing to her commander, the adjutant summoned her weapon—gauntlets rimmed in gold, matching her hair—and stepped forward, shouting:
"Alright~~~~~~~~~ Let’s go~~~~!"
Thud-thud-thud-thud, tap-tap-tap-tap, tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tap!
At the adjutant's command, the 2nd Legion troops surged forward, shouting and racing past their commander as if competing to see who could rack up the most kills.
"Waaaaaaaah!"
Finally, the front line of the hesitating Heaven-race and the high-morale elite troops of the 2nd Legion collided, and a massive battle began.
CRASH!
Thwack, thwack, thwack-thwack-thwack!
Squelch-
Clang-
"Aaaargh-!"
"Wipe out those Heaven-race bitches-!"
"Beat them all to a pulp!"
"Block them!"
The sounds of beating, slicing, screaming, steel clashing against steel, and soldiers shouting encouragement began to echo throughout the Heaven-race camp.
With the adjutant in the lead, the 2nd Legion quickly punched into the center of the Heaven-race camp. Despite being outnumbered, their overwhelming martial prowess allowed them to break through in an instant, splitting the Heaven-race forces in two and pressing them from both sides.
Seeing Heaven-race soldiers writhing in pain along the path the 2nd Legion had carved, the Legion Commander smiled with satisfaction and slowly made her way toward what appeared to be a command tent in the center of the camp.
"Our kids really know how to fight. We’re definitely the best when it comes to small, elite units."
At the commander's praise, the adjutant, who had appeared by her side, chimed in.
"Indeed. How could these Heaven-race weaklings ever be a match for us?"
"..."
Despite the adjutant's pride-filled words, something seemed to be bothering the Legion Commander. She furrowed her brows, looking at her adjutant with a worried expression.
The adjutant, who had served her for many years and could read her mood just by looking at her face, asked directly.
"What is weighing on your mind?"
"...The reason my sister’s 1st Legion was defeated. That remains the biggest mystery. As you know, we hold mock battles between legions all the time, so we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses inside and out..."
"Yes, that is true."
"But... my sister’s 1st Legion, which had the overwhelming organizational power to push our forces into a corner, collapsed without a fight. We know how strong they are. Honestly... even if those Heaven-race bastards and human weaklings used some clever strategy... for her legion to be pushed back that easily? It doesn't make sense."
"...I agree."
"But..."
While walking and talking with her adjutant, the Legion Commander spotted a Heaven-race soldier who looked like a high-ranking officer lying right in front of her.
Step, step, step.
The Legion Commander walked right up to the officer and stepped on their neck, pinning them to the ground.
"Gah-! Gack! Gack! H-huff... huff... huff..."
The Heaven-race soldier gasped, struggling to breathe.
Watching the soldier being pushed to their physical limit, the Legion Commander finally lifted her foot. The soldier took a ragged, desperate breath.
Looking down at the soldier, the Legion Commander shouted:
"But! My sister lost to these kinds of Heaven-race weaklings! My sister! The sister I acknowledge-!"
"..."
Hoo- hah-
As the commander took a deep breath to steady herself, the adjutant’s advice reached her ears.
"It is just my personal opinion, but... I believe there is something going on with the human heroes, not the Heaven-race."
"...You think so too, Adjutant?"
"Do you know something, Commander?"
"..."
After a moment of silence, the Legion Commander opened her mouth and shared some startling information.
"Remember that human man we saw before?"
"...The human... man...?"
"Yeah. My sister said that among the human heroes, not the Heaven-race, it seems a human man pulled some kind of trick."
"..."
The adjutant fell silent, as if deep in thought.
Watching her, the Legion Commander continued.
"But when I saw him back then, I didn't feel anything from him... You know I prefer to see things for myself rather than listen to rumors, right, Adjutant?"
"Yes."
"That’s why I came here—to see it for myself. To see if that’s true. To see what the Heaven-race is hiding. Or if that human man is really hiding something. But I can't get any information here. Ha—it’s so frustrating."
"..."
The adjutant couldn't find the right words to respond to the commander’s inner turmoil. But one thing was certain: the key to all of this was held by the human heroes, and specifically, a human man.
"Move faster!"
"I swear, those Heaven-race bitches are so damn slow!"
"I’m not even asking you to run... just walk, you idiots!"
While she was talking to the adjutant, the elite 2nd Legion soldiers were already kicking the fallen Heaven-race soldiers, cursing at them, and herding them into the corner of the camp without needing to be told.
The Legion Commander, watching the scene with her adjutant, suggested they head into the tent to discuss their next move. She pointed to one of her resting subordinates and sent her to the 3rd Legion camp to prepare to join their allies.
Just as she and her adjutant were about to enter the tent—
A sound that made their discomfort levels skyrocket echoed from far away.
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeng-
"?????"
The Legion Commander and her adjutant rushed out of the tent. The commander created hooks in her mind, scanning the area in a panic, but there was only a strange, persistent noise, and nothing else happened.
"What the... there’s nothing here, just the noise?"
"...Perhaps it is a notification method used by the Heaven-race to signal a crisis after our surprise attack..."
Click-
The sound cut off abruptly.
Vwoooooooooooom-!
Then, something red shot up from far away. It maintained a high altitude, spreading out like a wide wall, and began to move toward them with a sound like a rushing wind.
"!!!"
"That’s it! That’s what my sister was talking about!"
The Legion Commander’s voice was filled with excitement.
"L-Legion Commander!"
Before the adjutant could stop her, the Legion Commander dashed toward the direction of the red entity rushing toward them from the front.
"...The Commander is in danger! All troops! Move to the Commander’s position!"
Having made her decision in an instant, the adjutant moved, thinking only of her superior.