The hivemind is conquering for me? Chapter 778: Glade Gate

Suspended in the air, my arms crossed and devoid of armor, I surveyed the fortress we had captured two days prior. The war's commanders had advanced the frontline to this very spot, establishing a strong defense thanks to the natural advantages of the terrain against the eastern forces.

For days, I had been observing the relentless advance of Spartari's war machine as it secured this position. The preceding fort had been transformed into an impenetrable bastion, bristling with artillery, heavy weaponry, and armor.

The whereabouts of that colossal mech remained a mystery to me, but I highly doubted it could breach these formidable defenses without suffering significant damage.

However, it did spark my curiosity. Mechs were primarily derived from Clan Dinnac technology, leading me to wonder if that clan possessed a fundamentally different nature compared to the others. Clan Emoth, for instance, had fought valiantly down to their last Drakoshi, and even their engagement with the Silver Pauldrons the day before only ended in retreat after the demise of their war heroes.

It would be prudent to be vigilant for more cunning tactics whenever Dinnac forces were detected in the vicinity.

I then drew a deep breath of the crisp air of this world, which was remarkably rich in Psionics. Gazing across the horizon, the crimson landscapes of this region were breathtaking. I had yet to encounter any of the Redoxuite crystals firsthand; most were located underground. Yet, based on accounts from the Phalanx, some had witnessed colossal, sky-bound crystals, hundreds of meters tall, floating like monstrous megaliths.

The prospect of seeing them was incredibly appealing, as this marked my first experience on a naturally occurring Psionic world. My homeworld had only attained this status through Jewel's unfathomable power.

'Furthermore, if I could procure one of these crystals and bring it back home, I could converse with Jewel constantly,' I mused with a grin. I'd likely forget about it, much like I did those underground lights during the mercenary mission. 'Though they're still with Sophia; I could retrieve them next time... if I happen to remember.'

*PEW*

A subsonic round whizzed past my ear, abruptly capturing my attention. I turned towards the trajectory of the projectile, spotting Nerissa just retracting from her firing stance, her arms now folded expectantly.

Uncertain if I was in trouble, I bid farewell to my brief moments of unarmored freedom—as my 'pleasant aroma' had manifested—and descended rapidly towards her.

Landing with deliberate stability, ensuring my feet left no impression on the ground, I smirked at my own lack of disturbance before turning to Nerissa. "Hey Ness, everything alright?"

She paused for a beat before responding, "Apollo, you trust me, right?" This unexpected question prompted me to reach forward and place my hand on her pauldron.

"Ness? What's wrong? Why do you sound so down?" I inquired, but she merely countered my question with another.

"Do you know that I value your friendship above almost everything and would never intentionally do anything to hurt you? Do you know you can confide in me about anything?"

"I-um? Yes? Nerissa, what is this about? You're making me worried."

Nerissa met my gaze with a blank stare for a moment before clearing her throat. "*Ahem* Apollo, I need you to accompany me on a private mission. It will take two days of travel on foot to reach our destination. Can I count on you to refrain from asking any questions until we arrive? This is crucial to me."

I began to nod, anticipating the opportunity to escape the fortress for a while, but Nerissa continued.

"I would also request that you leave Onyx, Sapphire, and Sithrik behind. It needs to be just the two of us."

I was about to seek further clarification, but before I could, Onyx materialized beside us, pointing a finger at Nerissa. "You plant it. If you swallow it, I will murder you. I'm not joking. Understood?"

"Nope."

"Yes."

Nerissa and I responded in unison.

Nerissa didn't even question Onyx; she had harbored suspicions for some time regarding Onyx's abilities, and this statement nearly confirmed her current theory about the situation. The realization secretly filled her with excitement about the resolution to the 'problem'...

Onyx then turned to me, embraced me, and whispered into my ear, her voice not her own but the collective will of the hivemind: "Don't worry, my universe. We don't count this one. Everything is okay."

I pulled away from Onyx, regarding the two clandestine figures with suspicion, especially after Onyx's unusual vocalization. "Alright, spill it. What's going on? I'm utterly confused."

Onyx then gently pulled my head down to meet her gaze. "Do you trust me?" she asked in her usual voice, her large green eyes wide and seeming to draw the very essence from my soul. I merely sighed, defeated. "Of course."

I then turned to Nerissa and offered a smile. "I assume Skaja is aware of our departure?"

Nerissa nodded. "Yes. I have also issued an official Praetorian statement indicating I am taking you on a personal mission. However, she's unaware of the specific details... Now, let's go; the longer we delay, the longer this journey will take."

...

After two days of travel, during which I repeatedly inquired about our destination without receiving a satisfactory response, Nerissa abruptly halted, surveyed our surroundings, and declared, "We have arrived."

I then glanced around, utterly bewildered. We were standing in the middle of a glade, nestled within… "Whoa, when did the trees change their leaves?" For hours, we had been walking beneath crimson treetops, and now, suddenly, we found ourselves amidst an evergreen grove.

Not only that, but my vision was obscured by the surrounding trees, and the sky had transformed from a blazing midday sun to a frigid full moon.

"Where are we, Ness?" I inquired, removing my helmet.

"We are at a glade gate, Apollo. A place of great secrecy and sanctity to us Nature Praetorians. A place where secrets cannot escape. My sister, who finally believes me about something, should be here already, but I do not sense her presence."

"So… can I know exactly why you've brought me here, Ness? I won't lie, I feel somewhat at home here… But I don't comprehend our purpose here. And why couldn't I bring Onyx and my chonk?"

Nerissa removed her helmet before responding, and my eyes widened slightly. She had reverted to a green complexion, but the shade was significantly darker than before. Her hair had lengthened and also deepened in color, and her lips had transformed from green to a provocative red. The most striking change, however, was a pattern resembling a leaf on her forehead, almost like a tattoo.

I observed her cheeks begin to flush. "Apollo… there are three reasons I have brought you here today. The first—"

"Oh wow! He is so cute!!!" a feminine voice suddenly exclaimed from behind me. Turning around, surprised by the unexpected voice, I was met by a green-clad Praetorian warrior who flung herself at me, tackling me to the ground.

I was bewildered by the turn of events. For a moment, I suspected an attack, but as I felt the Praetorian's helmet rub against my cheek like a cat's, my doubts grew.

"Um, hello?" I greeted, feeling a gauntleted hand stroke through my hair.

"Oh my~ *Sniiiif* You smell of just-ripened elderberries kissed by the rain. It's intoxicating. I could smell you till the day I die!"

"*AHEM!*" Nerissa suddenly cleared her throat with an intensity I'd never heard from her. The green-armored Praetorian glanced at her, then at me, tilting her head.

"*Gasp! Oh no, where are my manners?!?" she declared, getting to her feet, but proceeded to straddle my chest.

"I’m Rhapso, it is my honor to meet you, Apollo… Though perhaps we have met before? Hehehe~"

"Rhapso! That's enough. First, you agreed to help me with the initial… situation," Nerissa began, her voice rising, but then becoming shy for some inexplicable reason.

Rhapso then grasped my armor and pulled me up, embracing me. "I don't know, Ness, I wouldn't call this something needing fixing. He smells so wonderful~ Oh, but I suppose we should get that thing out of him, huh? Okie dokie."

Rhapso finally moved off me. I then rose to my feet and smiled at the Praetorian. "Nice to meet you, Rhapso. I like your green armor; is there a reason it's different from the other Praetorians I've encountered?"

Rhapso began to giggle, swaying her entire body with the excitement of a young girl. This completely caught me off guard, as all three other Praetorians I had met were not nearly as… giddy as this one.

"No, well, yes, there is, but it would take too long to explain. For now, I think we should let 'Loch Ness Monster,' as you call her, explain why you've been asked to join us here. Hehehe~"

Folding my arms, I turned to Nerissa. "Well, I've been asking pretty much every hour we've been traveling and received nothing, so I hope to find out why now… Though if it were just to meet you, I wouldn't call this trip a waste."

"Hehehe~"

I continued to gaze at Nerissa; it seemed she couldn't maintain eye contact with me now, but she managed to begin speaking.

"Um, Apollo… Now, don't get me wrong, this isn't precisely what happened, but in terms you can understand, it's the closest word to the truth. So please don't get upset with me or think I've done something to you. It was purely accidental, I promise." Nerissa appeared flustered, her new skin tone deepening as she blushed.

"Okay? So what's up?" I asked, a hint of concern creeping in.

"Well… um… When I healed you the other day, that phenomenon that healed you so rapidly… After contacting my kin recently about certain matters, we've reached a conclusion about what occurred with that healing—my second bloom and your scent smelling so…"

She paused, and I glanced at Rhapso, who was bouncing in place, brimming with excitement.

Nerissa finally found her voice and blurted out the most outrageous thing I had ever heard."Apollo... You're sort of pregnant..."