Even the earth has times when it crosses the line of balance.
The earth of Montera, capital of the Terra Empire, had always been quiet.
In a silence as though time itself had settled over it, soil and stone had maintained their balance, supporting one another.
But recently, ominous signs had begun to spread around Montera’s fortress.
The moment Terramont returned to Montera, a faint tremor rose from deep underground.
It was a vibration so weak that no one else could have noticed it, but to him, it was unmistakably audible.
A message carried like a whisper by the friction of stone.
“As expected, the foundation of the world is shaking.”
Terramont slowly placed his hand upon the ground.
The once-gentle soil felt unfamiliar.
A vibration stirred by the flow of waves and wood grain, following in the wake of an intense blaze.
Two alien wavelengths were seeping into the earth, and their sources were none other than the 2-attribute cores.
Terramont did not hesitate.
He gave an order to Ratos.
“Establish a research institute at once.”
“Ah, we begin immediately?”
“Yes. From this point on, we too will participate directly in battle.”
The retainers looked at one another in surprise, but none raised an objection.
They, too, knew.
The world had now entered a stage where mere observation was no longer enough to endure.
Terramont gazed beyond the earth and murmured to himself.
“Balance belongs not to those who wait, but to those who understand. So now, we must understand its structure.”
The underground conference room within Montera’s fortress.
That day as well, a solemn atmosphere filled the room.
When Terramont took his seat, Gorban bowed his head and opened his mouth.
“Your Majesty, I will now summarize and report on the movements of each empire.”
He pointed to the map atop the round table and continued.
“Ignis has finally created a Golden Core that fuses fire and metal, but as of yet, it appears they have not been able to put it into practical use due to a lack of necessary resources. And Aqua is jointly researching a fusion core with Silva. Judging by the steadily growing signal, it seems a new core of their own will soon be born.”
“Hmm.”
Terramont nodded impassively.
Gorban continued his report.
“Silva appears to be focusing first on its joint research with Aqua. From Silva’s perspective, the most threatening opponent is Metalum, but Metalum itself is focusing more on its battle with Ignis than on Silva, so they are in a relatively safe position. However, once Ignis’s Golden Core begins to be used in earnest, Silva will also be in danger.”
Gaia posed a question to him.
“Then is there little concern that Silva will attack us as well?”
“Yes, for now. However, now that the empires have recently begun showing interest in core fusion, there will also be empires that set their sights on our Earth Cores.”
Terramont silently listened to Gorban’s presentation.
Gorban’s report resumed.
“Furthermore, Metalum has shown no movement toward fusing cores, but instead, it is focusing on defense while mass-producing a new type of soldier. It recently made contact with Aqua for a second time, but this time as well, it seems to have gained no particular results.”
Terramont said,
“Aqua, is it… Given the circumstances, it seems they too were attempting to research a 2-attribute core.”
“Yes, that appears to be the case. However, from Aqua’s perspective, taking both Metalum and Silva—two empires in an opposing relationship—as allies at the same time would be a burden. Even if it did not go as far as an alliance with Metalum, the very act of cooperating with them in some way may have risked provoking unnecessary conflict with Silva.”
“Hmm.”
The report ended, but the conference room fell into silence.
Terramont was lost in thought for a moment, then looked at Gaia and asked,
“At present, our army is composed of Rock Infantry and Boulder Throwers. Can you design a new type of soldier?”
The retainers exchanged glances.
Gaia asked Terramont,
“Your Majesty, do you have a specific purpose in mind?”
Terramont’s answer was simple.
“Because the center must be solid. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“What trait should be specialized?”
“They need only be sturdy enough not to waver under enemy attacks. So sturdy that not even Silva’s roots can pierce them.”
Terramont’s instructions were simple and clear.
In other words, he wanted to cultivate soldiers whom no one could pass through carelessly.
He gave Gaia another order.
“If there are no particular objections, request Phellos to upgrade the barracks immediately. And as soon as the barracks upgrade is complete, begin training the new soldier type.”
“Yes, I will depart at once.”
The meeting concluded in that manner.
After the retainers each left the conference room, Terramont slowly rose from his seat and left behind a single remark.
“No matter who is making what, and where, all roads will ultimately have to pass through this place.”
Having completed construction of the research institute, Phellos immediately began upgrading the barracks according to Terramont’s instructions, and after some time, a new barracks revealed itself.
The upgraded barracks had a new training ground, but the ground of the training field remained uneven earth.
That was the place where the new soldier type would be born.
The newly born soldier type came to be called the “Earth Guardian.”
The Earth Guardians did not have a splendid appearance like the soldier types of other empires.
Their bodies were covered in stone and clay quarried directly from the earth, and instead of swords or spears, they were equipped with round, broad shields and heavy stone fists.
As Terramont watched the Earth Guardians undergoing training, Gaia explained to him,
“The Earth Guardians are not particularly fast. However, they are strong against external impacts and excel at breaking down enemy formations. They will not collapse easily.”
Just as he said, the Earth Guardians did not show themselves falling even during training.
Some soldiers remained standing even while training by attacking one another, and they maintained their posture even atop shaking ground.
Terramont nodded in satisfaction.
“That the defensive line does not collapse means that the center is maintained. Continue cultivating the Earth Guardians. We possess sufficient Earth Cores. Do not forget to further strengthen the soldiers’ capabilities through the research institute as well.”
That night, at the northern border of the Terra Empire.
Across a region covered in thick clouds of dust, dozens of Earth Guardians were moving forward.
Their steps were by no means fast.
But each step, then the next, pressed down upon the ground, and in the places they passed, soil and stone formed a road.
“Huh? What are those?”
Deep-Sea Spearmen standing guard at Aqua’s border discovered them.
The Deep-Sea Spearmen shouted in alarm.
“Terra is attacking!!”
Aqua’s Deep-Sea Spearmen and Tidal Warrior units attempted to attack.
However, the Earth Guardians did not waver.
They easily deflected the spears made of Aqua’s water crystals and did not stop advancing.
“H-How can this be…!”
The Deep-Sea Spearman unit was thrown into confusion.
They were approaching at a speed that was not fast, yet they could not be pushed back.
Upon reaching Aqua’s defensive line, the Earth Guardians swung their stone fists at Aqua’s soldiers.
Slash!
“Aaaargh!!”
Paaat!
“Urgh!”
Aqua’s soldiers were shattered by them into fragments of water crystal and scattered.
The Deep-Sea Spearmen judged that defending would be difficult and retreated, while the Tidal Warriors faced the Earth Guardians in their stead.
However, water could not easily pierce soil and stone, which held the upper hand in their opposing relationship.
Rather, with a single swing from the Earth Guardians, the defensive line of Aqua’s soldiers was thrown into disorder.
“Concentrate our forces at the southern Third Wall now! Summon additional troops!”
Nereia, the Empress of Aqua, who had received word of Terra’s attack, quickly issued orders as well.
“Deal first with those who have entered our territory! At sea, we have the advantage!”
As Aqua’s army gathered, it became difficult for the Earth Guardians to advance any farther, and some soldiers fell to the flow of water.
However, Aqua had already had around three regions occupied by Terra, and Terra’s soldiers began seizing the Wave Cores produced there.
Gaia shouted to the soldiers.
“Aqua’s defense is growing fierce! We retreat now!”
Terra’s army withdrew from Aqua’s sea and returned to land.
Aqua’s army attempted to counterattack the retreating Terra soldiers, but against those who had emerged from the water, they did not achieve any particularly great results.
Terramont was watching the soldiers returning from Terra’s northern border.
Gaia reported to him.
“Your Majesty, the operation seems to have succeeded. Fourteen dead, seventy-four Aqua Cores secured.”
Some soldiers were holding Wave Cores that glowed faintly.
Terramont still maintained a solemn air.
“You have worked hard. The fallen soldiers will be reborn as Earth Cores. See to it that their sacrifice is not forgotten.”
Terramont and the returning soldiers entered Terra’s territory.
Gaia carefully asked him,
“The research institute has also been built. Will we perhaps be fusing a 2-attribute core as well?”
Terramont shook his head.
“We will leave only one. We have no need for the rest.”
Gaia was startled.
“Why? Why is that? They are certainly worth researching…”
“That is precisely why we have no reason to possess them. We will keep only one. As for the rest… once we arrive at the fortress, we will transport them again with the others.”
Gaia was curious about his intentions, but he carried the Wave Cores along with the soldiers and silently followed him.
After arriving at the fortress, Terramont, his retainers, and several soldiers immediately headed for Metalum.
Before long, they entered Oruka, the capital of Metalum.
“Hmm…?”
Upon hearing the news that Terramont was coming, Oruma came out of his fortress and waited for them.
“Hmph. I cannot say I was expecting anything in particular, but it is unexpected that you, not Ignis, would come to see me.”
Terramont got straight to the point.
“I came because I have something to give you.”
Behind him, the soldiers who had brought piles of Wave Cores stepped forward before Oruma.
“What is this…?”
At Terramont’s completely unexpected action, even Oruma was briefly at a loss for words.
Terramont said,
“Shouldn’t you be preparing for core fusion now as well? I already know that you attempted to cooperate with Aqua. That is why I obtained their cores and brought them here.”
Oruma’s eyes trembled faintly.
“You have all kinds of ways of trampling on a man’s pride, Terramont. Then what do you want from us?”
Terramont answered as though it were only natural.
“You know as well, do you not? We want balance. The era of 2-attribute cores has already become unstoppable. Other empires either possess 2-attribute cores or are expected to possess them. If you also come to possess a 2-attribute core now, then balance will be maintained.”
The Wave Cores he had brought were piled high at Oruma’s feet.
After a brief silence, Terramont and the soldiers turned away.
Oruma, too, stood in silence, watching only their backs.
Phellos, who had accompanied Terramont, said to him,
“To be honest, I found this decision unexpected as well. I never thought you would hand over most of the cores without any compensation…”
Terramont replied,
“Compensation is bound to return. Even if I do not go out of my way to demand it.”
Meanwhile, in the south, flames began to surge once more.
Ignis, having succeeded in fusing the Golden Core, now seeks to attempt the fusion of a new core.