2. Insects Insect's

The flower field seemed endless, a blanket of pink petals swaying gently in the wind. Elysia's steps were light, while Oberon walked with an indifferent stance. Oberon's black eyes swept around, his expression showing growing irritation.

"It's like walking through a labyrinth of sugar scent. No end, no direction. Are you sure this place has a purpose? Or is it just an endless fantasy trying to drive me mad?"

"Wow, you're really negative, huh? But that's part of your charm~!" Elysia twirled lightly, her bright red hair glimmering in the sunlight. "If we keep walking like this, we'll just be going in circles. How about we try… flying? From above, we'll definitely see what's around!"

Oberon stopped, staring at Elysia with a sharp, cynical gaze.

"Fly? Ha, how naive. Do you really think I, of all creatures, have the luxury to do that? These wings… are just for show. They weren't made for such a simple function."

Elysia stopped, looking at Oberon with a confused expression, then smiled broadly, teasingly.

"Wings just for display? Wow, how tragic! But don't worry, I have a solution! I can… carry you. You know, like a princess! I promise, I'm strong!"

Oberon glared at Elysia with a mix of anger and disdain, his brows twitching, his lips curling into a cold smirk.

"A princess carry? Oh, this is getting more ridiculous. Are you trying to insult me, flower woman? Don't blame me if I shatter that cheerful little fantasy of yours."

"Oh no, no! I'm serious!" She crossed her arms over her chest with a confident smile.

"I think you'd look really sweet, you know. You might not realize it, but that 'tragic prince' aura of yours is absolutely perfect for the role. Imagine it—me, Elysia the charming, carrying you, the dark and brooding man, flying over the flowers. It'd be an amazing sight, don't you think?"

Oberon just rolled his eyes, his gaze now more resigned than angry, then raised his hand slowly. A dark aura began to creep along the ground beneath his feet, causing the pink flowers to wither instantly as the darkness consumed them. From within the shadows, a rumble was heard, followed by the appearance of a massive, dark purple moth-like insect, its wings faintly glowing like obsidian.

"Why should I participate in your cheap joke? If you want to float above this world, then do it yourself. I, on the other hand, have a much more effective—and far more dignified—way."

Oberon leaped gracefully, landing on the back of the insect. His gaze was triumphant, though his smirk hinted at a little mockery.

"See, flower woman? I don't need your help for something as simple as this."

Elysia, who had been smiling brightly, now looked a little pouty. She folded her arms across her chest and shook her head slightly.

"Hmph, you really know how to reject a woman, don't you? Fine, I'll join in too. Anyway, this is still pretty interesting!"

With light steps, Elysia soared gracefully, flying easily beside Oberon, who now sat on his giant insect. Oberon glanced at her with a scrutinizing look, then scoffed softly.

"Hah, you really are full of mysteries. With that ability, why would you even consider riding on this creature's back? Are you just looking for an excuse to annoy me?"

Elysia smiled broadly, tilting her head as though pondering.

"Maybe, or maybe I just want to make sure we don't get separated. After all, who else can make the atmosphere more lively than I can? Besides, I want to see how you go about this adventure in your own unique way. Who knows, maybe I'll learn something from you!"

Oberon sighed, then rolled his eyes toward the sky. The insect began to fly, taking them higher, while Elysia continued to hover nearby with enthusiasm. The contrast between Oberon's dark aura and Elysia's bright radiance created an almost surreal sight in the midst of this flower world.

"Ah, how pitiful. I'm stuck with a creature that makes even nightmares look more interesting. Alright, flower woman. Show me what you think we'll find from up here. But I'll tell you—if it's just more endless flowers, I'll make sure they all wither before we land."

Elysia chuckled softly, flying a little higher than Oberon.

"We'll see, Lord Darkness. Who knows, maybe you'll find something that even makes you smile. You just haven't realized it yet."

Oberon merely snorted, but for some reason, he allowed the conversation to continue. From above, the flower world below them began to look like a slow-moving carpet.

However, in the distance, something seemed off. A dark shape peeked out from the sea of flowers, an anomaly contrasting with the seemingly perfect world. Unknowingly, both Oberon and Elysia began to feel that something was wrong.

Oberon and Elysia continued to hover in the air, their gaze turning toward the dark silhouettes in the distance. As they drew closer, the shapes became clearer: a swarm of massive insects with shiny black bodies, adorned with bright red horns that looked like glowing embers. They moved in unison, gliding through the air with terrifying speed, heading toward them.

"Hm? Are those your friends? I have to admit, they have a rather… creepy style."

Elysia floated a little closer to Oberon, her eyes narrowing as she tried to understand the creatures. Oberon, who had been sitting casually on his insect mount, now stood, his sharp gaze fixed on the swarm.

"Don't be ridiculous. They're not mine."

Elysia raised an eyebrow, her expression one of growing curiosity.

"Oh, really? Then who are they? Those insects seem to fit your dark aesthetic perfectly. I mean, those red horns are so dramatic!"

Oberon sighed heavily, then glanced at her with a frustrated look.

"I told you, didn't I? Don't compare those cheap creatures to my creations. I only make things truly beautiful, even in destruction. These creatures… they're just empty tools."

"Oh? So they're not? Well, that's a little disappointing. I thought you were going to introduce me to some new friends. But if they're not yours, could they be… the native inhabitants of this place?"

"Native inhabitants, huh? If that's true, then this place is far more toxic than it appears."

"Look, they're getting closer. And they don't look too friendly."

Oberon narrowed his eyes, then raised his hand. Dark energy began to flow from his body, enveloping the insect he was riding, as if preparing to face the threat.

"If that's the case, we need to stop them before they get close enough to annoy me."

Elysia, on the other hand, just smiled slightly. She drew her sparkling crystal bow, manifesting a few arrows that seemed to glow with pure light.

"Aww, don't be so harsh. How about we see what they want first? Of course, if they start attacking first… I wouldn't mind giving them a little lesson."

Oberon just nodded reluctantly. The group of red-horned insects was getting closer, and the sound of their buzzing wings began to fill the air, creating a vibration that could be felt down to the bones. Both of them prepared—darkness and light joining forces to face the oncoming threat.

"Rrrrriiiiiiiipppppp… skkkkkkkkkk…"

The atmosphere in the air grew chaotic as the red-horned insects suddenly attacked without warning. They swarmed toward Oberon and Elysia, moving like a dark cloud hungry for destruction. Some tried to ram into the insect Oberon was riding, while others spewed sticky green fluid that emitted a sharp, sour odor, attempting to incapacitate both of them.

Oberon calmly guided his insect mount, making sharp maneuvers in the air to avoid the attacks. The giant wings of his insect vibrated quickly, creating winds that blew the acidic liquid away. On the other side, Elysia floated gracefully, almost as if dancing in the air. With her glowing bow, she shot arrows of light toward the swarm, reducing several insects to glowing ashes.

"Wow, they really don't want to give up, huh? I like their spirit, although… it's kind of a hassle."

Oberon jumped from his large insect and landed gracefully on the back of a smaller insect he had created. With a black-bladed scythe emerging from the darkness, he began to attack. His swings were precise, slicing through the insects with terrifying accuracy.

"Spirit? This is more like stupidity. They're just brainless creatures moving on instinct. But their numbers… are annoying."

Elysia shot several more arrows, creating small explosions of sparkling pink light. Some insects fell to the ground, but their numbers seemed undiminished. In fact, even more insects appeared from behind the cloud, like an endless army.

"Splat! Krrrrrshhhhhh… brrrrr"

"Ooh, this is starting to look like a big party, Mr. Darkness~"

Oberon didn't answer, his eyes narrowing as he observed the attack patterns of the insects. He began to feel that something was wrong. They were too organized for wild creatures. With his scythe, he destroyed the approaching insects, but their numbers kept increasing, as though there was an endless source sending them.

"Rrrrriiiiiiiipppppp… skkkkkkkkkk…"

"Rrrrriiii.. kkkkkkk…"

"Rrrrrip…skkkkkkkkkk…"

"These insects are really annoying."

Elysia smiled slightly, seemingly enjoying,

She gave a small smile, seemingly enjoying the unexpected challenge.

"Well, first things first, how about we clear out some of them? We can't let them dirty the atmosphere for too long!"

Oberon nodded coldly and then waved his hand. A wave of black energy formed into a ball, which he kicked toward the swarm of insects. However, even as they fought relentlessly, the swarm kept coming, as if their numbers were endless.

The battle in the air intensified. Red-horned insects continued to emerge from every direction, closing in on Oberon and Elysia. Though their swarm seemed infinite, Oberon remained calm and composed, while Elysia danced gracefully, using each attack as an opportunity to display the beauty of her movements.

"They're really enthusiastic! But, oh my, if this keeps up, we might run out of energy before we even find out who's behind this. Do you have another plan, Mr. Darkness?"

Oberon swung his hand again, the thick black energy destroying the insects around him. A faint grin appeared on his face, though his voice remained mocking.

"Another plan? Of course. But I won't share it with you just because you think this is some kind of game. Just focus on your task, flower woman."

Elysia giggled lightly as she released a series of arrows that exploded like fireworks in the air, destroying several insects at once.

"Rrrrriiii# akakkk…"

"Rrkkk…"

"Rrrrrip…skkakrkkk…"

"Hehe, you're really hard to have fun with. But you know, I'm starting to think you might actually be enjoying this. Just look at how you're obliterating them. Ah, that dark energy... it really suits you, I must admit."

Oberon snorted, leaping from one insect to a higher point in the air, giving orders to his mount to attack. The giant insect threw itself into the swarm with full force, cutting through the enemy lines with its claws and jaws.

"Enjoying? Don't be foolish. I just want to clear these obstacles as quickly as possible. But… you're right about one thing—there's something sickening about the way they attack."

Elysia watched him for a moment, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. She floated closer to Oberon, still keeping the insects at bay with her arrows.

"Hmm, now I'm curious. If they aren't just wild animals, do you think they might be part of this world? Do you think they're being controlled, or maybe… there's something bigger making them go berserk like this?"

Oberon narrowed his eyes, gazing toward the horizon where the insect swarm continued to emerge in the distance. He raised his hand, and a black energy ball shot toward the swarm, clearing a temporary path.

"Whatever it is, we'll find out. But one thing's for sure—this world isn't just the sweet illusion you once imagined. There's something rotten beneath its beautiful surface. And I will destroy it."

Elysia floated a little higher, trying to get a better view of the source of the insects. Her bright eyes gleamed even more intensely as she noticed something different in the distance.

"Oh? Look at that! In the middle of the swarm, there's something bigger—and more distinct. Maybe that's their leader? Or their control center? If you want, I can distract them so you can get closer."

Oberon looked up in the direction Elysia pointed, noticing the large shadow becoming clearer. It was an insect much larger than the others, with glowing red horns like burning embers. It appeared to be the center of gravity for the swarm, with all the surrounding insects moving in an organized pattern.

"Hmph. At least you're not just talking nonsense. But don't get too confident. I don't need your distraction—just don't die before I'm finished here."

Elysia chuckled softly, her tone full of confidence.

"Don't worry, I'm not that easy to die. Besides, I want to see your face when we uncover the secrets behind this world. It'll be quite the sight!"

Oberon sighed heavily but said nothing further. Both of them moved with the same goal—to destroy this threat and uncover the mystery behind the insects attacking them.