A Legion Grows From My Smartphone

Chapter 9

[The Swarm is no longer a mere mass of cells. It is now a faction that has devoured an entire ecosystem.]

The concept of territorial expansion was easy to understand.

After all, humans often expanded their territories and increased their productivity after winning wars.

[The Energy obtained from devouring the 8th Floor and 9th Floor has become a foothold, allowing the Swarm to occupy this entire area.]

“But this isn’t just occupation…”

[This is the Swarm’s way.]

I clicked my tongue as I looked at the screen.

It was a mistake to think of it simply as territorial expansion.

The entrance from the 9th Floor to the corridor of the 10th Stratum was gradually being covered by a writhing Flesh Wall.

That sticky, squirming mass of flesh was the Swarm itself, alive and expanding its domain.

At this point, it felt more accurate to say the Swarm was increasing its size rather than expanding its territory.

By the time the Flesh Wall, which grew steadily, reached the vicinity of the target cavern, it was already evening.

[Small Scouts conducted a more detailed reconnaissance of the target location. The Swarm has begun producing soldiers tailored to counter the enemy.]

“The same lizard, huh…”

[Indeed. Based on the current data the Swarm possesses, it is the most efficient and powerful form.]

It was armored with thick, black carapace resembling scales, equipped with robust jaws and long limbs.

The Swarm’s most advanced group tactics still resembled those of ants and bees.

While the base was the strength-focused lizard, its operation was similar to that of ants.

[New soldiers growing from eggs will emerge by tomorrow. Then we will attack the target, massacre it, and devour it.]

“I don’t think we’ll lose.”

It was sincere.

The colossal blue lizard we observed was undoubtedly the largest enemy we had encountered so far.

It could rightly be called a boss monster.

But I was confident of victory.

The Swarm’s strength did not lie solely in its soldiers but also in its nest, stored nutrients, accumulated data, and cognitive abilities.

There was no way a single entity could stop this collective force.

[The Swarm initiated a reconnaissance battle.]

Naturally, the Swarm made the first move.

In the vast cavern filled with dense mushroom forests, the enemy was there.

The ruler of this cavern. If we could subdue it, the entire area would belong to us.

[The Scouts launched the first attack on the enemy. Their weapon was the poison stinger attached to their tails. However, the massive lizard neither spewed fire nor hesitated; with a single swing of its tail, it killed three Scouts. One managed to land on its back and stab a poison stinger, but the stinger broke.]

“…It’s strong.”

[The enraged creature spewed fire from its two heads. The Swarm has no resistance to fire. All the Scouts were defeated, and a portion of the Swarm that ceased activity became the enemy’s prey.]

The skirmish ended in an instant.

Watching the lizard roar in victory, I froze for a moment.

The overwhelming twin-headed lizard resembled a creature from a monster movie, far beyond the small ecosystem lizards we had faced before.

Did I miscalculate?

A sudden anxiety crept in.

[If you’re anxious, make a choice.]

[Assassination Authority.]

As if reading my mind, the screen displayed the item I possessed.

You’re leaving this to me?

My heart sank.

The outcome depended on the choice I made here.

Using the Assassination Authority would allow the Swarm to overcome this crisis easily and gain the creature’s power, becoming even stronger.

But what if the twin-headed lizard was considered weak in this area?

What if an endgame-level creature appeared later?

What would I do then?

“Hey… Is there no option to go back?! Can’t I review the reconnaissance records again?”

I shouted at the mobile phone.

But there was no response. Only the eerie music continued to play.

Even the usually talkative entity was silent.

I tore at my hair.

Why did it have to be at such a critical moment?

[If you decide not to use it, reconsider. The Swarm is not a pawn that moves solely as you wish. Regardless of your intent, it will fight to the death against the lizard. Even if you use the Assassination Authority too late, the energy consumed cannot be fully recovered.]

“No, save it. Who knows when we’ll need it. Let’s endure.”

I made my decision.

I didn’t use the Assassination Authority.

“Let’s save it for an even greater foe someday. You told me to trust you. So I will trust you.”

[…As expected, once again.]

“What?”

[The Swarm moves forward again. But what is it trying to do?]

“I feel like I need to help!”

Having assessed the enemy’s strength through reconnaissance, the Swarm prepared for its next attack.

Before things escalated further, I hurriedly ran out of the house.

Using my not-so-bright mind, I frantically thought about what I could do to help.

[The strategy chosen by the Swarm was a direct assault. The lizard’s scales would be impervious to poison stingers or jaws. Thus, it would send countless soldiers to overwhelm it with sheer force. This was a tactic learned from ants.]

“That’s too reckless. Even if we win, the casualties will be enormous.”

[Then what kind of strategy should we use instead?]

How would I know?

But what I could provide now wasn’t some powerful and unique trait or gene.

It was knowledge of various combat methods used by diverse creatures.

In reality, the Swarm had always replicated and applied the advantages of the creatures it consumed, whether they were provided specimens or those hunted in caves.

So if I shared those methods, the Swarm would undoubtedly find an answer among them.

[The Swarm swiftly interpreted and accurately analyzed the incoming information. The new specimens included Bomb Dust Beetles, centipedes, mantises, Hercules Beetles, cats, woodpeckers, magpies, crows…]

The entire Swarm paused.

The flood of information was so overwhelming that it caused a momentary lag in the collective.

[The Swarm understood the intent. More diverse tactics and strategies.]

Outwardly, the soldiers looked the same, but they had evolved to the next level.

By mimicking and modifying the behaviors and methods of the creatures they had assimilated, the Swarm established new combat strategies.

[The Swarm revised its Grand Strategy. The first action was to organically mix unit types and encircle the target.]

The Swarm moved again.

Its momentum was slightly different from before.

Native lifeforms blocking the path were trampled, and those that fled were not pursued.

[Distract the enemy’s attention and exploit the gaps in its scales. Focus relentlessly on the vital spots.]

Merely acquiring knowledge was of no use to itself.

But by processing and combining that knowledge, it could develop further.

“Krrk…”

The twin-headed lizard, sensing the anomaly, became flustered.

It had never been subjected to such a collective lynching before.

[The Swarm initiated the war. Its sole target was the enemy’s vital spot.]

“Graah!”

The enraged twin-headed lizard spewed fire.

Yet the Swarm did not retreat, even as it burned.

Once a strategy was established, they would see the mission through no matter what.

[The surrounded creature stomped its feet and lashed its tail, killing dozens at once. However, those lying in wait on the ground and in the air simultaneously pounced, covering its entire body. Through the exposed gap, a poisonous thorn struck one of its eyes deeply.]

From the beginning, the Swarm had focused its attacks on vulnerable areas like the eyes, reproductive organs, and excretory openings that were not protected by scales.

The startled twin-headed lizard let out a screech as it toppled the mushrooms and started to dash off, shaking its body.

[…The creature fell for The Swarm’s trickery. From the beginning, this place was a trap we had set.]

At the entrance of the cavern, the creature became entangled in the sticky spiderwebs that clung to its body.

The ambush unit, which had been lying in wait as quiet as a mouse, continuously sprayed more spiderwebs and potent chemical substances.

Terrible screams echoed not only through the cavern but throughout the entire passageway.

[The creature caught in the trap is losing its strength. It no longer has the energy to breathe fire. The Swarm mercilessly drove poison stingers into its remaining three eyes. Soon, the massive body stopped moving entirely.]

“…Ha.”

Victory. Watching this, I staggered and slumped down onto a bench.

I wondered if running around the mountain until this late at night was worth it.

[Blue-Scaled Twin-Headed Wyvern: 3a2002]

“Wyvern…?”

We had captured a grand foe.

Now, the creature was completely submerged within the flesh wall.

Unable to break its scales, the plan was to digest and decompose it whole.

[This is a moment recorded in history. Your efforts were not in vain. Without the diverse specimens you provided, without achieving the diversification of strategies and tactics through them, an efficient victory like this would not have been possible.]

“…Right.”

[Now we can begin devouring a much larger world.]

As always, The Swarm did not stop.

They were born with an instinct for endless voracious appetite, consuming everything in their path.

Staring blankly at my mobile phone, I stumbled as I descended the mountain.

“What’s with your face? Where on earth have you been?”

“…A lot happened. I’m really exhausted.”

Was my appearance shocking enough to alarm my younger sibling?

I let out a faint laugh, made up an excuse about exercising, and entered my room, closing the door behind me.

The mobile phone… was silent for now.

I recalled the emotions I had felt earlier this afternoon.

Why on earth had I been so desperate, running around like that?

It felt as if, in that moment, I was one with The Swarm.

It wasn’t simply because my life was at stake—such a detached reason wasn’t enough to explain it.

It was just… truly just that.

As I mulled over whether to interpret this feeling as affection, a hollow laugh escaped me.