"I… I only want to survive this war," Sombravida said cautiously.
"Oh?"
The sandworm Adjuchas paused, then emitted a low, contemptuous hiss.
"Your method of survival is to flee?"
Its mandibles flexed.
"When I summoned you, I overlooked your indiscriminate feeding. That was my mistake. You have already disappointed me."
Its massive tail swung toward Sombravida.
"If you are useless, then you will serve as nourishment."
"My lord, wait— please listen—"
The Adjuchas did not slow.
"An insect is still an insect. No matter how interesting, it cannot escape its nature."
The tail descended.
"Die."
The Anti-Membrana
CLANG!
Just before impact, the enormous tail struck a layer of golden light.
The sound rang like struck metal.
The sandworm paused.
"This is… a Negación membrane?"
The Adjuchas swayed its tail experimentally against the shimmering barrier, then emitted an amused hiss.
"Interesting. You deploy a defensive membrane against me."
It laughed.
"But insect… do you think this can imprison me?"
"My lord, I meant no offense."
Sombravida immediately dispelled the barrier.
"I do not seek to escape. I seek to survive."
The sandworm's mandibles clicked slowly.
"Explain."
Sombravida bowed deeply.
"My strength is meaningless amid hundreds of Adjuchas. If I remain at the front, I die without purpose. By moving to the rear, I sought not escape… but a way to ensure survival and victory."
The tail smashed down beside him, crushing several unfortunate Gillians.
"Arrogant!"
The ground trembled.
"A newly evolved Gillian presumes to lecture the battlefield? For decades I have led the Northern Forest. Every war ends in mutual devastation. None achieves victory. And you — an ant — speak of winning?"
"My lord… forgive my bluntness."
Sombravida took a step back beneath the crushing pressure.
"The current method is mere attrition. Cannon fodder devouring cannon fodder. Such warfare cannot achieve victory."
The Adjuchas tilted its head.
"Tactics. Cannon fodder. Explain."
It did not understand.
That alone told Sombravida everything.
The Difference Between Power and Command
A Hollow could survive countless duels and still know nothing of warfare.
Most Adjuchas learned through individual combat.
Commanding thousands was something else entirely.
Sombravida bowed deeper.
"Great Lord of the Northern Forest… grant me one opportunity. I will deliver you victory."
The killing intent diminished — slightly.
"Hmph. Why should I trust an insect?"
Sombravida spoke quickly.
"Because you have never seen a Gillian use the Negación membrane as I did."
The Adjuchas hesitated.
"…True."
"In all your centuries of war, have you seen another?"
"…No."
"But that is not enough."
"My strength is nothing," Sombravida continued. "But you command dozens of Adjuchas. If their power is coordinated — rather than wasted — victory becomes possible."
The sandworm's mandibles snapped.
"Do you intend to command me?"
"No, my lord," Sombravida answered immediately. "Only to offer a method. If it fails, you may devour me."
Silence fell.
The battlefield roared in the distance.
Finally—
"Speak."
The tail struck the ground like a judge's gavel.
The Plan
Sombravida stepped closer and spoke quietly.
The Adjuchas listened.
The more Sombravida spoke, the more the massive creature fell into thought.
After a long pause, it lifted its head.
"…Riat."
A beetle-like Adjuchas descended from above.
"My lord."
"Escort this Gillian to the rear."
"Yes."
The beetle hovered above Sombravida.
"Insect. Grab my antennae."
Sombravida obeyed immediately, relief flooding through him.
For now, he would live.
The Northern Forest Command
At the rear formation, Sombravida finally witnessed the true strength of the Northern Forest.
Over sixty Adjuchas.
Nearly half were insectoid.
The remainder were beast-humanoid hybrids.
Among them stood a familiar figure:
the serpent Adjuchas Nigi.
His spiritual pressure had grown denser.
He had likely devoured Kaslanin and been absorbed into the Northern command.
The power structure was clear.
This forest favored insectoid Hollows — likely due to affinity and evolutionary lineage.
Sombravida realized:
if Nel advanced further, her form might retain antelope traits.
But he himself was fully humanoid.
His future lay elsewhere.
Strength of the Northern Forest
"Is this the forest's full strength?" Sombravida asked carefully.
"Not even one third," the beetle Adjuchas replied dismissively.
"Every decade, two of the three Forests of Menos wage war. It provides advancement opportunities for Adjuchas struggling in the inner regions — and for newly evolved ones."
Sombravida absorbed the information quickly.
The Northern Forest possessed two to three hundred Adjuchas.
• Many remained because they lacked the strength to survive the inner domains.
• The war was cyclical — inevitable.
He might live to see another.
If he survived this one.
Orders of War
The sandworm Adjuchas landed heavily, silencing the surrounding commanders.
"All Adjuchas, heed my command!"
Instant stillness.
"In one quarter hour, advance to the front line.
Each of you will control ten Gillians.
Udo, Cabno — extend left and right. Maintain rear positioning.
Avoid unnecessary injury."
The named Adjuchas bowed.
"Riat — remain with me in the center."
Its mandibles flexed.
"When I fire a Cero into the sky, deploy Negación membranes over the central formation.
When the signal appears again, concentrate your strongest Cero and bombard the enemy Adjuchas."
"Yes, my lord!"
The commanders dispersed instantly.
Only the sandworm, Riat, and Sombravida remained.
A Ruler's Ambition
"I have battled the Southern Forest's master for decades," the sandworm murmured.
"We stand on the threshold of Vasto Lorde."
Its voice carried hunger.
"If I devour him… I will ascend."
Sombravida bowed.
"You will triumph, Great Lord."
The words tasted bitter, but survival required humility.
"Hmph. Enough."
It vanished in a Sonído-like displacement.
Riat lifted Sombravida into the air and followed.
Encirclement
Fifteen minutes later, they reached the front.
Gillians exchanged Cero in relentless waves.
Another two volleys would collapse the front line.
Attrition.
Meaningless slaughter.
Exactly what Sombravida had predicted.
Under Adjuchas command, the Northern Gillians began lateral movement.
Within minutes, they formed a crude semi-encirclement.
Then the barrage began.
Wave after wave of Cero fell upon the disorganized southern ranks.
Simple.
Crude.
Effective.
Sombravida understood the limitations:
Gillians could not execute complex maneuvers.
Adjuchas could not micromanage thousands.
Thus, the simplest tactic prevailed:
surround → compress → annihilate.
The battlefield shifted.
What had been a stalemate became a slaughter.
Southern Gillians collapsed under overwhelming fire.
Losses escalated.
And with escalating losses…
the true battle was about to begin.