Although Celia had already demonstrated how to disable the enemy's decisive weapon, the magic missile, she did not let her guard down. “There might be weapons even stronger than this, and there is no way they only have one of them.”
The erosion did not stop. The temporary nest continued to excavate deeper underground, beginning to take shape as a massive, cavernous bunker.
If the Brog people launched hundreds of magic missiles, willing to utterly destroy their own homeland in the process, the colony would never be able to withstand it.
Dealing with just one had instantly consumed a massive amount of Celia's power, to the point where she had nearly lost consciousness.
Thus, there was a limit to the number of bombs she could personally step in to stop.
For this reason, among the units waking up and becoming active from the orbital drop nest in real-time, not a single one was a combat unit; they were all worker ants.
Furthermore, these worker ants were somewhat special.
They utilized the advantages of Universal Cells and pushed the regenerative genetic capabilities of organisms like planarians to their absolute limits, producing individuals capable of self-division.
A worker ant would be working, only to suddenly halt and struggle wildly. Trembling all over as if having a seizure, its body would split open starting from the head, dividing into two.
Much like molting, the newly split worker ant could immediately begin working right where it stood.
Self-division of this level was currently only possible for the worker ants, which possessed the simplest physical structures and genetic information in the colony.
Moreover, it required going through a highly specialized production process.
But this alone was more than enough.
After all, the very pillars supporting the colony were the worker ants themselves.
In emergencies, the worker ants multiplied exponentially, allowing the invasive nest originating from the orbital drop nest to be constructed at a much faster pace.
Seeing the colony's numbers double in real-time, Lisette couldn't help but marvel, “To think the number of worker ants has already reached this level.”
“Based on the calculated power of the enemy's magical bombs, if we build our underground nest deep enough, we will be immune to surface bombardment,” Celia told her, indicating that the plan was currently proceeding smoothly.
Yet, in Lisette's eyes, Celia's face still did not show the slightest hint of satisfaction.
Celia knit her brows, her tone laced with gravity. “Even so, if the surface is completely flattened by bombardment and our area of activity is restricted solely to the underground, our plans will run into trouble. Once the enemy concentrates their forces, it will be difficult for our few invasive nests to hold out.”
A trace of anxiety welled up in Lisette's heart, and she asked, “Then what should we do?”
Celia looked up at Lisette, her gaze solemn. “That is why, Lisette, I need you to help me.”
Celia's plan was even more intricate and grand than Lisette had anticipated.
It wasn't just about fighting a ground war, occupying Brog, and stalling for time. She aimed to destroy the enemy's world observation, completely isolate this world, multiply production nests, and even independently produce space species.
Utilizing these forces to fend off incoming enemy reinforcements from the outside—that was Celia's true plan.
Lisette was thoroughly shocked upon hearing this.
For this already far exceeded the directives Elise had given to Celia.
“The longer the war drags on, the greater the sacrifices will be.”
Celia removed her mask to explain her reasoning, her heterochromic eyes shining with unwavering determination.
The sacrifices she spoke of now did not refer solely to the losses of the colony's forces.
“False hope only breeds continuous resistance and struggle. The hope that they can win, that reinforcements will arrive if they just hold out, is precisely the force pushing them toward a futile death.”
The reason Celia wanted to achieve results beyond what Elise demanded was not just to gain recognition so she could remain in the colony, but also to carry out her own convictions.
“We must deliver overwhelming despair to them. A suffocating despair that leaves not a single crack of light.”
To that end, Celia was willing to become the symbol of despair rather than hope.
She had come to realize this deeply through her past experiences.
Hope was not always a positive thing.
Though ironic, Celia had already made up her mind to shoulder this heavy burden alone.
Looking at Celia, heartfelt admiration shone in Lisette's eyes. “...The moment I joined the colony, I had already achieved my goal.”
Before the gods arrived on Terra, Lisette had been just an ordinary elf, her convictions driven almost entirely by a desire for vengeance.
A desire for vengeance against the servants of the gods who had betrayed her, betrayed their own kind, and seized power.
To obtain the power for revenge against those who had subjected her to agonizing modifications, she had chosen to assimilate with the colony—and it was Celia who had persuaded her to do so.
Lisette had given her all back then and successfully exacted her revenge.
The new elves had been completely wiped out, and the gods they served were defeated and driven from Terra.
The elven survivors she liberated had settled in a new colony and were still living in peace to this day.
There, Lisette had realized all of her convictions.
Since then, she had served the colony as a warrior, much like a hired mercenary fighting in battles.
Just as Celia worried, with the expansion of the colony, a subtle competitive atmosphere had emerged among the Legion Commanders. Lisette, who lacked any real motivation for growth, would find herself at a disadvantage.
Lisette spoke softly, “So now, living to help you doesn't seem like a bad idea either.”
Celia looked up at her. “Lisette, do you really think that is enough?”
Lisette shook her head and countered, “Are convictions only allowed to be grand, magnificent goals? Doing something out of care for a friend can absolutely be a conviction too.”
Celia's body stiffened slightly upon hearing Lisette's words.
“Don't be so surprised. This is the path I chose for myself.” Lisette gently caressed Celia's slightly flustered face, then grinned and turned to leave.
She was heading out to fulfill Celia's objective.
Celia watched Lisette with a complicated expression as the elf unfurled her wings from her split exoskeleton and soared into the air.
For some reason, she let out a soft sigh; there always seemed to be women surrounding her.
This time, however, was different. She was certain that Lisette would never betray her, for they both belonged to a colony that shared a single consciousness.
Because of this, Celia was able to let go of her past pain and let a faint smile grace her lips.
Rate on N.U.
