Solarys, Sovereign of Wisdom, quietly illuminated the documents laid before me as I examined the organizational structure of Eterna's forces. Every number, every unit, every commander—nothing escaped my eyes. This nation carried my name, my authority, and my will. Its strength must reflect that.
Benimaru stood at attention beside me, composed yet vigilant. He knew well that I expected excellence—no excuses, no weakness.
I began with the newly finalized corps under Benimaru's direct command.
The First Corps, commanded by Gobta with Hakurou as his military advisor, was impressive in scale:
100 Goblin Riders — all at rank A-minus, each competent enough to act as a centurion.
12,000 Green Numbers — the original 4,000 now senior soldiers, leading 8,000 new recruits in teams of three.
The numbers had grown rapidly over the past year. Most were monsters of the Great Jura Forest, which allowed them to adapt with little trouble.
The senior soldiers had reached rank B, and though the juniors were only rank C–D, the overall structure was solid. They would form a dependable core.
I set the page down.
"The First Corps is stable. Gobta will lead them adequately," I declared.
Benimaru nodded. "Gobta has grown. Under Hakurou's guidance, they've become sharp."
Solarys confirmed my impression:
"Assessment: Potential rate of growth—high."
Geld commanded the Second Corps. Though they currently acted as construction units, in wartime they would become one of Eterna's main offensive forces.
2,000 Yellow Numbers — veteran High Orcs, rank B-plus, disciplined and united under Geld.
35,000 Orange Numbers — newer High Orcs, rank C, though only 15,000 veterans would fight; the rest served as logistics and engineers.
Their sheer numbers alone made them an intimidating force.
"Geld remains reliable," I stated.
"This corps will stand firm when war comes."
Benimaru agreed at once. "Geld's unity with his troops is unmatched."
The aerial cavalry had finally taken shape.
100 Hiryuu — rank A-minus, some reaching A, capable of flight, possessing Dragon Body.
3,000 Blue Numbers — Lizardmen warriors riding wyverns, rank C-plus.
Only 300 wyverns existed as of now. Until more were raised, many Blue Numbers were assigned to nurturing and training wyverns.
Wyverns—subspecies of lesser dragons, rank B-plus—were fearsome assets. Once each Blue Number had a mount, their true strength would be realized.
I closed this section of the document.
"Their air superiority will become a decisive weapon. Ensure the wyvern population increases," I ordered.
Benimaru straightened. "Understood."
Benimaru placed another document before me.
Kurenai — Benimaru's Personal Guard
300 elite troops, rank A-minus and above.
Led by Gobua, many capable of matching or exceeding former majin like Gelmud.
Their training under Hakurou had honed them into deadly warriors.
Dark Shadow — Souei's Intelligence Unit
At least 100 operatives.
Commanded by Souka and her sub-leaders, all rank A.
Included dangerous new recruits like Girard and Ayn—both rank A and exemplary agents.
Stealth, assassination, infiltration—Dark Shadow excelled across all.
Yomigaeri — Shion's Undying Legion
100 soldiers, originally rank C, now B-plus due to brutal regeneration-based training.
Some nearing rank A.
Their role was to protect me, even against my will. They existed for that purpose alone, regardless of my orders.
I maintained a regal calm, though inwardly I recognized the inconvenience of their overzealous devotion.
Benimaru watched for my response.
"These three units remain as they are," I decreed.
"Their loyalty and strength are unquestionable. They will stay under their current commanders."
Shion nodded proudly, arms crossed. Souei remained unreadable.
Shion's Unlisted Fanatic Corps
Unofficial.
Unregulated.
And utterly chaotic.
A fan-club-turned-private-army of unknown size—likely under a thousand—led by Dagruel's sons and volunteer adventurers.
I withheld comment.
Such an undisciplined force would be disastrous on the front lines. It was no surprise Benimaru excluded them from any official structure.
I returned the sheets to Benimaru.
"Your organization stands. Eterna's armies have expanded, but each unit remains true to its identity."
"Proceed with this structure. I approve it."
Benimaru bowed his head.
"Understood, Atem. We'll maintain formation as it is."
Shion and Souei each nodded, satisfied.
Benimaru then presented one final sheet.
"This… is today's main topic," he said. "The corps belonging to individuals outside my direct command, compiled into a single list."
At last.
I took the paper, my expression unchanged—regal, unreadable, measured.
The war table before me displayed two great wings of our forces. On the right side lay the armies of Eterna, my nation—my responsibility. On the left, the forces drawn from the Western Nations and the surrounding lands. Every soldier, every number, every formation was recorded with precision.
I studied them calmly. Authority came naturally to me; decisions were made not with hesitation, but with clarity. Solarys, my Sovereign of Wisdom, quietly processed every detail in the background of my mind.
Right Wing — The Standing Army of Eterna
First Corps — Gobta: 12,000
Second Corps — Geld: 37,000
Third Corps — Gabil: 3,000
A total of 52,000 elite troops—the true standing army of Eterna.
And honestly, it should inspire fear in anyone who dared challenge us.
Our population had already exceeded a million, growing faster by the day. With our rapid development and unmatched production capacity, maintaining an army of this scale was easy—especially with Geld's Second Corps doubling as military engineers.
If Geld and his builders weren't contributing to the infrastructure, we'd barely support 15,000 soldiers. But thanks to their industry, the foundation of Eterna was stronger than any nation in the West.
At my side, Benimaru and I considered our next moves carefully.
"Once the war begins, I'll recall Geld's men. That was the original plan," Benimaru explained. "But even with that, it won't be enough. Mobilizing the Western Nations' armies will be extremely difficult."
"True," I answered, voice calm but firm. "We fought to secure military authority from the Council—ignoring that power now would be negligent. But using it so openly may ignite political backlash."
"And if trouble breaks out in the Western Nations while their forces are away, they'll have no one left to respond," Benimaru warned. "It will weaken them."
"Which will, eventually, weaken us," I concluded. "A ruler who allows his allies to crumble has already lost."
We continued analyzing the chart until Benimaru pointed to the left wing—the newly assembled force.
Left Wing — The Allied Forces
Western Reserve Force: 150,000
Mixed Majin Corps: 30,000
Volunteer Corps: 20,000
These numbers were massive, even for nations acting together.
A Question of Scale
"These numbers are enormous," I said. "What exactly is this Western Reserve Force?"
Benimaru explained:
"They're the soldiers now under our command through the Western States Council. They used to have a small security unit, barely a thousand men. But after Testarossa reshaped the structure, recruitment exploded."
"And why is that?" I asked.
He smirked. "Rumors spread that joining the Council's force—your force—guaranteed a reliable livelihood. Many enlisted for stable pay."
That alone didn't justify the state of things, though.
"This force was never meant for war," I stated. "They were supposed to be a security arm—logistics, disaster prevention. Not an army of 150,000."
Benimaru nodded. "The nations requested more. Much more."
Testarossa had taken full control of the Council and pushed through sweeping structural changes. She had my permission to act freely, but I had not expected this scale.
The ODA-like arrangement meant we provided manpower, expertise, and infrastructure, while the beneficiary nation granted resources or rights in return.
A demon lord's strategy, yes—but fair and profitable.
But even I raised an eyebrow when Benimaru said:
"Testarossa was going to discharge her support troops. I stopped her. It would have been a waste."
"So you turned them into the Western Reserve Force?"
Benimaru smiled. "Exactly."
A practical decision.
The troops weren't elite yet—but with training, they could become a powerful disaster-response and support corps.
The Mixed Majin Corps — 30,000
"Who fills this unit?" I asked.
"Majin who once served Clayman, mixed with high orcs freed from construction duty."
I narrowed my gaze. "And they're cooperative?"
He nodded. "Geld knocked the selfishness out of them. And more importantly—they volunteered. They want to prove themselves useful to you, Atem-Sama."
I paused.
A force choosing loyalty of their own will—that carried far more value than any forced enlistment.
"Good," I said. "If they choose loyalty, then they will be under my protection as well."
Atem does not accept devotion lightly—but once given, he returns it with absolute strength.
The Volunteer Corps — 20,000
Humans, adventurers, mercenaries, immigrants—even Dungeon crawlers.
They all understood the truth:
If Eterna fell, the West would fall with it.
Their presence was a testament to how far Eterna's influence had reached.
Right Wing vs. Left Wing
Benimaru folded his arms. "The difference between the two wings is loyalty."
"To me?" I asked.
He nodded firmly.
"The right wing will die for you without hesitation. The left wing… has mixed motives. Some honorable, some opportunistic."
Behind me, Shion and Diablo murmured darkly—something about "useful pawns" and "sorting the worthy"—but I ignored them.
They were loyal.
Dangerous, but loyal.
"So," I said, voice steady, regal, absolute. "We have our forces. What remains is simple."
Benimaru bowed his head slightly, awaiting my final decision.
"Who will command each corps?"
The atmosphere tightened.
The question marked the true beginning of our war preparations.
And for all their loyalty, strength, and trust—
Atem alone would decide their path.