Became the Queen of the Legion

[Auxiliary brain growth is complete]

“Now I don’t find this kind of thing gross anymore.”

The auxiliary brain is literally a brain. A huge brain was writhing right in front of my eyes now.

Tentacles connected here and there supply nutrients to the auxiliary brain and help it fully utilize its computational power.

And when I connect it to myself…

“Kugh!?”

The moment the tentacle extending from the auxiliary brain connected to my body.

I almost lost consciousness for a moment due to a strange sensation I had never felt before in my life.

An intense feeling that my consciousness itself was expanding, something impossible to explain in words. It was incomparable even to when I first used the queen’s power.

At the same time, I could finally realize. That the hive consciousness I had been aware of until now was just a piece of a vast ocean.

It was chilling to think that if I were swept away by this enormous wave, even my ego could be swept away and disappear.

‘If the soldiers had egos too.’

I couldn’t be sure. It’s because the egos of the soldiers I command now are almost non-existent, but if islands like me started appearing one by one in this vast ocean, I didn’t know when conflicts would occur or break apart.

“Now you’re telling me to do such a… dangerous thing.”

[But its performance is certain]

When my eyes, which had rolled back without me realizing, returned to normal, my vision recovered too.

When I barely regained my senses like this, I glared at the system message flickering before my eyes, feeling dumbfounded.

[With the auxiliary brain connection, computational power has greatly increased, making hive command much easier]

The system calmly listed only good things.

Of course, I didn’t deny that. I could feel its effectiveness best, being connected to the auxiliary brain right now.

‘It’s like my own body.’

Until now, there had been subtle delays or interruptions while possessing other individuals or commanding troops.

Like a low-performance computer struggling to work. But now all that awkwardness has disappeared.

“This way we can increase the number of individuals even more. Several times, no, tens of times more.”

The first thought that came to mind was increasing the number of individuals. This was the reason why we couldn’t increase numbers even with sufficient nutrients until now.

Now that this restriction is gone, if we keep growing and improving the auxiliary brain while increasing the number of individuals, it might not be a dream to have tens or hundreds of millions of troops.

And what’s absolutely necessary for such an explosive increase in numbers is a new method of reproduction.

[Genetic Replication is a trait that allows reproduction means to reproduce on their own even without your intervention by replicating your genes]

Genetic Replication, a new trait acquired along with the auxiliary brain. Its power was none other than breaking the limits of reproduction.

Our existing reproductive activity to increase the number of individuals was a method of creating each individual by injecting genes manipulated using omnipotent cells in my body into eggs grown in artificial uteruses.

In other words, there was the drawback that I had to necessarily intervene in the artificial uterus. But by using Genetic Replication, reproduction becomes possible without my direct intervention.

It meant that in a nest created at a distance, troops could be created on their own even without me.

‘Is it telling me to create multiples?’

To increase the number of individuals several times over, we need several times more artificial uteruses. And artificial digestive organs to supply nutrients to feed those uteruses.

No matter how much we can increase space by digging, this nest is now physically short on space. It meant we need to create a new nest in a new place.

“There happen to be a few suitable places nearby.”

Making a nest above ground still seemed too dangerous. However, places like this cave where we’ve made our nest are not uncommon in this area.

I dispatched workers to those places that remained vivid in my memory.

The maximized memory was also an ability of the auxiliary brain. It may be a goblin brain, but its size is as large as a 2-ton truck. It has long since transcended the human brain far beyond.

‘Now one thing remains. Magic power.’

The first war with the goblins, which brought enormous gains, the last thing to settle was the new nutrients acquired by catching and killing special goblins.

* * *

[To decompose and absorb magic power, and to use it again, conditions are needed]

It was impossible to use those nutrients right away. However, I focused on the fact that utilization itself was possible.

Magic power is a force allowed only to demon races, which can be considered higher species. In other civilizations, it’s sometimes called ether or mana, and sometimes called internal energy.

Even among low-level demon races like goblins, it was a power that only a few special individuals could possess.

And yet, we, who are mere insects albeit mutants, can use it.

“Are you sure? That we can use it. Then can we use magic and sorcery like other demon races?”

[It’s certain]

I asked for confirmation just in case. Even if it has annoying aspects, it won’t lie, so there’s no reason to doubt at this point.

‘The conditions, obviously, must be trait points.’

That answer was enough for me now. Anyway, it must be an ability that can be naturally acquired by continuing what we’ve been doing.

[Workers have arrived at a place to make a new nest. Other creatures are living inside]

“It’s our home now. Hunt them all.”

[Scouts heading along the designated route have discovered traces of more goblins]

“Seems the map wasn’t wrong. Assess their base and numbers. I think we’ll need to give flight ability to the scouts.”

I, now able to handle multiple simultaneous events at a much faster pace, moved the hive without rest.

It wasn’t just me. We don’t rest. As soon as individuals taking necessary rest enter rest, other individuals immediately fill their place.

While building new nests on one side and conducting hunting and collection activities, on the other side they were busily scouting and finding those we would mark as our next attack targets.

“Quite large.”

[Over 500 individuals confirmed so far]

There was another goblin village we found like that. So large it should be called a city rather than a village or settlement.

Thick walls made of palisades and earth stand, and armed troops hold bows or crossbows standing guard on high watchtowers.

There seemed to be many special individuals at a glance.

It was hard to examine closely as the scout mustn’t be detected, but just seeing the mountainside all cut away and made into fields showed how developed they were.

“…Huh?”

But then. Something caught my eye.

It was a red-skinned goblin harnessing a black beetle-like demonic beast and making it plow the field.

Seeing that, I was speechless for a moment. That red-skinned goblin is an individual that could never appear in a natural environment.

[Achievement, Encounter with Another Player (1) completed. 1 trait point awarded as reward]

“How is this possible?”

I found myself asking involuntarily. Even knowing there was no way I’d get an answer.

[The possibility was always open]

As expected, the system didn’t give a proper answer.

I hadn’t been able to be sure without evidence until now, but the moment I found that evidence, it kindly stamped the certification mark like this.

The red-skinned goblin I just saw is a higher-tier goblin that can be created with the traits possessed by a player who chose goblins.

In other words, those goblins were forces directly cultivated by a player, like my soldiers.

[The game continues. This is a condition that applies equally to everyone]

“That’s nonsense! Then, is the player of those goblins in this world now like me?!”

[That’s not the case]

“??? What on earth does this mean?”

The conversation was happening, but it was hard to understand properly. Then does this mean others are comfortably playing the game at home while I alone am suffering like this?

[All truths can be known as the game progresses]

I had a lot to say, but I was struck speechless seeing the text appearing before my eyes.

Well, even if I knew the truth now, there was only one thing I could do whatever that truth might be. Just continuing to grow and evolve my forces like now.

“…If it’s a player’s forces, I can’t leave them alone anymore.”

It’s not like I haven’t played multiplayer mode. Unless you’re planning to cooperate from the start, a player next to your base is just an interfering competitor.

Crushing them early was the best option. Because if we all develop and grow and then collide, the damage only becomes greater.

“I’ll have to move even more busily. First, new scouts.”

I gritted my teeth as I struck the armrest of my chair.

I was only thinking of overcoming this. Whatever interference comes. Having come this far already, I had no intention of giving up.