"Mirai... Mirai!"
As Mebius was lost in thought, the voice of his comrade rang in his ear, breaking his concentration.
Ryu Aihara grabbed him and asked, "Mirai, what were you staring at so intently?"
"Ryu-san, I was just looking around. What's wrong?"
"Wooo~ Wooo—"
Before Mebius could say more, the base's alarm suddenly blared, cutting their conversation short.
"What is it?! Has another monster appeared?!"
Ryu's expression turned serious as he and Mirai rushed to the command center, with the other GUYS members following close behind.
"According to satellite readings, a crimson force is spreading from deep space. At its current speed, it will reach Earth in less than three days!" Teppei urgently reported from his station. Based on the images and intermittent sounds transmitted from the satellite, it was highly likely another monster incident.
"So, it's another monster from space. All right, it's time for our 'wings' to take flight again!"
Seeing that it was another monster, the GUYS members, already accustomed to this, prepared to scramble.
However, Captain Sakomizu, unlike usual, didn't immediately give the launch order. He simply put down his teacup with a grave expression.
His eyes were fixed on the satellite feed. For some reason, Sakomizu Shingo possessed a sixth sense beyond that of an ordinary person.
This invasion was definitely different from the previous ones, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.
"Captain, we're ready to go. Give the order! We can't wait for the enemy to land on Earth before we defend," Ryu urged.
Sakomizu looked at his team and said in a heavy tone, "Alright. The situation is urgent, and HQ has already issued the order. Let's go..."
Everyone responded in unison: "GIG!"
The next moment, the Phoenix Nest launched. As the versatile, modular fighter jet that was the pride of CREW GUYS, and the "wings" of its members, this aircraft had made significant contributions to defeating monsters and assisting Mebius.
With the help of its advanced technology, the Phoenix Nest quickly reached outer space.
For now, everything in space was normal; the Swarm had not yet truly spread this far.
Naturally, the members of GUYS weren't going to wait for the Swarm to come to them. They chose to take the offensive.
As the Phoenix Nest pushed forward, the light curtain's view shifted to the very edge of the Swarm.
From its first appearance a few days ago to having now devoured half the galaxy, it was a truth the audience would have found unbelievable if not for their omniscient perspective.
Planets attacked by the Swarm were often dyed crimson red, but the Swarm's tendrils reached far beyond that. These winged insects filled the entire star system.
Some of their "vanguard units" had already reached the Solar System, and could even faintly see Earth in the distance.
These vanguard troops were not particularly large. Most were only one or two meters, about the size of a human, with the largest being just over twenty meters.
They sped through space like an advance force, their trajectory directly opposing the Phoenix Nest's. In just a few hours, the two forces would collide.
---o---
Light Curtain Barrage—
The members of GUYS were now completely terrified. So, this insect tide was going to appear in their world?
The thought of the sky-blotting Swarm, its terrifying combat effectiveness, and its ability to annihilate a massive planet in twenty-one hours gave them a collective headache.
Marina: "Even Mebius would probably have a hard time defeating these insects. There are just too many of them. Even if they aren't strong individually, they could still wipe out humanity."
Ryu Aihara: "Damn it! Don't praise the enemy and discourage our own! It's just a bunch of bugs! There are just a lot of them! The Phoenix Nest will definitely be able to annihilate them!"
Detective Conan: "Actually... now is not the time to discuss the Swarm's combat power. More importantly, I hope you all pay attention to... the pregnant women in hospitals, or elsewhere..."
March 7th: "Those insects crawl out from girls' stomachs... so scary!"
The Overseer: "Not just girls... but any maternal body. From the previously fallen planet, it seems that whether it's a monster, an alien, or any other creature with the ability to reproduce, the offspring they birth will be converted into insects."
Ruan Mei: "This is the ability of the Swarm King. Wherever the Swarm spreads, all existence becomes a tool for its propagation."
Director of the Land of Light Meatpacking Plant: "What an evil power! What is its purpose? Why would such an existence be born in the universe!"
Herta: "The thoughts and powers of an Aeon are beyond mortal comprehension. Let's just keep watching. The video will show us what the Swarm truly is. Besides... I'm very interested in that creature called Ultraman."
---o---
Light Curtain Video—
As time passed, the expressions of the crew aboard the Phoenix Nest grew increasingly grim.
The closer they got, the more they could feel an inexplicable palpitation, and the more震撼ing was the sight of the crimson expanse before them.
"Bzzzzzz..."
The sound of buzzing wings echoed in their ears, irritating the pilot, Ryu Aihara.
"Hey, George, Marina, what's going on? Why are there bugs in the cockpit?!"
His tone was a bit aggressive. Bugs in the cockpit was going too far. This was their shared "wings," after all. For it to become a hive was just too... too...
A... a hive? What am I thinking? Why do I have this illusion of the Phoenix Nest becoming a hive!
"Marina! George! What's wrong? Are you there? Answer me!"
Ryu's agitated voice echoed through the empty cockpit. He only felt the turmoil in his heart grow stronger, accompanied by an impulse to destroy everything.
"Might as well just turn everything into bugs."
The insane thought buzzed in his ears, making his body tremble. There were even faint signs of insectoid transformation appearing on his skin.
"Ryu-san!! Wake up!!"
In the actual cockpit, Mirai was desperately shaking Ryu's body. He didn't understand how, without him noticing, all his teammates had fallen unconscious.
"An enemy? Is it an enemy? Where?"
Mirai—no, it would be more accurate to say Mebius—vigilantly scanned his surroundings but found nothing. He couldn't detect any hostile intent.
In a daze, the sound of buzzing wings reached his ears again, confusing him. When could sound travel in space?
The next moment, as if by reflex, Mebius shot out his hand and snatched the source of the sound, clenching it in his fist.
"What's this?"
In his fingers was a small, larval insect. It had a black carapace with several fine red veins running through it. Its antennae were hard and straight, likely used for attacking.
Behind this small insect, a pair of black wings vibrated continuously, making an annoying buzzing sound like a fly.
Even more terrifying, with Mebius's vision far exceeding that of a human, he could see the fine dust falling from the larva's wings as they vibrated.
Bringing the larva's wing closer to smell it, Mebius quickly confirmed that it was a powder with hallucinogenic effects.
"This is it! This is what made everyone fall unconscious!"
Having identified the enemy, Mebius quickly crushed the larva in his hand, stopping the spread of the wing dust. With the larva's death, the insectoid transformation on his teammates' bodies ceased.
"Great, now everyone can wake up!"
BOOM—!!
Before Mebius could celebrate, the Phoenix Nest was suddenly struck by an attack and shook violently. Looking out the window, he saw that the ship was now surrounded by insects just like the one he had crushed.
The insects varied in size. The largest was over twenty meters, while the smallest was the size of the one from before, small enough to be crushed in one hand.
It would still be some time before Ryu and the others woke up. It was impossible for Mebius to pilot the ship and fight all by himself.
Switching the Phoenix Nest to its automated defense mode, Mebius quickly raised his right arm, and a golden light emerged.
The Mebius Brace appeared in a flash of gold. He placed his palm over the red crystal on it, and a golden ring of infinity enveloped his entire body. He then transformed into a streak of light and shot out of the warship.
The next moment, the golden light grew brighter and brighter, visibly transforming into a giant, fifty-meter-tall humanoid figure. Then, the light gradually dimmed, revealing the warrior within.
Ultraman Mebius... has arrived!
"Hah—!"
Upon appearing, Mebius took a position in front of the Phoenix Nest and assumed a fighting stance. His first target was naturally the largest of the insects, the giant Sting-Wing.
"Who are you? Why are you attacking us?"
Through his psychic will, Mebius transmitted his words to the enemy. Since they appeared as a group, there must be a leader, and that leader would likely possess intelligence.
In response to Mebius's question, the Swarm remained silent, merely staring at the giant figure before them. Their biological instincts made them feel a sense of fear towards Mebius.
This was a fear born from a disparity in combat power. Although the current Mebius was still just an ordinary Ultra Warrior training in a "newbie village," he had experienced enough to faintly display the bearing of an Ultra Brother.
In terms of raw power, the vast majority of the individual insects in the Swarm, as well as most kaiju in the universe, were no match for him.
This was especially true for these vanguard troops, the most common and weakest individuals in the Swarm.
If their numbers were a few hundred times greater, they might be able to drown him with a sea-of-insects tactic. But with only a few thousand individuals, it was a difficult feat to accomplish.
"Bzzzzzz—"
Although they couldn't defeat Mebius, as the children of IT, as the vanguard of the Swarm, the Sting-Wings had no reason to retreat.
Thousands of insects launched an assault on Mebius. They vibrated their wings and charged towards his body, fearless of death.
While they were individually much smaller than Mebius, the tide formed by thousands of them far surpassed his size.
Seeing this, Mebius, adhering to the principle of a quick battle, placed his right hand on the Mebius Brace on his left wrist. He channeled its power into both hands and then crossed them in a "+" shape.
The Mebium Beam, Mebius's most classic ray technique!
A massive beam of light shot from Mebius's hands, annihilating the twenty-meter-class giant insect in a single hit. As the Mebium Beam continued its output, thousands of insects suffered heavy casualties and quickly scattered, attacking him from different angles.
Mebius showed no panic. This wasn't Earth; he didn't have to worry about buildings or human lives, nor was there a three-minute time limit. His only concern was the Phoenix Nest nearby.
Therefore, Mebius could unleash his full power here.
He continuously dodged the Swarm's attacks, a blade of light materializing in his hand. One swing could wipe out a whole group of insects. Soon, the surrounding space was littered with the corpses of the Swarm.
"Phew, it's over..." Panting slightly, Mebius looked at the surrounding corpses. His color timer hadn't even begun to flash.
"Bzzzzzz—"
"Nani?" The buzzing sound started again. Mebius looked towards the source in surprise. The twenty-meter giant Sting-Wing he had just destroyed had, at some point, split into numerous smaller larvae.
These larvae vibrated their wings in the emptiness of space, as if performing some kind of ritual.
However, the Swarm possessed no intelligence, only the most basic biological instincts. The larvae's actions were easy to understand.
In nature, when one bee finds a field of flowers, the whole swarm gathers. Similarly, when one ant finds food, it summons its comrades.
The Sting-Wings were the same. They had found a new place for propagation. Now that they had met an obstacle, they would naturally call for nearby allies. This buzzing vibration was the "dance" they performed to summon their comrades!
"BZZZZZZZZ—!"
It was like a sound from ancient times. Though it was the vacuum of space, Mebius heard it—the sound of a giant insect vibrating its wings.
It wasn't an ordinary sound transmitted through vibrations, but more like a telepathic communication across space.
As Mebius followed the source of the sound, he saw a colossal, starship-devouring giant Sting-Wing flying towards him.
Its speed was incredible, and it showed no hesitation. It was clearly coming for its "comrades."
Author's Note:
PS: Regarding the insects, because the types of Swarm insects and their related lore in Honkai: Star Rail are currently limited, I will be taking some creative liberties and making fan-creations in this aspect. Please forgive me.