A Legion Grows From My Smartphone

Chapter 78

'Is there a problem?'

"Yes. There is."

Kang Do-Yeon, who had taken off her mask, nodded with a hardened expression.

This place was the Legion’s Nest established in a destroyed village.

It was a type of base outpost that excluded absorption and analysis functions, focusing solely on decomposition and assimilation.

These base outposts played a crucial role in supplying nutrients to the Legion Soldiers by breaking down the organic matter fed into them and converting it into nutrients.

"Why did you give me the order to stop? You clearly told me to step forward and fight!"

'That’s true. But the situation has changed.'

"Situation?"

Kang Do-Yeon, who had been protesting, flinched in confusion.

'He seemed not to want you to fight.'

The Legion released its control over the information and informed her of what had just happened.

Kang Do-Yeon's face shifted rapidly in reaction to the revelation.

"Eve."

'You understand what I mean.'

She muttered blankly and frowned, clutching her throbbing head.

It was not the Legion’s decision to exclude her from the battle; it was Shin Woo’s will. The Legion had merely received and acted upon his request.

In fact, the Legion was rather displeased about pulling her out of the battlefront.

'Honestly, I can’t understand it. If he’s worried about you getting hurt because you’re weak, the right thing to do is not to hide or run, but to fight and become stronger. Fleeing will only lead to endless fleeing. But if that’s what he wants... then it must be followed.'

"Then what about my absence? There’s no one stronger than me."

"We can create one."

"..!"

Kang Do-Yeon abruptly lifted her head. The voice came from the trunk of the Sacred Tree used to create this Base Nest.

The Sacred Tree began to twist. It poured all the energy stored in the Base Nest into itself, accelerating cell division for rapid growth.

Although this method of production was incredibly inefficient, akin to pouring water into a bottomless pit, they simply accepted it, as food was not only abundant but overflowing at the moment.

Soon, a human form began to emerge from the tree trunk. A female form, with long black hair and embedded core engines.

"From now on, I will personally fight. Operating a Command Entity does place a considerable burden on the Collective Consciousness, but it can’t be helped."

Eve, who had created her own body in an instant, shattered the now brittle Sacred Tree and landed on the ground, coldly muttering as she looked at Kang Do-Yeon.

"Ah..."

It was true that she found battle terrifying and unpleasant. It was also true that she felt a sense of rejection at the idea of killing humans who looked just like herself, whether they were from another world or not.

However, being excluded like this genuinely hurt Kang Do-Yeon’s heart for some reason.

"How strange. Why do I feel this way?"

"...I don’t want to be left out."

Eve, who was the Legion itself, instantly understood Kang Do-Yeon’s Emotion, which was practically a part of herself.

Knowing this, Kang Do-Yeon didn’t hide her true feelings and spoke honestly.

"You’re afraid and hesitant right now. But separate from that, you have determination and desire."

"That’s right."

"It’s contradictory. The emotional spectrum of pure humans is inefficient and trash. It’s complex and shameless, often tripping over itself."

Eve brought her masked face right up to Kang Do-Yeon’s.

However, Kang Do-Yeon didn’t avert her gaze.

"You’re right. But I want to be helpful to my older brother. I’ve felt that way for ten years. I’m done being powerless and helpless. I want to become strong so I can protect what’s precious to me... even if it means killing someone."

"..."

The turmoil in her heart settled at that moment. It was as if she had put on a mask, but this time, Kang Do-Yeon wasn’t wearing one.

Eve slowly turned her head and began calculating.

[Weighing his request against her will. Which will you prioritize?]

"The answer is already clear."

Eve finished her calculation quickly. From the Legion’s perspective, letting their only Submind idle in the rear had never been an appealing option to begin with.

"Prove your determination. Use the willpower, the one somewhat useful strength humans possess."

"Prove it?"

"You said you’d fight to protect. Then move to that place right now. Some fools are daring to attack our Base Nest. Commander of the Legion, launch immediately, kill them all, and defend our nest."

Eve showed Kang Do-Yeon the situation occurring several hundred kilometers away from their current location.

There was another Base Nest there. A legion army was advancing toward that nest.

"But it’s too far! There’s not enough time!"

"I told you. Prove your determination. You’re mine before you’re his younger sibling. Becoming stronger is something I decide."

"Ugh!"

Eve moved her body, enveloping Kang Do-Yeon.

She literally embraced her. It wasn’t an act of affection.

"Ah... Aaaaah!"

Her eyes widened as she screamed uncontrollably, unable to endure the pain.

Eve’s body, composed of Omnipotent Cells, began to collapse and cling tightly to Kang Do-Yeon’s body, seeping into her.

The process of reconstructing her entire body caused pain akin to the torture inflicted by infection fungi manipulating a victim’s nervous system.

'Endure it, and you’ll gain strength. Fail, and you’ll be weeded out.'

Eve whispered to her spirit as she writhed in agony.

The Heavenly Soul Technique was the current Legion’s fundamental medium for manifesting Formative Power using core engines, and it operated based on the user’s will and spirit.

No matter how many core engines were attached, they would be inefficient if the user’s will was weak.

For Eve, a colossal bioform with immense build, this was no problem. But Kang Do-Yeon was different.

To grow stronger, she had to prove her worth herself.

'Though you endured it, I spoon-fed you power that no one else could obtain.'

The seemingly endless time of pain came to an end. Kang Do-Yeon, now alone at the scene, rose with her modified body.

There were almost no visible changes in her appearance.

However, the number of dormant Omnipotent Cells within her body had nearly doubled. This meant that the size of the core engine replacing her heart had also doubled, resulting in twice the output.

"Haaah..."

Exhaling a heated breath, she lowered her head, and from her back, a pair of massive black feathered wings burst forth at high speed.

The joints of the wings gleamed with crimson ore.

'The proof is not yet complete. Go and block the enemies.'

She soared into the sky in an instant. She didn’t just have wings.

Her armor’s backplate released propulsion through holes, generating tremendous thrust at incredible speed.

"The moment of choice."

Clenching her teeth, she muttered to herself.

In this world, one cannot have everything. So, one must always choose.

"What, what is that!"

"In the sky... Aaaah!"

She arrived at the scene in an instant, landing on the ground without reducing her speed.

The shockwave from her landing kicked up dust clouds, sending those approaching the Base Nest tumbling to the ground.

There were no Legion Soldiers near the nest.

Eve had pulled them all back. This place was solely a testing ground for Kang Do-Yeon.

'They are my enemies, the Legion’s enemies.'

With her blackened eyes flashing a red glow, she lifted her head and looked at the startled and terrified enemies without wearing a mask.

"A woman..?"

"A monster! Kill it!"

Panicked, they instinctively raised their weapons and charged.

She made her choice as well. Monster—she couldn’t agree more with that word.

'I am a monster.'

The moment she swung her razor-sharp wings.

The dark crimson aura enveloping her wings sliced through the air like blades. Blood sprayed in all directions.

"Aaargh!"

One soldier, lucky enough to survive her initial strike, charged at her with his sword.

She grabbed him by the neck with her clawed, armor-covered hand.

And then she squeezed.

"Urk."

With a cracking sound, the lifeless soldier's broken corpse slumped to the ground.

For a brief moment, she overlapped the Red Cross Eyes of the Blue Suit, who had once tried to kill her, with the face of the lifeless soldier whose limbs she had severed and crushed.

The pain and shock of that time were still vividly etched in her memory.

"Ugh, ugh...!"

"Run away!"

The remaining people, overwhelmed by the sight, turned around and began to flee.

'It's a basic principle to conceal information.'

Eve gave the command to kill everyone who had discovered the Nest.

Kang Do-Yeon gritted her teeth and kicked the ground.

Each time she moved, people fell, spraying blood.

The mask, which reflected her Emotions, repeatedly appeared and disappeared.

'This is sufficient. At the very least, she'll be able to fight without issue during Defense.'

However, when she pierced the back of her Final Opponent with her hand, penetrating through, Eve smiled in satisfaction.

"Defense... you mean during Defense?"

'It seems that the Enemies are starting to gather in earnest.'

The Legion, showing the Data collected by the Scouts scattered around, addressed Kang Do-Yeon, who was catching her breath.

It had only been a day since the Legion's identity was revealed.

During that time, Humans, who had been unable to respond properly and limited their efforts to Regional Unit rescue operations, had quickly organized and summoned an army.

'Delay them. Buy as much time as possible. Currently, all Forces are being allocated to Corruption, Assimilation, and Nest expansion, so we have to hold them off with only the pre-produced Troops for now.'

The Legion decided to accept the challenge.