Chương 561: Chapter : 561

The news anchors talked rapidly. They summarized the incredible events.

"This is an absolutely unprecedented day, Bob!" Sarah yelled into her microphone.

"The entire Empire is under attack, but the Royal Family is responding flawlessly! Every single Prince and Princess is deploying their unique magic!" Bob waved his hands enthusiastically.

"You are right, Sarah! This crisis has turned into a massive showcase of Royal power! The citizens are watching their leaders protect them in real-time! It is a totally spectacular demonstration of strength!" The public watched the royals contain the emergency across the state. They cheered for their favorite factions. The chaos was slowly turning into a secured victory. The mutant bugs were falling. The Empire was fighting back.

The massive invasion was being stopped by the combined power of the Succession War candidates.

Sayma placed a massive stack of papers onto the wooden table. She pushed her thick glasses up the bridge of her nose. She clicked her pen. She looked down at a large map of the capital city. The map was completely covered in small red dots. The red dots marked every single mutant bug sighting from the morning news. Laxmi paced back and forth across the strategy room. The fire user tossed a tiny orange spark between her fingers. She grinned a very wide, excited grin.

"We need to go outside right now," Laxmi announced. She punched her open palm.

"I want to roast those giant insects. Fire is the absolute best bug spray. I can clear the streets in five minutes." Zinia stood near the window. The strong earth mage crossed her muscular arms. She shook her head.

"We cannot just run outside, Laxmi. There are entirely too many bugs. The swarms are massive. We need a solid plan before we engage." Ira stood perfectly still by the door. Her pale face showed zero emotion.

"Statistically speaking, rushing into a massive insect swarm yields a ninety-five percent chance of getting completely overwhelmed. Zinia is logically correct. We require a tactical approach." Luna lay flat on a long wooden bench. The lightning user rubbed her sleepy eyes. She pulled a soft knitted blanket over her shoulders. She let out a loud yawn.

"Bugs are very creepy. They have too many legs. I do not want to look at them. I am going back to sleep." Risa sat on the rug. The sweet pink-haired healer hugged her stuffed teddy bear. She looked very nervous.

"The bugs are very big. I hope they stay away from our garden. They might eat my flowers." Princess Iris sat at the head of the table. She wore her crisp dark blue uniform. Her silver hair fell smoothly over her shoulders. She looked very determined. She stared at the map. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"The bugs appeared out of nowhere," Princess Iris stated softly.

"They are attacking multiple regions at the exact same time. This is not a random natural event. We need to find the origin point. We need to find the source of the swarm." Ken Eliot sat in a chair at the far end of the table. He wore his navy blue suit pants. His white dress shirt hung completely untucked over his belt. He did not wear a tie. His black hair stuck out in wild, messy spikes. He slouched his shoulders as far as they could possibly go. He held a large bag of barbecue potato chips in his lap.

He reached into the bag. He pulled out a crispy chip. He tossed it into the air. He caught it perfectly in his mouth. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

"You guys are overthinking this," Ken mumbled lazily. He swallowed his food. He leaned back in his chair.

"This is a classic bug invasion arc. It happens in every single sci-fi anime. The bugs always come from a giant underground hive. A giant queen bug sits in the middle of the hive. She lays a million eggs. The heroes usually need a giant mechanical robot to step on her." Naomi sat in the chair right next to him. She wore a simple gray shirt and dark pants. Her red hair was tied back in a neat ponytail. She smiled a very warm, bright smile.

"We do not have a giant robot, Ken," Naomi chuckled softly. She reached into his bag and took a potato chip. She popped it into her mouth.

"We just have magic. And we have to figure out where the hive is hiding."

"We can just ask the bugs," Ken suggested casually. He offered her another chip.

"Maybe they are just lost. They probably took a wrong turn at the dirt road. If we give them some directions, they might just go home."

"Bugs do not listen to directions," Sayma noted politely. She wrote a quick note in her notebook.

"They follow a centralized hive mind. They are driven by a singular command. We must analyze their movement patterns to locate the center." Suddenly, the front gates of the estate swung open. Loud footsteps echoed across the courtyard outside. Zinia looked through the glass window. She lowered her arms.

"We have visitors. It is the 16th Unit." The front door of the main house opened. Princess Hestia walked into the strategy room. The 2nd Princess wore a pristine, flawless white silk dress. Golden embroidery lined the edges of her gown. Her auburn hair fell perfectly over her shoulders. She kept her chin held high. She looked incredibly proud. But today, she did not look completely arrogant. She actually looked very concerned. Zaima walked right behind her.

The scowling servant wore a spotless white and gold uniform. She glared at the dusty walls of the 13th Unit estate. She absolutely hated being inside this building. She crossed her arms tightly. Elma walked into the room last. The blonde swordswoman also wore her pristine white uniform. Her golden curls bounced slightly. She looked around the room. Her blue eyes landed directly on Ken. Elma's cheeks instantly turned a bright, vibrant shade of pink. She quickly looked down at her polished boots.

She held her twin silver swords tightly. She tried to look very strict and professional. She totally failed to hide her blush. Ken stopped chewing. He gave Elma a big, goofy smile. He waved his hand lazily.

"Hey, Elma," Ken greeted her cheerfully. He slouched his shoulders.

"Did you bring any pastries today? I am completely out of chocolate cake. I am suffering from a severe dessert shortage." Elma gasped softly. Her face turned even redder. She refused to look at him.

"I did not bring you a cake, you lazy slacker! We are here on official diplomatic business! Stop thinking about your stomach!" Naomi let out a soft laugh.

"Leave her alone, Ken. She is trying to be serious." Princess Iris stood up from her chair. She offered a polite, graceful bow to her sister.

"Welcome, Hestia," Princess Iris said smoothly.

"Please, have a seat. What brings you to our estate today?"