The Tyra Xerg faction was working smoothly and busily like cells at work.

“So, these Xerg can shoot bone spikes from afar, hm? My first ranged units… Let’s call them Spikers,” Viers said to Zerrigan.

“The bio-lab has finished improving the metabolism of the Tyra Xerg. All my children will now need less food,” Zerrigan informed.

“Means our army can get bigger. What else have you got?”

“Two of the lesser queens have grown. They will be able to birth more Xerg starting today. They’re on route to the satellite nest.”

“This makes you a grandma then, Zerri. May you live long and prosper.” Viers gave a Vulcan salute.

“Thank you, Overlord.”

“Keep making lesser queens. We need to be able to churn out as many units as the seventeen on the other side combined and then exceed them. Make use of our abundant resources.”

“As you say… Ah, I just caught sight of the one you called Green Scorpion, Overlord.”

“What? Where?”

“In this area,” Xel Doggo pointed its pincer at the map. “My scouts… He’s running away. My children are giving chase.”

“...Too far from here. Keep me informed. Any development from the Whitelands after their one hundred got eaten?”

“Not yet. More eyes on the other side are looking this way though.”

“With the Shredders burrowed, they shouldn't be able to validate our numbers. Send five hundred more units, including Spikers, to the west border in case they’re feeling bold. Keep them hidden and stay sharp.”

“I see what all my children see… The human with the fire wings from yesterday worries me.”

“...Anne. How far did she go into the Blacklands?”

“Not far. I believe she saw the Nest from a distance though.”

“...Airmaster had a very limited ability to fly. I don't believe she can maintain her flight indefinitely. Then again, she’s a Mary Sue… Zerri, I want air superiority.”

“Building the structure for flying Tyra Xerg now.”

“Good girl.”

“But the flyers will need a lot of rich gas, Overlord.”

“Hah! We need more vespene gas, how classic! …It’s quite rare around here. Which area has many gas vents?”

Viers’ Zergling steed pointed again.

“Close to Sakuya’s village… or kingdom. Build a few extractors for the vents. We’ll take a few but leave some for her. How is she by the way?”

“She has foot soldiers now. They called them samurai. She’s building temples. For priests and mikos, she said.”

“Seems like she got this in hand. How is the dark elf faction from Jaime?”

“In the mock battle, Mr. Jaime’s sacrifice made them quite strong but the Tyra Xerg are still greater.”

“As expected… Focus on our development but allocate a few resources for their development. In the future, they might be useful, covering what we lack. What else?”

“The prisoner awakened. As per your instruction, I used the magic item you gave me to put him back to sleep.”

Shame I can't simply soul-search Oscar’s mind. His mind and soul anti-thievery measures are airtight. Must be nice to be born into a good family.

“Good job. What else?”

“That is all for the moment, Overlord.”

Viers exhaled a long breath. Even with Zerrigan’s help, managing a kingdom was not easy.

“...Zerri, how many Tyra Xerg do we have now?”

“Including the workers?”

“Do they have a mind?”

“Very little but yes.”

“Then include them.”

“Including those who are still growing, 4,308 units, Overlord.”

“And how are you feeling? Since your mind is spread to them, are you burdened? I’m worried that too many Tyra Xerg will be detrimental to your health, Zerri. We’re treading on new ground here.”

“I feel quite well. In fact, I feel my mind is growing stronger.”

“Oho?”

“Please watch.”

Zerrigan showed Viers a vision of what she saw at the moment. She lifted a Xerg egg the size of a man’s torso without touching it.

“I couldn't do that before but now I can.”

“Telekinesis…” Viers was deep in thought. “Hive mind…”

There are smart animals on Earth, like dolphins. If their minds are combined perfectly, won’t a hundred dolphins be smarter than a single human mind? What about one thousand dolphins? One million?

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

Zerri’s hive mind must be working like a computer network. Each of the Tyra Xerg have a brain, they have a mind. They empower the hive mind by existing!

Just like in 40K. Tyranid Hive Mind is a god-like entity of psychic energy. Every Tyranid is its vessel.

Just like a wind elemental can control the wind or an undine’s affinity to water, mind must be Tyra Xerg’s racial trait… No, only the main consciousness. Either way, Zerrigan is no different than a growing mind-affinity Pathseeker.

“I look forward to the day where you can fry your opponent with just a thought, Queen of Living Blades.”

“Leave it to me.”

“Speaking of which, how about the thirty Shredders that I made soulless?”

“Nothing much, Overlord. They still respond to my direction but they become inert when I’m not ‘with’ them. In the experiments, without me, Xerg with souls become feral, acting like animals driven by instinct such as eating. The soulless would have stood still until death by starvation if I didn't tell them to eat.”

“Their battle capability?”

“Intact.”

So no problem whatsoever if I gobble up all of the Tyra Xerg souls.

“Is there interference with your hive mind's growth?”

“Their brain is still working, as is the rest of their body. I need a bigger sample to be sure but I don't think there are any negatives as of now. The soulless minds are quiet, like a still pond. Things are often loud and can be chaotic but with the soulless, there’s only me. It is… very calming.”

Instead of being detrimental, making her children soulless helps Zerri maintain her ‘sense of self’ instead? My my my, how marvelous.

“And you don't mind that I’m eating the souls of your children?”

“My children eat each other if the need arises. Please eat as much as you like, Overlord. I can always create more.”

For someone that had a human soul, and for all intents and purposes, a mother, Zerrigan said a very absurd thing as if it was no big deal.

“Good girl. Rest assured I will not eat yours though.”

“...I don't mind if you do,” Zerrigan said softly as if she was blushing.

Viers’ mind came to a stop.

…Wow. She’s got issues.

***

In the White Flowers Meadow, Viers’ soulspace.

“You know, since Zerrigan’s soul experiment is a success. If we can find a soulless body to a degree of perfection such as hers, I might be able to put you guys inside them.”

“If my body is a six-legged insect dog, I prefer to stay here, thankyouverymuch,” Clarissa made her stance clear.

“Well, there are other assistants out there, Jaime’s aide for example. How do you fancy becoming a dark elf, Farley?”

“Errr… I don't know what to say, Lord Viers.”

“But even if they’re willing, they have their own mind, right? I don't fancy merging with another entity and waking up changed.” Paina said.

Understandable, Viers thought. Should I ask Aletro for fresh and ready bodies for the three and Gwen?

But it sounds expensive in terms of shards. About bodies… How about I learn to become an alchemist for real? So can I create homunculus bodies for them myself? Sounds useful too since I’m going to live for a long time. Ideally.

Ohhh! If all else fails, how about buying suitable golems or dolls from Aletro? Bet those are cheaper compared to real flesh and blood bodies.

Viers imagined the trio of girls that were having a discussion while having tea becoming Barbie-sized.

Maybe it's not such a bad idea. Not gonna say that to them though… Ah, so many ideas, so many things to do. I am a busy, busy bee.

***

“Ahahaha Bwahahaha!”

Discounting Viers, Sakuya was the best infiltrator among the horsemen thanks to her ninja heritage. The kunoichi was armed with Izabella’s scouting items and along with Zerrigan’s help, she brought back news from the Whitelands. The Gloomsiders listened to the report and Viers let out a maniacal laugh like the villain he was.

They could not get the details but the gist of it was enough: people are fighting other people.

“Oh what a laugh. How old school. Aletro put our fellow spark holders into the shoes of heroes and these are the burdens of heroism: politics, societies, old world order, other people, their own leaders, tut-tut-tut. And this is before they must fight the disasters and calamities coming to their door. Oh, heroes… May the Gods have mercy on their souls.”

“How’s your body, Sakuya?”

Viers didn't want to send Sakuya scouting into enemy territory while she was injured but she insisted. The Victa Stigma from Oscar was hard to heal and still remained.

Sakuya wanted to help. She knew the importance of information. Tanael was too busy and she was the best person for the job.

“I’m fine. The medicine helps, Tanael-sama.”

“Thank Iz. She was the one who cracked the storage item containing it.”

The Gloomsiders compared their circumstances to the other side.

“The biggest factor is that they are not the decision-makers in their kingdoms.” Jaime started.

“Heroes arise from the masses, then are made into a symbol by the crown. Just the usual. I suppose Aletro mimicked real-world conditions so they can experience it. To learn from this and to do better in the future,” Viers guessed. “On the other hand, as tyrants, we face the possibility of rebellions. Keep a tight order, Izabella, Sakuya.”

“Absurd! I will never rebel against you, Overlord,” Zerrigan cut in.

“Of course not you. You’re a good, good girl. I’m so lucky to have you.”

Was his sacrifice so great that his faction is so much better than mine? Izabella thought while seeing Tanael giving a neck rub to the beast he called Xel Doggo.

“If you were in their place, Tanael-sama, what would you do?” Sakuya asked, brimming with curiosity.

“Me? A very good question… I believe I would have killed my leader if they got in my way, or if I didn't like them, and taken the reins. But even for the greater good, this has the mark of villainy written all over it. I wonder if there would be a usurpation among the seventeen? They seem pretty much like straight-up good ol’ guys to me. Putting it nicely, they’re lawful good. Putting it badly, they lack the stomach to do what is necessary.”

“It would be great if they destroyed each other, saves us the trouble,” Jaime scoffed. “Tanael, wanna destroy a kingdom or two before the Aberrants move?”

“Don't get comfortable, this is their shtick. The good side’s path is usually full of hardships and problems but they always succeed in the final step,” Viers said in a hard tone.

“As for us, the bad guys, it is the very opposite. Our evil plan is usually smooth sailing. But at the end, the part where it really matters, we fail and stumble. Our grand ambition ends up in a heap of smoking ruins. Not convinced? We are the living proof here. Conquest, was this not the case for your cult’s plan to free the Demon King? War, your scheme to kill Aravin after poisoning him in the restaurant failed. Famine, Green Scorpion's ploy to kill me using you ultimately failed. I can go on and on all day.”

The other horsemen couldn't give a reply.

“But you all don't need to worry. The man that stands before you is well-equipped to deal with such matters. Follow. Me.”

Good management of people below your position, removing the reasons they should rise up, binding them to your cause, these are the skills a successful Dark Lord ought to have.

There’s another path, to become a Dark Lord so powerful you don't need anyone else. However, it is a lonely road to walk on. When I was fresh from reincarnation, I thought this was the path for me.

But now, I’ll go for the best of both worlds. Having people under me if possible, and I can do things alone if necessary.

After all, shouldn't a True Dark Lord want to have everything that is nice in this world? It is in the character description.

***

The Gloomsiders used their time very effectively.

Time passed like water flowing down a gentle hill, calmly and surely.

The preparation period died a quiet death.

The Aberrants stirred.