And then, not beyond the King's unease—cracks began to spread across the object.As if it were expanding.
"This is not good," the King muttered in fear. "System, notify all leaders to retreat to Atlantis immediately. Force them if necessary."
"Yes, sir."
The message was dispatched at once as the fissures widened. The King could only watch and pray that the evacuation would finish in time.
"Push the Titans and Guardians to maximum performance," the King commanded.
"Updating status… Update complete."
At once, the three Titans roared. Their cores surged at full capacity, vibrating on the edge of rupture. Gears spun with thunderous fury. Energy raced across their bodies at blinding speed, overflowing their shells to etch glowing mechanical patterns—lines that burned like miniature suns.
They now resembled monsters risen from the abyss, driven by a singular purpose: annihilate all in their path.
The Guardians were no different. Their engines flared red-hot, their forms glowing as if melting. Steam burst from their frames, distorting the air, liquefying the earth around them.
They were knights of the apocalypse, nightmares made real—harbingers of zero.
Meanwhile, the leaders and their people were slowly recovering from the last assault.
"So this is the last one, huh?" one leader said, pulling a survivor from the rubble.
"That's what it looks like, sir," a soldier replied.
"Good," the leader nodded. "Then prepare. Another wave might come."
"Yes, sir."
The soldier dashed off, leaving the leader behind in thought, masking his dread with orders he didn't truly believe in.
Things are getting worse, the leader thought. Just now... it felt like the world itself died for a moment.
He stood still, unsure whether that sensation was a trick of his mind—or a glimpse of the horror still to come.
I hope it's just me being paranoid.
With that, he turned to regroup with his soldiers, when a Guardian landed in front of him.
"Sir, urgent message from the King," the system relayed.
"What is it?" he asked calmly, though his heart raced. The King hadn't returned, so it could only mean bad news.
"The King orders full evacuation to Atlantis. It will become the final line of defense."
"What… what do you mean?" the leader snapped. "We already abandoned our kingdoms to gather here—now you're saying we're abandoning this place too?"
"What the hell is the King doing?!"
His voice thundered, loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. Whispers of panic spread. Doubt crept in—maybe their victory over the Star Eater had only been a fluke, a fleeting illusion.
Seeing their fear, the leader took a deep breath.
"So what happened out there?"
"The Star Eater's core is evolving," the system answered. "That's why the King issued the order."
"That stubborn beast still refuses to die…"
"So—"
Before he could finish, the Guardian stood taller, staring him down.
"I'm here to execute, not to explain," the system said, voice chilling. "It's time."
At once, all Guardians soared toward the crowd.
"It's time to go."
Panels in their chests opened, revealing shimmering portals. A rush of wind burst forth, sucking everyone through.
The portals linked directly to Atlantis, where people landed onto prepared mattresses. Soldiers stood ready to guide them.
Back with the Guardians—
While many protested the forced evacuation, hoping for a normal process, the Guardians remained silent. Their pace quickened.
According to the system's calculations, a conventional evacuation risked chaos and bottlenecks. This method, while harsh, was the only viable solution.
And so, in mere moments, the kingdoms stood empty.
Each Guardian scanned the area, confirming no one remained before soaring toward Atlantis. Their mission: safeguard the people. Others would handle the battle.
Back to the front—
"Sir, evacuation complete," the system reported.
"Just in time," the King said, forcing a smile. His eyes locked on the object, now leaking black liquid from its widening cracks.
"It's time," he whispered. "There's nothing left to regret."
The cracks burst open. The object exploded, fragments raining down—revealing the horror beneath.
"Disgusting," the King muttered.
Before him stood a creature more revolting than ever. A mass of blood-red flesh stretched over a skeletal frame, hugging itself with four grotesque arms. Its lower half was wreathed in flesh shaped like flowers, and where legs should be, a tangle of twitching tentacles extended—each adorned with strange markings and ending in hand-like buds.
But its most prominent feature—a massive flower bud for a head—was grotesquely disproportionate, nearly the size of its entire body.
It didn't move.
And that terrified the King most.
What's it planning now?
He knew this pattern—when the creature went still, disaster followed. But this time, he couldn't even guess what was coming.
Silence fell. Not a breath, not a sound.
Sweat slid down the King's brow.
"Seems like it hasn't begun yet," said a stranger, watching the battlefield from afar. "Every time this thing appears, silence follows. Nothing's changed. At this rate, we'll be waiting days for the Star Eater to grow impatient."
He watched both sides, unmoving.
"Maybe I should give it a little push."
With that, he raised his arm toward a Guardian.
The system blared.
"Warning: intrusion detected. Someone is hacking the Guardian."
"What?" the King gasped.
Suddenly, one Guardian sparked violently—then raised its cannon and fired at the Star Eater.
Explosions lit up the creature's form, but when the smoke cleared, it stood untouched.
The King stared in disbelief—not just at the attack, but at the fact that it did nothing.
"…So this is how Utopia ends."
The Star Eater moved.
Its arms stretched outward, as if to display its godhood.
The flower bud slowly bloomed.
Inside—eyes. Teeth. A sickening tangle of both.
As it fully opened, black liquid poured from its center. The substance flowed into the ocean, spreading like veins across its surface.
And from it, creatures emerged—smaller replicas of the Star Eater, human-sized, but endless in number… and ravenous.
They turned toward the King, the Titans, the Guardians.
They roared—and charged.
"Damn it," the King cursed.
Victory now felt impossible.
Should I run? he thought. At least then I'd be with my family when it ends… Isn't that all I ever wanted?
But just as the thought settled in, a low growl and rumble from Behemoth snapped him out of it.
"Behemoth… you…"
Ziz and Leviathan answered with their own cries—declarations that they would fight.
Even these emotionless titans refused to give up. So how could he?
"I get it now." The King smiled. "I'll fight too—until the very end."
The Titans roared in unison, ready.
"I can't believe it… I'm being encouraged by machines."
The King ascended into the sky, magic circles blooming around him like stars.
He, the Titans, and the Guardians were ready—success or failure, this was their final stand.
"Alright, everyone," the King shouted. "Follow my orders—and crush them all."