Chapter 263: Simulated Universe: Swarm Disaster 『 Part Four 』
Green light flickered in waves across Ainz's body, triggering his emotional suppression three or four times in less than ten seconds. His jaw hung open as he looked toward Demiurge at his side.
"They are…"
"Ainz-Sama… I believe they are… reproducing?"
Demiurge admitted that he had been struck hard by some indescribable mental magic.
When it came to cruelty, gore, or slaughter, he had seen it all… and even found amusement in it.
But where had he ever seen a scene like this?
"—Ainz-Sama."
Albedo's icy voice rang out from behind Ainz. He didn't even need to turn around to feel the killing intent radiating from her back, so intense it almost condensed into a physical form.
"Please allow me to personally dispose of these two irreverent, shameless creatures. To dare commit such filthy acts before the Supreme One! They are unworthy of serving Ainz-Sama!"
"Just let me—"
However, Albedo's roar came to an abrupt halt. Seeing Ainz raise his right hand slightly, she immediately understood and fell silent.
Ainz snapped his fingers, and black flames ignited upon the bodies of Entoma and Kyouhukou. The power of this fire was not lethal, but it was enough to inflict severe burns on servants of their level. Yet, what Ainz found strange was… even as they suffered trauma, they were unwilling to stop their movements, continuing their selfless act of reproduction.
"I see… are all insect species affected? No wonder Cocytus was…"
Ainz slowly raised his head. After the farce that had just occurred, he realized the "dark clouds" in the sky above the Planet had, at some point, become a writhing, churning mass—the air was filled with swarming insects, and they were all monotonously repeating a single action—
Propagation.
—
〜Runeterra World〜
Zaun—
Pushing open the heavy doors of Singed's laboratory, one was immediately hit by a pungent odor—a mixture of putrid fluids and alchemical reagents.
Under the dim lighting, the lab tables were covered with all manner of slimy, entangled insects. Their carapaces gleamed with a metallic sheen in the glow of the viridian culture tanks, a sight that made Silco physically nauseous.
"You gathered these rutting bugs together; surely you aren't planning to research biological weapons?"
Silco frowned, looking down at the iron cages in the corner of the lab—inside was a juvenile Krug, and a Scarab from Shurima—he truly couldn't fathom why anyone in Zaun's black market would be selling that.
Although both were beetles, they were completely different species—even Silco could tell that at a glance. Yet at this moment, these two insects were squeezed together in an intimate embrace, appearing quite affectionate.
Singed did not turn around. His hunched silhouette swayed before the experiment table, his fingers manipulating two distinctly different insects—their abdominal cavities had been surgically opened and forcibly connected via alchemical tubing. Viscous solution flowed through the pipes; the two insects convulsed in pain, yet could not break free.
"Do you not find it fascinating?"
Singed's slightly raspy voice could not hide his fanaticism and excitement.
"Look, they clearly originate from different species, yet under the compulsion of 『 Propagation 』 they fuse… creating new lifeforms!"
Silco stared coldly at the test subjects; he had zero interest in the experiment. Compared to creating bugs… how to make those high-and-mighty, self-righteous bastards in Piltover crawl at his feet was the topic that actually interested him.
"And then? You want to use these created bugs to deal with Topsiders?"
"Not merely that."
Singed looked up toward the sky. At this moment, the view of the heavens was almost entirely crowded out by the overwhelming swarm. They were dividing and devouring in geometric progression, and every plant and tree on the Planet was covered in a thick layer of insects.
"The Star God of 『 Propagation 』 has appeared. Although it is merely a virtual product within the Simulated Universe, a portion of His power has tangibly affected the insect life across the entire continent."
"Creating insect species that can serve in war is indeed one of my current subjects."
Singed's voice was like the whisper of a viper.
"But I am more interested in knowing in what form the power of 『 Propagation 』 exists within these insects… If it could be extracted and used by me… now that would be interesting."
"Attempting to lay a finger on the power of a Star God? Doctor, you certainly have the nerve. I like it. Whatever assistance you need later, just ask."
Silco turned to walk toward the door, his prosthetic eye flashing a crimson glint in the shadows.
"But if this power goes out of control… I will burn this place to the ground myself, Doctor."
—
「 The sky of the Planet was a dark, bruised red, like a festering scab. Yet the sky within Stelle's eyes was black, densely packed with insect swarms mating in the heavens, like black blood oozing from that scab.
The swarm birthed new offshoots after mating, and these offshoots combined with other offshoots, resembling a morphing rose with petals coupling one another. The propagation of the swarm was just like a flower releasing pheromones of different scents… ugliness and sweetness piled upon one another…
The sound of beating wings was like billions of hearts beating in sync. Stelle could feel her eardrums vibrating, as if the bugs had already burrowed into her brain, emitting a ceaseless ringing.
But even within this suffocating chaos—
Stelle felt a gaze.
Not from the swarm, nor from Herta. But from some existence far more ancient, far more distant. That gaze seemed to pierce through the dimensions of the universe, like a cold metal probe gently pressing against her spine.
"Stelle… do you feel it?" This time, Herta's voice appeared directly in her mind. "They watching us—no, to be precise, They watching 『 Propagation 』 Tayzzyronth."
"Who?"
"『 Order 』 —Ena," Herta said. "The Path of 『 Order 』 is to lead the universe into eternal harmony; this is also Ena's will. He observes 『 Propagation 』, likely to see if this newborn Star God can interfere with or affect 『 Order 』, don't you think?"
The scene before her eyes switched rapidly. The sky full of clamoring insects vanished, replaced by a vast, boundless ocean.
The waves shattered into white foam at Stelle's feet. Every time they receded, they seemed to wash away some of the insect blood stuck to her boots—though there were no bugs in this world. Let alone bugs, there didn't even seem to be many people. In the distance, some unknown seabird cried out, the sound so harsh it made her feel a bit nostalgic.
After staying on the Planet for so long, any animal made her feel incredibly affectionate.
"Where have you sent me this time?" Stelle took a deep breath. The warm sea breeze slightly dispelled the psychological trauma she had acquired on the Planet of Festum.
"Mandalan Island on the planet of Lapole," Herta said leisurely. "This is the first world 『 Propagation 』 descended upon after ascending to become a Star God." 」
「 .....」