Peru blamed herself for those she couldn’t save, but objectively speaking, she saved far more lives than she lost. If she hadn’t liberated the city or drawn the Golden Mirror’s attention, the number of surviving jackals would be far smaller. Though swept away by shards of steel, some were lucky enough to escape to the opposite side of the Golden Mirror. Many who wisely chose covered vehicles managed to survive and escape the Mirror’s influence.

“This way! Everyone, form ranks and maintain distance as you move this way!”

Hecto, the Suppressionist Overseer, was gathering the surviving jackals. His role remained unchanged, even as war loomed. While harvesting grain with the machine granted by the Golden Mirror, he was the first to notice the anomaly and gathered his subordinates immediately.

The subordinates of the Suppressionist Overseer, accustomed to the Golden Mirror’s grain, had no resistance to its influence. Without Hecto’s quick response, more than half would have been absorbed without even realizing it.

However, this was no situation for Hecto to feel relieved.

A path, forming in real-time, led somewhere ominous. Pointing in that direction, Hecto murmured to himself.

“That direction… Claudia…!”

The Golden Mirror, now terrifyingly transformed, was heading past the city toward Claudia. Even if it was a coincidence, it was a dire problem. If intentional, it was even worse, signifying the Golden Mirror was acting with a clear goal.

He had already dispatched a swift subordinate to Claudia, but the Golden Mirror was equally fast. By the time his message arrived, the Golden Mirror would likely be on Claudia’s doorstep. Claudia, lacking adequate transport, might not respond in time.

“Damn it! I should’ve sent someone sooner! I was too preoccupied managing the chaos to notice!”

There would be no returning to their previous peaceful life. The jackals would endure even harsher nomadic lifestyles, striving to evade this roaming calamity.

That is, assuming Claudia could even be defended.

“If that path connects to Claudia, it’s over. We must buy time at all costs…!”

“Hecto!”

Amid the fleeing jackals, I emerged, waving my hand as I approached him. Recognizing me, Hecto’s face twisted in surprise.

“You! From the Martial Nation!”

“Yes, the Martial Nation’s envoy of peace!” I answered with a grin.

After a moment of confusion, Hecto’s expression turned to fury as he snapped at me.

“Did you cause the Golden Mirror to become like this?!”

“How could we, when we were beaten down and chased away? If anything, what did the Golden Mirror do to us?!”

At my retort, Hecto fell silent, his tongue tied. He had lashed out impulsively, searching for someone to blame, without truly considering his words.

…Though, in truth, the Golden Mirror’s rampage was partly my fault. But that’s a secret.

“You’ve seen it yourself, haven’t you? The Golden Mirror declared war on the enemies of the Golden Nation. And guess what? It seems the Heat Nations are included in that declaration! Ha! Rejecting peace turned out well for you!”

“Are you here to mock me?”

“Nope! That’s just a side goal. I’m here for a real reason.”

“I’m busy. Save your pointless chatter for later…!”

“Even though you essentially betrayed us, we’re still emissaries of peace! To ensure peace, we’ll help stop the Golden Mirror!”

Hecto looked at me with an expression full of overwhelming emotion.

I understand the urgency, but please don’t look at me with those sparkling eyes. It’s unsettling… and makes me feel a bit guilty.

Time was short, so I condensed the situation for him.

“Verdant Overseer is on the way. She’ll reach the Golden Mirror no matter what. But she needs others’ help.”

The battle had become simple. If Peru reached the Golden Mirror and rusted that golden bell, they’d win. If not, they’d lose.

Win, and they lose the Golden Mirror. Lose, and they lose everything. It’s a losing game, but that’s life. Zero-sum games are a luxury.

“Do whatever it takes to ensure Peru reaches the Golden Mirror. Distract it, apply pressure—anything.”

Even if Hecto only managed to buy a few seconds, those seconds were precious.

‘You’re asking me to be a meat shield. Verdant Overseer… She can definitely stand against the Golden Mirror. But neither I nor the other Overseers can. Alchemy belongs to the Mirror.’

Hecto wrestled with his decision but didn’t take long.

Life, especially an old one, depreciates with time. Aged veterans often give their lives away for less.

Even a Heat Nationer far removed from patriotism grows attached over the years. Born and raised in the Heat Nations, Hecto could no longer separate himself from the land. Compared to this, his own dwindling life felt featherlight.

With a heavy heart but a light life, Hecto made his decision and spoke.

“Where is the Verdant Overseer?”

“There,” I said, pointing to a distant hill.

Hecto squinted at the direction before scanning the surroundings with narrowed eyes.

“…Hiding behind the hill, waiting to ambush the Golden Mirror?”

‘An ambush is undoubtedly effective, but… will the Mirror approach that side?’

If even Hecto perceived it as a hill, then the plan was succeeding. Smirking, I replied, “Just watch a little longer. You’ll see.”

Though skeptical, Hecto focused on the hill. Moments later, he understood why I had pointed it out. The earth itself seemed to move, shifting like a living creature toward the Golden Mirror.

The land appeared as one mass but was, in truth, layered fabric. Over millennia, the Earth Goddess had meticulously woven this garment to shroud her divine form.

Using Jizan’s authority, the regressor peeled away a layer of that garment, revealing the golden box hidden underneath.

‘Ugh… Even with Jizan, lifting the earth is exhausting…!’

With Jizan, the regressor lifted a layer of earth. Beneath it, the golden box surged forward. Its transmutation allowed it to move through the ground—a spectacular feat.

…Of course, the regressor expended immense focus and stamina to accomplish this.

The world’s most unnecessary concern might just be worrying about the regressor.

The hill trembled and moved toward the path of the Golden Mirror. It resembled a massive mole burrowing underground for an ambush. The moment the two trajectories intersected would be the perfect time for Hecto to act.

‘The speeds are almost the same. At that distance, when will they meet? If I leave now…!’

After finishing his calculations, Hecto shouted urgently.

“We’re moving out! Sound the horn!”

A subordinate standing beside him lifted a large horn. Hecto applied pressure to the horn using his Unique Magic. Air flowed through its intricate internal structure, producing a sound like a ship’s foghorn as it exited the pipe.

Baaaahhhhnng.
The long blast of the horn echoed. The Overseer’s subordinates, upon hearing the signal, mounted their vehicles, though confusion lingered in their eyes.

“We’re moving out? To where?”
“Overseer?! Where are you going?”

They pretended not to know, but in truth, everyone had a guess. They simply sought confirmation, hoping they were wrong.

Hecto started up his juggernaut and shouted louder than its engine.

“To buy time! To draw the Golden Mirror’s attention!”
“What?”
“Don’t ask stupid questions! There’s no time to convince you! You there, attach the exhaust pipes!”

Hecto’s Unique Magic applied pressure to metal. He primarily converted this power into force using pistons. His juggernaut, the Iron Heart, was built on this principle, vibrating violently with its thousands of pistons and cylinders.

“I’m not asking you to risk your lives for free. That’s not our way!”

Unusually, Hecto’s juggernaut consisted only of an engine. What he attached to it—and how he used it—was entirely up to him. The Iron Heart didn’t care whether it had arms, wheels instead of legs, or whether it wielded a scythe to cut grass or a saw to fell trees. It merely provided power.

Until now, Hecto had used it to haul the corn harvester designed by the Golden Mirror. But now, he stripped away all the parts meant for harvesting. His aides hurried to attach larger wheels, spring-mounted connectors, and dozens of exhaust pipes to the core engine.

The completed juggernaut was rugged and brutish in appearance, emitting a loud, coarse growl from its exhausts.

“In exchange, I’ll pay you! I’ll buy your lives with my money!”

Rumble.
The Iron Heart spewed streams of air instead of blood. Hot wind enveloped the juggernaut, transforming into energy. Scorching blasts roared from its exhaust pipes.

“To anyone who follows me, I’ll divide all the wealth I’ve accumulated until now equally among you! This is a promise as the Suppressionist Overseer!”

With those words, Hecto unleashed the Iron Heart. The juggernaut roared, its wheels clawing at the ground as it launched forward, leaving a storm in its wake.

The jackals buzzed with excitement. Most of them knew just how vast Hecto’s wealth was.

Hecto was one of the Golden Mirror’s closest aides, earning his fortune by processing and selling food over many years. His wealth was immeasurable, more than enough to maintain a thousand subordinates and still have plenty to spare.

“Could he really mean it?”
“No way. But then again, when has the Overseer ever broken a promise?”

They feared for their lives. But the prospect of earning more money than they could in a lifetime changed the equation. Survive, and they’d live in luxury for the rest of their days.

“To hell with it! What’s the harm in trying?”
“This is our big score! Just this once, and I’m out of this damned country!”
“Idiot! Why leave when you’ll be rich? Just settle in Claudia and live like a king!”

The jackals, with nothing but their lives to lose, boldly mounted their vehicles. They whipped their mules or horses—whatever beasts they rode—and fired up their rattling engines. Chasing a fortune, they followed Hecto’s juggernaut.

“Let’s go! We’ll only die once!”
“We survived earlier, didn’t we? One more time, and we’re good!”

To embolden themselves, they screamed almost hysterically, as the jackals of the Heat Nations surged after Hecto in unison.