Ch.276Poh-kyu.

# Chapter 276: “Po-kyu.”

The way Gaia terraformed in the game was truly remarkable.

It completely transformed a planet’s inner core, creating a perfect paradise planet where most organic and inorganic life forms could thrive.

And this meant that the fortress that the cunning Former Emperor had worked so hard to build…

No, that he would turn Belkadur—the barren satellite of Ka’zan with nothing but a few military surveillance bases—into a paradise moon?

The psionic mental wave emitter created using Belkadur would now become what “used to be” an emitter.

“What do you think of my plan?!”

“Amazing, sir! Using Gaia seems like something no one had thought of.”

As I realized I could deliver a massive blow to the Former Emperor’s schemes that had been giving me headaches,

I felt a sense of elation welling up from within.

But soon, Riel tilted her head and made a comment that stopped my seemingly unstoppable momentum.

“But Minister, does this mean you’re canceling the ‘paradise planet’ development plan you promised to Eternia?”

“…Hmm.”

Although the capital planetary system was destroyed by the Former Emperor,

Why did Eternia bring all their equipment, technology, and personnel from their original territory?

It was because we said, “We’ll give you a planet, so in return, let’s form an alliance.”

It was in response to our attitude that Eternia was helping us.

Besides, coincidentally, their current leader, Lady Maria, is favorable toward us—

More precisely, toward Emperor Artraia, which is also a factor.

Anyway, what’s important is that our current alliance was possible because we promised Eternia a planet, and not just any planet, but a ‘paradise planet’…

And if after the war ends, we tell them:

“Oops☆ Actually, it’ll take another 10 years to create a paradise planet.”

Wouldn’t the gun barrels of Eternia’s surviving annihilation fleet point at us?

‘Hmm.’

The leadership like Lady Maria or Admiral Lüchou wouldn’t directly get angry with us.

Still, thinking about enduring Eternia’s strange glances for 10 years made me feel like my insides were twisting in various ways.

———————————————-

Of course, despite such concerns, I had no intention of abandoning the plan to deploy Gaia to the satellite.

When there’s no other option available, what else could we do?

“What are you going to tell Eternia?”

“Desperate apologies and compensation, what else?”

Moreover, since Eternia, as an advanced empire, already possesses terraforming technology capable of creating paradise planets,

I thought that if we provided the resources needed for terraforming along with compensation, it might somehow work out.

So I summoned Gaia, who had been dispatched to Ishadur,

Evacuated all personnel from Belkadur, and then sent Gaia along with escort troops and ships there.

“Meteorn, is there anything threatening there?”

Naturally, considering the seriousness of the situation, the escort troops

Were selected from the most skilled members of the Purge Unit.

-“There are no unusual circumstances. Rather, with even the few surveillance base personnel gone, it’s as quiet as a mouse.”

“Hmm.”

Thinking about that cunning Former Emperor, I wondered if defense turrets might suddenly pop up from the satellite,

Or if brainwashed individuals might rush out.

Contrary to expectations, there was no interference even up to the moment Gaia was deployed to the satellite, which was quite perplexing.

“Gaia, you can do this well, right?”

-“Y-Yes…! I’ll do my best…!”

“Good, work hard.”

So while encouraging Gaia, I simultaneously decided to share my doubts with Riel and

The staff members present about why the Former Emperor hadn’t set up any countermeasures.

In response to my question, Riel stepped forward, shrugging her shoulders and answered:

“Probably because deploying anything would be meaningless? Above all, he probably doesn’t have the capability.”

“Hmm?”

When I raised a question mark at that statement, other staff members immediately provided answers.

“Even if the Former Emperor himself deployed forces on the surface, wouldn’t it be enough for His Majesty Emperor Artraia to simply withdraw those forces?”

“Since he’s already treated as dead, he has no means to prevent that.”

“Besides, there aren’t any fortresses on the satellite’s surface where large-scale forces could be stationed to stop such escort troops.”

“To address that, he would need to build a separate underground fortress network, but then perfect defenses that prevent even small infiltration units like the Purge Unit from entering would become meaningless.”

“Moreover, even if he worked hard to build defense facilities on the surface, a small fleet could destroy everything with precise orbital bombardment.”

Faced with the barrage of counterarguments, I wore a truly perplexed expression.

“And thanks to the absence of large-scale forces and facilities, he was able to avoid our surveillance network.”

“Hmm.”

“Perhaps that was the Former Emperor’s plan—to reduce attention on Belkadur while simultaneously ensuring solid defenses just in case.”

I nodded and decided to wrap up the conclusion.

“So you’re saying he not only lacked the resources to deploy forces and defensive facilities but also had no reason to do so?”

“That’s exactly right, Minister.”

“From what we’ve assessed, the defensive capabilities of Belkadur… the satellite-type mental wave emitter could withstand attacks from over 100,000 ships for at least a month.”

“And that month would be more than enough time for the front line to collapse under the sheer numbers of Kirsanid Scourge?”

“That’s correct, Minister.”

After hearing everything from the staff, I decided to organize my thoughts.

‘So from the Former Emperor’s perspective, he found the optimal method to protect Belkadur.’

Of course, the Former Emperor probably didn’t anticipate that we would have a trump card powerful enough to break through his defenses in an instant.

And incidentally, I also realized that the period when the Former Emperor was disguised as fake Fern’dus in Prosnack wasn’t as long as I thought.

If he took control of Prosnack immediately after his death, there’s no way he would have given us Gaia that Prosnack possessed.

Or perhaps he didn’t know that Gaia could transform the satellite’s interior into a new paradise.

For someone who claimed to have traveled through numerous parallel universes, it’s impossible that he wouldn’t know about Gaia’s abilities.

Getting Gaia into my hands could be considered pure luck.

Anyway, as I was organizing my thoughts like this, Gaia’s voice began to come through the communication network.

-“…Then, I’ll start right away…!”

“Yes, I’m counting on you.”

———————————————

Although it took longer than expected, perhaps because Belkadur was larger than the satellite we had previously tested Gaia’s abilities on,

Gaia’s paradisification process was underway.

-“Now is the time for me to be helpful to the Minister!!”

“She’s full of spirit.”

“Indeed.”

Our precious Gaia poured her terraforming energy into the satellite with all her might, just like when Son Goku fires an energy wave at Broly.

As a result.

-Ding♬

[Pause]

[Event: Paradise Transformation Complete]

[The characteristics of Ka’zan’s satellite Belkadur have been changed to a ‘Paradise’ planet by Gaia.]

With that short, brief message line.

-Bam bam bam bam!

[Quest: Tracking Kirsanid Scourge Psionic Waves]

[Content Closed]

[Objective: Remove something that attracts Scourge in the Kesada planetary system](Completed)

[Reward: End of additional Scourge reinforcements from outer space]

After the quest completion message appeared.

[Event: Kirsanid Scourge Swarm in Confusion.]

[The hive mind and queen leading the Kirsanid Scourge are bewildered as the psionic mental waves guiding them suddenly disappeared.]

[Although the Former Emperor seems to be trying to maintain control using the queen and hiveship,]

[No matter how hard the Former Emperor tries, it seems unlikely that more Kirsanid Scourge wandering in the distant outer space will flow into this galaxy.]

[Kirsanid Scourge outer space additional reinforcements ended, ‘Psionic Confusion’ trait (damage -10%, accuracy -20% to opponents) applied to Kirsanid Scourge swarms]

‘This is it!’

At the quest reward that immediately popped up, I mentally screamed with happiness, unable to contain my delight.

Even an unexpected reward.

A debuff against the Scourge!

‘This is exactly it! You damn Scourge bastards!’

It was such a blissful situation that I was about to mentally scream with joy in the paused state.

[The invasion path of the Kirsanid Scourge is distorted. From now on, the Scourge’s offensive will change from targeting only the Holy Seveli Empire’s capital to all paths in the galaxy.]

‘Haha, damn it.’

Of course, as soon as I saw that last message, I felt a sense of bitter disappointment.