[The legion has decided to immediately utilize their newly acquired weapon against the massive enemy that would take too long to handle with their current firepower.]

The newly obtained weapon was infection. The artillery soldiers began to shower the massive beast with poisonous thorns. Dozens of thorns burrowed into the skin of the creature that had been crushing legionnaires with its overwhelming mass.

[The substance on the thorns is no longer acidic poison, but another improved legionnaire. It’s a bacterium-type legionnaire.]

It didn’t take long to create soldiers at a cellular level. The massive body staggered and let out a mournful cry. Legionnaires, including Kang Do Yeon, subtly retreated.

[The transmission speed increases when a large number of bacteria are introduced simultaneously.]

"The effect is good.”

The beast’s body convulsed before exploding, its swollen tumors and flesh falling away. The destructive bacteria, modified into legionnaires, carried a black pigment. As a result, the transformed beast appeared as though it was veined with black roots.

"Roar!”

The beast bellowed, swiveling its massive head in the opposite direction. The enemies struggled to handle the enormous body that had been crushing the legionnaires.

"Advance!”

With the beast clearing the way, Kang Do Yeon led the legionnaires in another charge. The scouts were seen quickly advancing to the next level through the air.

[It seems they’ve sealed their own fate by blocking the entrance.]

"Is there an end to this?”

[Whether there is an end or not doesn’t matter. The destructive bacteria would have been thriving with their tireless bodies, their enormous numbers, and their relentless ferocity.]

I was bored with the sight of endless infected bodies on the screen, but the legion showed no signs of wavering.

[What do we lack compared to them? We surpass them in endurance, fearlessness, and numbers.]

The legion unleashed the energy they had accumulated by devouring the lower-level creatures they had been hoarding. I watched as tens of thousands of soldiers emerged from the nest in real-time.

[Their corpses are our sustenance. The creatures beginning to reemerge are also our sustenance. They only consumed living animals, but we consume everything alive, including them.]

The legionnaires, who had battled their way up from the 37th floor, resumed their fight against the creatures flooding in from the 38th floor. A variety of monsters charged in,

shrieking. In response to these monsters, a chilling wave of black silence swept across.

A war involving thousands unfolded in a vast cave illuminated by rocks that glowed like the moon. I observed the conflict, oblivious to the passage of time. It wasn’t a battle

that would conclude swiftly. It was a war of attrition, with both sides unleashing their full power until one was forced to retreat.

"I’m back.”

Late at night. I had been watching the screen even on my way home. The house was quiet. My mother was there, but she was just sitting blankly, looking at my sister’s picture. There was nothing I could do for her now. If I told her about the app and the game, her worries would only grow. After all, my sister had become a monster leading other monsters, endlessly fighting.

I apologized to her in my mind and went to my room. I had to deal with the accident I had caused, or rather, had already caused."Yes, Cha Ji Yeon. It was successful.”

I contacted Cha Ji Yeon. I was planning to join her now. It would be dangerous for my mother if she stayed with me, a player.

"Pack your things and come here.”

Cha Ji Yeon instructed me to come to the usual safe house. I packed my things without a word. I had already told my mother. She probably thought it was a school-related dormitory.

[The legion wants to offer you an offering.]

"What?”

[They noticed the discomfort you’re feeling.]

But then, an unexpected sound rang from my phone.

"What the... No, I haven’t given them an offering yet?”

[There’s no rule that you have to give something first.]

Soon, something appeared in front of me with a burst of light. I dumbly accepted it.

"Is this...”

[It’s a device that can shoot poisonous thorns by triggering an internal gas explosion.]

The legion gave me another useful item. To such an incompetent player like me.

[Incompetent? No, you need to change your mindset. In an ecosystem, survival is everything. Especially for players. Compared to those who died prematurely, you’re doing enough.]

"I’m incompetent compared to Cha Ji Yeon’s player.”

[You’ll find out if that’s true when the game ends.]

Will this game ever end? I didn’t bother to open my mouth again. The only consolation to me was that the legion didn’t seem to think badly of me.

"I should give them something too.”

I pulled out the final bag of grape sugar candy I had purchased online and snapped a photo. The feeding function was only relevant in the early stages, so it likely wouldn’t make a difference to the now significantly grown legion. I just hoped they would comprehend my sentiments. I also bought bread for my sister and captured an image of it.

*

[Don’t be too hasty. He will soon send you a reward.]

In the deepest part of the nest where the lower-ranked members appeared, the legion was preparing itself. Soon, something appeared with a swarm of light. The legion picked it up with trembling hands. It was just a simple candy that they had been eating continuously until now. But now, its meaning was different.

"It contains his feelings.”

The mask disappeared, revealing red lips and a small mouth. The legion put the whole bag of candy into its mouth and chewed greedily.

"So, this is what they call delicious?”[-]

The legion, who had been eating even the paper bag, faintly smiled at the sweet taste it was experiencing for the first time. It sat there and crushed all the candies. Of course, it had no digestive organs, so it had to expel everything directly into the nest. But the legion chose to eat directly, even if it was inefficient.

[That bread was meant for Kang Do Yeon.]

"I know.”

All that was left was a bag of bread. But the legion just stared blankly at it, a strange feeling causing it to frown.

[Are you going to eat that too?]

"Kang Do Yeon is also a part of me. If I eat it, it’s as if she’s eating it.”

In the end, the legion did not give the bread to Kang Do Yeon. It wasn’t because of gluttony. After all, Kang Do Yeon could only chew and taste it, but she couldn’t digest it and had to vomit it out.

"It’s delicious.”

The bread started to disappear into its mouth. The legion learned another emotion from its soft and sweet taste.

"It should have been given for me.”

This bread was not meant for it. But it wanted to monopolize everything. Completely, as its own. In the end, the legion crammed the last piece of bread into its mouth. It wasn’t difficult. After all, Kang Do Yeon was just a part of it.

[Even now, the war with the infected is in full swing. Even while you’re eating bread.]

"There’s no problem.”

The legion had the capacity to listen, see, and think simultaneously through all its units. Furthermore, Kang Do Yeon, a sub-mind with a functioning brain, was on-site, ensuring flawless control. If there was any shortfall, Kang Do Yeon’s brain could be utilized.

The intense battlefield was ruled by the ongoing conflict between the legionnaires, who constantly replenished their ranks, and the relentlessly charging infected. This battle had been ongoing for hours.

[Despite the relentless onslaught, we’ve already seized half of the opposing hive. The energy we gain from killing and absorbing them adequately compensates for our losses.]

With swiftness, the legion transported the bodies it had defeated to the nest, instantly absorbing them for energy. During this process, the legion developed a method to repair cells that had been mutated and distorted by the destructive bacteria.

[Moonlight Elf: lk2232]

[Great Hive Soldier: 3j5569]

With that power, it was also possible to restore and identify the genes of the infected. And the analyzed genes simultaneously became the power of the legion.

"Elf.”

The legion remembered the fairies and elves that Kang Do Yeon had explained. Of course, she only explained based on the creative works she had seen, but the legion, which analyzed the genes, found several interesting parts.

[It hasn’t been infected for long. Maybe there are surviving individuals somewhere in this labyrinth.]

"The value is sufficient.”

The legion made a quick decision the moment it saw the possibility. The situation was a bit different from the past. Previously, it was all about eating and disassembling for analysis, but now it had various ways to obtain information.

The legion’s scouts began to disperse through each passage, above the heads of the rampaging infected. The entire area was teeming with creatures infected by the destructive bacteria. All living animals had already succumbed to the infection. Soon, a scout who ventured upstairs discovered a clue.

[These are relatively recent traces... definite signs of a battle. These marks support our speculation of possible survivors.]

The scratches and bloodstains on the walls and floors did not appear to be the work of infected creatures, who did not attack each other.