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Ivan disregarded Prince Nuada's expression and continued deliberately, "As the prince of the dark world, you should be aware of the secrets. The so-called dark forces are, in reality, a coalition of races distinct from humans. This alliance comprises dozens or even hundreds of such races. So, what force unites you? What are you fighting against?"
"This..." Prince Nuada's handsome visage suggested an answer, but he found it hard to believe and was reluctant to accept it.
"Humanity has always possessed significant power, not in the strength of humans per se, but in the intricate relationships between mankind and major forces. Humans form the foundation for many forces, and other entities are dependent on mankind."
"Other forces?" Prince Nuada seemed to be on the brink of realization but couldn't quite grasp it.
"You must be aware that gods have always existed in this world. Although their whereabouts remain unknown, some undoubtedly linger in the shadows. Do you think these gods would permit you to annihilate humanity?"
"Gods have always been distant, viewing humans as less than ants in their eyes. How could they care about the life and death of humans?"
Ivan regarded Prince Nuada with disdain, wondering how someone with this level of intelligence had survived until now.
"I'll pose a question to you: in this world, there are gods from various pantheons—the Greek gods led by Zeus, the Asgard gods led by Odin, and the Eastern gods, Heaven, and Hell. In your opinion, which of these forces is the most powerful?"
Prince Nuada pondered for a moment, shook his head, and said, "It's difficult to say. They balance each other, with occasional conflicts and unpleasant battles, but no true life-and-death wars. It's hard to determine who is stronger or weaker."
"Yes, it's challenging to discern their relative strengths, precisely because the stronger the forces, the less inclined they are to openly confront each other. There are too many forces nearby, and starting a war would risk devaluing one another. So, what do you think of human forces? Insignificant?"
"Humans?" Pride is rekindled in Prince Nuada, "What power do humans possess? Although there are some powerful mages, warlocks, wizards, and the like, they are few. Any force, as long as it dispatches a large army, can easily eradicate them."
"That's why I think you're foolish—so foolish that there's no cure. I mentioned earlier that humans are the foundation of all forces, yet you still fail to grasp the implications."
Hearing Ivan label him as foolish, Prince Nuada nearly couldn't restrain himself from confronting Ivan physically. However, considering the vast strength difference between them, he held back.
"All forces, regardless of their strength, seek ways to bolster themselves. But how do they strengthen themselves? Heaven requires the souls of virtuous humans, develops believers, or transforms them into angels."
"Hell needs the souls of the wicked to build an army of demons. If that fails, they can be used as cannon fodder."
"Olympus selects talented humans to train as warriors. Even Zeus, the head of the pantheon, descends to the mortal realm, mates with humans, and begets offspring with godly blood."
"If you comprehend these relationships, you should discern a chilling reality: human beings are the bedrock of all forces. If you truly seek to exterminate or dominate humanity, do you think these forces would consent? Even some races within the dark forces would object, such as werewolves and vampires—they too rely on humans to propagate their offspring."
"When you rule over human beings, making them all your slaves, and humans become your possessions, do you think those gods aspiring for future strength would bow to your wishes? Even werewolves and vampires, also part of the dark forces, would likely stand against you.
And your father, as the king of the dark world, in a realm where strength is revered, engaged in battles marked by knives and shots. Killing was commonplace for him, and wiping out a race wouldn't make him bat an eye. Do you truly believe he'd sign a peace agreement with mankind out of guilt?"
As Ivan's words sank in, Prince Nuada felt a thunderous impact in his mind, suddenly comprehending many things. His father once hailed as a great warrior, unbeatable on the battlefield, had fought one enemy after another to ascend to the throne of the dark world. Prince Nuada, facing his father's overwhelming power, hadn't even dared to resist.
However, when they initiated a war with humans, countless complications arose. Only after the creation of the Golden Army, a series of victories, and the defeat of the human race did his father's demeanor change. Prince Nuada remembered his father leaving for a period and returning with a different air—a benevolent king with a somewhat dulled spirit. Since then, the pressure from his father had lessened, and Prince Nuada had always believed it was due to his actions, thinking his father restrained his strength for his sake. In retrospect, it wasn't like that at all. The likeliest scenario was that his father suffered some form of injury, leading to a decline in strength—an anomaly for a long-lived species like them.
"No! No! We still have the Golden Army, it will never be vanquished, even if my father..." Prince Nuada clung to the last glimmer of hope.
"I said, can you stop believing in the so-called invincibility of these Golden Legions? Though I've never witnessed their supposed indestructibility, I can surmise it's due to their self-repair capability."
"As for how they self-repair, I can speculate based on the inscribed magic rune on your spear. It's likely a self-recovery magic rune, akin to the 'Restore a New' spell commonly used by wizards. Just destroy the magic rune."
"So, destroying the Golden Legion isn't difficult. You don't need those gods; you're just an ordinary wizard. Once you master the method, it's achievable. In the past, the Golden Legion won battles because its adversaries were armed with swords—ordinary humans relying on brave men to fight. Now, war involves aircraft cannons. Though it's a bit troublesome, continuous bombing will destroy the Golden Army several times. Once the energy is depleted, it can be eradicated. Do you still believe the Golden Legion is truly invincible?"
"I...I..." Prince Nuada struggled to say something, but in the end, he couldn't form a rebuttal. His dignity and hope, he felt, had been shattered by Ivan, pressing him down with friction on the ground that was more uncomfortable than death.
Ignoring the disheartened Prince Nuada, Ivan turned and walked back, soon reaching the storage location of the Golden Legion. Gazing at the colossal spheres, Ivan extended his hand, and one of the giant constructs flew before him. With a press of his hand, he began sensing the structure of this Golden Army.
To be honest, the interior of the Golden Legion consisted of countless gears. While it might have been highly advanced at the time of its manufacture, hundreds or even thousands of years ago, it now seemed antiquated and entirely obsolete—eliminated by progress. Yet, Ivan discovered a peculiar aspect: the Golden Legion possessed a magnetic field, a semi-living magnetic field with rudimentary thoughts. This revelation shocked Ivan. Could it be that artificial intelligence had been created thousands of years ago?
Conducting a rapid and thorough investigation, Ivan finally grasped the situation. Each soldier of the Golden Army was integrated with a residual soul. Crafted with a peculiar magic metal, the golden shell could forcibly seal and preserve these souls. As a result, the Golden Legions possessed rudimentary intelligence.
"It's a brutal method!" Ivan concluded that with every construction of a Golden Army, a soldier was sacrificed. Through a secretive process, their soul was fused with the mechanical golden soldiers. The experience during this fusion was excruciatingly painful, leading to the shattering of their souls. Feelings and memories dissipated, leaving only the instincts for combat and survival. This explained why the Golden Army obeyed only the strongest—those who wore the golden crown and defeated all challenges were deemed qualified to command them.
King Balor, the one who ordered the creation of the Golden Legion, appeared to be a ruthless individual for devising such a cruel method to build an army. Ivan confirmed through mental induction that the Golden Legion, both inside and outside, was working to restore the magic rune. As he suspected before, this was the reason why the Golden Legion seemed indestructible. However, Ivan viewed this as a mere jest. Destroying a few magic nodes would easily paralyze the Golden Legion.
Contemplating the vast space occupied by the Golden Army, Ivan considered how to make effective use of them. Soon, a plan took shape in his mind. With a light flutter of his sleeves, a cloud of black mist emerged and transformed into a human figure—Ivan's subordinate ghost.
"Master, what are your orders for summoning your subordinates?," Ghost saluted.
Ivan pointed to the Golden Army and inquired, "Ghost, can you sense the souls sealed here? What is their quality? Can you absorb them?"
Ghost closed his eyes, carefully sensing the situation. After a moment, he reopened his eyes and reported, "Master, these souls were once elite soldiers torn and slaughtered on countless battlefields. Despite having been dead for a long time and their souls broken, their will remains steadfast, maintaining the determination to never give up. They are indeed high-quality souls. Whether we can absorb them, we'll have to try to be sure."
"As expected, the creatures killed by the Golden Legion were surely more than what's present here. There must be more souls unable to endure the pain of the reintegration process, leading to their dissipation. Those who survived are the most determined. It's a good deal for us now. Ghost, you can try to absorb them first," Ivan instructed, pointing to the Golden Warrior in front of him.