Chapter Sixty-Four: The World-Devouring Colossus

"I requested that the commander cancel the bounty mission long ago," he muttered. "These damned bounty hunters are all arrogant fools." The officer beside Brighton wore a grim expression as well. He had never held bounty hunters in high regard, though he admitted that becoming a second-tier bounty hunter required unique talents—abilities that allowed them to accomplish feats impossible for most.

Yet precisely because of their extraordinary powers, they were supremely confident in their own strength. Most of them were brash, undisciplined, and reckless, caring little for consequences. Some were even foolish enough to believe they could handle anything—walking straight into the mouth of a volcano, only to become fodder for the insect swarm.

But these details were secondary. What truly bothered the officer was that these bounty hunters, hailing from other worlds, cared nothing for the fate of Kilv Star.

"If the volcano erupts, I don’t care what it costs; I’ll have his head," Brighton growled, fury burning in his voice at the officer's words. But he knew that killing that Kassadin would not be easy. The man could simply go rogue and vanish, refusing any confrontation.

Thus, Brighton had already made up his mind: if the bounty hunter ruined everything, he would offer a hefty reward to set every other bounty hunter on Kassadin’s trail.

As they spoke, the tremors grew even more terrifying. Soldiers from other camps, clueless about what was happening, rushed to the warships to seek shelter. Watching the ground quake and split open with gaping chasms, some soldiers’ eyes were bloodshot with rage, others were sunk in despair, and a few wore expressions of resignation.

Years of fighting these cursed insects had worn their spirits to a breaking point; many were like taut strings, ready to snap at any moment. Now, with this unknown disaster and the violent earthquake threatening to rupture the volcano itself, all eyes turned to the projected epicenter.

With a deafening roar, the earth collapsed, leaving behind a monstrous chasm. From its depths, a colossal crimson worm—over a kilometer long—erupted, unleashing a horrific screech as it soared, suspended in midair. Its entire body was covered in blood-red scales, its massive head studded with countless eyes, and its body bristling with rows of revolting mouths.

The crimson behemoth lashed out with tentacles as thick as giant whips, striking downward. Flames exploded, the ground shuddered, and the surrounding kilometers were instantly transformed into a fiery hellscape. This monstrous worm seemed like some unimaginable abomination made flesh, a sight that would haunt the dreams of any but the strongest souls.

The appearance of this crimson worm left everyone aboard the warships in utter disbelief.

"Dammit, has that thing evolved to this extent?" Brighton cursed, staring at the infernal worm. The cigarette between his fingers trembled ever so slightly. This creature was like an apocalypse incarnate—when it first appeared, it was barely a few meters long. They hadn’t thought much of it then, sending a small squad to take care of the problem.

But that squad was wiped out, and within days, the worm had grown dozens of meters and burrowed into the volcanic region. This forced them to hold back, unable to risk bombarding the volcano with energy weapons lest they trigger a catastrophic eruption across the planet’s volcanic systems. A once-habitable world would become unlivable—then, instead of exterminating the broodmother, they would doom themselves.

The doomsday worm had plagued them for over a decade, and in that time, it had claimed ever more volcanic territory. Under mounting pressure, every nation on Kilv Star united, their technology advancing rapidly, and they paid dearly for the aid of bounty hunters.

The doomsday worm had surfaced three times, each time attempting territorial expansion, resulting in massive, bloody battles with the planetary coalition. Only at great cost had they managed to hold its advance.

Yet, the monster was still growing. Each appearance, its size was even more daunting. Two years ago, it was about eight hundred meters; its scales were harder than ever, making it almost impossible to breach. Strategic Command had calculated that if they couldn’t kill the broodmother within five years, the planet’s population would be forced to evacuate, leaving their world in ruins, returned to a primordial state.

Brighton had once thought Strategic Command was overreacting, but now he realized those analysts weren’t just pushing papers. In less than five years—just two—the doomsday worm had grown to over eleven hundred meters, a mountain of terror that inspired dread at a single glance.

"I fear we no longer have time," Brighton said, drawing on his cigarette, his lips trembling as he gazed at the nightmare-inducing monstrosity. Though Kassadin had gone to his death, at least the man had forced the worm to show itself, revealing the current threat they faced.

Otherwise, had the creature been allowed to grow undisturbed beneath the earth for a few more years, they might not have had time to even attempt an evacuation.

"General Brighton, look!" a soldier aboard the warship cried, pointing in astonishment.

Brighton followed his gaze. Amidst the inferno, a figure clad in golden battle armor and wielding a violet blade strode forth from the flames. The searing fire licked at the purple energy shrouding his body, unable to touch him.

"That man is still alive?" Brighton’s eyes narrowed in disbelief at the sight.

Under the gaze of countless witnesses, Kassadin vanished. Suddenly, like a thunderclap, a deep dent appeared in the doomsday worm’s body. The monstrosity crashed to the earth like a meteorite, the impact collapsing the ground for ten kilometers in every direction and sending clouds of dust billowing skyward.

The shockwaves swept out, obliterating everything in their path. The scene was like the wrath of a god, leaving Brighton, the officers, and the bounty hunters all dumbfounded.

A furious roar echoed across the land, unmistakable and filled with rage. A torrent of molten lava spewed from the worm’s massive jaws, cutting through the air like a laser and striking Kassadin.

Explosions thundered as magma stained the world red, black smoke billowing to shroud the sky—a veritable apocalypse. The doomsday worm was now a walking cataclysm, leaving nothing unscathed in its wake.

"Contact High Command. I’m requesting authorization for orbital artillery," Brighton said, his face pale as ash.

The doomsday worm had become terrifying beyond belief; even that last impact had failed to kill it. If anything, it had only enraged the beast further. Brighton knew that if they didn’t attempt to destroy it now, Kilv Star was doomed.

Even if it meant igniting the volcano and becoming a criminal in history’s eyes, he would use the forbidden weapon. If the orbital cannon couldn’t kill the doomsday worm, then there would be nothing more they could do.