Chapter 226 | Swarm: I Became a Cataclysmic Disaster

“Vice Commander, it seems the Governor has already engaged the enemy.”

“It’s a pity we couldn’t join them, but we’ve already committed the bulk of our forces. They will win.”

Yuno’s dry voice, seemingly distorted by her helmet, crackled from within the headpiece.

Yuno had not gone to the Sky Island.

When the Sky Island took flight, Kerrigan had followed Elise’s instructions, leading an elite force to break through the defensive lines and approach the original nest area, which was believed to be their home base.

“Is this a basic feint?”

It wasn't difficult for Yuno to see through the Great Devourer’s intentions.

In fact, the Great Devourer hadn't intended to hide its plan from the start, presenting them with a direct choice.

Should they commit all their forces to the Sky Island, or also allocate troops to defend the base?

Yuno and Delta eventually reached an agreement; Yuno decided to lead a small force to participate in the defense.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

Delta had been shocked when Yuno claimed she would hand over most of their current main equipment and forces.

“It can’t be helped. For us right now, offense is ultimately more important than defense.”

Yuno answered calmly. No one could deny that offense was more important.

The only way for them to survive was to successfully launch an attack and reopen the Stargate before they were completely depleted.

“To be so composed...”

“As expected of the Empyrean Star Guard. They truly only select the best from every world.”

The people in the Pioneering Zone marveled at the paladins of the Empyrean Star Guard, who remained calm as they stayed behind with Yuno to face the swarming enemies.

The Empyrean Star Guard was an elite force composed of the strongest and most loyal individuals selected from the worlds controlled by the Church of the Goddess of Light, trained and raised on the home planet managed by the Goddess herself.

The personnel in the Pioneering Zone marveled and praised them, thinking the Empyrean Star Guard paladins were so calm because they, like themselves, could sweep through enemies as easily when facing Yordles as they could against ordinary paladins.

“Glad, Celian, prepare the equipment.”

“It seems they think we’re calm because we’re powerful.”

As the Sky Island receded into the distance, Yuno watched it and ordered her subordinates to prepare for battle.

Seeing her like this, her subordinates chuckled.

“We simply... believe in the Vice Commander.”

The knights of the Empyrean Star Guard smiled.

Their composure didn't stem entirely from their own strength.

The main reason was that the one leading them was Yuno, the Vice Commander of the Southern Cross Knight Order within the Empyrean Star Guard.

“Holy Light Winged Armor, equipped.”

They donned additional armaments over their existing full-body plate armor.

The Holy Light Winged Armor was a special high-grade armament available only to elite units like the Empyrean Star Guard. It could unfurl brilliant wings of holy power through the energy of a holy core installed on the armor, propelling them into the sky instantly.

“Move out!”

Yuno’s command echoed from a second helmet layered over her first.

Following the sortie command shared with the entire knight order via embedded communication orbs, the Empyrean Star Guard paladins soared into the sky, cutting through the heavens in unison at high speeds to meet the migratory colony forces led by Kerrigan herself.

“Retreat! The defensive line has been breached!”

When Yuno arrived at the scene, the forces of the Goddess of Light Association and the Yordle units cooperating with them were putting up a desperate resistance at a northern fortress.

【Kerrigan is pleased.】

Kerrigan and her subordinates were thoroughly enjoying the battle and the slaughter.

She brandished her sword, cutting down enemies without mercy and ruthlessly trampling the paladins and Yordle warriors who rushed forward.

“These monsters...”

Furthermore, the problem wasn't just Kerrigan.

All the forces she led, especially the Lictor knights who could freely wield massive hooks and perform martial arts, were a major threat.

A Yordle warrior watched as a Lictor knight used a Flash Slash—a technique learned from the Terra beastkin—to shatter his shield and pierce his abdomen, causing him to cough up blood.

Their natural techniques, combined with the protection of psionic barriers across their bodies and the increased output from magic hearts and reinforcement stones, made it so ordinary Yordle warriors were no match for Lictor-class mutants.

Even a few paladins of the Goddess of Light Association could control this planet, and Lictors were monsters that even a single paladin struggled to handle. It was almost impossible for a Yordle warrior to face one alone.

“...”

A Lictor cruelly slaughtered a Yordle warrior captain who had attempted to engage it personally, then looked toward the Yordles trembling in fear.

Among them were not only soldiers but also children and elderly people who had come to help.

However, regardless of the weapons they held, the holy water potions they drank, or the Yordles who had been baptized and awakened as priests...

Even if they were young or old, every one of them was a servant of a hostile deity that had to be eliminated.

To kill them, the Lictor knight charged forward without hesitation, swinging its hooked claws.

In that instant, a sudden surge of powerful energy forced the Lictor knight to frantically increase its shield output to block a heavy downward strike from above.

“You’re even faster and stronger than I imagined.”

Yuno remarked as she landed on the ground, having lowered her high output.

“What a peculiar paladin.”

Kerrigan smiled as she watched the paladins belonging to the Empyrean Star Guard flying through the sky, as reported by the hive mind.

Until that moment, they were nothing more than novel toys to Kerrigan.

However, when a Lictor knight charged at Yuno without hesitation, intent on killing her...

Yuno instantly extended the short baton in her hand into a long spear. Accompanied by intense sacred holy power, a flash of light erupted from her grip.

“Holy Light Destruction Spear!”

With a shockwave that shook the atmosphere, the spear technique of the Destruction Realm flew forward. The swordplay the Lictor knight attempted with its claws was instantly pulverized, its barrier torn apart, and its body shattered into pieces as flesh and blood sprayed in every direction.

“So strong!”

Kerrigan offered sincere praise as she watched the sudden intrusion of the Empyrean Star Guard.

Though there were only about a dozen of them, they saved their allies from crisis with overwhelming equipment and strength, becoming heroes of the battlefield in an instant.

“Glad! Over here!”

“Got him! I’ll handle this one!”

The power they displayed allowed them to face Lictor-class mutants—which even ordinary paladins found difficult—on an individual basis.

Yet, even they held someone in awe: Yuno, who was wreaking havoc with her long spear.

Every time Yuno’s spear flashed, a massive predatory ant or a hard-exoskeletoned scorpion ant was eliminated in a single strike.

The output of her Holy Light Winged Armor allowed her to leap high into the air and thrust her spear down with all her might. A golden shockwave expanded, instantly killing hundreds of Great Devourers within a radius of dozens of meters.

This included individuals of Tyrant grade and above.

Psionic barriers that had been raised with great effort were torn like paper by a stronger, sharper force, leaving behind crushed corpses leaking fluids.

Even when multiple Lictor knights and mages attempted to surround her, Yuno swung her spear and deployed a holy forcefield, nullifying all attacks while simultaneously suppressing her enemies.

“Individual strength and coordination are top-tier, but that’s about it.”

Yuno’s voice echoed within her helmet as she spoke to the Great Devourers densely packed in every direction. “Are there no stronger monsters? Stop these small fry from cluttering my sight. It’s time for the real ones to show themselves.”

“That woman...”

Kerrigan realized this provocation was directed at her, and her face contorted beneath her mask.

For Kerrigan, who was usually the one doing the provoking, being challenged without delivering punishment was absolutely unacceptable.

“I’ll deal with her. That one is definitely hiding quite a few trump cards.”

But Begrun stopped Kerrigan, stepping forward personally with his heavy frame.

He sensed a power unique to those who had stepped into a higher realm emanating from Yuno; she had already killed many Lictors yet remained perfectly composed.

If Kerrigan were to engage and accidentally get injured by a hidden trump card, it would be disastrous.

The entire migratory colony was influenced by the Queen; her failure would mean the failure of the entire colony.

As a knight of the Queen, Begrun could not simply stand by.

“You...”

Yuno marveled as she looked at the massive heavy-armored knight appearing before her.

Even Yuno, covered in armor from head to toe, stood over two meters tall and had a large build, but Begrun was integrated with his exoskeleton and was large enough to carry Kerrigan in one hand.