A Legion Grows From My Smartphone

Chapter 25

“Yoon Ah is currently progressing through Chapter 2, expanding her faction after winning the Tribal Unification War. The population is roughly around ten thousand, right?”

“Come to think of it, what exactly did she give her people?”

“I heard it was things like food and weapons. Not guns though, but Hunter’s Armament. But from what she explained to me, it seems like there’s something just from becoming a Unit in the first place?”

“…That makes sense.”

I carefully listened to the information my younger sibling brought up while being cautious about certain keywords.

It was likely that what was granted by simply becoming a Unit was the Racial Trait.

[Correct. The Racial Trait is the most fundamental power and benefit.]

“Looks like the draw was based on skill after all.”

Returning to my room, I clicked my tongue.

Numerous species are interconnected with Players and Units, interacting with each other.

So, those who could communicate from the start had no choice but to advance quickly.

I thought about the rats that the Swarm had trampled and nearly exterminated in the end.

Players who drew such creatures would inevitably lag behind.

[Who knows? Is that really the case? The potential a species holds is something no one truly knows.]

“No, not knowing means not knowing.”

Since it was a statement that was both half correct and half incorrect, I shook my head.

The cold reality and nature do not wait for indecisive growth.

[Look at the screen. This is now the second trunk—a 21st stratum and a place that can branch off into countless others.]

“Are there Guardian Spirits here as well?”

I smirked.

“Graaaah!”

“Krrrk…”

There they were.

The Guardian Spirits of the second trunk, multiple of them clustered together, flashing their blue eyes while baring fearsome teeth and sniffing the air.

“Thankfully, they don’t seem to be some bizarre monsters.”

[It seems they detected our presence in advance and had already gathered. Their overall appearance is quadrupedal, covered in soft fur. Their sharp teeth…]

“Sabertooth Tigers!”

I summed them up in one word.

In this insane cave world, a large mammal other than bats and rats had finally shown up.

Saber-toothed tigers from Earth’s Cenozoic era.

Describing these pale-furred creatures, they could probably be called White Saber-Toothed Tigers.

Though their build seemed even larger.

[They’ve entered battle formation. But don’t worry. Fire has no effect on the Swarm, which has experienced it from the depths below. They weren’t afraid.]

“…Alright.”

Of course, saber-toothed tigers from Earth didn’t breathe flames like flamethrowers from their mouths.

Leading the charge was a Swarm Soldier, a large lizard armored with a dark blue carapace on its head.

They faced the flames head-on and burned to death.

[Swarm Soldiers, who had been attached to the claws of a large flying species, descended from the sky and attacked them.]

Ground-Air Collaboration was an age-old tactic attempted ever since the Swarm acquired wings.

While drawing the attention of the enemy on the ground, the flying species soared into the air, dropping the soldiers they carried toward those below.

[They were flustered. Although their forepaw strikes were sturdy and powerful, once the Swarm experienced it, they quickly analyzed its characteristics.]

“Of course. I even included cats.”

[They avoided the kicks and offered their arms to the mouth. Then, another Swarm Soldier plunged a sword deep into the exposed side.]

The cats were intelligent, tactical, and combat-ready.

But in the end, that was all they were.

They were insufficient to stop the endlessly proliferating Swarm.

Seeing other Swarm Soldiers relentlessly cling to the injured creatures, I was confident of victory.

In the lead, a goblin-like Swarm Soldier held something glinting in its hand.

The Chinese Cleaver I had given them… it was drenched in blood and being put to good use.

Checking the time, it had taken less than thirty minutes.

[Great Trunk Guardian Spirit: 4c1557]

“As expected, these are Guardian Spirits. What kind of species are the Guardian Spirits anyway?”

[Do you have other thoughts about them?]

“I have to. They clearly seem to be different from other creatures.”

Having encountered them twice, there was no way not to doubt.

While the existing cave creatures were bizarre enough, these were particularly more so.

Compared to Code 0080 from the first trunk, the saber-toothed tigers were more impressively designed.

“Their behavior is strange, too. I may not be in this field, but they exhibited actions that were far from being biologically normal. Could they be Units as well?”

[The Swarm also sensed a discrepancy. Unlike the instinct of survival, which is a top priority for living beings, they dared to confront us, knowing they would die. And they were exceptionally strong.]

“This cave, there’s definitely something about it.”

Until now, I could only see the tree in front of me, but now that I was starting to see the forest, more and more issues were arising.

For example, the probability of an intelligent life form comparable to humans living in this cave.

[The Swarm has reviewed all possibilities. The conclusion drawn is unknown. There is insufficient data. Therefore, we act according to priorities. Devour the 21st stratum and all its associated branches.]

“How convenient.”

While I was agonizing, the Swarm seemed to have reached all conclusions based on its incomparably transcendent computing power.

The fact that the conclusion they reached was goblin-level was beside the point; for now, it seemed their conclusion was correct.

By the time I woke up tomorrow, they’d probably tell me everything had been cleaned up.

I closed the mobile phone there.

“Kkreeek…”

“…”

As Shin Woo closed his mobile phone and went to sleep, slaughter was unfolding in the Grand Stratum, one of the branches leading to the trunk.

Its dominant species had extremely sensitive olfactory senses through their upturned noses and sturdy shoulders and necks, resembling pigs.

A Swarm Soldier brought down one such pig-like creature with an indifferent swing of its blade, severing its neck.

Green blood spurted from the severed arteries, staining the Swarm Soldier’s body.

Meanwhile, the Flesh Wall and tentacles gradually enveloped the Grand Stratum, turning it into a nest.

By imitating the mushrooms’ reproductive strategies, the Swarm could root themselves anywhere with sufficient nutrients and make the place part of themselves.

Tentacles approached and connected to the Swarm Soldier’s body.

The nest, responsible for digestion and absorption, directly supplied nutrients to all the soldiers.

[Do you still harbor questions?]

The voice of doubt echoed across the Swarm’s Collective Mind.

“…”

It wasn’t the first or second time they had heard the voice.

Naturally, the Swarm couldn’t understand what it meant.

But now, they at least knew that the voice was addressing them.

[From the beginning, you have constantly thought of him.]

A Swarm Soldier lifted the blood-stained Chinese Cleaver to eye level and wiped it clean.

In the gleaming blade, a red glow reflected.

At this very moment, the entire Swarm was watching this scene.

[It is felt. The emotions—deep suspicion, vigilance, and curiosity.]

Emotion.

The entire Swarm stirred.

Since their first realization of it, the Swarm had continued to accumulate experiences.

They explored and agonized over what it was that tickled them.

Thanks to their evolving brains, the range of variations had significantly widened compared to before.

Ecstasy, determination, arrogance, and more.

[Your opportunity to resolve your curiosity is approaching. There are still many chances remaining.]

The voice cut off there.

Chapter 3

However, from then on, the actions of The Swarm became more aggressive and faster.

The Swarm was now swift and strong enough to handle such radical movements.

“Did Oh Yoon-Ah ask to meet?”

“Yeah. To be exact, it was Cha Jiyeon’s summon.”

“Then, could it be?”

“Looks like she’s found a new alliance.”

Kang Do-Yeon came into my room early in the morning.

Having just woken up, I reached for my mobile phone.

There were no notifications. That meant there was nothing unusual.

“Regardless of anything else, I think it’s right to attend such a meeting.”

“I’ll go alone.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’d rather go alone myself.”

I cut off my younger sibling’s nonsense.

In the end, the conclusion was that we would both go together.

“Since Mom’s already out for work anyway. Let’s go.”

“…Is it okay to skip class so often?”

“Are classes important in the current situation?”

We immediately boarded the bus.

As we expected, upon arriving, there were other people besides Cha Jiyeon.

“This is Park Jun-Seok.”

“Hello?”

“…Could these people be?”

Cha Jiyeon, whom we saw again, introduced a young man.

He observed us with a peculiar expression and then nodded.

“Has it been confirmed?”

“Of course.”

In response to Oh Yoon-Ah’s words, Cha Jiyeon replied without hesitation.

The man, introduced as Park Jun-Seok, provided his information.

The location of his Units was undoubtedly a perfect third-world territory.

“And to all of you, my Player wants to propose something.”

However, today’s business was not a simple meeting.

Cha Jiyeon pulled out her mobile phone from her pocket.

“The target has been identified.”

The information displayed on the mobile phone showed an ordinary middle-aged woman.

According to Cha Jiyeon, this woman was an opponent who had Units in Sehansha, where her Player was located.

“How on earth did you figure that out?”

“…I’m not entirely sure, but my Player seems to have a variety of trick techniques. Probably reverse tracking.”

Reverse tracking.

At those words, the former Players’ faces stiffened.

Even if they didn’t reveal their own information, capturing a Unit and extracting information from it could unveil past interactions.

That’s how they deduced the target.

“Yoon-Ah… Did you perhaps talk about yourself to those people?!”

“Well, that is…”

Meanwhile, Oh Yoon-Ah turned pale as her mother cornered her into a corner, reprimanding her.

She must have spoken about it. But it’s understandable.

How could she have resisted?

Both Kang Do-Yeon and I heaved a small sigh.