Chapter 498: Mother Bug

Chapter 498: The Mother Bug

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Under Levi's control, the Blade of Judgment continued to slay the starbugs that drew near.

Yet their numbers were endless; the blade alone could never exterminate them all.

If he resorted to magic, the starbugs would evolve resistance, gradually becoming immune to magical attacks.

Levi glanced around and said, “We must find the starbugs’ nest and kill the Starbug Empress. Otherwise, they’ll never stop coming.”

After leaving the Infinite Labyrinth, Levi had thoroughly researched this peculiar race.

He discovered that although starbugs appeared as individual creatures, they were actually controlled by a central mind—the Starbug Empress.

Kill the empress, and the entire swarm would collapse—until a new one took command.

Saint Shea shouted urgently, “Where is the starbugs’ nest?”

Levi looked around but saw no sign of it.

The nest was surely hidden in some concealed place.

He called out loudly, “Find a Nutrient Core Starbug. It has a huge rear end and is larger than ordinary starbugs.”

Nutrient Core Starbugs were logistical units responsible for transporting energy and materials to the nest.

Following one would lead them directly to the nest’s location.

Saint Shea narrowed her sharp pupils to needle-thin slits and scanned the battlefield swiftly, searching for the creature Levi described.

In theory, using dragon aura would be most effective against such overwhelming numbers.

Unfortunately, starbugs had developed resistance to it too.

Dragon aura couldn’t kill them outright. Once past the initial intimidation, the bugs would adapt to the supernatural pressure.

That’s why Levi had warned Saint Shea from the start not to use any abilities recklessly.

All powers must be saved for critical moments—to prevent the starbugs from evolving immunities.

Pop! Pop! Pop!

The nearest starbug had already closed to within twenty meters.

A dangerous distance for Levi.

He was already considering whether to use area-of-effect magic.

But doing so would inevitably accelerate the bugs' evolution toward magical immunity.

Future spells would need to be stronger—and the survivors would develop even greater resistances.

Until eventually, magic would become useless altogether.

Saint Shea shouted, “I found it! Three thousand meters that way!”

Levi looked where she pointed and saw a slow-moving Nutrient Core Starbug on the open field.

Its front resembled other starbugs—slender insect-like form with several delicate limbs on either side. Its head bore a sharp mouthpart. Different types existed: scissor-like flat pincers, vertically opening guillotine jaws, or circular mouths bristling with teeth. The Nutrient Core Starbug had an extendable, tubular sucking mouth.

What set it apart was its rear—a massive sac, several times larger than its front half, used to store vast quantities of energy material.

Truly, the transport vehicle among starbugs.

Once Levi locked onto its position, he shouted, “Saint Shea, charge that way and grab that Nutrient Core Starbug!”

Saint Shea understood his intent. Radiant white holy light burst from her body.

Levi wasted no time casting a spell—Empowered Repulsion Ring of Fire!

Woosh! Woosh! Woosh!

The enormous empowered ring surged outward like a wall, hurling surrounding starbugs away and clearing a fifty-meter-wide space.

Ordinary Repulsion Rings had a maximum range of ten meters.

Saint Shea transformed into her dragon form.

Levi grabbed hold of her tail, and with a mighty roar, she charged toward the distant Nutrient Core Starbug.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Every starbug in their path was crushed to pieces.

“Arooh! Got it!”

Saint Shea’s hind legs nimbly seized the Nutrient Core Starbug, lifting it high before soaring into the sky.

Levi had climbed onto her back and shouted, “Quick, fly that way and shake off those pursuing bugs!”

“Got it!”

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Saint Shea raced through the innards of the Ice Emperor.

What the Ice Emperor felt—if anything—he didn’t know. Likely nothing at all.

This place was far too vast.

Neither the battle nor Saint Shea’s wild dash had caused any damage to the surrounding flesh.

Her flight speed far outpaced the starbugs’, and soon they left the horde behind.

But Levi knew—they hadn’t escaped danger yet.

As long as Saint Shea held the Nutrient Core Starbug, it would continuously emit signals, allowing the others to track them.

Once the starbugs vanished from sight, Levi ordered Saint Shea to land with the captured bug.

Thud!

Saint Shea dropped the Nutrient Core Starbug to the ground and turned to ask Levi, “Now what?”

“We hide,” Levi replied. “Follow it to the nest.”

Saint Shea nodded, shifting back to human form, and both concealed themselves.

Left alone, the Nutrient Core Starbug paused briefly. Sensing no threat, it resumed its duty.

It extended its slender mouthpart downward, piercing the fleshy earth beneath to draw energy and nutrients.

Levi and Saint Shea waited anxiously, fearing the pursuing starbugs might catch up and ruin their plan.

Fortunately, before being snatched by Saint Shea, the bug had nearly finished absorbing its fill.

After a few minutes, it began dragging its heavy, bloated body deeper into the darkness.

Levi and Saint Shea exchanged glances and quietly followed.

Seeing the direction it took, Levi frowned thoughtfully.

“Is the starbugs’ nest even deeper inside the Ice Emperor?”

Originally, he’d assumed the nest lay near the teeth—like termites in wood.

But the Nutrient Core Starbug was heading in the opposite direction entirely.

If so, the number of starbugs within the Ice Emperor was truly terrifying.

Li Wei thought of something.

Why had the Ice Emperor slumbered for a thousand years?

He gazed at the Core Star Worm not far away, a hazy conjecture forming in his heart.

Could it be to suppress the star worms within his body?

That possibility existed.

Such an enormous quantity of star worms could not possibly have been produced within a few days after the Ice Emperor's awakening.

Li Wei looked up at the invisible expanse above.

"It seems the trouble has grown somewhat serious."

Li Wei and Saint Xi followed the Core Star Worm through the endless darkness, journeying deeper into the Ice Emperor's body.

Along the way, they encountered numerous star worm groups, all of which the two carefully avoided.

From the vast plains of the mouth, they passed through the enormous and lengthy canyon of the esophagus.

Li Wei and Saint Xi beheld an ocean.

(End of Chapter)