Ex-level Player With the Greatest Civilization of All Time - Chapter 52

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 52

Seizhurner—a name that makes the heart race.
It took more than two weeks just to manufacture, and now it was finally complete.
“Really?”

『Yes.』

I confirmed once more, and hearing the affirmation through the channel, I spoke.
“Let’s go see it right now.”
Neia and I moved with haste.
I walked quickly along the marked corridor.
“This direction leads to Supply Depot 3, doesn’t it?”
『Yes, that’s correct.』
We arrived and I pushed the door open.
Now that I think about it, this was my first time entering the Supply Depot directly.
I’d wondered if it was always this dark.
That’s when I lifted my head and gasped.
A massive object came into view.
“Huh…”
It occupied nearly half the Supply Depot.
It stood over ten meters tall, and its width was difficult to gauge.
The colossal figure—nearly the size of a building itself—could barely fit in a single glance even from the far corner of the Supply Depot.
I gazed upon the Seizhurner’s magnificent form: a spider-like, four-legged walking machine.
“Incredible.”
It truly deserved the name Final Weapon.
I was tempted to test its firepower right then and there.
So I let that intention slip to Neia…

『I would not recommend that.』

“Why not?”

『The Seizhurner is fundamentally a high-output weapon. It will consume massive amounts of energy.』

For short-term operation, admittedly there would be no issue in a situation as energy-rich as ours right now.
But there was no reason to waste energy on meaningless maneuvers.
“Ah, so a proper debut on a proper stage, then. Got it. I’ll wait for the next opportunity.”
I’d waited long enough to see this machine.
Barely two weeks had passed; there was no reason I couldn’t wait a little longer.
“Either way, that was worth seeing.”
I was just about to leave the Supply Depot when—
Wee-wee-wee-wee—
An emergency alarm wailed across the entire City.
A sound I’d never heard before.
“Neia, what is that?”
I checked the screen showing Neia.
Her face was gravely serious.

『Gate detected. Estimated location approximately ten kilometers northwest of our position. I’m mobilizing all forces.』

“A Gate? You mean a Gate?”
I was certainly aware of it.
Gates occasionally appeared in Subspace.
But the timing—I never expected it now.
“What’s the scale?”

『Analyzing Dimensional Energy now. Estimated to be quite large. Preliminary grade: Grade C.』

From a previous conversation with Neia, I’d learned something about the Gate itself.
Information about the Gate’s scale had come up then as well.
And according to what I’d heard back then—
Grade C meant monsters in the fifties appeared, if I recalled correctly?
‘This is definitely not something to take lightly.’
For reference, the previous Lava Hound Gate had been Grade D.
Since this one ranked higher, without swift countermeasures, casualties could mount quickly.
“Wait.”

‘What is it, sir?’

I looked at the Seizhurner.
“Isn’t this the perfect time to put this thing to use?”

* * *

‘Final Weapon Leonis Siege Runner, deploying now.’

I watched the Seizhurner’s maiden sortie from the War Room table in the Command Center.
Through dozens of screens displaying the entire City, the advancing Seizhurner was visible.

Thump. Thump. Thump.
With each step it took, a vivid vibration seemed to carry through to me—an illusion brought on by the display.
“Right, but where are Sermin and the others?”
Instead of answering, Neia initiated the program.

‘Battlefield Command Module, activating.’

The table became translucent, filling with light.
A moment later, on the terrain board displaying the City’s layout, the positions of our main forces appeared in detailed precision—rendered as dots both large and small.
I was meant to look at this, then.

[ARG-01 Argelayer]
[LRN-SR01 Seizhurner]
[AD-51 Tactical Combat Drone]
[AD-37 Tactical Combat Drone]…

Names were labeled beside each dot, large and small.
They appeared to be the unit commanders’ designations, with dot size reflecting unit scale.
I clicked on the largest dot.
Several names then cascaded into view alongside it.
“Argelayer’s on the move with them.”
Under her lead, a substantial force including Sermin and Krail was advancing toward the northwest.
Patrol units that had been sweeping the perimeter were also repositioning to reinforce the northwest defenses, shown as smaller dots shifting into formation.
After scanning the display with interest for a moment,
a thought occurred to me.
‘But why only three?’
Currently, there were a total of four named humanoids.
Yet only three were moving within the City right now.
“That Pluto… is she holed up somewhere taking a nap?”
Doesn’t look the type for that, though.
If I’d known, I wouldn’t have bought all that pudding trying to get on her good side.
As I entertained that thought, Neia abruptly shifted the subject.

‘Combat will commence shortly. Please direct your attention there.’

“Right, of course.”
Forces continued to converge on the northwest outer wall in steady streams.
But there was still a considerable delay before the actual fighting would begin.
Even after all forces had gathered at the City walls, the enemy hadn’t shown itself yet.
“Where are they now?”

『They’re currently advancing toward this location. I estimate visibility with the naked eye should be possible in approximately five minutes.』

Five minutes wasn’t all that long.
But sitting here waiting felt wrong somehow.
“What if we advanced instead of waiting here?”
I was aware that this Gate was a full grade higher than the last one.
But to be frank, our power had increased dramatically since then.
The combat forces alone had swelled nearly tenfold.
And that wasn’t all.
With Argelayer leading three Humanoids and a Seizhurner—equipment we didn’t have before—I judged a full-scale engagement would be a decisive victory.
Or so I thought. But then….

『Casualties among our forces would increase significantly.』

Neia’s response was genuinely unexpected.

“That much?”
I understood that drawing them into the urban terrain would be far more strategically advantageous.
But still, with this much firepower….
I couldn’t quite believe it, so I asked for a detailed power analysis.
“Give me a detailed analysis of the damage scale if we fought a full engagement outside the City.”
『Understood. Calculating. Calculation complete. After running 100 simulations of that battle scenario, estimated losses are nearly 50% of total forces. Out of 41 cases, similar damage values were produced.』
“Sermin, Ar, and the Seizhurner are all here and you’re saying it’d be that bad?”
I didn’t entirely believe it, but I trusted Neia.
In these analytical matters, she was beyond me.
“Then what about drawing them into the urban terrain instead?” 『Approximately 35% projected losses.』
It didn’t decrease as much as I’d hoped.
35%….
It was still a catastrophic number to simply accept.
To minimize casualties further, I offered Neia another idea.
“What if we detach the Seizhurner and some forces, send them around to strike their rear?”

『Calculating. Calculation complete. Estimated damage reduction of approximately 10%. Let’s proceed with that course of action.』

“All right.”
Neia detached the Seizhurner and some drones to circle around, and moments later….
A massive Monster Wave came pouring over the horizon, the earth itself trembling beneath it.
“Wait—where are all these coming from?”
In the last battle, the Lava Hounds seemed numerous enough.
But that was only a few hundred at most.
Now there had to be three or four thousand.
And unlike before, there wasn’t just one type of monster—there were at least three.
Maybe more.
“All this from just one grade difference?”

『A single grade elevation increases danger level tenfold or more.』

No wonder she’d been so skeptical about the direct assault.
“Start mentioning those kinds of things upfront, would you?”

『I will be more mindful going forward.』

In any case, I turned my attention to the swarming masses of monsters and issued orders.
I pressed the microphone on the table.
“Krail, are you listening?”
“Yes, Successor.”
I delegated command of the surrounding drones to Krail first.
“It’s essentially controlling most of the forces stationed there. Can you manage it?”

『A weighty task indeed, sir. I will see it done.』

“Good answer.”
Next was Argelayer.
“Lieutenant Argelayer. Load the Ultra Photon Cannon. The first shot will announce the opening of battle—make sure it strikes maximum terror into the enemy.”

『Yes, sir!』

Then came Sermin.
“Sermin, back up our forces sufficiently until the Shock Wave charges. After that, I’ll give further orders.”

『Understood.』

I issued the general directives and turned to Neia. “What do you think?”

Crash—
The Ultra Photon Cannon unleashed its tremendous force, liquefying the tightly-packed ranks of the approaching army completely.
The number that vanished in a single blast came to roughly two hundred.
Yet immediately, that overwhelming mass surged forward again, trampling over their own corpses.
They didn’t show fear at all?
Even with the drones firing constantly, it was impossible to suppress the tide of monsters pouring forward like a flood.
Especially the monsters rushing from the front.

[Iron-Armored Giant]
[Iron-Armored Giant]

Argelayer’s next Ultra Photon Cannon would need cooldown time.
All that remained was to trust Krail.
The Iron-Armored Giant in the vanguard smashed through the Outer Wall and poured into the City.
Krail dragged them into the urban streets and pressed the fight.
He began eliminating the scattered enemy forces individually.
Standing atop buildings, Krail became a conductor of drones, removing enemies with clinical efficiency.
“But there’s just… so many of them.”
The drones, pushed to their limits, began overheating one by one, dropping into cooling mode.
As a result, the front line that had held steady initially began creeping backward inch by inch.
The City burned. Buildings crumbled.
Fortunately, the outer installations hadn’t been in active use, so immediate operational disruption was avoidable.
Still, the reconstruction costs ahead made me grit my teeth.
“Neia, Sermin—status?”

“Lieutenant Argelayer—status on the Ultra Photon Cannon?”

A message arrived on my tactical display in response to my words.
When I opened it, a voice came through.

『Understood… I’m preparing now.』

“Good. I’m counting on you.”
Judging by the tone of her voice, she doesn’t sound particularly composed, but there’s no help for it now.
We need to slow this advancing tide of creatures, at least enough to catch our breath.

『Argelayer Ultra Photon Cannon firing.』

A deep resonant boom echoed across the ruins.
The monsters pouring across the ruined city were swept away in a single, devastating stroke.
“Good work, Lieutenant. Take a moment to rest.”
In that brief window created by Argelayer’s strike, I regrouped the scattered forces.
The overheated units fell back while we stabilized the defensive line.
But before we could so much as draw breath, another Monster Wave was already upon us.
The enemy numbers had barely diminished—still well over eighty percent of the original force.
I cursed myself for having thought of the Seizhurner as merely a testing ground, nothing more.

『Sermin Shock Wave activating. Deploying to forward positions. Brace for impact.』

“Is it finally working?”
A thunderous roar split the air.
A hero descending to turn the tide of battle arrived with the shockwave in tow.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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