Darkness Descends

In the Illusory Cloud Star Domain, Zhang Fan sat in the command cabin, watching Pianyang Star glimmer dark red in the distance.

"I never saw this coming. Princess Domina really played one hell of a joke on us. A star system this powerful-no wonder that damned woman offered a thousand Krami Pearls."

Noya stood beside Zhang Fan like a little girl. She looked at him and asked, "Overlord, should I go kill her?"

Zhang Fan sneered. "Don't go making trouble for me. That woman is beyond your ability to handle. As long as she leaves us alone, we'd best not provoke her."

"Qilaya, how are things going with the Right-Whirling Sun King?"

"They're attacking Hunting Cloud Star along the planned route."

Zhang Fan nodded. "Power... the devil that tempts the heart. They should have had enough fun by now, and the audience is in place. It's time for us to take the stage."

Aboard the Proud Sun Guard's command ship, the Left-Whirling Sun King leisurely sipped sweet juice and savored an expertly prepared Milala Beast steak...

The guard captain reported, "Your Highness, the Right-Whirling Sun King's Hundred-Foot Army has driven straight through three Insect Race defensive lines and reached the outskirts of Hunting Cloud Star."

The Left-Whirling Sun King marveled inwardly. My second brother's Hundred-Foot Army really is formidable. A mere ten thousand ships, facing an Insect Race force more than ten times its size, and they still pushed straight into Hunting Cloud Star...

While the Left-Whirling Sun King was marveling, a scout reported, "A large Insect Race fleet has been detected ten light-years off the Hundred-Foot Army's left flank."

Before the scout had finished, another reported, "Large Insect Race fleets have appeared all around the Hundred-Foot Army. It looks like they've fallen into an ambush."

Both startled and delighted, the Left-Whirling Sun King hurriedly asked, "What is the Hundred-Foot Army's current status?"

"Reporting, the Hundred-Foot Army suffered heavy losses in the initial engagement. Three hundred and twenty-one strategic warships have been completely disabled."

"Reporting, high-energy concentrations have been detected aboard the Insect Race's strategic warships. Energy readings have exceeded ten million. It appears they're preparing to deploy a weapon of mass destruction."

"Reporting, the Right-Whirling Sun King's flagship has been hit... It's falling toward Hunting Cloud Star. Should we provide support?"

The Left-Whirling Sun King sneered. "Support? Go yourself, then. All guards are to retreat. Against an Insect Race force this powerful, we must preserve our strength and return to inform His Majesty the Proud Sun King."

The Proud Sun Guard withdrew. Standing beside Shusha atop Mistshadow Castle on Hunting Cloud Star, the Right-Whirling Sun King asked in astonishment, "Th-this... this holographic projection actually fooled the guards? Just how advanced is your technology?"

Zhang Fan's laughter suddenly came from behind the Right-Whirling Sun King. "Hahaha! Your Highness, it's only a little gift from a friend."

Seeing Zhang Fan arrive, Shusha quickly bowed, then introduced him to the Right-Whirling Sun King. "This is the Overlord of our Insect Race."

"My respects, Overlord. It is the honor of a lifetime to meet you."

"You're too kind, Your Highness. Now that we've dealt with our tail, let's discuss the next stage of our cooperation."

The Right-Whirling Sun King followed Zhang Fan into the fortress. The hall was filled with bizarrely shaped monsters three to five meters tall. Even the strongest military officers he had brought were more than half a head shorter than them.

"The Insect Race under your command truly is a formidable fighting force, Overlord."

Zhang Fan said, "You're too modest, Your Highness. Although your Hundred-Foot Army and my forces only put on a little show, its fighting strength surpasses that of our Insect Race."

"You flatter me."

After exchanging pleasantries, the two finally got down to business.

"What do you intend to do next, Your Highness? After all, as far as Proud Sun Star is concerned, my forces have already wiped you out. The Hundred-Foot Army could be a decisive surprise force."

After a moment's hesitation, the Right-Whirling Sun King said, "I would like to add one condition to our alliance."

Shusha said with a trace of anger, "Adding a condition at this stage? Have you misunderstood the situation, Your Highness? We aren't the ones begging you!"

"Please don't misunderstand. Our strategic alliance and the Insect Race's terms will remain unchanged. I ask only one thing: the people of the Nine Clouds Star System are innocent. I hope the Insect Race will refrain from senseless slaughter. That is all."

Zhang Fan laughed heartily. "Good, good! Your Highness cares for your people as if they were your own children. I accept that condition. Our Insect Race will never harm anyone who lays down their weapons and surrenders."

"Thank you, Overlord. That puts my mind at ease."

After returning to his flagship, the Right-Whirling Sun King announced to everyone, "The Insect Race will launch an all-out assault on Pianyang Star. Once Proud Sun Star sends reinforcements, we will strike Proud Sun Star, seize the Radiant Sun Palace, and end this war that should never have happened."

"The Hundred-Foot Army's myriad souls shall endure beyond death, reborn in fire to reshape Proud Sun!" the ministers chanted together, reciting the Star Seer's prophecy. To them, three-quarters of it had already come true. Only the reshaping of Proud Sun remained.

Proud Sun Star had yet to recover from the shock of the Hundred-Foot Army's crushing defeat when news arrived that the Insect Race's great army was launching a surprise attack on Pianyang Star.

The Proud Sun King immediately ordered the Star Seer brought before him under guard and demanded furiously, "Didn't you say the Insect Race would lose?"

In response to his questioning, the Star Seer smiled. "The Insect Race are merely inferior creatures. Surely it is the Hundred-Foot Army you should be worried about."

"The entire Hundred-Foot Army died fighting on Hunting Cloud Star..."

Before the Proud Sun King finished, the Star Seer countered, "Did they truly die? Perhaps they endured beyond death and were reborn in fire."

"You... if you knew all along, why didn't you say so?"

"Your Majesty, would the prophecy have come true if I had told you? And if it did not come true, how could my Sulamei Starfolk ever escape your clutches?"

The Proud Sun King flew into an uncontrollable rage. "I'll slaughter every last one of your people right now!"

"Hahaha, you're too late... By now, my people are probably already aboard the Right-Whirling Sun King's flagship."

"Guards, kill her... Kill her!"

The Proud Sun Guards dragged the Star Seer to the entrance of the great hall and were about to execute her when the Left-Whirling Sun King hastily stopped them. Taking her by the arm, he rushed into the hall.

"Eldest brother, you can't kill this Star Seer. The spy I planted beside our second brother sent word that the Insect Race came for the Sulamei Starfolk. She is our leverage against them."

The Star Seer studied the Left-Whirling Sun King with her single large eye. Suddenly, she tore herself free of his grip and pointed at him in terror, her voice trembling. "Darkness spreads. Eternal night descends."

Everyone stared in astonishment at the terrified Star Seer. Pointing at the Left-Whirling Sun King, she shouted, "Quick, kill him! Darkness has already descended upon Proud Sun Star... Kill him!"

The Star Seer clutched the energy-restricting shackle around her neck with both hands, and a powerful surge of energy converged on her from all around.

A crack began to appear in the shackle around her neck. Alarmed, the Left-Whirling Sun King cried, "This is bad! She's breaking free!"

The immense power whipped up a gale within the royal hall, leaving almost all the courtiers staggering. The Left-Whirling Sun King's golden eyes suddenly turned a fathomless black, and he snatched the golden spear from the Proud Sun King's hand.

He leaped up, raising the spear high, and the shriek of its passage through the air echoed throughout the hall...

The wind gradually subsided. The golden spear pierced the Star Seer's chest, and the Left-Whirling Sun King leaned close to her ear. Yet the voice was not his own, but Zhang Fan's. In that deep, terrifying voice, he whispered to her, "You know too much..."

The Left-Whirling Sun King seized the Star Seer's throat with his left hand and gave the spear a slight twist with his right, leaving her no chance to utter her last words.

The Proud Sun King glared at the Left-Whirling Sun King. "You dared to seize the Nine Suns Spear? Are you planning to rebel as well?"