It had been a week since we conquered Area 601 and established it as the A-Plan Legion's base.
This week had been the busiest yet.
With a sizable population to govern, we needed to establish basic laws. Quick-witted merchants, somehow learning of our success, swiftly arrived in Area 601 and presented various proposals to the A-Plan Legion.
Among us, the one who worked tirelessly was Kang Myungjin, the Master of the A-Plan Legion. He moved tirelessly to forge friendly relations with Legions stationed near our territory.
Our conquest of Area 601, achieved solely through our Legion's strength without external assistance, had also caught the attention of major Legions. The A-Plan Legion was now widely regarded as a "Super Rookie" a highly coveted talent.
"They probably want to devour the entire Legion if they could. Fortunately for us, the nearby major Legions are too busy sizing each other up to make any rash moves."
The other Legion members focused on internal reorganization.
As for me, Kang Myungjin kept me running errands outside the fortress.
I don't like being worked so hard, but there's no choice... It's still early days. I need to keep moving until the A-Plan Legion stabilizes. Then we can grow even faster than in the Original Work.
Currently, I've entered a village near Area 601 called "Sector 174, Cool Summer."
This village was home to thousands of zelkova trees, outnumbering both its buildings and residents. True to its name, Cool Summer, a refreshing breeze drifted through the air.
I walked toward one side of the village, where a long, single-story building stretched out. Its shoddy construction made it look more like a warehouse than a dwelling.
As I approached, nearly twenty people burst out of the building in a flurry.
They were all lightly dressed. Some wore only pants, their shirts discarded somewhere, while others had thrown on ragged, makeshift garments. Yet each of them gripped a menacing weapon in their hands.
One of them stepped forward a middle-aged man with a scruffy beard, puffing on a cigarette. His belly protruded prominently as he casually swung a massive halberd in one hand, slamming it heavily against the ground.
"Who the hell are you, barging into our Legion headquarters like this?"
"Barging in? As you can see, I walked in straight and proud."
"There's a Barrier up front with a sign that says 'Do Not Enter,' you moron."
"Oh, that thing? The writing was so messy, I thought it was just some kid's scribbles."
"Bullshit. Your eyes must be fucked up."
The man flicked his cigarette butt at me irritably. I tilted my head, and the butt whizzed past my ear, landing on the ground. A few embers brushed my hair.
I brushed the ash from my hair. It was such a minuscule amount that it barely clung to my fingers, but ash was ash.
I've decided.
Kang Myungjin had told me to resolve things peacefully if possible. Following his advice, I'd planned to attempt a conversation at least once.
I'll kill them all.
How could I possibly stay quiet after such a warm welcome?
"Look at that murderous aura! Must be in a foul mood, huh?"
"Is this how the Tyrant Legion treats its guests?"
"If you're a guest, you should follow our rules. Now, who are you? I've never seen you before. Anyone know this punk?"
Tyrant, the Master of the Tyrant Legion, scanned the surrounding Legion members. They all shook their heads.
"Never seen him before, sir."
"What's one more arrogant bastard?"
"Guys with strong Unique Traits often act like this. They need to be taught a lesson with the whip."
The Master turned back to me.
"Did you hear that? We don't know you. Reveal your identity and why you're here. Depending on your reason, we might spare you."
I pulled a crumpled piece of paper from my pocket a letter filled with violent threats.
"Ah, that. We sent it."
The letter consisted of six lines, roughly summarizing as follows:
Hand over Area 601 if you don't want to die.
"If you're from the A-Plan Legion, you should have said so earlier. We might have offered you some water. But what's your answer? When will you surrender Area 601 to us? We'd prefer it cleared out by tomorrow, but we can wait about three days."
"I'll give it to you in about a hundred years."
"Huh?"
"Wait patiently until then. If you're bored, you can wait in hell."
"Ooh, someone's looking for a fight. I heard the A-Plan Legion Master uses a spear... Where are your comrades? Did you really come alone?"
"You guys are no match for me even on my own. Now, let the hellish sightseeing tour begin! No refunds. Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside!"
I crumpled the paper in my hand and shoved it into my pocket, clenching both fists.
Crackling electricity.
I activated Astrape(C), a skill that imbues weapons with the power of lightning. This "weapon" includes fists and feet. Since the definition of "weapon" is based on my interpretation, I could theoretically imbue my entire body if I considered it a weapon. However, I'd need a higher Rank for that.
"You little bastard. I'll cut your throat, stuff you in a coffin, and send you back to your Master."
"As for the rest of you... well, the beasts will take care of you."
I charged at them. I didn't even feel the need to draw my sword; my bare hands would suffice.
Manroe.
Feigning a punch, I unleashed a bolt of lightning.
Kwarurururung!
The man struck by the lightning died instantly, without even a death cry.
Thwack!
I slammed my fist down like a hammer on the dwarf charging at me from the lower right. The thunderbolt coursing through his body extinguished his life.
"You bastard!"
The man behind me raised his greatsword high, a faint blue sword qi coalescing along the blade. I nearly laughed at its crudeness.
Manroe.
Beneath his feet, where he couldn't see, I conjured Manroe. Lightning bolts pierced him, surging upward into the sky Falling Thunder, striking from the ground to the heavens.
The battlefield was in chaos. The enemy forces, poorly trained and inexperienced in large-scale combat, were tangled in disarray.
Of course, my eel-like disruption contributed significantly to the confusion. I deliberately inserted myself into the most chaotic areas.
"Hey, you bastards! What are you doing? Why are you cowering on the ground? I told you before! Dying in battle is for cowards!" Tyrant roared, unable to bear the sight any longer. But their fear was understandable.
Thunderbolt.
I controlled the lightning that fell from the sky. The deafening thunderclaps instilled overwhelming dread. To people, lightning was even more terrifying than fire.
Thwack!
I slammed my fist into the man's jaw. He flew upward, then crashed backward. I stomped on his collapsing body and leaped into the air.
As my vision expanded, I saw the enemy forces scrambling around me in chaos.
Five Manroe.
Five bolts of lightning erupted simultaneously, tearing through the battlefield in every direction.
Krakatoom!
"Aaaaaaaah!"
Thunder and screams mingled. Amidst the pandemonium, I swung my fists and legs with relentless ferocity.
As the battle raged on, the enemy numbers dwindled while my own wounds multiplied. Even for me, completely evading weaponized attacks without any defense was impossible. Still, none of the injuries were critical enough to hinder my combat effectiveness.
"..."
In the end, every member of the Tyrant Legion was dead except for their Master, Tyrant himself.
I stood before Tyrant, who loomed like a malevolent deity. The deep green sword qi swirling around his halberd pulsed with savage, beast-like energy.
"...I heard your A-Plan Legion is made up of rookies who've only been in Atlantis for two months. Is that false information?"
My current strength was far beyond what any rookie could possess. If even I thought so, what must my opponent be thinking?
"No. It's true."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"Our Legion is a bit special. Believe it or not, it's your choice."
I had no intention of wasting my breath explaining anything to a man who was about to die anyway.
Tyrant gripped his halberd tightly with both hands. His log-thick arm muscles bulged, veins throbbing visibly. Then, Tyrant's body began to grow steadily larger.
...His Unique Trait must be Gigantification.
I unleashed a bolt of lightning at him.
KRAKOOM!
Tyrant didn't flinch as the lightning struck him head-on. Yet the bolt failed to paralyze him. His eyes blazed with an intense light as his body swelled in size.
Does he possess a skill related to Attribute Resistance? Or is this a characteristic of Gigantification itself?
I unleashed a lightning strike even more powerful than before. Tyrant staggered, but the effect was far from satisfactory.
At this rate, this is barely a stun gun to him.
Having grown to a colossal 4 meters tall, Tyrant charged toward me. Each thunderous step shook the ground like a moving mountain.
I ducked under his sweeping halberd and lunged into his guard.
My fist slammed into Tyrant's abdomen.
Thwack!
Yet he didn't writhe in pain. Instead, he drove his knee upward into my body. As my right calf floated into the air, his massive hand seized it brutally and slammed it against the ground.
Gah!
A bone-shattering pain coursed through my body. But there was no time to writhe in agony. A halberd, wreathed in deep green sword qi, was already descending toward my head.
Clang!
I rolled aside to dodge the halberd, then sprang to my feet and charged at Tyrant once more.
Manroe!
I squeezed every last drop of Mana from my reserves, conjuring twelve Manroe orbs around Tyrant. Then I unleashed a simultaneous barrage of lightning.
Zzzzt! Zzzzt!
The twelve Manroe orbs resonated with each other, coalescing into a single, colossal bolt of lightning that struck Tyrant.
"Kaaaaaah!"
Tyrant screamed and collapsed to his knees. His eyes rolled back he had passed out. Seizing this golden opportunity, I stomped on his knee, climbed onto his back, and began pummeling his head with my fists.
After the seventh blow to the head, the Tyrant's skull finally shattered, killing it.
You have gained 7,500 AP.
The AP notification confirmed its death.
The Tyrant's corpse began to shrink, its body reverting to its original size as its death released the skill that had enlarged it.
Since this is an opportunity, I should search the body. It might have some good items.
Just as I was about to search the Tyrant's corpse, I sensed movement behind me.
Turning around, I saw twelve people approaching cautiously, their eyes wary.
Their matching light green leather coats and weapons made it clear they weren't just some ragtag Legion.
"Who are you? Sector 174 is Livs Legion territory. What reason did you have for annihilating the Tyrant Legion?"
Stepping forward was a woman with platinum blonde hair, skin so pale it was almost translucent, and striking features. Her chest appeared to be around a B-cup, not particularly large, but her figure was slim and elegant, like a model's.
My eyes widened as I noticed her ears. Unlike the pointed ears of vampires, these were triangular. I recognized her instantly.
A Half-Elf!
I had only heard of them before; this was the first time I had ever seen one in person.
"Answer the question. If you continue to remain silent, we will consider you an enemy."
They exuded a menacing aura, yet their Qi was disciplined and orderly a world apart from the Tyrant Legion's chaotic energy.
I was in no condition to fight. My mana was nearly depleted, and I needed to heal the wounds on my body. Even if I used Complete Recovery, I doubted I could defeat them all simultaneously.
Escaping might be my only option.
"Ah, my apologies. I was momentarily dazed by the aftereffects of the battle. I came to Sector 174 because I have business with the Tyrant Legion, not to fight the Livs Legion."
My words seemed to dampen their aggressive stance.
"The Tyrant Legion is a Legion that stays in our territory after paying the proper dues. If they started this trouble without cause, we won't forgive them. The reputation of our Livs Legion is at stake."