"..."
Inside the mental world of the King of Flies.
An old fly, sitting cross-legged, was calmly contemplating the state of 'themselves'.
'The situation is not perfect.'
First, he examined the means stolen from humans.
Conceptual Devouring.
It was a newly emerged power when the demon race of imps and flies merged.
Offering the opponent as a concept for sacrifice, and as a fly, devouring and stealing it.
'You are truly useful, imp.'
The old fly expressed gratitude to the imp anew.
Small and insignificant... an opponent whose name was even forgotten, but the things arranged by that imp were so useful that gratitude was inevitable.
Anyway, the power stolen through this Conceptual Devouring was threefold.
Barrier, elemental magic, and teleportation.
Barriers and magic would be useful, but the old fly hesitated to use teleportation.
Because he realized that this magic fundamentally required connecting to Oblivion's Beyond.
'A magic that teleports through Oblivion's Beyond...'
They were beings resurrected from the nightmare beneath the Lake Kingdom.
Entering Oblivion's Beyond - the spirit world, it was clear they would not return to the present world and be swept away.
It was for the same reason other Nightmare Legions couldn't use the teleport gates.
'However, because of that.'
The old fly chuckled evilly and clasped his hands in front of his chest.
'It could be used usefully.'
Putting aside the means stolen from the enemies, the old fly now examined the remaining resources held by his race as the King of Flies.
'Due to the humans who infiltrated, a considerable number of eggs stored in the hatchery were burned.'
Since the flies resurrected from the nightmare in the Lake Kingdom were unable to lay new eggs, there was no way to replenish the lost eggs on their own.
Not only the eggs. Along the way here, the considerable consumption of adult flies in order to obtain information about the present world was significant. The expenditure of forces was more serious than expected.
'But there are still eggs left.'
Although a considerable number of eggs in the hatchery were burned, the remaining ones were safely stored.
These eggs would all be born as the new generation of flies.
The chimera-formed flies sent out earlier were just the beginning.
By injecting all the essence they could continue to, they intended to conceive the strongest fly.
As more care went into each individual, the process of transforming from egg to larva, from larva to pupa, and then to adult fly significantly slowed down.
However, the results were satisfying. The new generation of flies were each a powerful monster, becoming stronger continuously.
'All the remaining eggs have been moved to the safest top floor of the hatchery, but...'
Anyway, the numbers are lacking. It might be enough to bring down a fortress immediately, but not enough to devastate the world.
Thus, the old fly's thoughts were not much different from those of other conquerors.
'We must find the flies of this world and absorb them into our ranks.'
The world was always overflowing with flies.
Such flies needed to be found and brought into their territory.
In fact, already on the way from the Black Lake here, flies living in forests and rivers, from larvae to adults, were all absorbed by the King of Flies.
'We will break down the walls and advance to the center of the world.'
And, gather all the flies of the world...
To harm, desecrate, and lay eggs on all other creatures' corpses.
Only then would this contradictory world perish, and a new world be born.
A world filled with countless flies and larvae, lower and more vile than anything else, yet also full of happiness...
The old fly, who had been leaning forward and snickering, suddenly stopped laughing.
"...?"
The fly felt something foreign inside him. A vague, yet certain discomfort was making his insides queasy.
'What is this?'
The old fly contemplated his inner self again, but detected nothing.
The collective consciousness of all flies formed a single vast mental entity, and the old fly had full control over this mental entity.
He was the race god chosen by the species of flies. All flies swore allegiance to him, and those who did not were all devoured by him in soul.
Thus, within this mental world, he was truly invincible. Nothing could make him uncomfortable.
Upon carefully examining his inner self, the foreign sensation had disappeared as if it had never existed. The old fly tilted his head and then looked straight ahead.
Whoosh-!
In the vision of the monstrous King of Flies.
The surrounding forest disappeared, and a wide plain began to appear.
And, beyond that.
Finally, the human fortress revealed itself with its tall walls.
***
As the sunset also faded, and night approached.
The fortress city of Crossroad. On the southern wall.
A fleet of airships floating in the sky. The Alcatraz at its center.
Fleet Admiral McMillan was watching the emergence of the enemy monster, biting down hard on his pipe tobacco, displayed on the magic panel.
Almost simultaneously, reports poured in from all channels like screams.
"Monster, rapidly approaching! It's not slowing down!"
"The King of Flies is visible with the naked eye-!"
"5 minutes until it enters our firing range!"
The enemy monster emerging through the clouds grew larger by the moment. It was simply getting closer, but to McMillan's eyes, it appeared so.
Crack-
He bit down too hard, and his cherished pipe stem broke.
McMillan chewed on the tobacco-flavored wood stem while adjusting his admiral's cap.
'Did His Highness's strategy succeed? Or-'
Soon after, McMillan quietly burst into a chuckle.
A soldier must always be prepared for one thing.
The case of 'or'.
"All fleets, launch! Engage the enemy monster!"
Whoosh-!
The airships floating in the sky, with their rear thrusters simultaneously ignited with magical flames, moved to face the incoming monster.
In the center of the fleet advancing to meet the monster, McMillan spoke again.
"We must slow down its speed first, so the fortress can stop it, all fleet! This time, for real..."
McMillan shouted.
"Show the power of humanity's aces! Fire-!"
The airships, having turned to the side, approached the King of Flies without slowing down.
Simultaneously, they deployed their cannons on the side facing the King of Flies and began to pour out a barrage.
Bang! Brrrbrrrrrrr!
Boom-!
The barrage scattered by the airships poured down on the King of Flies like rain.
The airships had replaced the barrier system that had malfunctioned in Crossroad during that time. Simultaneously, the cannon system was also renewed.
Crossroad, being the front line against the monster, had turrets and gunpowder technology that were abnormally advanced compared to other regions, and they generously shared their know-how.
Though it was a short time, all technicians and blacksmiths rushed in to strengthen the firepower of the airships by even a little.
As a result, the firepower had significantly increased compared to the first engagement.
'I'll rip you apart, you fly bastard...!'
McMillan clenched his fist as he watched the dazzling explosions of the bombs.
On one side, cannons fired, on the other, thrusters rotated and deployed for advancement.
The sight of airships spewing fire from both sides as they approached the King of Flies was a spectacle in itself.
However,
"...?!"
It wasn't long before McMillan noticed something was amiss.
As the flames and thick smoke from the exploding shells cleared, a bluish barrier surrounding the body of the King of Flies began to appear.
Soon, other captains also noticed the identity of the barrier surrounding the King of Flies. Astonished groans erupted simultaneously.
'That, that is...'
'Good heavens. Damn-'
'This monstrous bastard, what is this...'
McMillan spat out the pipe tobacco he had been chewing in his hand.
"...Barrier."
It was the barrier technology stolen from humans by the monster.
With a posture as if huddling as much as possible, as if hibernating.
The giant King of Flies deployed a barrier around its entire body and effortlessly withstood the full firepower of the air fleet.
Simultaneously, a red light scattered from the body of the monster.
It was an effect caused by the eyes of all the flies that made up the body of the monster twinkling.
The red light that started from the tail climbed up the abdomen to the upper body and then reached the head - touching the horns.
There was no longer a halo, but atop the King of Flies' head were giant horns reminiscent of a demon... and massive magical power was being condensed there.
'The enemy monster is concentrating magical power!'
'The scale is insane! The amount of magical power being gathered is...'
'Something big is coming! Captain McMillan! Orders!'
At this moment, the King of Flies and the air fleet were still closing in on each other.
McMillan calmly assessed the situation. He was taken aback by the King of Flies stealing their barrier technology, but they had barriers on their side as well.
Regardless of what means of attack the other side used, if this side could withstand it with barriers-
"Huh?"
The next moment, a foolish sound escaped McMillan's mouth.
Above the King of Flies' horns, familiar geometric figures and magic formulas spilled out, forming a magic array.
McMillan was knowledgeable about magic. Therefore, he could immediately recognize it.
The method of attack the King of Flies was preparing was precisely-
"...Magic."
It was joint magic stolen from human magicians.
Flash-!
A fierce flame that seemed to swallow the world, an endless high tide, a landslide that seemed to overturn the earth, a tornado that could tear the sky, and lightning as dazzling as the primal flash.
The most intelligent researchers among humans had resonated with all their might to unfold these magics, and now, the flies as a race also resonated and calculated to unleash them.
Seeing the disaster pouring out in front of him, McMillan screamed.
"We need to leave this airspace..."
Immediately after, McMillan realized something. He turned around with a pale face.
If the air fleet moved away, what would be hit directly by this magic would be...
'Crossroad...!'
The King of Flies' target with its magic was not the air fleet from the beginning.
It was the walls of the monster front.
In an instant, McMillan, who was at a loss for a decision, was jarred by a sharp communication.
'Block it with your bodies! Hurry-!'
"...!"
Whoosh-!
McMillan looked ahead and saw a ship frantically raising its barrier and shooting forward.
An airship with a ridiculous appearance, adorned with white fur.
The airship of Ariane Kingdom, the Ariane Bear.
During the last battle, the captain was injured, and the acting captain who boarded instead - Yun Ariane - screamed.
'If we don't block this, Crossroad is finished! Everyone, raise your barriers and block with your bodies-!'
"Argh...!"
Barriers are not invincible.
They can safely withstand damage up to their output limit, but the moment it exceeds the output limit, they melt away.
And at a glance, the terrifying power of this joint magic clearly surpassed the output limit by far.
"...All ships, deploy barriers! Follow behind Ariane Bear!"
But they couldn't back down.
In a moment of indecision, all fleets quickly raised their barriers and formed a defensive formation in the air, with Ariane Bear leading.
"Force the ship's magic engines into overload, release the output limit! Turn all magic power to the barriers! And align all ships in a row to attempt barrier resonance!"
McMillan quickly commanded, and even in a critical situation, the ace of aces among the airship crew followed the orders.
The neatly gathered airships simultaneously raised their overloaded barriers, and the combined barriers formed a giant shield-like shape in the air.
And then, over that...
Magic bombardments that once belonged to humanity but were now wielded by the flies descended.
***
...
For a moment, sound vanished from the world.
A tremendous shockwave and backlash swept through the area.
Evangeline, who was preparing her ultimate move on the wall, barely managed to cling to the edge of the wall and withstand being blown away.
Holding her ringing ears, Evangeline staggered but eventually shook her head to regain her senses.
And what Evangeline saw when she looked up was,
"...!"
Airships, blackened by fire, emitting smoke as they helplessly fell below.
And behind them, against the darkening sky, cutting through the thick clouds of smoke, coming forth with crossed legs and hands joined in prayer...
Was the figure of the King of Flies.