A Legion Grows From My Smartphone - Chapter 24: Movement (2)

The identity of the 20th floor’s stem master remained shrouded in mystery, their name and identity unknown. Yet, the legion had already declared victory and initiated an attack. Persistent scouting and observation had been conducted.

[If the legion thought they would lose, they wouldn’t have started the fight.]

‘They’ began to make their move.

Confronting the bewildered enemy, they ‘’seized’ the venomous toads they had been harboring and hurled them.

“Ughhhhhhh-”

The toads exploded, spraying venom on the enemy’s body. The enemy’s low, resonating cry echoed throughout the stem. Despite being doused in venom, it seemed to have suffered little damage, proving the fight wouldn’t be easy.

[The enemy’s skin is tougher than expected. What about the poison stingers and teeth?]

The beast-like legion soldiers relentlessly charged at the squirming enemy. They were naturally outmatched, but they compensated with sheer numbers. Dozens of lizards clung to one of the enemy’s arms, gnawing and stretching it. The airborne species swooped down from the sky, mercilessly jabbing the enemy’s eyes with their venomous stingers.

[The enemy lacks eyes, ears, or a nose. It has virtually no weaknesses. But we still have one more strategy.]

“…Finally.”

As the enemy’s movements grew restricted, those lying in wait sprang into action, launching themselves off the ground.

“I don’t know how powerful the sword in their hand is.”

“Arghhh!”

A scream erupted from the enemy.

A soldier leaped from the ground, plunging his sword into the enemy’s gaping mouth, which had been ready to attack the annoying airborne creatures.

[A giant falls from a small wound.]

“Was the mouth its weakness?”

The legion swarmed over the enemy’s body, which had stumbled and fallen. They discovered the mouth was its vulnerability. The large species, possessing tremendous strength, began to pry open the enemy’s mouth.

“Ugh…”

I squinted at the gruesome sight.

The soldiers started to crawl into the enemy’s forcibly opened mouth. Unless chewed, the teeth couldn’t damage their carapace. The soldier who had crawled deep into the throat began to slash the inside with his sword.

[Great Stem Guardian: 4c0080]

“Guardian…”

After that, history concluded, and we returned to reality. The monster we had defeated and absorbed was named the Great Stem Guardian.

[Look. They’re not all the same.]

“…How vast is it?”

Meanwhile, the legion was preparing for another battle. Enemies continued to pour out from the other branches connected to this stem. However, for the legion that had already tasted victory and gathered data, these enemies were nothing more than a source of rich nutrients.

[The legion’s developed intelligence and analytical power have identified a peculiar trait in the guardians.]

“A peculiar trait?”

[How did they learn of their kin’s demise and locate us so quickly? It’s the power of communication. Now we understand it.]

They had discovered an organ within the guardians’ bodies that emitted ultrasonic waves of unknown significance. If it had been the legion of the past, they wouldn’t have understood the organ’s purpose and would have simply ignored it. But not now. Observing it emit a specific ultrasonic wave, they had matured enough to deduce that it was an organ for kin communication.

“So, we need to continually push our boundaries and develop our brains to enhance our overall analytical power. But why is the legion interested in communication methods? They’re already united by a hive consciousness. Could it be?”

[Exactly. The legion is attempting to communicate with an external entity. Specifically, with you.]

Goosebumps prickled my skin the moment I read the text.

They had recognized me. Finally.

“I am…”

[To the ever-curious legion, you are the object of greatest interest. For a life form developing its intelligence, the existence of a parent naturally holds significant weight.]

“Then I should give them a reward. I’m not sure if they’ll see it as one, though.”

Feeling pleased, I snapped pictures of the high-calorie foods I had purchased with the money my sister gave me and sent them. Would they recognize this as a reward?

[Victory, and the sweet food that fell. The legion has reached the stage where it assigns meaning to the actions that have been repeated and infers the reasons.]

“Wow!”

At least they didn’t just accept it passively. Looking at them being quickly absorbed, I felt proud. It was a sense of achievement beyond looking at a pet that follows training well.

Parent. They definitely said that. It wasn’t a perfect analogy, but to me, the legion was certainly not just a simple pet.

[There are no more enemies in the stem. So, this place is ours now.]

The legion moved tirelessly. Scouts had already fanned out in all directions, exploring every branch connected to their location. They had discovered a passage leading upwards. As was their custom, they spared no life, consumed all the branches, and continued their ascent.

“It seems more like a ‘root’ than a branch, where we were.”

[Indeed. The place where the legion first awakened is the lowest level of this labyrinth, the deepest point from here. Consequently, the stem we are currently advancing into also belongs to the bottom of the stem.]

“Is there an end to this cave?”

I was filled with anxiety. Despite my constant rushing, I couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease.

[There’s no need for excessive worry. This cave is not a starting point. Your account level has increased to 4. Slots and capacity have also increased.]

“This is!”

[As we reached the bottom of the stem, the legion concluded Chapter 1 and transitioned into Chapter 2.]

There was a change on the screen. Two new icons had been added to the left.

“What are these?”

[If Chapter 1 is adaptation, then Chapter 2 is the beginning. From this point forward, units and players can communicate with each other. The connection is strengthened.]

A tingling sensation spread through my chest. Of course, there was no noticeable change just from this.

[The first icon. It’s a tribute.]

I touched the first icon. The camera activated.

[I didn’t mention it because you didn’t choose it, but didn’t you notice when you transferred the sample? Objects couldn’t be sent.]

“…Now that you mention it, that’s true.”

When I dispatched the white ants, the breeding tank remained. When I sent the goblins, their weapons stayed behind. In the first place, sending a sample was a skill specialized for us.

[Think about the rats you’ve dealt with. The things they had. They’re all tributes. That’s the basic function that all players have.]

“Wait, so everyone else has moved on to Chapter 2 and I’m just now moving on?!”

I thought about it for a moment, and then freaked out. I can’t remember the last time I encountered rats.

[You’re slow. But it had to be that way, and the reason was a kind of penalty]

However, he was calm. I sighed at the words that it had to be that way.

[The tribute has a time limit. Move on to the second one. The second is an offering. It’s a reward that the units offer to the player.]

“Like the mark that Oh Yoon Ah’s units gave to her? But you said we have to go to Chapter 3 to communicate like that?!”

[No. Tributes and offerings are limited to objects. Techniques and teachings are their abilities, regardless of the system. If they’re really outstanding, they’ll be strong enough to even transfer objects with just the faint string of the initial stage.]

Suddenly, I recalled the exploration stone that Cha Ji Yeon possessed. It didn’t appear as though she had crafted it herself. That was damn unfair.

I exited the room and started rummaging through the kitchen. By sheer luck, I discovered a thick, unused Chinese knife. My mother had been too frightened to use it, so I figured I could put it to use this time.

[The legion is reacting to your tribute.]

“Do they recognize this?”

The shiny Chinese knife landed squarely in the middle of the nest. The legion reacted immediately.

[The tendrils that extended slowly identified the shape and composition of the Chinese knife, a metal already familiar to their memory. They understood what it was. They were merely analyzing its purpose.]

“Oh…?”

Analyzing its purpose. That phrase was gratifying. It implied they weren’t just accepting it mindlessly.

“What’s this? Aren’t they supposed to give me something in return?”

[The legion has yet to grasp the concept of equivalent exchange, the idea of giving something to receive something in return. Hence, this is their judgment.]

Despite this, the legion had stopped making offerings to me. Couldn’t they at least show some gratitude? The only event of note was a goblin-like legion soldier clumsily

approaching and taking hold of the Chinese knife.

[We will become stronger. ‘He’ wishes for us to become stronger. Therefore, we will become stronger. This is their conclusion.]

The legion had been following a single path until now. Therefore, they knew nothing else.

I didn’t have anything specific to say. After all, it was the path I wanted them to follow.

“Just wait a little longer…”

[While completely dominating the lower levels they initially thought were branches but were actually roots, the legion now shifted their focus upward. It was the second stem. The scouts didn’t encounter any threatening enemies.]

The legion was not just growing, it was expanding at an unprecedented rate. Their influence had already reached the next stem. Half-hearted beasts and powers were no longer a match for us.

Ever since we crossed paths with the rats, who were units controlled by another player, we hadn’t caught sight of any notable rivals.