After finishing the urgent calls, just as I rubbed my face with both hands from a slight weariness, what I saw was… busy citizens moving about. People pushing supply carts and hauling goods. It wasn’t possible to move all the supplies from the communal logistics warehouse in one go, so the citizens had to keep working diligently. “Today it’s chemicals and fuel, huh.”

As the warehouse’s name suggested, we could secure quite a lot of resources… but even those wouldn’t last long. “We’ll be busy for a while.”

I was about to stand up with that thought when a low voice came from behind. “Ugh, Captain. That felt like a scene from a movie.”“Ah, Yevgeniya.”

Those who had been listening to the conversation—Eli and the core of the defense force—sent strange looks. “Why are you all looking at me like that?”“...It’s nothing.”

Benjamin, who spoke up as a representative, glanced toward the citizens for a moment. “Anyway, once we move the supplies, the citizens will be able to rest a bit. They’re fighting destruction alongside us…”“That won’t be the case.”“Huh?”“There’s much to do.” Tasks were piled up like a mountain. We couldn’t just leave them be. I didn’t know what sentimental mood had put them in those wistful looks, but wrong ideas needed to be corrected immediately. “The most urgent thing is to fortify the base.”“Fortify?”

It must have been unexpected—this time Eli asked back with a strange expression. “Yes. Leaving the base as it is would be dangerous.”“What kind of fortification…?”“We need to erect barricades and dig a moat around the base. It’s to prepare for the worst-case scenarios.”“Hmm!”

Although the defense base had terrain favorable for defense, that alone wasn’t enough. If a wave swarmed in and swept through, it would be hard to keep even a single blade of grass alive. So fortification was almost essential. Of course, “fortification” didn’t mean anything grand. The first step was digging the ground around the base deeply. Then set sharp stakes below to form a primary defensive line. If we layered barricades behind that, we should be able to hold off a wave of moderate scale. “The defense force’s role is combat; the citizens are manpower to handle everything else.”“I roughly understand what you mean.”

The role of the 5th Defense Force had to be focused on concentrated hunting of the entities. And to keep all under control, we needed to pull everything together—finalize everything—before it was too late. “Benjamin.”“Yes?”“Can I have your answer now?”

They were already following my lead in practice, but making it official would cut off any noise later. I no longer intended to keep up the pretense of just going along. Benjamin lowered his gaze briefly, as if reading that thought, then exchanged looks with the squad leaders. “This isn’t a decision I can make alone.”“You’re not certain yet?”“No. I’ve already decided. But if I decide alone, some will rebel.”

I couldn’t press harder after he’d brought the matter up like this. Still, Benjamin’s expression gave me some relief. ‘Benjamin will be fine.’

Indeed. The troops’ consent mattered. It wasn’t something Benjamin could decide unilaterally. The squad leaders’ mood matched Benjamin’s when I looked at them. [Mega Flare — Day 4]When I received word from Ken that he’d opened the ant cave and was entering it immediately, the third morning had come.‘I can breathe a little easier.’

Beyond that was Ken’s domain. We didn’t have the capacity to interfere further. The 5th Defense Force base was busier than ever. The defense troops mainly did reconnaissance and perimeter security, while citizens moved supplies and were deployed where needed. Their adaptability was faster than expected, but that was only at surface level. Dig deeper and you’d find subtle discordances everywhere. [Mega Flare — Day 5]During ongoing reconnaissance, hundreds of entities were discovered. The defense troops quickly deployed and exterminated them, but inside the base the atmosphere was unsettled. Since we couldn’t move supplies, the topic of fortification came up for the first time, and digging the moat around the base began. [Mega Flare — Day 6]A message came from the central control center. It said people would be relocated into shelters inside the ant cave. Ken once again took his place at the center of the group. The defense troops and civilians gradually regained their vigor. [Mega Flare — Day 7]Time passed quickly. While everyone was still busily moving, I sensed that the time had come. “Kyle.”“Benjamin.”

The main figures of the defense force came to see me, their expressions grave. “We’ve finished the internal deliberation.”“What’s the conclusion?”“Before that, there’s something we’d like to ask.”“Go ahead.”“Do you want us to remain soldiers, or do you want us to be an armed mob?”

The question cut through a lot. Soldier and armed mob—words that are similar yet very different. “What does Benjamin think a ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ soldier is?”“A soldier prioritizes the citizens’ safety and survival and acts accordingly.”“I see.”

A short silence followed the flat reply. During it, I gathered my thoughts, and the answer I gave next contained an expectation I didn’t even know I had. “I want you to remain soldiers.”“...As I suspected.”“But as the world has changed, a soldier’s role must change too.”“What does that mean—‘role changes’?”

He swallowed and answered. I glanced at the squad leaders standing behind him. “Do you remember what I said before? That we’re fighting destruction itself.”“Yes.”“That doesn’t mean we can fight everything. Each has a role.”Doctors fight disease. Engineers rebuild collapsed civilization. Citizens resist raiders and gather necessary resources. Everyone had their part; one group couldn’t do everything. “...So what should we do?”“Soldiers should focus on fighting entities rather than rescue. Even if that means we can’t save ten people in front of us, it might save a hundred we can’t see.”

The soldiers’ role is combat with the entities. I needed people who could focus on fighting them. “So I want you to remain soldiers.”

Was that an answer? Benjamin gave a faint smile and nodded.Then he said, “We’ll follow.” He announced the decided matter. The answer was brief, but I remembered the worries it took for them to make it. It was no easy decision. Up until now, it had been about listening to others. That was about to change. “Is that everyone’s opinion?”“Yes.”

Benjamin ripped something off his chest. “We are going to discard the name ‘5th Defense Force’ from now on.”

He tore off the emblem—the unit mark with the number 5 denoting the 5th Defense Force. His expression looked very serious. “We will no longer be called the Defense Force; we will stand under the name ‘Kyle’.”

At the same time, Melanie Marillie, Yevgeniya Ivanov, Yue Dao, and Tyrone—four squad leaders—also tore off their unit marks. The meaning of that action was clear: to shake off the disgrace of being the 5th Defense Force and start anew. Benjamin continued softly, “We need a new name.”

A new name. I had never considered it, but only one word fit best: Ark. The ark from the Bible built to rebuild humanity at the time of destruction. The sound was good and the meaning suited us. Was anything beyond that necessary? “Ark.”“Ark…”“Arka…”

Benjamin and the squad leaders’ reactions weren’t bad. In fact, the corners of their mouths even twitched into smiles. “From now on we are Ark.”

As the group changed, I would need to change too. The atmosphere shifted naturally and those before me straightened up. “The organization remains unchanged. Benjamin Howard will serve as the base staff officer, and the commanders will operate under him.”

They didn’t answer with words. They simply raised their hands and saluted. That single gesture was a clearer answer than many words. “Assemble the troops.”“Yes.” The sight of hundreds of troops lined up in orderly ranks drew a faint gasp. The citizens looked on with anxious eyes as if sensing the grave mood, while the defense troops sent determined gazes tinged with hope. I stood before them, bearing those countless glances on my back. “Salute the captain—!!”Click-click!

Hands went up in salute to staff officer Benjamin Howard’s command. Receiving their salute, I began my opening words. “I may die tomorrow.”Was that an odd remark? No.“No, I may die today.”

The words, delivered in a flat voice, were honest.

“Maybe I’m already dead.”

I don’t remember ever being fragile. “You are the same. Fighting destruction is like that.”

Perhaps situations and circumstances make a person.

“I want to live.”

I truly did.

“Sometimes it’s so terrifying I want to run away.”

The thought of dying.

“Patriotism, honor, duty, camaraderie—those things don’t matter as much anymore. I don’t want to bother with such trivialities.”Maybe this was the most human moment I’d shown.“I ache for a beer I once drank without a care in the world. I miss those easy moments when trivial stories made us laugh out loud.” I turned my gaze away, thinking of things we couldn’t return to. “So I will not step back. Even if yesterday’s me dies and today’s me dies.”

A resolute voice. I clenched trembling fingertips tightly.

“I will move forward.”

Those before me began to stir with a subtle fire, spreading like a fever even to those who had remained indifferent. “If this world forces people to flee to survive, or violently forces them to take away what is ordinary, then I will gladly oppose it. I will stand at the front and resist.”

My heart began to race. The warmth coursing through my body made me feel alive. “I will spit in the face of this damned situation.”

I did not want to ignore or kill those feelings. And I asked, “If someone asks why go so far, I would ask in return—where would you reach by running away from this hell?”

It was arrogance only someone who knew everything could say; the last words, spoken like madness, shook those before me. “I will reclaim what this shitty world has taken.”

The beating in my chest grew louder. “I will rebuild civilization and laugh at destruction.”

A previously hazy will grew clear.

“I don’t care if I die doing that.”Freed from that sinking feeling I’d had.“Because it won’t be a meaningless death.”So I asked, “What do you think?”

Will you join us? There was no verbal answer. They showed it. That fever had spread like a contagion. “Tear off your emblems. We are reborn.”The small spark added to that heat was—““Waaaaaaaah—!!!!””

And they were reborn under the new name, Ark. [Mega Flare — Day 7][Special Unit Ark (Ark) Formed]

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.