Iriel lowered her head, her red armor reflecting the flickering torchlight.
She didn't argue this time.
Instead, she fell into a cold, logical internal analysis.
'SSS-Rank... a level of power we currently know nothing about.
If he's telling the truth about the power gap, then our presence on the battlefield wouldn't just be useless; it would be a liability.
He'd have to split his focus to protect us from the mere pressure of the Demon King's aura.
Every soldier I send out there is a soul wasted.
Our duty isn't to be the sword—we no longer have the edge for that.
Our duty is to be the shield.
We hold this point, and protect what we can'
She raised her head, her gaze meeting Mu Zhong's indifferent eyes.
A simple analysis had already told her everything.
"But we can stop the [Black Calamity].
We can keep the Darkness from reaching your back."
Mu Zhong shook his head.
"The so-called [Black Calamity] doesn't pose the slightest risk to me.
It's the same Power Gap mechanics.
The power difference is too high for them to even near my figure.
Even if they do manage to touch it?
At my full power they will evaporate without giving me the slightest Hindrance.
Instead, you must be prepared for the opposite.
Once my fight with the Demon King begins, the [Black Calamity] might become increasingly uncontrollable.
Its instincts will flare up as its master is pressured."
He stepped away from the window, his expression sharpening.
"It's better for you to prepare for an unstoppable tide.
But you don't need to worry about the long term.
You only need to endure the Calamity for one hour.
I only need sixty minutes to kill the Demon King.
I will take care of the rest myself."
"Aren't you a bit too overconfident?"
Iriel asked, her voice laced with a lingering, defensive skepticism.
"Arrogance kills Heroes faster than monsters do."
Mu Zhong smiled, but it wasn't the playful grin from before.
It was the smile of a Bloodthirsty maniac who had already calculated the end of the game.
"It's not just because I have enough strength myself.
I have an absolute trump card."
'Affinities for every element, SSS-Rank Combat Power, and Trial Early-Stage Continental-Rank power...' Mu Zhong thought privately.
'Julian, no matter how strong you are, you are no cheater.
And according to the rules of "Only Cheaters can beat Cheaters", With your limited-self, you cannot beat me at all.'
Though I will still be cautious to not get troubled.
I thought as I had no interest in courting death and would use Space affinities and Shadow and analysis Affinities at every turn.
Iriel nodded slowly.
She didn't understand the technicalities, but she recognized the absolute certainty in his voice.
"Understood.
We will do as you say.
And... the command of this fortress?"
She hesitated, her eyes flickering toward the central chair.
'He's already usurped my authority with food and Strength.
He's purged the Capital.
Logic says he'll take the mantle of General now to ensure his "one hour" goes perfectly.
I'll be lucky if I'm allowed to remain as a captain.'
"The fortress will remain under your command," Mu Zhong said casually.
Iriel's eyebrows shot up in a flash of sarcasm.
"I thought you hated me.
Or at least, you found me to be a 'donkey'."
Mu Zhong's smile widened slightly.
"I do find your attitude annoying as hell, but that doesn't mean I undermine your talent.
You've held this hellhole together for months with nothing but scrap and willpower.
Your contribution to this world is enormous, and I'm not so bored or stupid as to disrupt a functioning system just to satisfy my ego.
That's simply a waste.
Besides, a Mere Fortress is not enough to change the game anyway."
Iriel's eyebrows twitched at the backhanded compliment, but the Legion Captains behind her let out audible sighs of relief.
The transition of power stayed stable.
After all they would also not be safe in such cases.
Although they don't mind getting demoted but they also have to be responsible for their men.
To not get a fool as their Captain is good.
To remain as captains is better.
"Okay, it's time to go outside,"
Mu Zhong said, gesturing for Clara to follow.
"I have most of the equipment you want in my inventory, but I don't have any arrows.
Just bring me every normal arrow you have, and I will enchant them before I rest."
As Mu Zhong stepped out into the courtyard, thousands of soldiers from the "Rest" shift gathered in a silent, awe-struck circle beneath the artificial sun he had created.
He began to unload from his vast inventory.
First came high-quality armor parts—breastplates of reinforced steel and greaves of immense durability.
To Mu Zhong, this was child's play; he had already forged S-Rank and SS-Rank weapons, so mass-producing anything below A-Rank was an incredibly simple task.
While armor production is traditionally more difficult than sword-smithing, his Domination and Multiple Control talents made it easy.
Furthermore, he was backed by the spoils of several looted kingdoms in KonoSuba.
Those nations may have lacked top-tier skills or fighters, but their treasures were vast—the combined total was double the entire wealth of Belzerg.
Mind you, this was after the fact that Belzerg had to be supplied with Magic Weapons and Military supplies by every country since Belzerg was the only country that could resist the Demon King Army there and had the highest strength.
Next came the Mage Cloaks, woven from mana-conductive silk.
The 25,000 mages watched in disbelief as he produced them.
This process was even easier for him: take a random magic cloth and inscribe enchantments using a Magic Pen and Ink, guided again by his Domination Talent.
As he worked, a modern realization struck him.
If humans in the normal world can create cars through automated AI and operate entire hospitals with machines, why can't mere armor be created the same way?
To him, etching Magic Arrays was even easier than high-end engineering.
He realized he should focus on building automatic assembly lines for armor, equipment, and food.
With his Multiple Intelligence-Based Talents, the theoretical research seemed straightforward, but the practical application was a minefield.
The only real hurdle was the requirement for a High-Level AI.
"Damn, this thing needs deep research,"