The Mynoghra royal palace and the Dark Elf district were separated by some distance. Walking along the newly paved road where trees had already been cleared, flanked by his bodyguard Isla, Takuto formulated a strategy in his mind.
"First, let's assess our combat strength. Gia's warrior unit numbers a hundred. That's less than one full unit by the count, but their morale is at its peak."
"There are also the brood I have spawned. They are labor insects, but thanks to the bonuses, they should be capable of fighting to some degree."
"This is why Isla is called Mynoghra's mightiest hero. Labor brood normally have a combat power of zero. However, with Isla's bonus, they become units with a combat power of two, capable of defense as well..."
Takuto's gaze flickered downward to the graded road.
A considerable time had passed since he summoned Isla. The labor insect units spawned by her ability [Brood Spawning] had already demonstrated their full value in the city's construction and reclamation efforts.
A combat power of two was weak, but it still counted as military force.
Against monsters of goblin-level strength, they could hold their own—more than sufficient for scouting and clearing fodder.
The redundancy provided by the hero unit Isla was proving its full worth.
"If you had also been producing combat brood, our defense would have been airtight. It seems calamity always arrives at the worst possible moment."
"If you believe there could be a worse situation than this, then we can actually rest easy."
It was undoubtedly a calamity, but having Isla here was more reassuring to Takuto than anything else. Had her summoning not arrived in time, he would certainly have been singing the blues. To him, the heroes of Mynoghra were that trustworthy, and it succinctly showed just how deeply the days he had spent in life were engraved upon his heart.
"Indeed, indeed, I believe so. Now then, my lord. How stands Gia's situation?"
Switching his thoughts at Isla's words, Takuto instantly reviewed the domestic information. With Atou's return unlikely to arrive in time, he had to decide the game with the cards currently in his hand.
He could not overlook a single opening.
A small mistake becomes a major wound, and eventually transforms into the prelude to a kingdom's downfall.
"The city's situation isn't bad. Evacuation of non-combatants to the administrative building is complete, and the city's defenses are well-prepared with a simple defensive position already established and troops deployed flawlessly."
"A cursed land with forest corrections. We also have the land bonus. Easy to defend, difficult to attack. It would have been a good experience bonus if only our military strength and national power were sufficient..."
As a general rule in seizing castles or fortresses, it's said that an attacker must prepare three times the defensive force. In the simulation game Eternal Nations, this axiom holds true, and with the addition of various fantasy-element bonuses, the defender is at a tremendous advantage.
But that only applies when proper preparations have been made.
For Mynoghra, where national power and military strength were still scarce and even the production of defensive facilities had been postponed, it was hard to view the situation optimistically, no matter how strong the land bonus might be.
"Contact from Gear. The enemy force that has invaded the Great Cursed Realm is approximately two thousand. Hmm, there's definitely an enemy commander, and we still haven't fully grasped the performance of the RPG monsters. This looks like it's going to be a tough battle."
"But our great master? Surely you've already devised a strategy?" Isla asked, her tone suggesting she knew everything.
She had discerned that her master already held the answer to this critical situation.
If annihilation was a risk, they could simply lead the Dark Elves and retreat toward Dragontan. With their small number of citizens and the Dark Elves' inherent affinity for the forest, they could escape without issue. Then, joining forces with Atou, the mage unit including Old Mortar, and the Dragontan defense force would be the safest and most effective way to engage the enemy. Their territory might burn, but the Great Cursed Realm had mountains of timber. Since the city was still in a growth phase, restoration would be easy.
However, Takuto's decision was not to retreat, but to repel. Indeed, he had ordered Atou not to return to Mynoghra, but to pursue the Dragontan invasion force. It was clear he was holding cards that gave him confidence in achieving victory.
As if enjoying himself, Takuto grinned in response to the question, as if to say, "A good question indeed." And then his command was given.
"Magic reserves exist precisely for times like this. If our opponents can summon monsters from thin air like some RPG trope, we'll demonstrate the true power of simulation."
"Heh heh heh. How fortunate that emergency production had no unit production restrictions. Unlimited creation as long as we have mana—what an indulgent rule for us."
Takuto merely used the word mana, yet Isra immediately deduced his intended strategy. In normal gameplay, emergency production required intervals between deployments. But they had already confirmed this world lacked such restrictions. Therefore, the optimal strategy was obvious: mass-produce as many of the cheapest unit—the Long-legged Insects—as their remaining mana allowed.
With Isra's abilities, these units gained combat power of three, transforming what were normally scouts with exceptional mobility and traversal capabilities into remarkably cost-effective combat units. Their high visibility also made battlefield monitoring easier.
After calculating how many Long-legged Insects could be produced from Mynoghra's remaining mana, Isra concluded they could overcome this crisis without issue—provided they encountered the enemy commander in favorable conditions.
—However.
"Isra. I command you. I am entrusting every last drop of Mynoghra's mana to you. Level yourself up to the absolute maximum and annihilate every enemy."
For a moment, Isra's lips parted as if caught off guard. Were she human, her expression would likely have been one of blank astonishment. Then her thoughts caught up with reality. What flooded through her next was a fierce, overwhelming surge of ecstasy rushing through her entire being.
"Oh, ohoho! Master! How terribly mean you are, what a hateful master! To think you would issue such an order!"
Isra understood everything. This crisis—this threat to Mynoghra's city—Takuto was entrusting its complete resolution to her alone. He must have had countless other options. As Isra herself had reasoned, there were numerous strategies beyond mass-producing Long-legged Insects available to him. And yet, pushing aside all those countless alternatives...
King Takuto Ira ordered a single word to be delivered to Isla, Queen of all insects.
What trust! What an honor!
The immense trust Takuto held for Isla was palpable in every detail of that command.
For Takuto, there was no strain, no grim determination, no detached acceptance, no resolution.
Ultimately, it was simply an event that was meant to be chosen and meant to be done.
That fact enveloped Isla in supreme joy.
"You know Atou has already defeated one enemy general, right? I hear she uses some RPG-style unavoidable attack, so be careful."
"Hehehe, so Atou has fallen behind. However, my lord's concern will never become reality in my case."
"Oh my, making big claims now."
"It is a fact. Yes, yes, a pure fact, absolutely not born of arrogance or pride. I am merely stating things as they are."
Takuto nodded silently at her words.
In normal gameplay, no one would pour mana into a single unit to force a level-up.
It is inefficient, and mana possesses properties similar to currency or resources, making it necessary for various purposes.
It is needed to maintain and produce facilities, as well as for scientific and technological research.
This is precisely why every player of Eternal Nations carefully allocates their mana while constantly monitoring its balance.
Takuto chose to ignore this fundamental principle, concentrating everything on one point.
Furthermore, he made the aberrant judgment to use it not for emergency production, but for the level-up of a hero.
Therefore, the result was spectacular.
If Takuto Ira placed absolute trust in his subordinate, the Queen of Insects.
Then the honor of responding to that trust was a right granted only to her.
And naturally so…
—Isla was a hero whose power was more than enough to meet that expectation.
"Isla."
"Yes. With this level-up, I can acquire two abilities. What powers shall my lord bestow upon this Isla?"
"Predation and Parasitic Egg-Laying."
At Takuto's command, Isla let out a strange, creaking laugh.
Everything had come together.
What Takuto intended to accomplish in this battle, how he planned to manifest a living hell for the enemy…
…When a hero leveled up, they could obtain additional specific abilities.
Each came with its own unique effects, and they served to further strengthen what were already formidable heroes under normal circumstances.
The art of skillfully utilizing these abilities—one of them exclusive to heroes—was where a player truly demonstrated their mettle.
Takuto's choice was, to the best of Isla's knowledge, the most effective and most vicious option possible.
"Did you know, my lord? That particular tactic was once called 'Bug Rush' by players of the Eternal Nations, and it was deeply loathed and feared?"
A creaking, chittering sound of insectoid chitin grinding together filled the air.
Isla's muscles swelled and bulged from the rapid level-up and ability infusion, and the outer shell that had served its purpose shrieked in protest.
Crack, crack—the old exoskeleton split apart, and from within, a new layer of carapace emerged.
That shell bore unique patterns and an even more fearsome appearance than before, vividly embodying the dormant power that lay coiled within her.
"Oh, of course I know all about it. —I used it quite a lot myself, after all."
Takuto gazed up at Isla with a hint of admiration.
Perhaps there was something moving about witnessing his own hero growing before his very eyes.
Her expression, tinged with a hint of emptiness, seemed to brighten just a little.
All of Mynoghra's magical power was being channeled into Isla.
Having grown into an existence worthy of her epithet as a "decisive weapon," Isla unfurled her great wings and let out a resounding cry.
The bizarre sound—a fusion of an infant's wail and glass scraping together—reverberated through every corner of the Great Cursed Realm, instilling dread in all who heard it.
Here, all preparations were now complete.
Why were the heroes of the Eternal Nations considered the symbol of the game?
Why were heroes called the ones who could change the tide of the game, trusted and yet feared by all players?
"Hehehe, then, please receive this power, hailed as the Queen of All Insects. Mynoghra's proud, annihilating finishing blow."
The reason was about to be revealed.
=Eterpedia===
**[Isla, Queen of All Insects]** Hero Unit
Combat Power: 16 Movement: 1
*"Wicked""Hero""Spawns Larvae"*
*"Flying""Devour""Parasitic Egg-Laying"*
※This unit grants a +2 combat power bonus to all insect-type units existing in the world.
※Insect-type units that encounter this unit are immediately placed under the dominion of the nation that possesses Isla.
———