"Is it... going to be a failure?"
Bronya stared at the scene unfolding on the screen of light. The Life Simulation Game had lifted the fog of war for her, opening up a tactical map of the entire region.
The map of Belobog was displayed on the screen, but it had completely lost its sense of being the city that stands eternal.
A dense swarm of red dots poured out of the Fragmentum, a tide threatening to drown Belobog.
Under the assault of the red dots, the blue dots representing the Silvermane Guards grew fewer and fewer. The defensive line was on the verge of collapse.
"As I thought, my abilities are still too lacking..."
Bronya sighed. She had already given this simulation her all, making her choices with extreme care, searching for any way to ensure the Preservation of Belobog.
But the outcome had still come to this... The main army was routed and unable to fight. She had wracked her brain to devise tactics and command the troops, but she was powerless to stop the advance of the Fragmentum creatures.
Forget it... I can just start another run.
I must remember the lessons from this failure. I need to consider more things in the next simulation...
Bronya shook her head, no longer concerned with the success or failure of this particular run. She tapped the screen to let the game continue—
[October. The Fragmentum creatures are about to breach the pass. The defensive line is in imminent danger.]
[Powerless to command the army, you give up completely.]
[In the same month, your personal guard, Ron, obtains command of the front-line army.]
A single point of blue light suddenly flared up on the tactical map.
On a map that had been nearly devoured by the crimson dots, this blue light was like a candle flame in the wind, looking as if it could be extinguished by a single gust.
But it held its ground with incredible tenacity, even expanding slowly, until it finally stabilized Belobog's defensive line.
The Fragmentum creatures were like a dense swarm of bees, yet they could not break through this seemingly fragile line of defense.
"What... is this?"
Bronya was taken aback. New text appeared on the screen:
[Ron knows that the situation has reached a point of no return, that only a do-or-die gamble could carve out a sliver of hope.]
[Facing the Fragmentum creatures about to storm the city, he makes a decisive move, destroying the access bridges and temporarily halting their advance.]
[Belobog has gained a moment to breathe.]
[He swiftly rallies the scattered remnants of the routed army, quickly organizing them into a fighting force.]
The text on the screen faded, and a new image materialized—
The guards were assembled in neat formations in a plaza. The cold winter sun shone on their armor, reflecting only a scattered, weak light.
Their armor was already battered and broken, bearing the marks of blades and axes.
The scars left by the Fragmentum could not be erased, but fear had long since faded from the hearts of these soldiers.
Following their fervent gazes, they looked to Ron, who stood in his own battered officer's armor on a hastily erected platform, raising his arm and shouting—
"We have already stepped into the storm! This battle is unavoidable!"
"The world is vast, but we have no room left to retreat—"
"Behind us, is Belobog!"
The soldiers roared in response, fire igniting in their eyes.
"In the name of the Preservation!"
Their cry of faith echoed through the sky.
The image on the screen faded away, and new text began to form:
[Under Ron's command, the Silvermane Guards have solidified their faith in the Preservation.]
[They have successfully glimpsed a corner of the Path. Although they are far from becoming Pathstriders, they have managed to draw a sliver of power from it.]
[The Fragmentum creatures finally break through the pass. But under Ron's command and with the blessing of the Preservation, the remnant army fights with all its might and miraculously holds the defensive line.]
Bronya's eyes widened in disbelief, her pupils quaking.
"Even in a desperate situation like this, Ron can solve it...?"
In that moment, her understanding of the phrase "can solve any problem" from Ron's character card talent was completely transformed.
---o---
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Seeing the text appear on his screen, Ron couldn't help but reveal a healthy, satisfied smile.
What was there to say? A win!
This gamble had pierced through fate itself. Ron could already foresee a simulation ending where he would win big time.
The Fragmentum creatures were strange, but they weren't immortal. When killed, they dissolved into motes of light and vanished into the Fragmentum, as if they had never existed.
Although the Fragmentum would continue to replicate these bizarre creatures, that still took time.
As long as Ron held this defensive line, the creatures' offensive would grow weaker and weaker, eventually giving Belobog more than enough breathing room.
Once the situation stabilized, with the military authority of the front lines firmly in his hands, he could launch his coup whenever he wanted. What room would Cocolia have to resist?
He'd lead his three thousand axemen straight into Qlipoth Fort, hang Cocolia upside down, and spank her until she came to her senses.
What's so great about that damn Stellaron? Who gives a Belobog profanity about your damn new world? Get over it!
Ron was already preparing the lecture he'd give Cocolia while kicking her ass with his boots.
...His confidence lasted right up until the reports of victory on his screen stopped, and different text appeared.
[November. You have successfully stabilized the front-line situation. The Fragmentum creatures are temporarily unable to invade Belobog.]
[During this month, Supreme Guardian Cocolia sent eighteen urgent directives, ordering the front-line commander to lead the guards in a counterattack against the Fragmentum.]
[You treated these military orders as scrap paper and threw them into the furnace, complying with none of them.]
[In the same month, the Supreme Guardian rushed to the front lines, broke through the guards' defenses, and entered the Fragmentum alone.]
[Upon hearing this, Commander Bronya, disregarding all opposition, insisted on charging into the Fragmentum to find the Supreme Guardian.]
[You have lost contact with them.]
Ron stared, dumbfounded. Seriously? What the hell is this now?
Seeing the text on the screen, he rolled his eyes and nearly fainted from anger.
Ron could guess with his feet why Cocolia had gone into the Fragmentum—
On Everwinter Hill, there was a containment device built by the Interastral Peace Corporation and the Architects to capture the Stellaron.
However, the IPC's technology at the time was not advanced enough to capture a Stellaron at will. The containment plan failed, and a Creation Engine was left behind on Everwinter Hill along with the device... and the Stellaron itself.
Cocolia, long seduced by the voice of the Stellaron, had already abandoned the Path of Preservation and thrown herself into the embrace of Destruction. She yearned for the "new world" that the Stellaron's destruction would bring, harboring pathetic, unrealistic fantasies about it.
During her long reign, she had done everything in her power to weaken Belobog's effective forces. The Silvermane Guards were probably at less than half their peak strength, with most of the casualties having died in bloody battles under Cocolia's overreaching command... this counterattack was supposed to be the same.
In Cocolia's original plan, this battle would have likely wiped out the remaining strength of the Silvermane Guards. With the capable captains and guards dead in the Fragmentum, the remaining Architects would be completely powerless against the Stellaron's corrosion.
Then, Belobog could fully embrace Destruction, and she could welcome her long-awaited "new world"... It was just a shame for her that Ron was too much of a carry, an absolute hyper-carry.
With a god-tier card like Ron in the game, he had pulled the losing situation back from the brink and stubbornly saved Belobog.
The guards held the line, the Fragmentum creatures couldn't invade Belobog, and now her new world was once again a distant dream.
Cocolia must have gotten desperate and decided to go find the Stellaron to do the job herself. It was highly likely she planned to take the Stellaron and blow up along with Belobog... Ron guessed that was why she entered the Fragmentum.
But fine, if she wanted to go, so be it. Her hugging the Stellaron and going crazy would just mean one more boss fight for Ron. But what the hell was Bronya thinking, following her to her death?
Was this some kind of mother-daughter martyrdom pact? Do you have to be so damn filial, Bronya?
For a moment, Ron didn't know what expression he should be making.
The text on the screen refreshed—
[Although you sealed off the news as soon as it happened, the matter gradually spread until it became common knowledge.]
[Because both the Supreme Guardian and her heir have ventured deep into the Fragmentum and vanished, the morale of the guards has plummeted.]
[The defensive line is becoming unstable. Occasionally, Fragmentum creatures break through and enter the logistics heartland.]
[Although you quickly eliminate these monsters, the worsening situation tells you a heavy truth—]
[The Supreme Guardian is Belobog's last line of defense; they will preserve the entire city... All the people of Belobog, without exception, hold an unrealistic fantasy about the Supreme Guardian.]
[If you cannot bring back a Supreme Guardian, the guards, knowing they have lost their leader, will eventually lose their will to fight. The defensive line will collapse, and the situation will become truly irreversible.]
[Faced with this crisis, you decide to—]
[1. Ascend to the position yourself. If they can sit on the throne, then so can I, Ron!]
[2. Launch an emergency rescue. Enter the Fragmentum to save Bronya or Cocolia and rally the troops.]
[3. Maintain the status quo. Let events unfold as they may, and continue commanding the guards against the Fragmentum as usual.]