Published at 18th of April 2026 8:06 am

Chapter 352: Twins

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

Serrin and Nicolai stood side by side in Phantom City, just outside the Trade Link.

The Hornet gazed around, practically struck dumb by the sightsthe sheer density of humans, the scale of the City itself. In turn, he drew little attention. That was because of the measures Nicolai had taken.

Serrin was wearing a skinsuit Nicolai had boughtthe same type Nicolai himself used, though an upgraded model. Nicolai had invested in the slightly bulkier version with a parachute, and gotten Serrin the same one. It was also a little heavier armoured and with a stronger exo-skeleton. He also wore a large backpack.

The issues with equipping it had been numerous. Serrin had managed to fold his wings around his chest and stomach, and his antennae were folded around his head. It did not look particularly comfortable, but the Hornet had said he could bear it. As to his stinger, that was pointing up and hidden inside the long backpack.

Serrins skinsuit also bore the same camouflage pattern he used. After some deliberation, hed decided to embrace and underscore their partnership. The camouflage pattern could be considered a warning, not unlike the black-and-yellow pattern of a hornet. People would recognise it, and know Serrin was tied to him. It might save the Hornet from trouble. Plus, it would boost his own reputation and image.

The Modules, observing critically through drones, felt there was quite a nice look to them. Twins, of a sort. Though Nicolai was significantly taller than Serrin, which somewhat damaged the effect. Other than Sythera, hed yet to see a Hornet over 56. Compared to the inflated heights of those from Earth, they were very short.

While Serrin stared around, Nicolais thoughts were on the other day. Hed been experiencing some uncertainty ever since their tea with Arcritch.

The Spider had been a perfect host, and suspiciously friendly. Hed sensed no ulterior motives. So far as he, the Mask, and Psychology could tell, it truly had just wanted to get to know them. Very dangerous.

It is wonderful that the Queen has another non-Hornet adviser, if you ask me, the Spider had said as he bustled through his web-strewn quarters. Why, Ive been so lonely! Hornets are wonderful in their own way, of course, and his huge body had bobbed in a nod at Serrin, who emanated disagreement, but they are a little hmmm. One note. The Spider had chuckled. But now we have you, a human, and a most interesting one, hed added, returning with the tiny steaming cups, all eyes fixed on Nicolai.

An adviser? hed replied, as though surprised, while the Spider smoothly placed a cup-and-saucer before him and Serrin. I dont know how you gained that impression. The Queen has made her view very clear. A tool in her hand. That is all I am.

She has. But The Spider had settled back into his spot beside the table, and there hed raised his cup a little higher, held in two forelegs. On the end of each were three little digits with small hooked claws. Small compared against the rest of the Spider, at least, though larger than Nicolais fingers. Have you ever noticed what happens when one holds something? Why, the cup has determined the shape of my grip.

Because you allow it. Should the cup offend you, you could crush it effortlessly.

The Spider had giggled, a surprisingly high, girly sound in its whispery voice. Yes, indeed. The cup must be very careful, must do its utmost to act as I wish. At least, when my eyes are upon it. But one must wonder what it does when they are not Arcritchs many eyes had danced.

Probably it sits there trembling, thinking only of how it can please you.

Or perhaps it plots with the rest of my crockery. The Spider had cast a suspicious glance at the cupboard. Listen, hed whispered. Do you hear them? A moment of silence had passed as the Spider listened intently, Nicolai glaring at him through narrowed eyes, Serrin tilting his head, uncertain.

Do all Spiders drink tea like this? Nicolai had asked in an attempt to change the subject. Not the most graceful method, and he was pretty sure the Spider had grinned at him in response.

The cup, and its accompanying saucer, were made from eggshell-thin white jade. The substance within had a rich, floral scent. He dipped the little finger of his bionic hand in, using its analysing capabilities, and determined that it was just tea. He still wouldnt drink it.

Quite a few, yes! A wonderfully cultured little ritual, wouldnt you agree?

Its delicious! said Serrin, whod been slurping happily at his own cup, oblivious to the intensely suspicious glare Nicolai was aiming at the substance. Where do you get it?

Oh, I have my ways.

The sensation of ripples brought him back to the present moment. Serrin was speaking. He quickly raised a hand.

Remember. Speak only in Shenran, he told Serrin, and the Hornet nodded, chastened.

Where are we going? he asked, voice somewhat halting as he struggled to fit his mandibles around the words.

Im going to the Information Guild. As for you, Id recommend you come with me, for now at least. Im sure you can gain some answers regarding your Gift there.

He had already performed a brief test and confirmed that the Citys restriction protected Serrin just as it protected everyone else. The Hornet would be perfectly safe here. There was also a tracker built into the skinsuit Nicolai had given him, so he could find him easily enough.

In fact, Nicolai was even able to communicate with Serrin over Localthe skinsuits helmet had its own communication software bundled in. He could send messages easily, and he had shown Serrin how to press a button in his glove that would allow him to speak directly to Nicolai if he wished.

The Local range was not especially great, but Nicolai was also in the process of deploying drones throughout the city. Over the past week, hed focused on producing a large number of recon drones. By placing them in strategic locations, he could now monitor roughly ninety percent of traffic within the city, allowing him to keep track of Serrin and other people of interest. If the Hornet got into trouble, hed come quickly.

Now that he had sufficient drones, he intended to blanket the city like this every time he visited. It was a far more effective method of tracking people than the approach Wus followers had used previously. Having a single drone tail someone was obvious, but by having drones everywhere he could use them as organisations back on Earth used the endless network of cameras, tracking people from one area to another.

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Not long later, he left the Information Guild. He left Serrin behind. The Hornet had managed to accrue some Tokens by giving out information the pair had agreed was safe to share about the Hornets, and was now gaining information regarding his Gift. Hed meet back up with him later. As to Nicolai, hed asked many questions in his own private session, and some of the answers had been concerning, while others had been reassuring.

Hed asked many questions about the Hornets, filling in the blanks on what Serrin had told him, and now had a much clearer understanding of what they actually were.

It transpired that the long-ago race which had created them had, in fact, created nearly all of the bug races. Grey bugs, Blue bugs, Black bugs, Green bugs, Spiders, Hornets.

All of them had been crafted by the same ancient, long-extinct race, to serve as slaves. Slave armies, slave workers, slave everything. Logistics, territory control, mining, crafting. A living apparatus that would perform every role their creators did not wish to carry out themselves. In this way, that ancient race had been able to live lives of excess while their bug slaves worked, fought, and died on their behalf.

There had been some form of genetic or bloodline magic involved, usd to exert absolute control over the bugs, and to establish the hierarchy within their species. Hornets, he learned, sat very near the top of that hierarchy, directly beneath the ancient race itself. Their role had been leadership, management, and special forces.

That explained why the Hornets had so easily overcome the Grey bugs and enslaved them. Presumably, the Hornet Queen had only needed to reach the Grey bug queen. Once she had, she could use that ancient magic to bind it to herself and gain complete control.

The Grey bugs, despite how fearsome they had seemed to him, were effectively a logistics caste within this ancient system. They had stood little chance against the Hornets, who clearly had extensive experience in blitzing through such species and enslaving them. From what he had seen, it was obvious they had done this many times before and knew precisely what they were doing.

The Information Guild worker had ended that explanation by saying that, although their masters were long dead, the bug races they had created were so effective at war and expansion that they could now be found almost everywhere. Always expanding, always growing. Without their creators to control them, expansion was simply their default nature.

The other, more worrying thing hed learned was that the Tribulation Spirit was indeed growing stronger. In fact, it would continue to do so day by day. Eventually, it would become strong enough to break free of the bindings he had placed upon it, and would once again attempt to kill him.

It was a problem he needed to deal with soon, but already he was fairly certain he was too weak to handle it directly. It had grown too strong, too quickly. Not to mention, he no longer had the Blade. He would need to arrange some method of weakening it before he could attempt to destroy it properly.

More positively, he had learned that the Dark Spirit he had created might be capable of doing exactly that.

The Information Guild worker had been surprised to hear of it at first. Then, rather quickly, she had become worryingly excited, muttering that this was precisely the sort of thing she should have expected from him. She said that the Dark Spirit might be able to kill the Tribulation Spirit, if the circumstances were right.

Hed asked many other questions, which had led to a problem. Through his unrestricted use of the Information Guild, Nicolai had finally gone through almost all of the Tokens he had accumulated on his very first visit. He was down to around a hundred thousand.

From now on, the Information Guild would be a luxury rather than his first port of call every visit. He would need to consider what information he could acquire and sell in return.

While there, hed also allowed Legal to make any inquiries it wished. They now had quite a number of Memory Discs to go through, mostly focused around the Heavenly Laws governing the People of this City, especially those operating services such as the Duel Arena.

Nicolai pulled and absorbed them one after the other as he strode towards the Duel Arena. The other Modules were sharing their processing power with Legal as the Module furiously sorted through it all. He could feel Legal swelling up with it all, rising from the depths of his mind like a hungry leviathan emerging to consume a ship of unlucky sailors.

He arrived at the Duel Arena and sought out the same desk as last time, where he was pleased to see the same Person was once more manning it, sitting there and gazing down at a green crystal held between both hands. The place where hed smashed the desk had received a patchwork repair, a blob of pale new wood amongst the dark, varnished expanse of the rest of it.

Remember me? he asked, planting his hands either side of that repair.

The Person glanced up and flinched. Ah, he gurgled. Honoured Tournament Winner welcome back.

I believe Im scheduled to meet with whichever member of House Morvain oversees things here. You will fetch them immediately.

Actually, you missed the appointment, the Person managed, rallying behind that enough to grow just a smidgeon of backbone.

Nicolais silent glare and the slow writhing of his Soul, Soul Sense creeping forward over the desk, melted that half-developed backbone quick as a vat of acid.

I will fetch Lord Koona, said the Person, snapping to his feet and backing quickly away through the red-light barrier.

Only minutes later the Person reemerged and gestured him to follow. Nicolai was led to a large door which, when unlocked, led into a back area with an office-look to it, hallways and rooms with People working at desks, glancing up curiously as he passed by. Soon he was deposited outside a door flanked by a pair of black-armoured undead guards.

The door opened, and the first overweight Person he had ever seen stepped out. Black robes trimmed in gold, typical bald head, third-eye, tentacle-beard, Tier 2, pudgy features stretched into a beaming smile.

Champion! the Person cried, clapping his hands loudly, grin somehow widening even further. Please, enter! He trotted backwards and waved Nicolai in.

There was a table with a chair either side of it, which Nicolai ignored. The two black armoured figures pressed through after him. One of them advanced to hover beside the Person, the other closed the door and stood in front of it.

How wonderful to meet you, you cant imagine how excited I am! continued the Person eagerly, moving forward like an excited puppy. He extended his hand. My name is Koona, and of course I know who you are. I have heard your people greet those they respect like this, Koona added, waggling his proffered hand hopefully, and I want you to know, I have nothing but respect and admiration for you! Why, weve only just gotten started with the Tournaments and youve already got a streak going!

Finally running out of words, the Person stared up at Nicolai, grin stuck in place on his face, hand extended into empty air. Nicolai stared back, arms resolutely crossed, half his attention on the black armoured guards. Hed heard the People had ways of deactivating the Restriction, though he wasnt sure as to how exactly that worked. For now, hed assume they could attack him if they desired, though if that was intended hed have expected far more firepower.

Koon's grin was beginning to dry up and die under the heat of Nicolais impassive stare.

Are you ready, Legal? he asked.

The Module nodded, hungry as a wolf. It was going to make Koona cry.

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