As King's voice fell, Noa took him and vanished on the spot.
As a legendary warrior, Noa possessed the ability to freely traverse time, space, and universes.
With the Noa Aegis on his back, he could appear in any corner of the cosmos at will. It was because of this that his footprints were left across countless universes.
This was a feat that even the superman of the Ultra race, the legendary Ultraman King, would find difficult to achieve.
---o---
Light Curtain Barrage—
Yokai Sage: "Involving the survival of the entire universe... that gray-white mist, does it want to devour two universes?"
The Overseer: "Devour? No, to be precise, it is likely formed by the collision of two multiverses. Although there is no concrete evidence, I believe this to be the case."
Ruan Mei: "The concept of a 'universe' is too vast. The true universe is an existence that even the Aeons can hardly comprehend. Therefore, even Klipoth, the Amber Lord, the Aeon of [Preservation], would find it difficult to prevent such a disaster."
Yukinoshita Yukino: "[Preservation] Aeon? Is that an existence on the same level as giants like Ultraman Noa, who stand at the pinnacle of the universe?"
Herta: "Conceptually, they're quite different, but their status is about the same. Klipoth the Amber Lord is exceptionally powerful. He once forged the Subspace Crystalline Wall during the Swarm Disaster, saving countless planets. He was also the one who joined forces with other Aeons back then and smashed the Swarm King to death with his hammer."
Kasumigaoka Utaha: "What! The Swarm King? The master behind those insects? He... he has died once before?"
Fu Xuan: "The Gnawing Locust Ancestor... no, it should be said that all Aeons lack a precise concept of death. Based on the Xianzhou's research on the Ancestor, he will make a comeback sooner or later... even if it takes tens of thousands of years..."
---o---
Light Curtain Video—
On Earth, following the return of the Phoenix Nest, the inside of the GUYS base was on the verge of complete chaos.
High-level officials across the globe had learned of the Ultramen's defeat and were engaged in heated discussions.
Although the general public was still unaware, it no longer mattered.
Because the Swarm would arrive on Earth in less than two or three days at most.
The world's leaders held an emergency summit.
At the summit, the top brass of GUYS engaged in high-intensity negotiations for four to five hours.
Nearly every order issued was executed immediately.
In the face of death, the leaders of all nations demonstrated unprecedented decisiveness and extraordinary efficiency.
This was not an ordinary monster attack like those in the past; the impact would not be limited to Japan alone.
Although Mebius was still here, if even the three renowned Ultra Brothers had been defeated, then Mebius would be of little use.
"What else can we do? The Phoenix Nest is heavily damaged; it probably can't take off again anytime soon."
Inside the GUYS base, Teppei's tone was heavy. With his abilities, he couldn't think of any other way to fend off the endless Swarm.
If it were just bugs, GUYS's technology might offer a solution. But the problem now was that every insect born from this Swarm was equivalent to a full-sized kaiju.
Even the weakest among them, when gathered in such numbers, were beyond humanity's ability to resist.
"Now is not the time to give up. Isn't the lab studying those larvae? Maybe we can do it with a genetic weapon," Ikaruga said, running a hand through his hair. Though he was also anxious, he still tried to encourage his teammates.
"The Swarm will arrive the day after tomorrow at the latest. What can be researched in such a short time? Besides, the only samples we have are of the Sting-Wings. That giant insect that defeated the Ultra Brothers is a completely different type!" Ryu Aihara grumbled in frustration, holding his head. This crisis was more terrifying than any they had ever faced.
He was still reeling from the aftereffects, that strange, twisted sensation, as if he were being assimilated by the insects, a feeling that had nearly consumed him.
Nearby, Mebius—no, he should be called Hibino Mirai now—bit his lip, his face shrouded in gloom, his expression exceptionally heavy.
It's all because I was too weak. That's why Brother Man and the others...
Endless self-blame swirled in Mebius's heart. Although a distress signal had been sent to the Land of Light, it would still be some time before Father of Ultra and the others arrived.
In the meantime, humanity had to rely on its own strength to fight the Swarm.
And... him.
While the base was filled with anxiety, the Swarm was making a new move.
Hampered by the fierce resistance of many technologically advanced civilizations in the galaxy, the Swarm's arrival at Earth was actually much slower than it would have been otherwise.
Without exception, all those civilizations became breeding grounds for Propagation.
Through the light curtain, one could clearly see planets blotted out by the roaming swarms of insects.
Not a trace of green could be seen on the surfaces of these celestial bodies; they were dyed in a multitude of colors by the pheromones exchanged between the insects.
The vibrant colors had nothing to do with 'nature,' but instead exuded a cryptic aura that would make one's sanity plummet.
And in a clearing surrounded by countless stars, the Swarm King, Tayzzyronth, stood amidst the cosmos.
A sky full of resplendent, tinkling wing dust blurred HIS form, but HIS body, larger than a planet, and HIS divine consciousness, connected to trillions of insectoid lives, were proof of HIS terrifying and immense power.
At this moment, HE was surrounded by countless fluttering yellow butterflies, ant-like insects, meteor-nest bugs, and Sting-Wings of varying sizes.
Amidst this dream-like entourage, HE continued HIS ascension into the deeper starry sky...
Through the Swarm King's myriad compound eyes, one could vaguely see the entirety of the Milky Way.
In HIS eyes, the entire galaxy had already become a "home"—a "home" filled with HIS children, filled with HIS kin.
Spirit, soul, technology, philosophy... In Tayzzyronth's myriad compound eyes, the cosmic laws pursued by all intelligent species were merely trivial offshoots derived from the process of all things completing the ultimate goal of [Propagation].
As Tayzzyronth ascended into the deeper cosmos, the [Propagation] of the Swarm reached a new critical point.
In the numerous insect hives that used planets as their wombs, countless insects of different types, sizes, and forms—some brutal, some crazed—were responding to their 'God'.
Their bodies grew from eggs at a visible rate, maturing into adults in the blink of an eye.
Tayzzyronth had accelerated the incubation speed of the eggs. Although this was merely an act born from HIS desire to no longer be lonely, it directly resulted in the rapid expansion of the Swarm Disaster's area.
From a cosmic perspective, the Milky Way was but a small corner of the vast universe.
This was why, aside from the Land of Light, no other major powers had taken notice of this particular swarm.
Because the Swarm had hardly affected them. In a universe that was constantly expanding with every passing moment, what threat could a group of insects possibly pose?
But now, with the Swarm's spread, the entire universe would be dragged into it...
---o---
Light Curtain Barrage—
Surrounded by countless insects, Tayzzyronth's figure ascended into the deeper cosmos.
The Path of Propagation began to expand relentlessly at this moment, squeezing the living space of all other life.
The Swarm was originally supposed to reach Earth in two days, but now, it seemed that this timeline had been drastically moved up.
The Overseer: "Is that the form of an Aeon? A pity it's obscured by the wing dust. Otherwise, I would have truly liked to see the face of the Aeon who brought such a disaster upon the universe."
Absolutian Tartarus: "The Swarm's expansion rate has increased, and it's growing exponentially. No wonder it became a universe-sweeping disaster in another cosmos. At this point, even I would find it difficult to stop its expansion."
Ace Pilot: "Whoa, whoa, whoa, this is insane! If it goes on like this, humanity won't last until the Ultramen arrive!"
Ultraman Z: "Don't worry! With Master Zero's Aegis of Baraji, he'll definitely make it before Earth is destroyed!"
Ultraman Zero: "Aegis of Baraji?? What's that? And since when do I have an apprentice? Who are you?"
Noa: "..."
---o---
Light Curtain Video—
Under Tayzzyronth's power, the Swarm once again began to multiply at an astonishing rate.
On Earth, in the GUYS base, urgent alarms blared once more.
The large screen in the command center could no longer receive signals from space.
This meant that Earth's satellites had been completely disabled, overwhelmed by the Swarm. The Swarm was now upon them.
But at this critical juncture, it no longer mattered whether they had satellites or not.
In the sky above, the Sun, the center of the solar system that provided light and warmth to the people of Earth, had vanished.
Countless black shadows blotted out its light, leaving only endless darkness. The Swarm... had eclipsed the sun.
"You've got to be kidding... Phoenix Nest, how are we supposed to fight a monster like that?"
Ryu Aihara, who normally insisted on believing in humanity's own strength, couldn't help but feel despair upon learning that the Swarm was vast enough to completely surround the sun.
He couldn't think of any way they could possibly win.
"Ryu, lift your head. Now is not the time for despair. Although it will be difficult for humanity to withstand this disaster with its own power... we still have Ultraman. As long as we don't give up hope, they will surely come."
Sakomizu Shingo said solemnly, his gaze falling upon Mirai. Although Mirai had not yet revealed his identity as an Ultraman, who was Sakomizu Shingo?
Based on Mebius's many slip-ups before, he had long figured out his identity, but he had simply never said it out loud.
Now was the most critical moment. If humanity itself gave up, then not even Ultraman could save them.
"Beep—Beep—Beep—!!"
A sudden communication signal sounded in the base.
"Attention all members! Insects of various sizes have appeared in cities all over the world! HQ requests that you and the military deploy immediately."
Inspector General Misaki's voice was urgent. Earth's anti-air weaponry was actually quite effective, and so far, no insects had made it to the surface from space.
And even if they had, they should not have been able to appear in the city centers, which were the most heavily guarded areas.
But the reality was that the Swarm had broken through layer after layer of defense and reached the cities. Before the military could even deploy, the civilian population had suffered heavy losses.
With no time to investigate the cause, GUYS urgently scrambled their fighters.
As the light curtain's view shifted, the perspective moved to a city swarming with flying insects.
Just as Misaki had said, a swarm of insects had appeared out of nowhere and begun to parade openly on the streets.
Because their numbers were currently small, the damage was limited, and there had not yet been mass casualties.
This was actually quite normal. As products of an Aeon, the insects existed solely for the concept of Propagation. They did not possess the concepts of good and evil that were unique to humanity.
By the time the GUYS team arrived in the urban area, the civilians had already been evacuated underground by the police and military.
"What's the situation? Have you found out how these insects broke through the defense line?" Marina asked as she liaised with the military commander. But the man was staring at the report in his hand in disbelief.
"Well... these insects didn't come from space. They were born on Earth."
"What?" Marina's expression was one of shock, but what came next left her completely stunned.
On the security footage from a hospital's maternity ward, pregnant women who were about to give birth suddenly began to convulse violently. Colorful blood seeped from their bellies.
Then, amidst the intense pain of labor, several larvae broke free from their mothers' bodies. They grew at a visible rate, sprouting wings in the blink of an eye and flying out of the hospital, leaving behind women whose eyes held nothing but terror.
Insects... came out of the bellies of pregnant human women?
Although it was the truth, Marina found it hard to believe how insects that bore no resemblance to humans could be born from a human mother.
Wait. If insects can be born from pregnant women and other maternal bodies, doesn't that mean... the underground shelters are in danger?
"BZZZZZZZZ—!!"
Before Marina could say another word, the insect tide filling the sky, as if on command, launched a ferocious assault on the Earth.
A swarm like a black cloud pressing down on the city swept in. With humanity's strength, there was no way to stop this crushing momentum.
Just then, Mirai, who had been standing beside Marina, ran forward, revealing the Mebius Brace on his wrist.
The power of light manifested once again—