"Bzzz bzzz bzzz bzzz——"

The sound of wings buzzing became increasingly distinct, and when they got close enough, Ferrock realized that it didn't sound like the wings of a creature, but more like the sound of rotating axles.

He had heard this sound in the craftsmen's hall in the Royal Capital; those craftsmen always liked to tinker with incomprehensible tools.

When he opened his eyes again, he could clearly see the black cloud.

Bodies forged of metal, a dark, serrated wave, the migratory locust elytra stacked into a tide of death.

The released creatures chose to flee at once.

Abandoning their masters and the convoy, the creatures' instincts at this moment crushed the bonds between them and the Summoners, something unprecedented in the history of the Royal Capital.

"Bzzz bzzz bzzz bzzz——"

The sound of wings flapping grew more intense.

As they swept across the fields, Ferrock vaguely saw the changes in the landscape.

The pine needles instantly hardened into steel thorns. Rotating steel jaws penetrated tree trunks, and annual rings blossomed into brass concentric circles. Tree sap spurted from cracks as black grease; vines twisted into cables amidst the wing-flapping swarm, while lichens turned into rust-colored moss, with a faint blue luminescence spreading over the corroded land.

They weren't devouring but bringing change. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Ferrock also saw the Summoners fleeing in panic, but they were soon caught by the locusts, their skin and flesh sliced open like slaughterhouse pigs, with wounds oozing a copper-colored viscous liquid instead of blood.

Someone was calling his name, sounding like Olede the Eleventh's voice, but it didn't last long.

In fact, the crowd's screams didn't last long, perhaps only for a dozen seconds or more, before they were swallowed by the "black cloud."

The carriage window was slashed open by sharp wings, and the passing locusts discovered him.

He locked eyes with a pair of blue eyes.

Perhaps he should give these panicked people an inspiring speech to unite them again.

But Ferrock did nothing; it was meaningless.

He couldn't even muster the thought of resistance because the locusts were too fast; before anyone could make a reasonable judgment, they had already reached them.

What a nightmare this was.

Ferrock closed his eyes once more.

Strange, why was he having such a nightmare?

...............

"There are no reinforcements, Ferrock was lying from the start!"

A shout in the cellar became the straw that broke the camel's back; people looked ashen.

When the locusts descended like a natural disaster, the conscripted soldiers took a huge risk and sent a team to the Royal City, still holding onto a beautiful hope—that if they could unite with the elites of the royal family and the association, they could organize an effective counterattack.

The intricate cellars and waterways beneath the Royal Capital became the final bastion for survivors; the locusts couldn't reach here for now.

But after sacrificing almost all personnel, this daredevil team brought back bad news.

There had been no reinforcements from the start.

When they struggled and finally entered the Royal City, only empty palaces awaited them; all valuables had been taken away.

The only solace at this moment was that the speed of the mechanical locusts' descent exceeded even the royal family and Ferrock's expectations. The convoy had not moved much distance when it directly encountered the locust swarm, and outside the Royal Capital, they found no cellars or waterways to hide in.

The kingdom's elite Summoners had perished in the first confrontation.

"What do we do now...?"

An old woman asked.

This inquiry extinguished all sounds in the cellar.

The first war between humans and locusts was almost a one-sided affair: the locust swarm may have taken but a few minutes to seize this city, and only a few who hid in the cellar survived.

Yet, this was far from over, and they faced many serious problems.

The cellar and waterways lacked food, the contaminated water was undrinkable, and the ventilation was poor, making it impossible to stay there for long.

Three days, one day?

Or even shorter?

"We need to send someone back to the surface to bring back food and supplies."

The returning member of the daredevil team said solemnly; of the dozen-member team, only he remained, and he knew his luck had run out. If he returned to the surface again, he might not make it back to the cellar.

"Their target is the Divine Tree, right?"

Someone among the refugees asked, "I read in the Cuckoo Bird Gazette that some monster researchers believed their destination was the Divine Tree, and those destroyed cities just happened to be in their path."

This was their last hope.

Maybe if they held out long enough in the cellar, they could endure until the mechanical locusts left.

What responded to the refugees was continued silence.

Nobody could answer that question, just as they couldn't know how long this disaster would last or what the future of the kingdom would be...

And at this moment, Ethan, on the surface, was also deep in thought.

"You, come over here."

He attempted to command one of the wandering locusts. The pair of azure eyes observed him with curiosity, then flapped its wings, deliberately slowing its speed, and flew in front of him, maintaining a safe distance to avoid its sharp wings injuring Ethan's skin.