Another Aberrant legion was wiped out wholesale amid blazing flames and thunderous heavenly fire. Their fearless assault failed to breach the mortals' defenses, merely delaying the activation of the Purification Devices slightly. The Neural Signals sent back as vast numbers of lower units were destroyed formed a shrill howl within the Root Network. The howl traveled and echoed between Command Nodes formed by Dark Priests, and by the time it reached the highest node, only faint, insignificant aftershocks remained.
A dry wind blew across the hills and wasteland. Bolken's withered, twisted branches trembled faintly in the wind as the Dark Grand Priest listened to sounds from afar. To him, the dying wails of those lowly, dim-witted subordinate nodes seemed as distant and ethereal as a faraway dream. Several minutes later, the leader of the Dark Priests finally awoke from that "dream," his attention gradually returning to the reality before him.
"They have begun a counteroffensive across the entire front," he said slowly in a deep voice. Yet he was not speaking to any particular priest, but murmuring softly throughout the Root Network. He was not worried that this would affect his side's "morale," for every priest was connected to the same Root Network. Everyone's emotions had undergone a degree of "assimilation" through their long connection. Though every node in the network still retained its original personality and memories, all thoughts of "betrayal" or "giving up" had been erased. No matter how the situation changed, the cult's will would remain forever unshakable, forever advancing toward that ultimate goal.
This was everyone's shared and voluntary decision. Bolken himself was no exception.
"Those Purification Devices are gradually devouring our land. They appear to be trying to establish some sort of 'barrier' across the wasteland, one capable of spanning this entire region," a voice