Kanji cherishes the remainder of his day, savoring every moment spent revisiting familiar locations throughout Kyushu, keenly aware that it could be his final opportunity to do so.
Throughout their journey, Kanji anticipates AN's inquiries about Kyushu, but to his surprise, AN seems more intent on simply basking in the present experience.
As the day turns to night, Kanji finds solace in a tree within the enchanting Saikai National Park, falling asleep beneath a mesmerizing tapestry of stars, gazing toward the very cosmos he is fated to explore.
Meanwhile, on Caverrin, a new chapter unfolds.
Within the majestic Incaris Palace, a colossal golden door stands guard on the highest floor.
A recently promoted general, filled with anticipation, awaits his summons.
?? "I, GENERAL KARNAT KARLAC, AM THE GREATEST!"
The general, of modest stature, bellowed with an unapologetically bold and boisterous tone.
This distinct Castastrian dons a resplendent red cape, a sleek black tunic adorned with gold accents, and form-fitting black leggings. Intriguingly, his left arm is encased in a mysterious black metallic armor.
His unique scalp formation features kerahairs swept gracefully to the left, with talon-like spikes gripping his forehead, reminiscent of a fierce creature seizing a morsel of raw flesh.
Unassumingly, a small tin robot glides up behind him, poised for action.
?? "Yes, you are! My great master!"
KARNAT "SILEEEENNCE!!! Tin Tin. AS TODAY I'LL TAKE UP MY GLORIOUS POSITION AMONG THE GENERALS OF OUR GREAT EMPIRE!"
He coughs and dramatically turns toward the massive door.
KARNAT "NOW! IT IS TIME TO MAKE MY PRESENCE KNOWN IN FRONT OF HER IMPERIAL HIGHNESS."
Karnat is well aware that beyond the doors lies the revered throne room, a sanctum accessible only to The Empress, her royal guard, and her esteemed generals.
Moreover, The Empress and her Royal Guard seldom venture outside this chamber, leaving their appearances a mystery to most Castastrians.
With a determined push, Karnat opens the door and surveys his surroundings.
The throne room's grandeur is astounding, featuring a ceiling so towering that it vanishes into the inky blackness above.
A sumptuous red carpet unfurls from the entrance, leading to what Karnat presumes to be the regal throne, flanked by stately marble pillars on either side.
His gaze is drawn to the shadowy walls enveloping the room, eager to uncover their secrets.
KARNAT "Oh. My. God."
Karnat's eyes widen in terror as he realizes the walls are adorned with rows of disfigured heads, all appearing to have been recently unearthed.
What chills him to the core is the recognition that dawns upon him – each of the gruesome relics belongs to a previous monarch.
"Enjoying the view... General Karlac."
A haughty voice resonates from the vicinity of the throne, filling the air with its commanding presence.
The room is illuminated just enough to reveal the throne and the enigmatic silhouette perched upon it.
Karnat can hardly believe what he sees.
The Empress's form defies all expectations, bearing no resemblance to a humanoid. Instead, she appears as a colossal ant, save for her ten elongated, arachnid-like limbs, each equipped with four opposable pincers in place of claws.
Adorning her head is a regal 12-pointed crown, while a series of prominent, slender spines runs along her back.
Her massive throne, crafted predominantly from polished marble, looms imposingly. Its seat resembles a bird's nest, fashioned from a chaotic mix of scales and feathers. Looming behind the throne is an immense tooth belonging to an unknown creature.
Overwhelmed by the sight, Karnat hastily bows in deference.
KARNAT "S-Sorry for my ru-rudeness,"
Karnat feels beads of sweat forming on his antenna, his body trembling as he awaits the Empress's reaction in deafening silence.
To his surprise, she emits a soft chuckle before indulging in a thick, red liquid from a macabre skull-shaped chalice.
As he processes her previous words, Karnat realizes with a start that she had addressed him in his reverse name.
KARNAT "Oh, please forgive my mistake! Oh, Great Blood Empress!"
In a display of contrition, Karnat forcefully lowers his head to the red carpet, causing a small amount of green blood to seep onto its plush fibers.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Within Castastrian society, a hierarchical structure delineates distinct tiers or classes. To assert dominance, those in the upper echelons refer to individuals of lower standing by their names in reverse. Conversely, lower-class Castastrians are forbidden from knowing or using the names of their social superiors, addressing them solely by their titles.
The Empress, however, is an exceptional case. Her true name remains a secret, known only to those in her inner circle. Every Castastrian must address her by her title or use the appropriate formalities when greeting a monarch. Only those fortunate enough to develop a close relationship with The Empress may learn her real name.
________________________________________________________________________________________
"I don't know. Should I forgive him, my generals?"
?? "I. Believe. Loyalty. He. Trustful. Loyal."
A gruff voice reverberates from the left of Her Highness, drawing Karnat's attention.
He turns to find a massive, monstrous figure looming nearby.
This colossal being defies all conventional proportions, dwarfing even the mightiest of elephants in sheer size.
Upon closer examination, Karnat notes that the creature's form resembles the golems of myths and legends, and its entire body is encased in a sleek, black armor.
The integration is so seamless that Karnat struggles to discern whether it is armor or the creature's actual body.
The being's arms appear disconnected from its torso, hovering at its sides like levitating obelisks. Its head resembles a gigantic gemstone, adorned with six featureless eyes – three on each side – and two formidable, scythe-shaped mandibles protruding outward.
Karnat is uncertain of the creature's identity, but a gut feeling tells him that this entity might be...
KARNAT "Sir Royal Guard! My apologies! I didn't see you."
?? "Apology. Accepted."
In a fleeting moment, the immense expanse of the cosmos seems to supplant the royal guard's presence in Karnat's sight.
He could have sworn he glimpsed an entire blazing fucking sun.
KARNAT "What was-
?? "His posture could need some work, your majesty."
A new voice emerged, its tone stern and resounding.
Karnat scans the room but perceives no source for the sound.
Suddenly, he notices one of the pillars beginning to stir. His gaze swiftly shifts upward.
KARNAT "Wtf! How tall is this guy?"
Inwardly, Karnat said with envy.
The individual's elongated arms rise majestically skyward.
Straining his vision, Karnat can barely make out the top, where two piercing red eyes fix their gaze upon him.
Though he has never encountered this figure in person, the imposing presence aligns with descriptions of The First General, also known as "The General Lord". Renowned as the empire's most brilliant strategist, his reputation ascends all that came before.
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Karnat returns his attention to Her Highness.
The atmosphere in the room shifts, signaling that the Empress is about to make a momentous announcement.
"My dear generals, we seem to have a traitorous little rat that escaped the palace."
"This rat fucking stole the ancient red dice."
The news startles the generals and the royal guard. They back away in sheer disbelief.
"I know. I know. But we can't do anything to stop the awakening of the aspects now. This bastard hid inside "The Morality Grotto"."
KARNAT "What is that? May I ask your highness?"
"Oh right, you're new here. It is the place where you awake the aspect wielders and only those with the heart of gold could ever enter it. So I told at least a thousand soldiers to keep watch, in case the rat ever comes out."
"However we can't rely on that."
She ~sighs ~
"So instead I'm assigning you, General Karlac, to a planet called "Earth" to kill all the aspect candidates. Let's call it a test for your worth as my new general."
KARNAT "Ummm, couldn't we just completely nuke their planet?"
"WHAT!!!!"
The Empress's voice boomed through the room as she shouted, her body radiating a fiery red hue, a testament to her seething anger.
An overwhelming force engulfs the entire chamber, and Karnat senses the crushing pressure bearing down on his body, pressing him into the plush carpet below.
KARNAT "This is it, This is over for me."
Karnat's mind is consumed by dread and terror, bracing himself for the inevitable catastrophe. Yet, to his surprise, nothing occurs.
The Empress, recognizing Karnat's inexperience and lack of knowledge, composes herself and tempers her fury.
"Think... before you say anything. I'll forgive you since you're new."
Still reeling from the shock and bewilderment, Karnat collapses onto his backside.
Composed once more, the Empress proceeds to elucidate, addressing Karnat's confusion with her explanation.
"In short, We fucking love humans!"
Her tone shifts into a fan-girlish tone.
By now, Karnat's thoughts seem to have soared right out of the palace window, leaving him in a state of utter mental disarray.
"Sure. they are extremely inferior in terms of technological and physical progression, but they have one thing that we don't."
KARNAT "Wha-What is it?"
"Culture, memes, anime, movies, traditions, games, and a lot more shit. Their food even tastes way better than the crap we eat."
"For some goddamn reason, our species only enjoys inventing and progressing our technology as our so-called "fun" ever since the dawn of time. All my subjects on this planet are like fucking machines, husks with no flavor or passion. Heck! Everyone brushes arguments like it's nothing. Come on have some drama or something! You might say that the stuff happening with the rebels right now is drama, but no it's not! It is War! War is different."
She pauses the rant and presses four of her limbs against her face.
"Six fucking years ago. I tried using my power as Empress to control people to be more cultured. And in the end, they just made scuffed versions of things from Earth instead of making something original. I even killed hundreds as an example for those who don't try hard enough and it didn't change a damn thing. It is almost as if our species are programmed only to invent technology!"
The Empress subtly lowers her arms, adjusting her posture.
"Well at least, I was able to make everyone subconsciously talk English instead of our language."
KARNAT "Wait-Wha..." "Why am I speaking English?!".
No. Why is everyone speaking English, a language of inferior species?...
A single word surfaces in his mind: "Pheromone Wave."
________________________________________________________________________________________
Castastrian society is semi-eusocial, allowing individuals the freedom to act as they wish, except when the monarch issues a specific command. When a monarch is chosen, they are endowed with this extraordinary power to control their subjects. This control manifests in two levels.
Subliminal control. The monarch subtly influences the thoughts, actions, or behaviors of their subjects over an extended period, resulting in a permanent change that affects the entire species.
Complete control. This level of control is exerted solely within the monarch's presence. It is immediate, and subjects cannot break free unless the monarch allows it. The range of control is vast, even encompassing the ability to apply pressure to the entire body.
However, some Castastrians have managed to elude the monarch's influence altogether.
________________________________________________________________________________________
"One last thing...There is a little project, I put into a play called "Red Web" last year."
The Empress fixes her gaze on Karnat, who, in his determination to avoid interrupting her, concentrates intently on maintaining his silence.
"Are you interested?"
KARNAT "Ye-Yes."
She grins.
"For decades, the previous monarchs..."
She lifts her upper arms and points at the walls.
"...have been trolling humans with crop circles and abducting live stocks. This sparked an interest in the human community and created a type of group called "Alien enthusiasts"."
She continues.
"Those people are the precursor to the project. Oh, I also like to thank the previous monarchs for making this SO MUCH EASIER."
She raises her cup and chugs another gulp of the red liquid.
"You see I'm planning that in a few decades, we will migrate the entirety of our nation and live on earth, and MAYBE living humans can finally nail some culture in our people."
She raises one of her pincers off the cup.
"But I don't want to rule through fear, I want the humans to love and respect me and all Castastrians. So I fed the "Alien Enthusiasts" with juicy hints and mysteries to the point that they would do anything to see that aliens are real."
"Last year, I revealed my beautiful form to one of these guys and he broke down with joyful tears. I told him that we will visit Earth if he does one thing."
KARNAT "What is it?"
"Create a cult and convert everyone on Earth to worship me. He who saw me as an all-powerful being of course listened. He created "The Eusocial Cult" and has converted about 4 million people as of today and the numbers keep rising."
She is filled with excitement, her limbs are shaking unable to contain it.
"Soon, I will be able to meet all of my favorite celebrities and visit the many wonderful places on Earth!"
The Empress reaches for a photograph hidden within the seat, revealing an image of a blond-haired British chef.
"Soon...Soon...Soon. I will meet you. A man so admirable, so good at what he does that he earns the right to insult anyone who would sully his art."
She glares at Karnat.
"I truly hope you too can achieve the same level, General Karlac."
Drawing strength from the Empress's words, Karnat regains his resolve. He rises to his feet and delivers a firm salute, trying his best to signal commitment and loyalty.
KARNAT "I will! Your Majesty!"
"Then go forth! I prepared a little surprise for you outside the palace."
Karnat pivots and strides toward the entrance, each step buoyed by a sense of elation and achievement.
However, this triumphant emotion is short-lived. As he crosses the threshold to exit the room, a hand unexpectedly lands on his shoulder.
?? "Good luck ya'shrimp."
A rough, sarcastic voice murmured into his ear, the tone laced with a hint of mockery.
KARNAT "WHO THE FU-
Karnat locks eyes with the towering Castastrian, who bears a sinister grin, his posture reminiscent of a predator ready to strike. The beast's golden tiger-like eyes, razor-sharp teeth, and imposing fangs only add to his intimidating aura. A dragon skull rests atop his head, and a shaggy, yellow mane envelops his upper back and shoulders. He dons no shirt, merely rough orange fur shorts overlapped by a tattered white cloth. A necklace of eyeballs and multicolored feathers adorns his neck, while a pair of gauntlets and a scythe are bound to his back with bandages.
Karnat recognizes the man immediately, and his many titles instill fear in all who mention them. The Fauna Slayer, God of Carnage, Blood Flare, The One Drone Army, and his most infamous moniker of all, "The Savage King". The Second General of the Incarus Empire.
The Savage King releases his hold on Karnat's shoulders and strides past him, making his way into the throne room.
Unfazed by the general's hostility, Karnat continues his exit from the palace.
Meanwhile, inside the throne room, the Second General greets Her Majesty.
General2 "Yo, ya majesty!"
General1 "Watch your damn tone mongrel!"
?? "Yeah. Watch. it."
"Now. Now. Boys, you know he is like this. Anyway, why are you here?"
General2 "I'm just paying ya folks a visit."
They stare at him with doubt.
General2 "Ok. Ok. I'll be clear y'all. WHY is HE the new yapping general?"
"Because he is completely loyal to the crown and The Empire."
General2 "Oh Come on! That doesn't make sense! Plus even I have more loyalty than him."
"HAHAHHAHAHHHA"
The Empress and the First General share a chuckle in sheer disbelief.
Undeterred by the ridicule, the Second General continues to argue his case.
General2 "He doesn't even have any special powers!"
A brief pause ensues as the others take in the Second General's words.
"Are you trying to say his "luck ability" is just normal luck?"
General2 "Yes, dang absolutely it is!"
"Then you are telling me that luck carried him through all the dangerous missions he faced before."
General2 "Yes and soon he may...."
The Second General flashes a devilish grin.
General2 "....run out."
He stretches out his arms.
General2 "What ya'all do when he does?!"
The Empress looks at him with a similar grin.
"We will just have to find out. Now, won't we."
The echoing sound of maniacal laughter from the throne room falls beyond Karnat's reach as he exits the palace.
Once outside, he takes in the sight of three groups of soldiers, each comprised of thousands of Imperial troops, all lined up in precise formation. The soldiers don red suits of armor, appearing similar to plate mail, with each section connected by lines of green mechanical tubing that interconnect with a large, stained-glass canister mounted on their backs, all filled with green liquid.
Karnat's gaze alights on one of the soldiers, whose demeanor betrays no hint of fear or hesitation, unlike the soldiers he is used to. As he continues to survey the troops, he notices something peculiar on their waists - two small, mysterious grey metal boxes labeled "Mk12-Seplar Blade" and "Mk19-Orbital Rifle", respectively, with suitcase-like handles that are attached to the soldier's armor.
His attention then shifts to the soldier's helm, which features a transparent, V-shaped visor and a metallic ring encircling the forehead, resembling a crown of thorns, the very symbol of the Empire.
He scrutinizes the helmet, observing nothing else except for the antenna protruding from two holes on the top.
With that, he leans closer.
KARNAT "WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR SCALE FOUNDATION, SOLDIER?!"
"IT WAS CUT OFF, SIR!"
KARNAT "EXACTLY! BUT IF YOU ALL SURVIVE LONG ENOUGH, YOU TOO CAN GROW THEM BACK. SO GET OUT THERE AND MAKE ME PROUD! ALL UNITS PREPARE TO BOARD!!"
"SIR! YES! SIR!"
The crowds of Imperial soldiers roar at the top of their... lungs?... readying themselves to board the ships.
Karnat walks toward one of the many Imperial spaceships.
Despite the common depictions of alien spaceships as giant flying boats, rockets, space planes, or flying saucers in sci-fi movies...
These ships however are very different.
They instead resemble large metallic meteors covered in thrusters that can be swapped in and out with high-powered plasma cannons.
The ship's primary means of navigating through space is through a special device called a Gravitational Attractor. This device allows the ships to gravitate towards any planet, star, or celestial object in the known universe by inputting their gravitational code, which corresponds to their gravitational force. The thrusters are used for general space maneuverability or warp speed by activating thrusters in the same direction as the gravitational pull.
Other features of the vessels include a force field, advanced camouflage, an advanced AI operating system, special spyware and tracking devices, geological records and maps of millions of planets, and third-person viewing of the entire vessel from the command deck.
Karnat enters a class-two ship, which is the size of an asteroid. He navigates through a long, maze-like hallway similar to the tunnels found in ant hills until he reaches the command deck and activates the ship's operating system.
|ACCESS GRANTED. What will be your command?|
KARNAT "TELL EVERYONE TO SET THE CODE TO 9.807!"
A holographic panel appears in front of him.
KARNAT "NEXT STOP EARTH!"
On that day, as on many days before, several ships departed from the skies of Cavarrin.
Who knows maybe what you thought to be just meteors could be something else entirely.