–Krrk... you’re back.
“Yeah.”
After finishing a bit of recon.
I returned to the outskirts where Borjin was waiting and canceled [Environmental Assimilation].
–Good. Did you get what you wanted.
“I mean, this is... do I say I did.”
–Grrk?
I went in to get information on the enemy.
But how to put it.
‘It feels like I only added questions.’
Contrary to my assumption that it would be packed with scum.
The humans gathered there...
‘Were far too human.’
For people who supposedly made contracts with a demon and all that.
All I saw were painfully human scenes.
‘Them being human doesn’t mean I like them.’
From the start.
People trying to accomplish something by offering someone’s life.
I, as a person.
Cannot look kindly on that.
But.
‘What is the purpose they’re trying to accomplish by offering lives.’
Depending on that purpose.
I’m willing to consider extenuating circumstances.
The reasons I imagined were things like.
They were brainwashed by that demon.
Or they had some malicious intent.
In those cases, of course I was going to subjugate them without hesitation.
‘But seeing them act that human, I don’t think they’d throw away their lives for reasons like that.’
From what I personally checked.
Rather than brainwashing, it felt more like, how to say it.
‘A sense of mission.’
Similar to what Borjin said...
It felt like they had a sense of mission.
‘My head hurts, damn it.’
Part of me wanted to sneak in, kidnap one of them.
And ask this and that.
“They looked like they had a proper system.”
The moment one person disappears.
All I’d do is heighten their alertness.
A battle will break out soon.
Thinking of that time, rash moves weren’t good.
“No... even the subjugation itself won’t end with just fighting and subjugating.”
If they were simply evil.
It would have ended lightly, like when we subjugate criminals.
But.
What I saw with my own eyes wasn’t that kind of evil.
“Human numbers are already too low.”
They’re still people I don’t like.
But to erase them blindly...
“Let me ask one thing.”
–Mm.
There’s also a bit of...
A waste.
“If battle breaks out, they’ll offer their own lives to summon other minions, right?”
–Highly likely. That was always the hardest part when we subjugated the followers.
If that happens.
My questions won’t be answered.
Those people will just offer their souls to the demon.
–Why ask that suddenly?
“...I saw quite a lot of followers inside.”
I didn’t personally lay eyes on that many.
But judging by the human presence I sensed in multiple buildings.
Their numbers were fairly substantial.
At least a guild-sized organization.
–Krrk... that is not good.
“Hm?”
–As I said, a demon basically sends down minions to protect contractors. But those minions themselves weren’t the big threat.
“Then what is.”
–The assaulted followers.
Those followers weren’t particularly overwhelmingly powerful.
The obvious problem was this.
–Our tribe does not fear death. The moment they were attacked, the tribe’s traitors offered their lives and summoned powerful minions. That, above all, was the hardest part of dealing with the traitors.
“That level?”
–Not that level. In their final moments, hundreds of followers gathered in one place offered their lives and summoned minions... their strength defied imagination.
“...”
–Because of that we lost the Great Chieftain.
A subjugation would not be easy as it is.
Humans whose evil is uncertain.
And strong minions get summoned by offering those humans as sacrifices.
‘That won’t do.’
I already didn’t like that demon.
It would make answering my questions harder.
And it would only do good for the demon.
“...Is there no other way?”
–I told you. We tried to persuade them, but all attempts failed.
“...”
–If it’s a method to subjugate them, I know it, but beyond that... I do not.
Well.
If a different method existed.
The Green Manes tribe wouldn’t have perished so emptily.
Put the other way.
‘They perished because they didn’t know another method.’
The history of the Green Manes tribe.
For our Legion, it’s a history that serves as a cautionary tale.
Use the information this guy has.
But never follow their footsteps as they are.
In that case, something.
We need a different method...
‘What exactly do I...’
What that different method could be.
I was about to get frustrated at having no idea when.
Step, step...
‘Hm?’
I saw humans coming out of a building, heading somewhere.
They headed toward a stream running nearby.
And they drew water there and carried it back.
‘Right, they did say they needed to fill water.’
In the end-of-the-world scenes you see in movies.
Even a drop of water is supposed to be hard to get.
But this world turned out a little different from that kind of apocalypse.
Food is still hard to get.
But there weren’t any nukes.
And there wasn’t a severe plague.
Water from a stream.
You can drink it like in the past.
So.
Our unit, and other survivors.
Casually drew drinking water from streams and such...
“...Ah.”
Seeing that.
A way came to mind.
One way that could resolve this situation decently.
“We’re heading back for now.”
–You looked like you were wrestling with something. Are you sure?
“Not sure it’ll work... mm.”
My class is Chef.
So, yeah, it’s the obvious method.
“I should try cooking.”
–Grrk?
****
“Are you still uneasy?”
“Hm? Ah. I am.”
The leader of the contractors.
Wonjun was still seized by a strange unease.
“You’re being too sensitive.”
“I understand. A lot of comrades sacrificed themselves in the last operation... and even so, we achieved nothing.”
“But you know. Nothing will happen.”
Unlike Wonjun.
His subordinates comforted him, thinking his worry was excessive.
Because he’d been so seized by worry.
The mood had been rather cold lately.
“...Right.”
As that went on.
Wonjun started to wonder if he’d been thinking wrong.
‘There’s no way they could know we exist...’
Even if they find out it was us who attacked them.
‘As long as we have the minions the Master sent down, there won’t be a big problem.’
Indeed, as the subordinate said.
The operation where many comrades sacrificed themselves last time.
It seems that failure left him overly stressed.
“Sorry to worry you.”
“No, that’s nothing to...”
And so.
The stiff atmosphere loosened a little.
“Then I’ll do the routine reports.”
“Mm.”
“About the doctor you asked us to find, that’s dragging a bit. There aren’t many survivors left nearby.”
“Can’t be helped... still, keep looking. We don’t have a separate healer, so we need a comrade with medical knowledge. It’s a shame that in the early days we didn’t think that far...”
This was another thing giving Wonjun a headache.
Even if their class was a bit special, they were still Awakened.
They had immunity to the usual minor ailments, so until now they hadn’t felt the need for a doctor.
But that didn’t make them flat-out immune to disease.
With winter’s arrival, people suffering from illness started to appear little by little.
‘They are compatriots who resolved to offer their lives together.’
He had to prevent them from dying emptily.
Wonjun believed that was the Guide’s role.
“And next is about Park Dongwook. Not long ago you ordered Park Dongwook to [Contract], didn’t you.”
“Ah. I did.”
“It seems he’s refusing the contract right now.”
“...What?”
Then.
The next news was something that, to Wonjun, was hard to grasp.
“Dongwook... he was the most passionate about our cause, wasn’t he?”
“That’s right. In fact, when he first received the order two days ago, he seemed steeled, saying his turn had finally come...”
“You’re saying he suddenly changed?”
“Yes. He’s resisting, clutching at a building wall, saying he doesn’t want to die like that.”
“...What do you mean.”
Their class is [Demon Contractor].
And it’s not a class you can get just because you want it.
“Only those always resolved to offer their lives can obtain it.”
Unlike ordinary Awakening.
It’s a class you can obtain without hunting monsters.
But that doesn’t make the acquisition easy.
You hear information about contracts from the demon.
Someday, through a contract with a demon.
Only those resolved to offer their lives can obtain it.
Recently.
A man named Dongwook was designated as the executor for the next operation.
Head to a certain place.
Carry out a “contract” there.
An operation to lay groundwork that would one day aid their Master.
It was unquestionably a task that required offering his life.
But Dongwook was a man ready to offer his life at any time for the greater cause.
For him to suddenly reverse his stance?
“...Something’s off.”
An ominous turn.
Wonjun felt unease.
“Yes. We don’t know the cause either.”
“I’ll... consult him personally. Which building is Dongwook in?”
“Ah. Over there...”
Deciding he had to meet him himself, Wonjun rose.
To move to where his subordinate indicated.
He turned his gaze that way...
And, out of nowhere.
–This fair land... I shall guard it...
“...?”
From far away.
Came something like singing.
“Huh?”
“What is that sound...”
At the sudden song.
Wonjun’s subordinates, flustered, moved to the windows.
Wonjun as well.
The moment he turned to see what was going on.
KWAANG—
And.
Mixed into the singing.
Something like an explosion rang out.
“...Huh?”
The place the explosion came from.
Happened to be exactly where his subordinate had been pointing.
Beeeeeeee—
From outside the window.
A red trajectory could be seen drawing closer and closer.
And then.
KWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!!!
“What is this!?”
It impacted in the area.
And triggered a massive explosion.
–Your loyal devotion...
Startled, Wonjun moved to the window and looked outside.
The direction the unidentified trajectory had flown from.
There.
“Tanks...”
Dozens of tanks.
Their tracks spinning, advanced at tremendous speed.
Beside them.
Soldiers ran with tremors that shook the ground.
If there was something unusual.
–The flag of peace you waved hard while looking at the sky.
For reasons unknown.
All of them were belting out a military song in booming voices.
[Fervor — ‘Iron Legion’s War Song’ rings out!]
There was no time to puzzle over what on earth this was.
[Guild — ‘Iron Legion’ gains a massive increase to combat capability!]
[Guild — ‘Iron Legion’ temporarily gains traits, ‘Intermediate Courage’, ‘Lower-Grade Steadfastness’, ‘Lowest-Grade Hardiness’.]
[On the battlefield, the stats of all races except ‘Iron Legion’ decrease!]
[On the battlefield, the resistances of all races except ‘Iron Legion’ decrease!]
A status window appeared out of nowhere.
Only then.
Could Wonjun be certain who they were.
“The Legion...!”
With the thunder of a rousing military song.
The Legion’s advance began.
Bubububububum...
Tadadang...
Emplacements set up in the distance spat fire.
In the past.
The distilled essence of violence humanity had built through thousands of years of war.
Dozens, hundreds per minute...
A bombardment in the thousands of rounds per minute blanketed the sky.
