Amadeus watched on his horror as the Hive-Womb Capital descended through the Sunless Cloudlight Obscurity. The Shadow Of Cloudlight Obscurity had long since warned him through their mental connection, informing him of the need to overload every single defensive ability that he could possibly muster.

  His Fragment Of Eyes able to observe the structure of the floating hive construct for the first time since the battle had begun. The five-hundred-metre wide construct exceeded anything that he could have possibly imagined.

  Despite the fact that two sections of the Hive-Womb Capital had been moderately damaged, his inherent intuition told him that the speed at which the Memento Source Item descended was too fast to be anything natural. The sheer amount of friction generated as it crashed down caused pieces of it to break off, shooting off in random directions.

  ‘The Voracious Swarm Mother… why the hell is it risking its natural advantages in order to perform such a dangerous manoeuvre?! It could escape at any time while flying through the air?! What in the world could threaten it so much that it would risk killing itself in order to-.’

  A blatantly obvious answer coming to mind.

  Amadeus flashing a wry smile before glancing up towards the descending figures of Jon and Miyoung. Both atop the Graceful Dragon Of Treasured Beauty, with no signs of the Threaded-Heart Of Terminus Est anywhere around them.

  The Archon Of Reigning Dragons soaring through the air, manifesting a long trail of rose natured spiritual energy. Poisonous flower pollen manifesting in the form of crimson-red streaks dyed the skies above Springtown, inflicting numerous debuffs on those who dared to breathe it in.

  Jon on the other hand, merely allowed himself to cling to Miyoung’s summoned companion, gaze focused on the direction of the falling hive. Neither Assail nor Luin were manifested, merely manifesting a wood natured spiritual shield through his five-fingered hand sign.

  ‘Expended too much spiritual energy… Even with his Worms Of Envy boosting his mana regeneration. He used both his Fragment Of Annihilation and Fragment Of Eradication twice, alongside his transcendence-type ability.’

  ‘Maliq told me he requested a Wood Talisman and Knowledge Talisman from him. Knowledge, I can understand but wood? What Wood Trait abilities does he need enhanced to prefer it over his War Mana Core or Weave Mana Core?

  Amadeus furrowed his brows for a moment, momentarily distracted by his own thoughts. His Fragment Of Mind surging with spiritual energy for half-a-second, allowing him to discard such thoughts to some unknown corner of his imaginary mental construct.

  His scaled form rippling beneath Lorica; Bronze-Spirit Armour and Sagum; Crimson-Constitution Cape. Nennius; Soul-Rending Greatsword being dismissed, vanishing into motes of weapon natured spiritual energy, nothing but Caesar; Soundless Towershield remaining in his grasp.

  His free hand extended outward behind him as Custodes; Banner Of Imperial Conquest launched itself out of the ground, hurling towards his open palm. The effects of his Fragment Of The Conqueror-Banner were unmistakeably powerful, overshadowing even the effects of Nennius and Caesar.

  The Tribune Of Dusk And Destruction holding Custodes up in the air, activating his Fragment Of Roar with the smallest spiritual energy expenditure possible.

  “Guardians and Bulwarks on me! Activate all shield effects! Overload them as much as possible! Envelop Vanguards and Duellists, regardless of whose squadron you have been assigned too!”

  “Spellcasters are to continue their barrage! Shift changes will occur impeded! Healers and Supporters are to remain behind the walls!”

  Amadeus slammed his Banner Of Imperial Conquest into the ground, the air around him trembling as a violent amount of weapon natured spiritual energy expanded outwards from his position.

  [Behold Thy Victorious Sigil, Unmarred By Conquest Or Peace].

  Dozens of other Guardians and Bulwarks mimicking his actions, connecting to the Guardian Walls beneath their feet or activating the spiritual items on their person to enhance their defensive abilities. Spiritual shield constructs growing in both size and intensity, born from fire natured, wood natured, water natured and even star natured spiritual energy.

  Water shields could drown insects that attempted to breach them.

  Metal shields were often jagged and serrated, capable of tearing open flesh and bone.

  Karma shields inflicting debilitating effects on those that tried pushing through them, granting those insides various buffs the closer they got.

  Titan shields were indestructible constructs that could resist the physical strength of dragons and behemoths. While lacking methods of inflicting damage or debilitating effects, their inherent strength was only exceeded by shield natured spiritual energy.

  The protectors of the Northen Gate braced themselves for the oncoming cataclysm. Their bodies leaning forward, lowering their centre of gravity. Their Fragments Of Mind overflowing with spiritual energy, bracing themselves for the impact against their mental constructs.

  Mortals huddling together, trying their best to hide within various summoned buildings. The Wonderous Citadel Dwelling abandoned as hundreds rushed towards the Boundless Heaven Gate. Amadeus furrowing his brows as he watched the hive crash into the Western Gate, his eardrums almost bursting as the sound of an unfathomably large explosion rocked the earth beneath his feet.

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  Ground cracking open and dust rushing forward in all directions.

  The Banner Of Imperial Conquest trembling within his hand as the vibrations rocked the brain within his skull.

  Break.

  Shamael, Regulus, Raflea, and Nicolai gazed upon the descending Hive-Womb Capital from atop the Southern Gate. The satanas, undyne, nadian, and floresiensis watching on with blank expressions, their Fragments Of Mind dull and lustreless within each of their respective Mana Cores.

  The Legionnaire Of Virtuous Pestilence had transformed back into his lernaean-spell hydra form, standing almost seven-metres tall, adorned in verdant-azure scales, three draconic-serpent heads observing the crashing object. Fragments Of Constitution and Fragments Of Marrow strengthening his physical characteristics, allowing him to combat Knight-level insects using just his physical strength alone.

  Several hundred metres away, placed behind one of the Imperial-Spell Towers was his Fearful Reincarnation Monument. A pillared-temple reminiscent of Greek or Roman cultures although remarkably similar to ones found back on his home planet. Carved from pure-black marble, Agamemnon emanated a fear-inspiring aura, transferring and trapping all of the debuffs Shamael had accumulated within its marbled edifice.

  Cracks appearing on the surface of the manifested construct, evidence of the damage-over-time effects that the Fearful Reincarnation Monument had accumulated.

  “Itsumade… how did you know that the Voracious Swarm Mother would respond in such a manner?” “Teddy” said, gazing up towards the Hive-Womb Capital, allowing the dozens of Knights around him to continue fighting.

  “Teddy” letting out a loud whistle as the Quiet Death Of Light And Virtue manifested beside him.

  “The Voracious Swarm Mother is a moniker that the High Priestess Of The Swarm gave herself. She was an individual that had reached Dukedom during the second integration and was someone who many once thought would become the Angel Of Swarms.”

  “Her Memento Source Item, Anessa Casia, was legendary. It could replicate the effects of any of her abilities dozens of times over. The creation of one flesh construct would manifest a dozen more through her Hive-Womb Capital. The mastery she possessed over her fragments was… beyond even my abilities.” Itsumade admitted, similarly watching as the Memento Source Item came crashing through the cloud of dusk natured spiritual energy.

  His five-fingered hands reaching towards the space above “Teddy’s” head, slashing down on a Knight-level hungry-maw locust and crushing its skull against the ground. The mutative-strength of the blood-night acerodon tyrant was astonishing even after having a Fragment Of Lull forced into him at Knighthood.

  His eyeless-face glancing in the direction of the Creationist Guild headquarters, four-ears twitching as he gestured towards said building.

  “Are you going to retrieve her beforehand? After the Voracious Swarm Mother crashes, chances are she might die considering that she is still a Mortal. Anessa Casia itself is nothing but waxen biomass after all. The entire structure is-.”

  “No,” Theodore replied, shaking his head from side to side.

  Despite having been interrupted, Itsumade did not appear angered in the slightest, knowing the temperament of his master and summoner.

  “The Legionnaire Of Virtuous Pestilence and the Vessel Of The Metallic Mountain will serve as the bulwarks which break the approaching swarm. Their combined defensive might exceeds anything else within Springtown, perhaps even the Spiritus Ensis Sanctus and Princeps Of The Wandering Mutation.”

  “Jon will have no doubt expended quite a bit of his spiritual energy. I counted what, two Fragments Of Annihilation and two Fragments Of Eradication. At least? He will rush towards the Wisdom Of The Myriad Lands or Adeptus Sanctus Medicus in hopes of finding them safe before anything else. The Imaginary Princess will be fine.”

  “Given that she possesses what, six Memento Source wielding summoned companions?” Theodore hummed, glancing towards Itsumade who merely nodded in response.

  “The Son Of Wolves And Hunger and the Decadent Princess Of Beautiful Luxuria will be kept in reserve for our eventual clash. The fact that I can circumnavigate the restrictions of Lacrimosa by controlling individuals who already have others under control is astounding indeed.”

  “Their combined abilities would give ‘him’ a run for his money, considering that the two of them also possess Memento Source Items. The Tribune Of Dusk And Destruction and the Right-Eye Of Life And Nightmares might be troublesome if they can assist ‘him’ but hopefully the Voracious Swarm Mother can take at least one of them out.”

  “You mentioned that ‘he’ lost his dragon-type summoned companion?” Theodore queried.

  Itsumade once again nodding in response.

  “Yes. Although I am worried about that other companion of his. The one you were considering using instead of the Decadent Princess Of Beautiful Luxuria.” Itsumade admitted.

  “The Archon Of Reigning Dragons?”

  “Yes, that one. She is… an anomaly. I think giving up on the Vessel Of The Metallic Mountain and choosing her would have benefitted you more in the long run. The range of her abilities far exceeds anything that you or your controlled puppets are capable of. In fact, I dare say that she would be able to kill you from over two kilometres away if she wanted to.”

  Theodore furrowed his brows. He had chosen Nicolai over Miyoung due to the fact that the floresiensis paired well with Shamael’s lernaean-spell-hydra transformation. With Nicolai atop Shamael’s back, the two were a near-unstoppable force on the battlefield, unable to be moved and unable to be damaged with their combined abilities.

  Still… two kilometres was one hell of a shot.

  “We’ll consider the possibility of controlling her if she survives the battle. She is human right? That is a factor which I cannot risk bringing back to Earth if she proves resistant to Lacrimosa. Although she might not be as annoying as ‘him’ her range alone makes her a difficult target…” Theodore sighed, huffing while hoping atop his summoned companion.

  The Hive-Womb Capital was about to crash into the ground, and he had better things to do than senselessly waste spiritual energy fighting these insects. The corners of his Eris-Thieving Grin curving upwards as his gaze turned towards his intended target.

  A certain chalk-armoured figure that soared through the skies atop a beautiful dragon. His expressions concealed beneath two layers of defence. The Heretical Chalk Protection alongside his Mask Of Jade Lies.

  His figure vanishing behind the Lightless Mirror Reversal, giggling emanating from the depths of his Throne Of Dark-Knowledge.

  ‘I’ll be seeing you soon… Jonathan.’

  Tens of thousands of tonnes of biomass crashing into the ground moments later. Causing hundreds of thousands of living beings to lift their heads towards the skies, trying to perceive what manner of creature could create such a thing.

  Several more imperceptible cracks appearing on the surface of the small realm.