The Arachna surrounded City D-34 and covered the sky. They formed an all-devouring tornado with the city as the eye of the storm. Overseers and other army-class Arachna stood at the edge of the warzone. Their eyes gleamed with bloodthirst.

From the flower-like organs, the Overseers emitted a swarm of pollens. They rippled across the battlefield and agitated the spiderlings, who shrieked and rushed forwards.

The flood of red spots merged and formed a tide of crimson hue. Their colour shifted to light or dark depending on the concentration of the spiderlings.

"Estimate the number to be a hundred thousand. Expect the clash in thirty minutes," an operator said, her eyes shifting between panels, her hands typing commands.

Behind her, a group of high-ranking officers sat and discussed. Their eyes stared at the central hologram on the meeting table.

"Any notable formation?" Venetus said.

"They rush in without any clear pace."

"Execute Defensive Module 7. If they retreat, don't pursue. Focus on repelling." They could overwhelm the city, but they didn't do so.

"General, I propose an all-or-nothing tactic."

"Dismissed. They can crush us if we provoke them. We only need to hold our ground until the reinforcement comes."

"They might be toying with us."

"The Arachna doesn't play around."

The black dots approached the boundary. The alarm and shouts echoed. The wall transformed into a defensive fortress with mechanical turrets and drones covering it.

"Targets entered the effective firing range," The androids knelt to steady their aim. The explosive gunshots rang, their collective noise shaking the battlefield.

In a symphony of death, the Arachna fell, exploded into fountains of innards, and crumbled into ashes. Their shriek pierced the wall and haunted the city. Those who reached the wall died by electric field traps. Only their fried organs and boiling blood managed to stain the stainless.

The struggle lasted for an hour. The pace went up and down, depending on the section of the song. No one knew when and how it ended.

"No life signal detected. Successfully eliminated the Arachna," the operator said.

"What are the casualties?" Venetus said.

"No notable malfunction and damage. We spend a little less ammunition than predicted."

Venetus stared at the number and tapped his fingers against the meeting table. Everyone silently endured the muffled gloom and waited for him. They wouldn't even dare to breathe loudly.

"We wait for—"

"General, the second wave will reach us in ten minutes."

The commanders whispered to the others, but no one dared to voice their concern.

"The number?" Venetus said.

"One hundred thousand, there is an increase in the Spitlings."

"Change the formation to Defensive Module 7.5B and prepare for an emergency order." Venetus entered his command into the hologram and selected a few real-time footages to view.

The second wave of the Arachna raced to the defence line, some diving under the piles of corpses to conceal themselves. Their growling met against a rain of bullets. The frontline collapsed and filled the world with puddles of green acid.

The Arachna formed groups and forced their way through the electric field, getting cooked alive while protecting the Spitlings in the middle. Though the androids and the drones could indefinitely shoot from the high ground, they lacked the proper ammunition to keep up with the assault.

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"Activate the spike trap."

Gaps emerged from the defence line, shooting out countless spikes. They pierced the Arachna and roasted them from the inside. They moved in and out with superb speed, creating gaping holes in the Arachna. The acidic blood coated the traps and slowly decayed them.

"Reloading completed." The androids finished their reloading and began firing. The tension exploded and lingered for two hours. The ground became littered with Arachna.

"The second wave has passed. The expended resources are—" The operator paused. Her face twitched. "Sir, the third wave will reach us in five minutes."

The room became noisy, but Venetus remained calm, faintly smiling.

"Now, the real game begins." He sent his simplified strategy to the commanders and waited for their approval. "Cut the formation into two rows. The spike trap will provide additional aid if necessary."

"I've instructed the androids and gave them a standby procedure."

"Now we watch. I'll command the army myself."

The same scene occurred: the Arachna rushed to the wall, the turrets and androids tried their best to stop them.

After running out of their bullets, the first-row androids took a step back and allowed the second-row to take their place. The process repeated as they switched between reloading and firing. When they shifted position, a gap manifested. The Arachna stomped in and caused chaos.

"Overheating. Requesting a routine check-up and a substitute," an android said before stopping its action. Smokes seeped from its joints.

From the ground, a spit darted towards the android and pierced its waist. The android shuddered before tumbling from the wall, crashing into a pile of scraps.

"The formation is breaking," the operator said.

"The Arachna concentrate their force at the hole of our defence. Arrange the androids to the back and use the electric fence."

"What about the leftover Arachna?"

"Leave them be."

The spike traps moved for one last time before refusing to snap back. Their ties corroded, their bases decayed, they became useless after multiple usages.

"Retreating," the androids said.

Once they left the danger zone, the black wall shone in blue light. Electricity flooded the surface. The field of corpses dispersed the current, but it also extended its reach. Like a hand of death, the current killed everything it touched.

The battlefield became filled with the hauntingly inviting fragrance of cooked meat.

"When will the fourth wave hit?" Venetus said.

"The Arachna exhibited no further movement." The operator changed the hologram to reveal a nightmare scene.

Countless exotic Arachna, from the cannon fodders to the army-class, stared at the city.

"How many Overseers are there?"

"Estimated to be at least ten, but we can only identify three."

"Replace all malfunctioned androids and check the generators."

The meeting room sprung to life as the commanders discussed the plans and passed their suggestions to Venetus. Though he was a genius strategist, he didn't know everything. Their specialized knowledge was useful to him.

While waiting, Venetus closed his eyes and rested against the chair. His mind wandered into the simulated reality, the last stand between a weakened city and an overwhelming force of Arachna. He lost his grip of reality and fell into the familiar classroom.

"What will you do?" his teacher said.

"Eliminate the Overseers and disrupt their chain of commands." The city deployed specialized mercenaries to snipe the Overseers.

"Their number is unknown. The Overseers hide inside swarms of meatshields." The Arachna flooded the city. The scene froze, and all returned to their previous state.

"Cut off the ground connection by flooding the trench and generating electricity."

"The airforce will act. Your power usage won't last until the reinforcement."

"Intimidate them with Exsupero with the help of the Arbiters."

"The noble can't sustain the automaton fortress."

Venetus turned back to look at his teacher, but he could only see a dark mist all around him. He stared at the emptiness in his mind before he sighed.

"Teacher, please help me once more."

"There are other players who can help you. You can force a stalemate."

"But how?"

"Follow my lead and build the scenario with my gift. Remember, in the battle of the wits, only the brave shall emerge victoriously."

"Teacher, can you change the outcome?"

"That I cannot answer. What will be fun if I reveal everything?"

Though Venetus couldn't see his teacher, he knew she was smiling. Even in his mind, she remained mischievous.

"Are you still alive?" he asked himself.

"There is no point in knowing the answer."

"But—"

"Go back. They need you."

"We need you too." More than anything else.

"You'll find me when you're ready," she, or rather, his illusion said.

"General?" A voice interrupted his dream.

Venetus opened his eyes and glanced around. The mist became the metallic wall, the simulated reality the hologram, yet his teacher was no more.

"How many Arbiters do we have?" Venetus said.

"About three hundred available."

"Prepare them. Ask for the strong ones to wait for my instruction."

"We still have some mercenaries. Should we use them too?"

"No need. My plan doesn't need them."

"You have a plan, other than defending?" Everyone stopped to listen. Even the heartbeats were deemed too loud for the moment.

"I'll need the approval of the nobles, as well as you all first."

"General, if you can guarantee our safety. We have no reason to withhold permission."

Venetus nodded. "Go to the nobles and ask for their representative."

If this were a test from her, then he would pass it. He would direct the play so perfect his enemy wouldn't know a single thing before it was too late.

Venetus was confident that no one except for his friends, his teacher, and the scholars could see through his plan.