Waves, as ever, change of their own accord while awaiting the changes of the world.
The central hall within the fortress of the Aqua Empire.
A single slime core floated silently above the undulating table.
Faint turquoise ripples spread from the slime core, and within it, something pulsed slowly like a heart underwater.
Emperor Nereia, Levian, Naus, and Sian stood before the slime core.
“Remarkable. To think this is the object born from the fusion of us and Silva.”
Naus spoke.
“They say Silva has already used slime cores to establish barracks and train soldiers. I believe we must move as well.”
“I know. The defenses and currents that collapsed because of Terra have now been mostly restored, so what comes next is revenge. However, there must be more we can do with this core than merely build barracks.”
At Nereia’s words, Sian replied.
“We can also build research facilities to enhance the abilities of the new troop types. In addition, advanced defensive fortresses can be constructed. This time, even Terra will not find them easy to break through.”
After a moment, Levian also peered into the slime core and said,
“Truly… is this really ours? It is the result of Silva’s wavelength overlapping with our current, so I cannot help but wonder which side it belongs to. To be precise, whether its identity is not somewhat ambiguous…”
Nereia spoke calmly where she stood.
“Currents are not meant to remain fixed. The days when we flowed only with our own energy are now nothing but the past.”
Naus spoke again.
“In truth, this object is also a resource that departs from our traditional strategy. It seems to flow, yet does not flow; it seems to change, yet remains fixed like a tree. That is the nature it possesses.”
Nereia took one step toward the slime core.
“Perhaps that is why everyone fears it. Certainly, the confusion will only grow. But such a transitional period is unavoidable. Rather, if we insist on clinging to our old form, we may fall behind the changing times.”
She picked up the slime core.
Her gaze turned toward the inside of the core.
“This is slower in its flow than we are. On the other hand, it has greater cohesion than we do. We must accept that.”
Sian said to Nereia,
“For now, I will have the slime barracks constructed. I think it would be best to focus on producing new troop types with the slime core.”
“Do so.”
The slime core’s pulsing was growing faintly stronger.
News of the slime core’s birth also reached the citizens of Aqua.
As if in commemoration, a sample of the slime core floated in the middle of the water at the center of the capital Nereis’s plaza.
“Ohh, so this is the thing they call a slime core?”
Several citizens rode the sea currents as they observed the slime core.
“It must have some weight to it. Seeing as it’s slightly submerged in the water.”
“It looks like water, but you could hardly call it water, could you?”
“I don’t know either. I only hope it can at least become something capable of opposing that golden core or whatever it is.”
The citizens caught hold of the current to examine the slime core more closely.
“So this is something that can fight the golden core?”
“It’s complicated, so it’s a little hard to understand, but in any case, I think I heard the conclusion was that this has power similar to the golden core. They said you can tell which side is stronger if you calculate the relationships of mutual generation and mutual overcoming, but that’s as much as I know.”
Two deep-sea spearmen also approached the core.
“Moving so flexibly across the water was our way alone. But that thing hardly moves from where it is.”
When one of the soldiers said that, the other soldier replied,
“But with that way, we could not overcome Terra’s rocks. Perhaps we needed something thicker and firmer.”
“True. Silva’s roots are strong enough to break stone, after all. It has become a world where one cannot survive alone anymore. This time, at least, we must move together.”
The soldier turned his head to look at the soldier beside him.
“Then are we no longer of much use?”
“There’s no need to go that far. Besides, producing slime cores costs quite a bit, so it’ll be difficult to mass-produce soldiers with them. I heard something like that, too. We are born in this sea, receive training, and become soldiers, but slime soldiers are said to be born from the core itself.”
“Hm? Then where does their allegiance lie?”
“They would follow whoever trains them, of course. At the very least, slime won’t fight against its own kind. The golden core will be something worth seeing. Since it’s made by fusing enemies together, isn’t there a chance they’ll fight among themselves?”
“Is that so?”
By Nereia’s command, the Aqua Empire also came to construct slime barracks, just like the Silva Empire.
Perhaps due to their weight, the slime barracks floated on the water while slightly sunken below the surface.
The waves around the barracks were calm, but within them lay a direction that was not familiar.
On the platforms inside the barracks, new slime cores were enshrined one after another.
A denser turquoise current than before flowed toward the edges of the platform and began to take shape.
Levian gazed at the sight and let out an exclamation of awe.
“I have never seen anything like this before. It takes the form of our water, yet grows like Silva’s trees.”
Thus, Aqua also came to possess slime infantry.
Aqua’s slime infantry had a darker, blacker hue than Silva’s.
That also meant Aqua’s slime infantry carried more of the energy of water.
At the southern border, construction of defensive fortresses began.
“Perhaps because we are not yet accustomed to them, handling the cores is no easy task.”
Under Sian’s orders, the current architects were working diligently to construct defensive fortresses with the slime cores.
Thin, elongated viscous bodies stretched out radially from the cores, forming organic barriers where cold water membranes and living mucous membranes combined.
Unlike the defensive walls constructed with wave cores, the advanced defensive fortresses created by the harmony of waves and life could withstand Terra’s attacks far more smoothly.
The water energy forming the fortresses had grown stronger, but this was especially thanks to the wood energy contained within them as well.
Naus, who had been observing the fortress from the side, said,
“At this level, even rock will not pierce it easily. We have returned stronger than before. We need only fortify our interior and move forward now.”
Sian approached him and said,
“Almost everything we can do on this side has been completed. Let us focus more on training the slime infantry.”
“Indeed, we should.”
Aqua’s defense was changing from the former wavelength of water into a will given form together with life.
The central hall inside the fortress.
Nereia and all her retainers had gathered.
“Recently, news arrived that the flow of life was blocked.”
Nereia’s voice resounded.
“It seems the timing was not appropriate to attack Terra. Pushed back by the combined assault of Terra and Metalum, they had no choice but to retreat.”
Levian spoke, gauging the mood.
“Even so, we owe Silva a debt. This was a matter between us and Terra, yet Silva stepped forward personally.”
Nereia nodded.
“It may have been somewhat reckless, but that courage deserves praise. We cannot know whether Silva truly moved for the sake of our revenge, but is this not the first time they have carried out an attack so boldly?”
“Y-yes, it is. It also showed that Silva will no longer simply allow itself to suffer. Though they retreated, they did gain something as well. I hear they acquired Terra’s core.”
Nereia turned her gaze toward the map floating upon the water’s surface.
“Now it is our turn to move. But to think Metalum was at Terra… that is unexpected. Was there some pact between the two?”
Sian replied,
“Could Terra handing over our wave cores to Metalum have been part of that agreement? It seems that is why Metalum agreed to protect Terra.”
Levian lowered his head.
“It appears an alliance has formed between them as well. In the end, it seems we and Silva, and Terra and Metalum, will each become a single faction and wage war against one another.”
Naus then spoke.
“I think so as well. It seems we cannot move independently either. If we advance into Terra now, we will likely encounter Metalum there too.”
Levian asked Naus,
“But is Metalum not an enemy to us? Do they have any means to harm us?”
“That is…”
Sian answered in his stead.
“Of course, Metalum cannot attack us directly. However, it does seem they are strong enough to stop the slime infantry. Even if we send our slime infantry forward, they may be blocked by them.”
“Hmm. They must be helping Terra because they received something in return, but the situation is becoming complicated.”
Sian looked down at the map.
“But was Metalum truly that strong? As far as I know, Metalum does not yet possess a dual-attribute core… Ah, they will likely possess one soon. Still, to think they faced slime infantry with only the single attribute of metal…”
Nereia said,
“We must speak with Silva. It seems we will have to impose upon Silva once more. There must be some reason Terra and Metalum were able to overcome our slime. We must prepare more thoroughly and approach the center.”
On the one hand, the retainers could not say they had no desire to avoid provoking Terra.
However, the fact that Terra had attacked them first, plundered a large number of cores, and even handed those cores over to Metalum was deeply displeasing to Aqua.
What they intended to carry out was not so much revenge as a response.
After a brief silence, Naus quietly said,
“It seems important that we advance into Terra, but move carefully. I also think it would be best to contact Silva first.”
Levian asked him,
“Will Silva really prepare for battle again this time? They have already retreated once. It would be burdensome to ask them to attempt another attack.”
Nereia replied,
“It is fine even if they do not express an intent to attack. I have already decided to advance toward the center. What I wish to obtain from Silva is the bare minimum of prior information. After hearing enough about the circumstances of the last battle, we will prepare our army accordingly.”
She then gave Levian an order.
“If the defensive walls have been sufficiently established, the army may advance. Have our forces, including the slime infantry, stand by at the southernmost front. Advance as soon as my next order is given.”
“Yes, I will obey your command.”
The forest that had retreated from the recent battle was silent.
Yet within it, roots were once again writhing.
Silva remembered the wounds inflicted by earth and metal, and to heal those wounds, it decided to grow deeper.
Soon, the energy of water would come to the forest once more.
The trees, too, sensed the presence of that water.
Now Silva had to break its brief silence and prepare its response.