"All hands on deck, all...hhhssss, all Wizards prepare for first-level battle readiness, all Wizards prepare for first-level battle readiness."
Instructions from the Floating Fortress came through the Magic Network into the ears of every Wizard.
Gao Wen donned his helmet, and the cold neural connection needle pierced into his spine and brain. After a brief moment of pain, the complex information detected by the War Airship’s sensors surged into Gao Wen’s brain like a tide.
If it were an ordinary Wizard, even a Three Rings one, they would be dizzy for quite a while at this moment.
But Gao Wen had already grown accustomed to it.
His brain swiftly processed this information, and within just a few seconds, his consciousness merged with the War Airship.
The entire War Airship seemed like a part of his body.
Vast and powerful energy surged out from the Power Furnace, transmitted through energy pipelines to every component of the War Airship.
This feeling was intoxicating, even if Gao Wen was a Three Rings Wizard, his energy, his physique, could not compare with this War Airship.
This sense of power was enough to make any Three Rings Wizard feel a surreal sense of security.
However, Gao Wen quickly freed himself from this intoxication.
This sense of intoxication is a poison; it is the primary symptom of Illusion Syndrome.
Illusion Syndrome, a common mental disease among the new era Alchemy Wizards.
The main symptom of this disease is an extreme reluctance to leave the mechanical body. Severe cases of Wizards may even attack those who try to separate them and the machinery.
According to the joint investigation by the Soul School and Alchemy School, the primary cause of this disease is prolonged neural connections, causing the soul and brain to generate an illusion, believing that Alchemy Machines are their real body, while the Wizard’s original physique is merely a prison for the soul.
This is a new mental illness, unheard of in the pre-war era.
Wizards of the Soul School suspect that it might be related to the rapid enhancement of powers among new era Wizards.
Because before the war, even students of Great Wizards had to be at least a thousand years old to possibly become a Three Rings Wizard.
Even Wizards like Richard only became a Three Rings Wizard at over four hundred years old.
But in this era, as long as a new Wizard makes enough achievements or is exceptionally gifted, becoming a Three Rings Wizard at fifty or sixty is quite common.
The record for Three Rings Wizard advancement has now been refreshed to the age of forty-one.
If this discovery is true, then all Schools’ body transformation witchcraft might have similar side effects.
A great opportunity belonging to the Soul School is silently arriving.
Back to the main topic, Gao Wen operated the War Airship as the vanguard, flying out of the Wormhole.
Upon exiting the Wormhole, his sensors presented him with a scene that, under normal circumstances, would be enough to stop his heart.
Gao Wen muttered to himself, "Whoa, why are there so many Mayflies here?"
In front of him exists an uncountable number of Galaxy Mayflies; the density of these Mayflies is so high that the sensors almost consider the area ahead a mountain.
And such mountains extend continuously across this world.
"As commanded by the Great Sovereign, we will fight alongside you."
In the Floating Fortress meeting room, a greenish King of Mayfly, resembling a mantis, uttered a low insect chirping sound.
Opposite him, a Great Wizard dressed in a white robe sat composedly behind a desk.
This Great Wizard’s body had been completely mechanized; only the mental waves emitted from his voice allowed people to perceive him as a living being rather than purely mechanical.
"Sovereign? Which one are you referring to?" The Great Wizard asked.
"This is his mandate."
The King of Mayfly opened the space and took out a scroll. On the scroll, Richard’s Magic Seal made all the Wizards present slightly bow.
The Great Wizard took the scroll and opened it.
[Arrange the defense line, and fight jointly with Mayflies. Your enemy is extremely formidable and possesses Curse Meme capability; all communication channels lacking Anti-Curse Meme must be prohibited.]
After finishing reading the scroll’s contents, the text on the scroll suddenly ignited and changed.
[This is Miracle Fire, use it when facing an undefeatable enemy.]
Then, the scroll rolled back up, and the Great Wizard opened the shell on his chest. The complicated mechanical structures inside shifted, creating a space sufficient to hold the scroll.
"I have received the instructions from the Crown Throne. We will fight alongside you to counter the unknown enemy."
The King of Mayfly twitched a tentacle, and a map appeared in the air.
"This is the defense map of this world; the Great Sovereign hopes you can reinforce the defense line."
The Great Wizard glanced at the defense map; in just an instant, all the information from the defense map was completely recorded by the Great Wizard and transmitted to the Floating Fortress’s Computing Array.
After technological innovation, the Wizards’ Computing Array technology has advanced rapidly.
Each Floating Fortress is equipped with a Computing Array comparable to a Sixth Circle Wizard, used to assist the Floating Fortress battle group’s command.
"I have noted the defense map; if results are achieved, I will execute it promptly. But before that, I have a question for you."
The red light shone in the Great Wizard’s eyes, and the complex mechanical operation rendered his mechanical face a solemn expression.
"What exactly is your problem?"
"...Didn’t the Great Sovereign tell you?" The King of Mayfly replied.
"That means, I don’t know what happened either," the King of Mayfly said in a low voice. "We received an order from the Supreme Lake to surrender.
What happened at the rear, we don’t know... but my intuition tells me that something big happened in the Mother World."
"Things are getting weirder and weirder," the Great Wizard muttered to himself.
After speaking, he suddenly looked at the King of Mayfly and asked again, "What are your anti-Curse Meme measures? I am very skeptical about your protection against the Curse Meme."
In other technologies, the technology of the Galaxy Mayfly might just be a bit behind. But in Curse Studies, the gap between the Galaxy Mayfly and the wizards is quite large.
The King of Mayfly was already prepared for this question.
"The prophecy insects are in place, and moreover, the Great Sovereign has modified the prophecy insects, so you don’t need to worry about the Galaxy Mayfly being systematically infected by the Curse Meme."
"The Crown Throne has been modified? Then there’s really no need to worry."
The Great Wizard nodded slightly. Since Richard, the Miracle Crown, has stepped in, there should definitely be no issues with the Meme Curse.
As a Crown nurtured by the Curse School, the Miracle Crown’s accomplishments in curses are undoubtedly profound.
"Since that’s the case, then please come," the Great Wizard stood up from behind the desk and casually tore open a Space Rift.
"Although we were adversaries in the past, since the Crown has incorporated you, we are now allies.
We need to coordinate all the forces in this world, I hope you don’t hide anything."
The King of Mayfly slightly wiggled its antennae.
"I hope you will do the same."
"Damn, fighting alongside these bugs, this is really a rare situation."
On the War Airship, Asu looked at the commands on the Crystal Ball and just felt that this world is truly fantastical.
Two races that were at war just a while ago now have to fight shoulder to shoulder.
"Stop complaining," Gao Wen’s voice sounded in Asu’s ear. "Hurry up and check the airship’s ammunition reserves and energy supplies.
Our Star Realm legion hasn’t caught up. When the fight breaks out, most of us flying ones will probably have to intercept."
Upon hearing this, Asu sighed, but did not slow down his action in the slightest.
He skillfully began checking various reserves of the airship, and all the places where problems might arise.
As part of the Clan, Asu doesn’t have to fight like other Elite Wizards. Instead, he’s responsible for all manual operations that might be needed if something goes wrong with the War Airship.
One could say that now Asu could practically hand-craft most of a War Airship.
After completing the checks, Gao Wen took off and started patrolling along the route planned by the command center.
And patrolling with them was the Splitting Sky Insect Swarm they often battled with.
"Dean, how are things on your side?"
Relying on the Wizard Dimension, Richard, who was continuously gathering Mayflies, contacted the Physique Crown.
"Progress is going smoothly, but did you run into that Mayfly dimensional avatar? That guy fought with me and then suddenly told me that the Mayflies had surrendered and that the Civilization Devourers had invaded the Galaxy Great World and were expanding."
"I met it," Richard communicated with the Physique Crown while flying at thousands of times the speed of light.
"What he said is true. The Civilization Devourers have completely occupied the Galaxy Great World and are currently spreading to surrounding worlds. Moreover, not only them, we have also been invaded, and my avatar is dealing with that matter.
On the front line here, I’ve already ordered the rear corps to advance, guarding the key Hub Worlds."
Upon hearing this, the Physique Crown was taken aback. The amount of information implied in Richard’s words was significant, leaving him momentarily unable to respond.
"So, the Galaxy Mayflies have surrendered, and now we have to deal with the Civilization Devourers."
"Yes. In addition, be cautious. The incarnations and avatars of the Civilization Devourers must not be sent into the Dimension. You do not have the Miracle Fire, and sending them into the Dimension would be hard to handle."
"Alright, got it. What should I do now?" the Physique Crown said in a deep voice.
Although theoretically, he is Richard’s senior, he clearly does not know as much as Richard about dealing with the Civilization Devourers.
A wizard should know to heed the advice of experts.
"Just seal those Mayflies, and if you encounter any minions, fight them off as a matter of course."
"Okay, be careful, my people have arrived."
The Physique Crown looked at the black Titan in front of him with a grave expression.
On this Titan, he felt a deadly threat.
The Physique Crown took a deep breath and showed an excited smile. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs NoveI-Fire.ɴet
"So this is a minion of the Civilization Devourers? Impressive!"
"...My people have arrived."
Listening to the Physique Crown’s words, Richard looked ahead of him.
At a distance of less than a light up ahead, a Titan with an aura as heavy as a mountain was waiting for his arrival.
Richard murmured, "You came so quickly, you monster."