As dusk fell, darkness embraced Ursus once more.
While the Infected on the snowfield worried about how to get through the cold night, the heating in Holy Steed Castle was so strong that even snowflakes couldn't fall completely.
Deep within the most magnificent palace of this capital, a noble-looking man from Ursus exhaled a breath of hot air and rubbed his somewhat stiff hands.
"Vit, has the heating in the palace been cut off again?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, the demand for heating in winter is too high, and with the new special economic zone you've built, the factories are already protesting."
The speaker, with a melancholy expression, sat at the other end of the office, speaking from more than ten meters away. It was hard to imagine what the person who designed this layout was thinking.
"Can't even an emperor like me turn on the heating?!"
His Majesty the Emperor glared at him with displeasure. Vit took a sip of his still-warm coffee and sighed.
"In fact, the funds for repairing the palace pipes were used to build schools. Do you need me to extract more funds from your private treasury for the repairs?"
"... No need, just bring me my heater."
Do you need another blanket?
"Want."
With the help of the heater and blankets, the emperor's frozen mind finally eased somewhat, and he resumed his work.
Seeing his emperor huddled up, Vit sighed again.
His golden, smooth hair and handsome face resembled an elegant prince from a romance novel.
This high-caliber man, who could easily blend into the Blue Kawu film industry, is actually the master of Ursus, a massive war machine.
"Were you thinking something rude just now?"
"You are overthinking it, Your Majesty."
Vit denied it without batting an eye. Years of companionship had created a close bond between the two, and also fostered a strange tacit understanding.
Just now--
Seeing Fyodor's furrowed brow, Vit glanced at the lights outside the window.
"If you find it noisy, Vit is willing to go down and disperse this banquet."
"No thanks, I don't want to spend half the morning's Council worrying about this again."
"They would have done it even if you hadn't gone."
"..."
Fyodor calmly refilled the La Pluma with ink:
"Are you here to persuade me on their behalf, Vit?"
Just a window away, while the emperor and the speaker were worrying about the vast empire, the nobles were holding a ball in the palace.
Although the initial purpose was to dissuade His Majesty the Emperor from pursuing the responsibility of the army group, the nobles, caught up in their revelry, seemed to have forgotten their original objective.
Savoring fine wine and delicacies, the young nobles danced with their chosen ladies, unable to contain their emotions:
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Fyodor's face was grim as he pointed to the window with its flickering light and said:
"You expect me to attend this clown-like ball? To compromise with these bastards who didn't even send invitations?"
"I regret to inform you, Your Majesty, that the heating plant remains under the control of Duke Kalinjena. Perhaps you could consider your own health..."
"I'm considering it, yes, I am considering it... I'm considering it, maybe we really should send all these fat, bloated old geezers to feed the Meat Scorpions!"
"In this way, we can not only confiscate their property and get a large sum of money, but also obtain a batch of delicious Meat Scorpions!"
The thought of that petition pleading for Andrian made Fyodor almost laugh out loud.
Aside from the nobles, both high and low, the group consisted of ordinary students and Infected pleading for mercy.
Did those nobles think he was a fool!?
Infected? They wouldn't dare touch anything Infected had touched, yet they dared to deliver a letter written by Infected to the emperor's desk?
If the letter was indeed written by Infected, they would only make those who wield the whip die a thousand times over!
Vit understood all of this, but he still sent the letter.
"I know, Your Majesty...you may wish to weaken the army's position, and even spared Andrian's life, which demonstrates your benevolence."
"But it's not just the military that opposes you; your people oppose this too. The Infected terrify them."
"Your people believe that only a sufficient army can protect them from the Infected, and only a powerful army can bring prosperity to Ursus."
"Absurd!" Fyodor slammed his fist on the table in anger.
"To trample on the freedom of others at will, what difference is there between that and the once- Hippogryph? How much can this vast territory of Ursus truly produce?"
"War brings prosperity? Ursus will only collapse from a false prosperity!"
Vit lowered his head, listening to the emperor vent his emotions.
Fyodor had said this countless times in the past, and he had indeed done as he had asked.
Despite strong opposition from Council, His Majesty the Emperor insisted on establishing compulsory education as a social welfare program for all commoners.
The emperor's idea of using education to awaken the ignorant masses was not wrong, but unfortunately... the vast Ursus Empire struggled to find teachers without prejudice.
"But you cannot be an enemy of your people, at least not now, because most of your people hate the Infected."
"Your confrontation with the military will be deliberately misinterpreted as a confrontation with the people, and your allies will become your enemies."
"At least... your capital is insufficient to support you doing this."
"Even if this approach is correct?" Fyodor said unwillingly.
"Yes, your tolerance towards those Infected will become the whip they wield against Infected."
"..."
Seeing the silent Fyodor, Vit felt bad too.
All of Ursus praised the Empire's power, and even its enemies feared it, but the two present knew better.
The larger the creation, the more terrifying the damage it causes when it falls.
"Capital... I'm already the emperor, what kind of capital do I need?" Fyodor sighed.
"How's the contact going with the Black Forest?"
Retrieving a document from a locked drawer, Vit read aloud:
"The captain warned us not to try to drag them into the war unless Ursus was willing to pay the price of an entire army group."
Fyodor was not angered by these words; instead, he began to think about them seriously.
"In other words, the Black Forest has the capability to rival an army group."
"Perhaps that person exaggerated?" Vit guessed.
"No, if it's that Patriot, I'm willing to believe it's true."
Thinking of Wendigo, who dedicated his life to the empire but ended up alone, Vit couldn't deny it either.
"So, is it necessary to assemble a professional delegation to discuss cooperation?"
"Yes, any effort that can be made to gain strength is worthwhile."
Fyodor nodded.
"Have the Internal Guard escort them..."
The sound stopped abruptly; Fyodor remembered the two missing Internal Guards.
He knew there was a traitor among the Internal Guards, and it was no secret that two Internal Guards had perished in the Black Forest.
Therefore, the Black Forest's perception of the Internal Guard is probably not very good.
"Vit, do you have any suggestions?"
"A former subordinate of the Patriots, although the true form of the Black Forest Lord is unknown, his appearance is indeed that of Wendigo."
"A mixed-race Wendigo... it's them."
Fyodor nodded and began calculating who should fill the vacancy.
"Your Majesty, may I understand why you are so fixated on the Black Forest?"
"...There's no time left, Vit." Fyodor's pen continued to move.
"This Daichi is growing increasingly chaotic. The Flame Demon, the Gods' People, and those ancient races seem poised to return. I can only place my hopes on the wisdom of the immortals."
"Looking back on the history of this Daichi, the Great Yan has been able to stand for so long thanks in no small part to those twelve immortals."
"Even the Deathless Black Snake of Ursus made indelible contributions in that war."
Vit understood.
"You want to use the power of the immortals to change Ursus?"
"I need enough capital, don't I?"
Fyodor summoned his servants and sent out the written dispatch.
"Those who can suppress the power of Demons should at least not be enemies, even if they cannot become friends."
"The expansion of the Black Forest can effectively block the view of those radicals, and as for the land... well, nothing can be grown there anyway."
Fyodor continued with his work, Vit laughed.
"His Majesty."
"Um?"
"It is an honor for Vit to be your subject."
Even if you say that, I won't give you a raise.
After a long silence between them, Fyodor said softly:
"Vit, can we succeed? Can we... bring Ursus back to its former glory?"
"I don't know, Your Majesty. It's not reasonable for me to give you the answer."
Vit looked up at the imposing portrait behind Fyodor.
"At least you won't destroy this Daichi like your father did, which is a good thing for everyone."
Fyodor smiled easily.
No matter what achievements he made, the people of Ursus always missed the former emperor who led the army to continuous expansion.
Only with Vit... could he receive recognition.
Ring ring ring-- Ring ring ring--!
The pleasant atmosphere vanished instantly, and both of their eyes turned to the telephone beside the fireplace.
This is an urgent report.
Rising from his seat, Vit quickly stepped forward to answer the call.
"This is His Majesty the Emperor's direct office. Providing your intelligence."
Vit spoke with the other party, while Fyodor lowered his head and continued with his work.
Click--
Fyodor frowned; his La Pluma had broken.
Click--
Another strange noise rang out, and Fyodor looked up in astonishment to find Vit's face deathly pale.
"Vit, what happened!?"
"His Majesty..."
Vit turned his head stiffly, his voice hoarse.
"Just ten minutes ago, a signal belonging to the Fourth Army Group..."
"Everyone, please remain silent."
... three hours ago...
"Haven't they found that damn thief yet!?"
In the command center of the Fourth Army Group's main ship, Commander-in-Chief Andrian spilled the red tea that had been offered to him.
"It's been four days! The other army groups are watching us wander around our territory like idiots, and we still can't find the enemy!"
"So many mineral veins have disappeared. Even if someone was smuggling them, there must be a route, right? Is my intelligence system completely useless? It can't find anything!"
"If we keep silencing them like this, everyone in the mine will die. Are you suggesting I plow through the entire territory?!"
The subordinates remained silent, and Andrian, rubbing his throbbing head, felt an even greater hatred for the damned thief.
It's empty, completely empty!
The mines along the way were completely empty, cleaner than the plate Pelo had licked, without even a digging tunnel; the minerals had simply vanished into thin air.
"Your Grace, the First Army Group is already holding people accountable."
Even worse news: the operation has taken longer than expected, and the truth about Holy Steed Castle is about to be revealed.
"... If there's no result on the last day, then give up."
Andrian waved his hand wearily, and his subordinates withdrew.
"Vanya, which country is closest to us right now?"
"It's Leithanien, Your Grace."
"If the problem isn't resolved by then, I will go to Holy Steed Castle to apologize, and you will lead the Fourth Army Group in a surprise attack on Leithanien."
Vanya suddenly looked up and was met with Andrian's lifeless gaze.
Is it possible?
"Your will."
Andrian sighed and slumped back in his seat.
There was no other way. The guilt was now beyond what self-harm could resolve. If the emperor found out, the Fourth Army Group would cease to exist.
Rather than accept this outcome, let's give it another shot and start another Four Emperors War!
"Your Grace, we don't need to be so pessimistic."
Vanya brewed another cup of black tea, and Andrian held it without spilling it.
"Don't try to comfort me anymore. Even if we kill that thief now, it's pointless if we can't retrieve the energy source."
"Can such a massive amount of energy really be transported out so easily?"
"..."
"Even if we could transport it out, how could the Ursus snowfields be completely untouched? Perhaps we should consider a different approach."
"Go on."
Seeing that Andrian was no longer dejected, Vanya felt somewhat relieved.
"Judging from the extent to which the vein has disappeared, large-scale transportation is unlikely; I'm more inclined to believe that someone removed it from underground."
"Is it even possible to do something like that?"
"I've heard that among the demons there's a branch called the Children of Earth and Stone, who can manipulate earth and rock. If it's them..."
Vanya didn't finish speaking, but Andrian's hope was rekindled: if they could find the source, they could reclaim the energy.
But--
"Where should we begin our investigation? Underground? The fleet can't go underground."
"We don't need to go inside; we just need to find the source of the unusual vibrations."
Vanya's reminder made Andrian realize what was happening immediately.
"All ships silenced! Activate Catastrophe detection devices!"
As dusk fell, the fleet ceased its operations, the roar subsided, but Andrian noticed ripples on the surface of his tea.
"... It really is underground." Andrian looked up.
"Go find it! Find the location where the earthquake occurred!"
Persistence pays off; despite the threat of losing lives, the testing department located the target in the shortest possible time.
No longer conserving energy, the Fourth Army Group fleet charged toward its target at maximum speed.
As the stars lit up the night sky, and the white snowfield revealed the black mountains, Andrian knew he had found it.
"By the late Emperor... what is this?"
A sigh rang out in the control room, but no one criticized it.
Ahead of the fleet, the black mountain range was not rock, but a giant mineral vein composed of hundreds of meters high clusters of Originium.
It stretched endlessly across the snow-covered plains, blocking all view and making even the fleet seem insignificant.
As the fleet drew closer, it discovered an even more shocking truth.
The vein is glowing... no, it should be said that the Originium is glowing.
This is not a conventional mineral vein; the mountain range in front of us is composed entirely of purified Originium crystals. You could just chip off a small piece and throw it directly into a furnace to serve as an energy source.
Andrian was excited at that moment.
All the frustration, anger, and worry vanished.
In Ursus, the limitation on the number of warships is not ordinary minerals, but the energy that powers them.
Now, what Andrian faces is fully processed, high-purity crystals with a purity of at least 90%.
With such a large number, assembling another army-sized fleet would be a piece of cake.
"I've changed my mind, Vanya."
Andrian went to the French windows and touched them with a fascination through the glass.
"I want to recruit that thief; he must obey and contribute this amazing skill to Ursus."
Vanya did not respond, and in accordance with his duty as chief of staff, immediately ordered the fleet to disperse and search.
"Your Grace, it would be best if you stepped back a bit now."
"While these energy sources are tempting, large-scale Originium could trigger Catastrophe."
"Yes, you're right."
Recovering from his frenzy, Andrian immediately ordered the fleet to activate the Catastrophe monitoring devices.
"But before that, we need to get the thief out of here."
"... Your will."
Vanya couldn't refuse, and still harboring concerns, he went to the testing department for observation.
Looking at the regularly undulating ripples at the top of the screen, Vanya felt a sudden unease.
Why?
Despite being inside a heavily armored room, Vanya seemed to hear the howling of a cold wind.
The whistling was so rhythmic, coupled with the regular undulating ripples on the screen, it was like --
"... breathe."
Vanya's eyes widened, startled by this astonishing conjecture.
No, no, no, what kind of creature's breathing could cause the Daichi to tremble?
That kind of thing simply cannot exist in the world.
Or rather, Vanya was unwilling to believe that such a creature truly existed in the world.
[Report... A4 ship has discovered a huge cave, suspected to be a hiding place for a target.]
A broadcast came from the communications department, apparently reporting that the thief's hiding place had been discovered.
[This is Andrian. First, send a broadcast to persuade them to surrender. If there's no response, then use artillery fire to probe their defenses.]
[Receive!]
The announcement of surrender was broadcast, which calmed Vanya somewhat.
That's it. Once the army group finds you, you can't escape. Just surrender.
[Report: Target not responding.]
[... probing attack.]
Boom--!
The ripples on the screen instantly distorted, Vanya's heart skipped a beat.
The eerie sound of the wind disappeared.
The announcement urging surrender was broadcast again, followed by a violent tremor.
[What's going on! Who gave you permission to attack again?]
[No... Report! We didn't attack!... This is... a... venomous... venomous... escape!]
On the monitor screen, the waves fluctuated violently, accompanied by intense vibrations.
"What happened? Was it Catastrophe!?"
The lights flickered violently. Vanya leaned against the wall, unable to imagine how a violent earthquake could cause such a reaction inside a moving warship.
Before he could ask any questions, Andrian roared an order through the communication channel.
[Retreat! Retreat the entire ship!]
Before Wanli could understand what was happening, still bewildered and confused, the eerie sound of wind rang in his ears again.
Whoosh--whoosh--!
Amidst the violent tremors, Vanya sensed that the fleet was turning.
Running through the swaying corridors, Vanya returned to the control room and pushed open the door—
"Your Grace, what exactly happened...?"
Vanya fell silent, driven by instinctive fear.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, it was pitch black.
But this wasn't because of the night; something was blocking the moonlight.
Is it a mineral vein?
I think so.
The upright crystal cluster still emitted a faint glow, casting an alluring light in the darkness.
It would be even better if it weren't upside down.
"Behemoth" is a name given by the Terra to unimaginable creatures, but its original meaning simply refers to enormous beasts.
Even those with some knowledge of the subject could not imagine what kind of creatures those Behemoth actually were.
At this moment, Vanya should be able to answer those people's questions.
What exactly constitutes "huge"?
The answer is --
Standing tall and upright.
"The mountain range has stood up!!"
Under the night sky, the Cave Ice Worm, which had stood upright, gazed at the Twin Moons before it, gradually awakening from its slumber.
It seems the area around the mouth was attacked, or perhaps those unstable crystals exploded again?
Moving its body freely, the way the Cave Ice Worm lay down looked like the sky collapsing in the eyes of the fleet.
In desperation, the fleet retaliated with artillery fire, causing the high-purity crystal clusters to explode instantly, releasing a torrent of active dust like a waterfall.
However, this tiny wound failed to attract the attention of the Cave Ice Worms.
Although the peculiar mineral is delicious, the crystals that form are very unstable and often produce explosive reactions during normal activities.
The body was falling, and the air was roaring.
Under Andrian's bloodshot eyes, half of the fleet sank into the ground.
Yes, "sinking" is indeed the right word to describe it.
The moment that enormous body made contact, the ground softened like ripples, and the fleet crushed beneath it, along with the mountain range, sank into the earth.
At this moment, the Cave Ice Worm also discovered these uninvited guests.
"What is that? What is that?!"
Vanya retreated to the corner in despair, finally understanding what that strange wind noise was.
Snap!
Andrian angrily slapped Vanya across the face.
"Calm down! How can you act like a soldier from Ursus!?"
Suppressing his trembling hands, Andrian gave the order over the communicator.
"Counterattack! Even real mountains will bow down under the Ursus artillery fire! Counterattack!"
Undeterred by the fear instilled by other nations, the soldiers of Ursus carried out their orders without hesitation, even amidst their terror.
The sky was filled with artillery fire bombarding the black mountains, clusters of crystal pillars exploded, and dust filled the air, turning the snowfield black.
It can work!
Andrian braced himself. Although the body looked terrifying, the Originium crystal was not sturdy, and its unstable nature could injure the Behemoth itself.
"Just like that! Just like that, kill Him!"
The artillery fire poured down relentlessly, as if in fear, causing ripples to spread across the ground below the mountains, engulfing the terrifying Behemoth.
"We... we won?"
No, of course it doesn't count as a win.
The enemy fled, and half of the fleet was lost. Can this terrible defeat be considered a victory?
But no one objected at that moment; everyone was immersed in the joy of surviving the ordeal.
Andrian braced himself and was about to order an evacuation when Vanya's scream rang out.
"No! He hasn't left! I can hear him, He... is still here!"
It's too late.
Having learned a painful lesson from being beaten by something so small, the Cave Ice Worm did not attack immediately, but instead hid underground to observe.
Having confirmed that the fleet before them was not as terrifying as Gregor, the Cave Ice Worm's killing intent began to rise.
Do not attack human settlements unprovoked, but if someone actively pursues and attacks you, it's okay to retaliate.
The ability of the Cave Ice Worms to activate their power left the fleet astonished to discover that the once solid ground had turned into a fluid, water-like substance.
The fleet sank into the earth, and the Cave Ice Worms began their counterattack.
The Originium crystals covering its body emitted a dazzling light, and intense energy fluctuations converged at the top of the crystal clusters.
Beam.
Beams of light carrying terrifyingly high temperatures shot out from the tops of crystal clusters, cutting through the Daichi.
At the same time, the Cave Ice Worm were rolling around.
How can this tragedy be described?
Meat grinder.
The Daichi groaned as the Behemoth rolled, its flesh torn and decaying, spewing out thick lava that scorched the Daichi.
Once the ravaging Behemoth had left, the cleaved clouds began to gather again.
As Catastrophe strike, new crystal clusters rise.
At this point--
The Fourth Army Group fell silent.