Since the second wave of the Bug Race appeared, the wilderness had been quiet for over a month, but everyone knew that a natural disaster couldn't just end abruptly without a proper conclusion. The current calm was merely a precursor to a greater chaos that would come later.
Although many Soldier Bugs died during the attack on Kyoto, everyone remembered that when the post-battle tally was taken, the bodies of very few Flame Bugs were found, nor was the flying bug that had appeared only once and then never again seen.
Another month passed, and the Bug Race portal once again appeared in the sky. This time, however, it was different from the first two occurrences. The Imperial Court, now prepared, detected the portal's emergence immediately.
When the commander, responsible for leading the interception mission, saw countless flying bugs circling the portal like guards, he knew the welcoming gift they had prepared probably wouldn't be delivered.
