So we got here a blonde dude with a sword, his silver-white plate armor only adding to the cliche.

Seriously, there's a reason why you don't want to make yourself a beacon of light in a fighting situation.

This guy couldn't in any other context look more like the classical hero figure.

Just that in reality some rando would simply pick him off with an arrow, as good a target this show-off appearance makes him.

In general, it's almost surreal how weirdly this whole group fits the image.

In the first place, the very idea of sending your few strongest fighters as a group into the enemy heartland, where they'll be cut off from any support, is strategical nonsense.

You want to preserve those you need after all.

If I saw this right they just came out of some kind of cave ruin.

Yet now they're discussing probably about the bat they just shot.

Which I know because I already replaced that one.

Though, my losses start to ramp up.

Not only because that ranger apparently got some kind of sniper skill, but also because those wood elves now focused in this direction as well.

Worse, some kinds of hawks and eagles start picking off my air surveillance.

It's truly as if this whole world of good is going against me.

Which is the case if I spend a single thought in this direction.

Yet once again my thought process gets disrupted when another thing comes up.

Some of the troops I'm sending out are getting infected with something once they cross the border.

This mold, or whatever it is, causes subtle changes and some more severe ones like the color scheme.

For example, my heavy red demons become slightly more slender, a bit more humanoid, and switch to green... which makes them orcs.

Damn!

I still have control, but to reverse the changes I need to bring them back onto my territory.

Otherwise, the mold gets constantly reapplied as if the territory is cursed.

Yet to spread my territory I need to declare formal control, as the usual transformation process can be easily disrupted by living creatures.

Once again my opponent seems to think he got me.

Now I wouldn't leave it at this.

My usual response to such developments is to put in all the necessary effort to get things back to normal.

However, this is exactly what they want.

Instead, I focus on intensifying the observation and have something like my partial instinct mind prepare some aces for my sleeve.

Equipped like this, I have once again my bats doing the observing.

What I find out is that they're again at one of those ruins.

It's like they are hopping from one to the other.

Just what is with those places?

The last one was just a case, but here... here I notice a strong magical concentration below the earth.

Could this be a mere coincidence?

But no, this wouldn't make sense if everything is controlled in this world.

Yet the last one wasn't like this, I'm sure of it.

This means, either it's random or this savior absorbs magical energy.

Didn't my generals even say something about how he first needs to complete his journey before he'll be ready to fight me?

In conclusion, it seems like they are gathering magical energy at those hot spots to fuel the savior with it.

Who knows, they could prepare this guy to cast some super spell against me.

Not sure if this would work, but on the other hand, would my opponent go through all this effort for something that is ultimately useless?

No, whatever is the plan, waiting till its conclusion would be the stupidest possible course of action.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Not to forget that this figure of the savior is rather enigmatic and may provide some answers to my question.

This all is reason enough to directly meddle here.

Well, there's no time to waste.

I have, for the first time, just enough of my fliers at the same place.

This allows me to gather them all at one spot, and have them crash into each other until only raw mass remains.

As the connection still stands, I can make use of this and have my consciousness rush right through this.

It's the same principle from back then, when I became some werecat in my dreamworld.

However, once again something unexpected happens.

I almost don't notice it, but there's a subtle alteration to my formation.

Given that I know who's responsible for this change, it's rather devious the way it shows itself.

Apparently, the fact that I'm using bats to form this body seems to carry over into the finished result.

Black leathery wings sprout behind me, the formed skin turns out pale, and I grow long black hair and nails.

However, what is particularly uncomfortable would be that my incisors grow and now unpleasantly poke into my mouth.

Yeah, I get what I'm supposed to be...

However, I can still confront this group.

It's not like my opponent claims any control over me beyond my physical shape.

As it can't hurt to have an advantage, I use my presence to create more bats around me.

They're both great for surveillance and to use as biomass ammunition.

So I descend down on the hero group, in the midst of a swarm of bats.

I don't need to wait long for a response.

"The vampire queen!" (fairy)

Why am I being called out by a fairy?

Wait a moment!

When did that title come up?

I'm pretty sure it's impossible that I already have a reputation.

"Ahem. Hello. May I ask where you're heading to?" (I)

"You fiend! Don't you dare lay your vile hand on our savior!" (mage)

Seems like that troop has no intention of letting me past them.

On the contrary, they start a very aggressive barrage against me.

The ranger sends his arrows, the mage throws fire and ice, and the berserker just runs straight at me.

However, my biomass manipulation is good enough to counter with a storm of bats that negates all their attacks and keeps them at bay.

"So. Can we talk now?" (I)

While that should've impressed them, I forgot that they're mere NPCs.

As such, they know no fear and simply resume their attacks at the first opening.

Looks like I need to deal with them.

Just good that I know on an intimate level that those three aren't truly people, but are programmed to say the appropriate lines.

First, I send out my bats at them.

Lacking a true way to deal damage, they are mostly good as a distraction.

The perfect opportunity for step two.

I rush close to him and swipe my claws through his body.

It wasn't deep, but should burn like crazy.

Before the mage behind me can cast, I just have to swing my arm at her, and a crimson blood lance shoots out and pierces her shoulder.

This should now impede her enough.

It seems like my tentacle attacks don't work very well in this form, but with the other, thematic powers I can easily make up for it.

Now the ranger follows.

You should always go for the squishy ranged units first.

I barely have to swipe my arm at him and the man is sent flying.

This leaves the tank.

I unleash both bats and blood weapons at him.

Don't see him having much of a chance against my barrage.

Not like he would be able to fight me all by himself even if I didn't have this kind of arsenal.

I'm clearly superior, both in strength, in speed, and in processing ability.

Time to finish this!

"Zosch"

But before my final attack can connect, a wave of blinding white light separates us.

"No, it's too early!" (fairy)

"I won't stand by while my teammates fight for their lives!" (savior)

Thus the main character has his entrance.

Oh damn.

Seems like I just triggered some kind of boss battle event.

I think I need to give this my all.