[This is Interastral Peace News. I'm your host, Leah. Greetings, everyone.]
[Over the past ten or so days, a sudden insect swarm engulfed a star region spanning hundreds of light-years, plunging countless people into panic.]
[They rapidly expanded, forming a disaster zone covering hundreds of light-years. Numerous starships and planets were attacked, resulting in severe casualties and massive losses.]
[After ten days of intensive efforts by the IPC, the situation in the swarm-infested area has now been brought under initial control. Rescue teams have been dispatched in large numbers to affected regions, and conditions are stabilizing. Rescue operations are proceeding in an orderly manner.]
[Meanwhile, the IPC reminds all residents of the galaxy to remain vigilant and avoid areas not yet declared safe. We also call on everyone to lend a helping hand to rebuild affected regions...]
The Interastral Peace broadcast echoed softly through the spaceship, relaying the latest news from across the cosmos.
"How unexpected, Firefly—you actually listen to broadcasts like this," Silver Wolf's words briefly pulled Firefly from her daze.
"I thought only old people listened to this kind of broadcast before sleeping."
Silver Wolf lowered her phone, blowing bubbles as she stared curiously at her companion.
"Are you really that interested in the swarm disaster news?" Silver Wolf asked inquisitively.
Ever since news about the swarm disaster had emerged, this girl, who usually spent her days staring at the stars, had gained a new habit—listening intently to the Interastral Peace News.
In response to Silver Wolf's curiosity, Firefly only shook her head.
"I'm just worried, that's all…"
Indeed, she couldn't stop worrying about the anxiety that filled her heart.
She had been created specifically as a soldier to combat insect swarms, having personally faced those creatures that terrified most of the galaxy's population.
Precisely because of this, she was especially attentive to events in that region.
"Worried about what?"
"Our little Firefly is naturally worried about those countless planets—and about what's gathering the swarm in the first place."
At that moment, a woman holding a glass of red wine gracefully approached the pair.
She wore an enchanting smile, capable of charming all who saw her.
To appear aboard this Stellaron Hunters' ship, her identity went without saying.
"You're right, Kafka," Firefly nodded, finally voicing her concerns.
"I suspect there might be an Emanator of Propagation active in the swarm-affected area."
She had once confronted a swarm that engulfed an entire star system, but even that had been commanded only by a single massive Swarm Mother.
However, this swarm disaster was large enough to encompass hundreds of light-years and was moving in an organized, controlled manner.
Only an Emanator of Propagation could wield such overwhelming influence.
Precisely because of this, Firefly had paid extraordinary attention to the matter.
At the mention of this possibility, Silver Wolf and Kafka's expressions changed as well.
"If we're not mistaken, our next mission is near that area, isn't it?"
They had all received their scripts—missions where the three of them would act together—and the stage seemed dangerously close to the swarm-infested region.
"Hey, hey, hey, this isn't funny at all." Silver Wolf felt uneasy.
The Stellaron Hunters' power was undoubtedly among the galaxy's strongest, but facing an Emanator of Propagation was simply suicide.
After all, that entity currently commanded a swarm spanning hundreds of light-years. Fighting such an enemy would exhaust them to death.
Kafka didn't say more, immediately pulling out her phone to contact Elio.
She liked experiencing fear—but not the kind of fear that led to certain death.
Unexpectedly, Elio replied at that very moment.
"Little Firefly's guess might be right," Kafka announced Elio's reply, much to their anticipation. "Elio says we're pausing the mission temporarily."
Elio was a Pathstrider of Finality. His plans rarely paused once they had started.
Yet now, Elio chose to halt their plans.
This undeniably confirmed Firefly's fears:
An Emanator of Propagation truly had appeared in that sector of space!
"I never thought we'd actually encounter an Emanator," Silver Wolf remarked with growing interest.
Emanators were elusive, near-mythical beings in the universe—only a handful existed. And now, one had appeared frighteningly close to them.
"This time, it's thanks to Little Firefly. Otherwise—"
Kafka was about to praise Firefly when her phone vibrated again, abruptly cutting her off. She frowned slightly at the sudden message.
When Kafka glanced at the new message, her expression shifted to shock, then quickly turned to bewilderment as she tapped the phone screen.
Such rapid changes in Kafka's expression were rare enough to immediately draw her companions' attention.
What could have possibly happened?
Silver Wolf leaned closer, peeking curiously at Kafka's phone.
The person Kafka was talking to was someone Silver Wolf knew very well: Elio, the Stellaron Hunters' infamous "Slave of Destiny."
But this chat log was bizarre.
Just a few minutes earlier, Elio had sent:
[Pause the mission temporarily. You're right—a truly extraordinary Emanator ofPropagation has appeared in that location.]
Yet, after less than ten minutes, he abruptly changed his tone completely:
[Proceed with the mission as planned. There's no longer anything capable of threatening you there.]
Elio had reversed his stance twice in under ten minutes.
Naturally, Kafka was now pressing for answers, demanding clarification.
Then Elio simply sent over two images.
In one image, an enormous golden insect roared, dwarfing countless planets around it, reducing them to tiny ants. In the corner, numerous beings inevitably transformed into golden bugs.
Without a doubt, this golden insect was precisely the Emanator Firefly had anticipated.
In the next image, however, the golden insect was already half-transformed into pure white feathers. Those previously transformed into golden insects were now protected by feathers, restoring them to their original forms.
[This all occurred within just a few minutes. That extraordinary Emanator of Propagation has already fallen.]
?!!?
An Emanator had fallen mere minutes after being born?
"This can't be real," Firefly whispered, utterly shocked.
According to Glamoth Republic archives, Propagation Emanators had ravaged the galaxy for dozens of Amber Eras, notorious throughout history.
If not caught up in the War of the Gods, their swarms could have persisted indefinitely.
Each Emanator had unique strengths, each capable of plunging countless galaxies into ruin.
This new Emanator commanded a swarm across hundreds of light-years—definitely top-tier among all Propagation Emanators.
Yet now she was told that an Emanator fell only minutes after its birth.
This must have set a new record for the fastest fall of any Emanator in history!
"Isn't something like this usually the final boss that players team up to defeat at the end of a game?" Silver Wolf was just as curious. "How could a boss like this exit the stage so quickly?"
Unless, perhaps, for the final boss, this Emanator was merely a minor enemy.
But how could an Emanator be considered a mere minor enemy!?
Then, what—could the final boss actually be an AEON?
If such a game existed, Silver Wolf would definitely want to experience it firsthand!
"What should we do now? Should we continue with our mission?" Kafka sought her companions' opinions.
Firefly and Silver Wolf sank into thought.
But soon, their thoughts were abruptly interrupted by an untimely announcement.
[Interastral Peace News Update: Sudden large-scale fluctuations have appeared in the swarm-infested area. The gathered True Sting swarms have begun scattering and dispersing...]
Upon hearing this broadcast, Firefly suddenly realized something important.
"Elio might actually be telling the truth."
This sudden dispersal was exactly like…
...
"This behavior…is just like insects who've lost their commander."
Ruan Mei was currently holding a remote conference with other members of the Genius Society, discussing the latest developments in the swarm disaster.
"The entity that gathered the swarm has vanished, and thus they've reverted to their natural, scattered state."
"Question: According to your analysis, Miss Ruan Mei, is this insect-commanding entity possibly an Emanator of Propagation?" Screwllum voiced his doubts.
"Yes. Only a Propagation Emanator could accomplish something like this," Ruan Mei affirmed with a nod, her expression deepening even further. "And it's not an ordinary Emanator of Propagation either. It's a being even stronger than the five documented ones I previously mentioned."
The swarm's sudden chaos directly pointed toward one explanation alone:
A being capable of commanding all five Emanators and standing at the very apex of the swarm had suddenly died, causing this abrupt disruption.
A being capable of standing above even the Five Emanators…
At this thought, Ruan Mei's breath caught momentarily as realization dawned on her.
The scene before her eyes was astonishingly similar to the Battle of the AEONs recorded by the IPC!
In that ancient battle, the AEON of Propagation was slain, bringing the insect plague that had engulfed two-thirds of the universe to an immediate halt.
The swarm's collapse was so rapid that not even Emanators could prevent it.
Now, the swarm spanning hundreds of light-years was displaying the exact same phenomenon.
She knew full well the Five Emanators were still alive and actively supporting the swarm. Yet despite their presence, the insects continued scattering relentlessly.
Then, the being above the Five Emanators…could it be an AEON?!
Once this term crossed her mind, Ruan Mei instantly connected countless dots.
Why had the Five Emanators gathered here?
Why, after assembling, did the swarm only shrink inward without any sign of expansion?
There was only one possible answer:
Everything had been done to protect a newborn AEON of Propagation!
The birth of an AEON would always trigger a great phenomenon, and this swarm spanning hundreds of light-years was clearly the greatest omen of all!
But now, the newborn AEON had been defeated, causing the swarm's immediate collapse—a disaster even Emanators were helpless to stop!
Framed this way, everything finally made sense.
Yet one lingering question still remained in her mind.
If someone told her an ordinary being had defeated an AEON, she'd have laughed at them.
Only an AEON could defeat another AEON. To believe a normal human could defeat an AEON, one's intellect would have to be so poor they'd probably believe in ghosts.
So, which AEON had defeated this newborn AEON of Propagation?
"Previously, it was QLIPOTH, so who was it this time?"
Ruan Mei searched through her data archives, but stopped abruptly when she saw the countless white feathers drifting through the cosmos where the swarm had dispersed.
Which AEON was associated with feathers…?!
...
At this same moment, similar scenes appeared everywhere across the universe, as countless people received news of the swarm's collapse.
After gathering for more than ten days, the swarm disaster had quietly come to an end without warning.
Jing Yuan, commanding the Xianzhou Luofu enroute to the scene, was briefly stunned upon receiving the news.
But soon, a bittersweet look appeared on his face.
"Who would've thought Mr. Sora's hopes would come true so quickly. If only he'd lived to see this—he would surely have been relieved."
By his side lay the report of Sora's death, still fresh.
...
Meanwhile, within the IPC, countless people were loudly voicing their frustrations.
After ten days of endless debate, the company had finally devised a perfect strategy to maximize profits while aiding the disaster zone. Yet, now the swarm had suddenly vanished.
All their efforts over these past days had instantly turned into wasted labor. How could they not be furious?
"Jade, why do you seem so thoughtful about this?"
Topaz stared curiously at Jade, slightly puzzled.
The swarm's sudden collapse had left every faction in the IPC without a winner. Everyone was angry about wasted efforts—everyone except Jade, who instead seemed oddly reflective.
"It's obviously because a certain deceased man's wish has finally been fulfilled, my little Jelena."
Jade playfully caressed Topaz's cheek before promptly turning and walking away.
She, too, felt deeply moved, tinged with regret.
Sora's final wish had come true, but only after he'd already died.
A hero unable to witness the dawn he fought to bring about… What a bitter reality to have personally witnessed.
During the darkest hours, someone had spread rays of hope—yet when hope finally dawned, that person had long since fallen into eternal sleep for the sake of that very hope.
Perhaps she'd later allocate some credits to build a statue commemorating the fallen Sora.
A permanent reminder of those despair-filled days when the swarm ravaged the universe.
...
At this very moment, Sora himself still had no idea someone was already planning to erect a statue in his honor.
Skaracabaz had completely dispersed, dissolving into countless feathers drifting through space.
As Sora stretched out his hand, the feathers immediately responded, gathering gently in his palm as if answering a summons.
If before he lacked sufficient strength, now, with the fall of the Skaracabaz, he could finally achieve what he'd envisioned!
"I'll bring back to life everyone who fell in this disaster!"
He clenched his fist tightly, linking his wish with the countless feathers.
A vast, shimmering Möbius loop appeared, illuminating the universe before everyone's eyes.
Sora refused to abandon even a single life lost in this swarm disaster!
They may have died in the swarm's onslaught, resisting the insects, or even while trying to save him…
None of these lost lives deserved to suffer this fate.
Therefore, Sora intended to use his newfound strength to bring them all back to life.
These feathers transformed from insects would form the foundation of his resurrection!
I believe I can do it. I believe I can bring them all back…
Sora whispered silently in his heart.
The prismatic, seven-colored radiance spread from his unicorn horn, gently enveloping his entire body.
Yet at this very moment, Sora suddenly felt the constraints of some unseen law.
Everything around him seemed to freeze completely. As he opened his eyes, he clearly saw a massive stone sculpture hidden deep within the cosmos.
HOOH…