Right after returning to Crossroad.
"Mourning comes after the battle is over."
After announcing the death of the Insect Busters, I gritted my teeth and gave orders.
"We need to gather information."
Everyone's face turned pale as they focused on my words. I pressed my tired forehead with my hand.
"This creature is not just a simple Fly Monster. We need more detailed information."
It was an entity I had never seen in the game before.
I understood that the Fly Monster was formed by a swarm, but beyond that, there was hardly any information.
"If this creature has also resurrected from a nightmare, it means it was a monster that existed in this world in the past. In other words, it means it's a monster that was once defeated."
I spread my arms and shouted.
"Search through all the historical records and summon the historians! Contact every country within reach for information!"
There were three days left until the creature reached the main fortress of Crossroad.
We had to find its weakness within that time.
Upon my command, some of my subordinates ran to nearby cities to send messengers, while others rushed to government offices and libraries to search through historical records.
I was pondering whether to search for information under the Lake Kingdom or to call Aider when someone with knowledge appeared.
"The creature's name is Beelzebub."
The Dragon Lady, Dusk Bringar, was the one who spoke.
"It's a monster from the mythological era."
Dusk Bringar approached me, clicking her sharp teeth together.
"It was also known as the King of Flies. A notorious pest even during the mythological era."
The mythological era... Was it referring to the time when dragons breathed fire at each other and the World Serpent Jörmungandr ravaged the land?
'Beelzebub...'
As I repeated the name, I suddenly remembered. I had read about it in the setting book. It was something like the ancestor of the fly legions.
However, since the Fly Legion wasn't that powerful in the game, I naturally didn't pay much attention...
"When you say pest, what do you mean?"
"Exactly as it sounds."
Dusk Bringar, with her arms crossed, explained.
"It devours everything edible without discrimination. It scorches everything within its range to stock up in its breeding chamber."
"Breeding chamber inside its belly...?"
"Yes. It has facilities inside its belly to nurture its offspring."
I imagined the gigantic figure of the King of Flies. So, it had a production facility inside its huge body.
"To put it simply, you can think of it as a flying hive. Instead of bees, it's inhabited by giant flies."
"That's not far off."
This made me think that, rather than flies, it might be closer to locusts or wasps.
Its indiscriminate devouring resembled locusts, and nurturing offspring at home was similar to bees.
Moreover, even if the home is destroyed, it can repair itself and even move on its own...
"In form, it's a fly. But if we have to be precise, it's closer to the concept of a pest."
Dusk Bringar sighed deeply.
"It's safe to say it has all the troublesome strengths."
"Then, its weakness...?"
At my earnest gaze, Dusk Bringar awkwardly turned her head to the side.
"...I don't know."
"Ugh."
"When I heard stories from the previous Dragon King about the mythological era, I only remembered it because it was mentioned a few times. I didn't hear about its weaknesses."
Then, Dusk Bringar added with an ah sound.
"But I did hear about its end."
"What was it?"
"'The flies had built their own empire, and...'"
Dusk Bringar looked me straight in the eye and continued.
"'Its end was not much different from how other empires fall'... that's what I heard."
Just as I was pondering the meaning of those words,
"Your Highness! A report from the scout unit!"
A soldier rushed in to report urgently.
"The giant fly has resumed its northward march! It's scorching everything in its path!"
"Scorching means?"
"It's pulling up all animals and plants in the area and taking them into the giant fly's body!"
Dusk Bringar, who also heard the report, nodded.
"It's trying to feed everything possible to its offspring."
"Terrible creatures..."
The driving force behind this overwhelming mass assault.
It was because the King of Flies itself was a moving production base. It could quickly reproduce as much as it lost...
'What should we do? How can we stop such a creature...?'
Then, another report came in.
"My lord!"
Lucas ran towards us, his face bright, and shouted.
"Reinforcements have arrived from the Imperial Capital!"
"...!"
Everyone in the room was startled and looked at Lucas. Lucas, with a broad smile on his face, gestured towards the northern sky.
"It's an airship fleet! His Imperial Majesty has sent an airship fleet to assist us!"
Looking northward where he pointed,
Rooooar!
In the distant sky, airships rapidly approached.
There were seven of them.
And the airship flying majestically in the center was undoubtedly... the undefeated flagship of the Imperial Family, Alcatraz.
Soldiers and heroes within the city raised their arms and cheered. A smile of relief crossed my lips.
Indeed, it seems there's no law in this world that one must simply die...!
***
Seven beautiful airships with the sword and rose emblem landed smoothly on the eastern plains.
Gyeeeng- Click!
Magical mechanical devices hissed steam, and the hatch at the rear opened... Soldiers in uniform from Alcatraz disembarked one after another.
As I approached to greet them, the leading officer saluted me crisply.
"It is an honor to meet you, Prince Ash."
He was a middle-aged man with long eyelashes and a pipe in his mouth. Handsome but a bit sleazy-looking, though his voice was unexpectedly refreshing.
"I am McMillan, acting captain of the flagship Alcatraz and commander of the newly formed imperial air force."
"Captain McMillan. Thank you for coming such a long way."
"Don't mention it. If it's the Emperor's command, and if it's a request from His Highness the Prince, I'd gladly fly to the opposite end of the world."
We shook hands firmly. McMillan then relayed a message from my father.
"The Emperor has sent a message: 'I've sent an airship fleet and elite troops at your disposal'... he said."
"I'm truly grateful."
Sending reinforcements immediately upon request. I was inwardly moved since this was the first time we received such rapid delivery after contacting the Imperial Family from Crossroad. I had always been met with rejection before...
"The flagship Alcatraz and its six escort ships. The escorts are Kite One, Two. Feather One, Two. Vulture One, Two."
McMillan pointed to the seven airships in turn and gave a sly wink.
"Our air force unit is not affiliated with any other unit and has been newly trained specifically in the piloting and maintenance of airships. I'm sorry to say, but the unit is composed of rookies with little experience in other types of combat. Please keep this in mind."
It was a clear statement of their intended use, asking not to be deployed in close combat. I nodded in agreement.
"I'll trust entirely in your ability to handle the airships."
"You can trust us on that. We trained to death until His Majesty was satisfied."
The original magic corps that manned Alcatraz had been essentially disbanded. And the Imperial Capital Defense Force, which manned the other airships, had nearly half stripped of their uniforms following Fernandez's rebellion.
There had been several reorganizations within the Imperial Capital, and it seemed that this unit, newly selected directly under the Emperor to handle only airships, was them.
Just as I was about to engage in further conversation with McMillan, Lucas pointed to the northern sky and shouted.
"My lord! Other airships are coming from over there...!"
"What?"
More airships are coming?
Surprised, I looked in that direction and it was true. Several airships of various appearances and sizes were slicing through the sky, heading towards us.
Leading them was an airship with an ivory body and a ferocious bear-like emblem painted on it.
Suddenly, Yun, who was standing behind me, leapt up with a cheer.
"What, that's our house's ship!"
"Ah, is that the Ariane Kingdom's airship...?"
I muttered disapprovingly. Alright, everything's fine, but why put fur on the ship...?
Following the suspiciously furry Ariane Kingdom's airship, five other airships of various designs landed in turn.
McMillan explained with a grin.
"In response to His Highness's request for airship power urgently needed to combat a flying monster... We sent out requests for airship deployment to all nations that officially or unofficially possess airships, among the neighboring countries."
"Ah, by His Imperial Majesty?"
"Yes. Of course, as a member of the World Guardian Front and purely asking as allies. Haha. Of course, if this request was not met, they would have to deal with the consequences themselves..."
McMillan spoke nonchalantly.
Thank you, but we call that a threat, not a request... That's the social consensus...
Perhaps because they were forcibly brought here due to the 'request', the captains from the five airships looked less than pleased.
But right now, whether they're happy or not doesn't matter.
Airships are among the most powerful single combat weapons in this world.
With a total of twelve airships coming to our aid, it's a formidable reinforcement.
Moreover, Crossroad itself possesses airships.
The Merfolk's clamshell airship brought by King Poseidon XIII.
And the flagship of our monster frontline, Geronimo, along with two escort ships hastily constructed for Geronimo.
Seven Imperial airships. Five from various countries. Four Crossroad airships.
A total of sixteen ships formed a grand fleet.
'We can do this.'
We have enough aerial firepower to stop the King of Flies, a flying monster.
"I'm sorry to those who've come from afar, but after refueling and a brief period of maintenance, we'll need to deploy immediately."
I looked around at the captains and soldiers of the newly joined airships, using formal speech as some of them wore crowns.
"The King of Flies is moving north, and our forward bases have already fallen. Our airship fleet must immediately deploy to stop it by any means."
The Ariane Kingdom's captain then asked.
"'Stop'...? With this scale of airship fleet, we could annihilate a small country in a day. What kind of monstrous creature are we facing that necessitates this?"
Everyone looked at me, agreeing with his words. Even McMillan seemed to think so.
I smiled bitterly.
"...You'll understand when you see it."
Seeing is believing.
In such cases, it's better to show than to explain endlessly.
***
While the airships were refueling and undergoing maintenance, I took the captains and pilots through a teleport gate.
We emerged from one of the teleport gates set up along the route from the Black Lake to Crossroad.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Everyone who came through the gate was gaping, looking up at the sky.
Thud.
The pipe that McMillan, the last to come through the gate, was holding in his mouth, dropped to the ground and rolled. McMillan murmured dumbfoundedly.
"What is that...?"
Bwoooo...
This gate was located a day's journey north from the Black Lake, yet.
From afar, the sight of the King of Flies, floating in the air and splitting the clouds as it approached, was starkly visible.
Waving hundreds of arms in various directions, controlling its swarm of flies. The King of Flies, with its endless track wings on its back, was floating closer.
And the monstrous flies spreading out in all directions were capturing all flora and fauna in the area, dragging them back to their mother body.
"We're currently gathering information on the creature. But we can't just sit back and let it comfortably reach the front lines."
Staring at the approaching monster, I ordered again.
"Once maintenance is complete, we'll intercept with the airship fleet. But remember."
"..."
"This is strictly an interception operation. Please avoid engaging in full combat."
Finally understanding what I meant by 'interception', the captains all swallowed nervously. I grimaced and honestly admitted.
"...Because I'm not sure if our airship fleet's power is enough to win."