Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Before even reaching the combat arena, Philo, who had merely wanted to experience flying on a whim along the way, ended up fleeing the entire commercial street in horror after witnessing the Floating Star Insect Race in the meeting room—some crying, others kneeling, and even offering self-harm as penance.

As luck would have it, Gore had only heard that the Floating Star Insect Race operated shops offering simulated flight experiences but had never actually tried them himself. Naturally, he was unaware that the domain-field rings used by female and male insects were different.

Although the Floating Star Insect Race occasionally built such simulated flight domains for young male insects as entertainment, those were always customized services provided at the clients' homes. Never had a male insect come to a commercial street shop to queue up for such an experience, let alone without prior notice requesting a private booking.

Since they never anticipated a male insect visiting their shop, the program set for the robots responsible for selling the rings did not include any special instructions about male insects needing to use specially designed domain-field rings.

And as misfortune would have it, today they not only encountered a male insect but also Gore—a female insect who had long been stationed at the frontier worlds and knew only the generalities, not the specifics.

In short, a combination of circumstances led to the final outcome: the incorrect use of an incompatible ring caused an adverse reaction between the domain field and its holder.

Fortunately, Gore rushed in quickly today. Otherwise, if anything had truly happened to the male insect inside, not only the Chief Insect but every Floating Star Insect in that shop would likely have ended up in court.

Rushing out, Philo barely stopped after leaving the Floating Star Insect Race’s shop.

Originally, since they had set out early and there happened to be a major aircraft hub near the commercial street, the two insects had planned to leisurely walk through the street to reach the combat arena.

But who knew…

Stepping out of the bustling and crowded streets, the male insect, finally slowing his pace, instinctively touched his ear clamp. Confirming that his disguise was still intact, Philo let out a relieved sigh.

Indeed, he still preferred interacting with female insects who didn’t know he was a male.

However—

Turning his head to look at Gore beside him, Philo smiled.

“Looks like we’ll have to hurry.”

Due to this mishap, they had spent significantly more time in the commercial street than planned.

“Yeah.”

Nodding, unlike Philo, who was deeply rattled by the Floating Star Insect Race, the blue-haired female had remained composed ever since leaving the domain field.

But—

“Why not hold them accountable?”

Locking eyes with the unfamiliar black pupils before him, Gore, who had been silently pulled out of the meeting room by the male insect, finally couldn’t resist asking the question weighing on his mind.

Frowning, Gore was genuinely puzzled as he observed Philo—who, despite his discomfort, seemed entirely unwilling to press charges with the insect race.

Today’s incident had originated from the Floating Star Insect Race’s oversight, and the Chief Insect’s attitude afterward had been even worse. According to the Male Insect Protection Laws, even just the verbal slurs at the end would have been grounds for the male insect to hold the Floating Star Insect Race accountable.

In fact, if a more hotheaded female insect had encountered this situation, they might not have let it go so easily.

But why did this male insect not want to pursue it at all?

“Spare the rod… is to show mercy. The female insects here already have it hard enough. Since nothing happened to me, let’s not make things worse for them.”

Surprised that the female insect was still stuck on this, Philo raised an eyebrow and casually offered an explanation.

He considered himself merely an observer in this insect society. Even if some things bothered him, he had no intention—or power—to change anything.

The most he could do within his capacity was avoid causing trouble for these already disadvantaged insects.

If today’s incident were pursued, it would be no big deal for him, but judging by the terrified expressions of the shop-owning female insects, they genuinely believed the sky was falling.

And if word of this spread, those Floating Star Insects might not only face fines—given the male insect customs here, they might even lose their right to operate the shop. After all, even if the male insect himself didn’t want to make trouble, there would always be others eager to step in on his behalf, like that female insect named Song Emperor who got caught up in the drama at the banquet…

At this thought, the male insect’s thought process paused briefly. But soon, looking up at Gore, who was still staring intently at him after his explanation, Philo said nothing more and simply urged with a smile:

“Let’s hurry. If we’re late, we might miss the main event. Didn’t you say the arena usually holds challenge matches at 10 a.m.? I don’t want to miss my first visit.”

With that, without lingering, the male insect continued walking along the planned route.

Pausing briefly, the female insect followed quietly. But… his gaze remained fixed on the figure ahead for a long time.

“Mr. Gowen, long time no see.”

At the entrance of the capital’s largest combat arena, the senior arena manager greeted the blue-haired female warmly.

Nodding, the female insect responded just as familiarly, clearly a regular.

So, Gore had indeed often came to this place before. But unless he misheard, the manager had just called him… Gowen?

Glancing sideways at the female insect, whose hair and eye color remained unchanged but whose face was altered, Philo realized this was likely one of Gore’s commonly used aliases.

Without further conversation or introducing Philo’s identity, the blue-haired female simply had the manager issue a VIP pass for the premium section before leading the male insect through the VIP entrance.

Unlike the quiet harmony outside, even before reaching the competition area, Philo could already faintly hear the cheers of female fighters from afar.

Indeed, this was a place for combat—the atmosphere was electric.

But—

“Gore, have you competed here before in this disguise? Doesn’t the ear clamp fall off?” Philo couldn’t help but ask curiously.

Though the disguise device was incredibly ingenious and practical, its attachment wasn’t particularly secure—about as stable as the fashion ear cuffs commonly sold in the market.

For instance, the ones they wore today—perhaps because it was their first time and they weren’t used to it—Philo had worried the clamp might get blown off when sucked into the Floating Star Insect Race’s domain field.

“I have. Choosing a pierced ear clamp prevents it from falling.”

Pausing his introduction of the arena’s layout, the female insect answered briefly before adding,

“Disguise devices come in perforated and non-perforated types. Perforated ones are more suitable for high-impact sports.”

Perforated?

Raising an eyebrow at the term, Philo quickly understood. “You mean the kind where you get your ear pierced to wear it?”

“Not just the ear—other locations work too. There are also implantable disguise devices on the market. These types are less prone to detachment.”

Implantable…

“No thanks. I prefer the clip-on kind. But doesn’t the Alliance regulate these devices? Couldn’t space pirates or other criminal insects use them to go underground?”

“The military is equipped with the highest-grade disguise detectors. There’s no need to worry…”

Just like in the commercial street, even in the combat arena—a place the male insect had never visited—Philo remained the one leading the conversation. Yet, despite his many oddly simple and strange questions, Gore remained unfailingly patient.

Not finding the questions tedious or the male insect’s focus bizarre, the blue-haired female answered each one as they walked. Anyone who knew him would scarcely believe such patience from him.

Their time in the corridor wasn’t long. After turning down a hallway lined with portraits of the arena’s greatest fighters over the years, Philo—still studying the portraits—was jolted by a deafening cheer the moment they neared the exit.

"Mengman, go Mengman! Use your bony spurs to pierce his chitinous armor—that guy's shell definitely isn't hard enough. Seize the chance now!"

"Dax, don’t brute-force it! Fly up and kick the back of his head—hurry, take off!"

"Close the distance! Close the distance! Dammit, Mengman, you’re the hardest-armored insectoid here—if you don’t close in, did your brain get kicked out?!"

"That’s it, Dax! Well done! Should’ve done that ages ago! Keep circling the arena—that guy can’t outlast you in stamina!"

The combat arena, shaped like an eggshell, had an interior layout that also resembled an egg.

The yolk at the center corresponded to the fighting platform occupying the middle of the venue, while the surrounding "albumen" consisted of rows upon rows of connected spectator seats.

At the moment, Philo stood in the middle of the VIP aisle. True to its name, this passage was temporarily empty except for them, and the view from here was first-rate.

Lifting his gaze to the two insectoids locked in fierce combat on the platform, Philo couldn’t help but gape in awe. In the Interstellar Era, fighters could even take to the air—truly befitting the insectoid race...

"Philo, the general seats are too noisy. Should I take you to a skybox?"

"Sure."

Nodding, though he had come out of curiosity, Philo wasn’t as emotionally charged as these combat-crazed female insectoids. Turning around, he followed Gore to a soundproofed private box nearby.

Admittedly, compared to the crowded, noisy general seating, the private box facing the platform was far more comfortable. It even came with plush massage chairs, premium snacks, fine drinks, and an Attendant outside ready to fulfill any request.

Sitting down and thanking the Attendant, Philo wasn’t in a hurry to watch the match below, which seemed close to its conclusion. Instead, he activated the holographic display on the massage chair and glanced curiously at the female insectoid beside him.

"Gore, what’s this holographic display for?"

"It’s connected to the arena’s private stellar network system. Once opened, it syncs with the user’s comms device. You can check info on all registered fighters here or review past top performers."

Demonstrating as he spoke, the blue-haired female insectoid tapped the screen.

Though Philo wasn’t the quickest learner in other areas, he grasped entertainment tech quickly. After watching Gore’s demonstration, he soon navigated the screen with ease.

After browsing the site’s fighter profiles, Philo couldn’t help but feel the full weight of how martial the insectoid race was.

Just one combat arena had a staggering number of registered fighters—and this was only on the homeworld. If you tallied up registrations from other worlds, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the entire species was martial by nature.

But... exiting the site, Philo realized he shouldn’t be too surprised.

Whether driven by the desire to explore and conquer the cosmos or the looming threat of star beasts, any capable female insectoid would naturally seek to hone their strength.

Shifting his focus, Philo curiously tapped a colorful dial at the bottom of the screen.

This was...

"The betting system. Every match has a wager pool for the two competitors. Spectators can wager on their pick, with a minimum stake—higher for advanced matches."

Noticing Philo’s new page, Gore provided an explanation.

Hearing this, Philo grasped the gist. No wonder the arena had a whole site dedicated to fighter stats—this was likely their primary income source.

"If you’re curious, you could place a bet on the next match," Gore suggested, seeing Philo linger on the betting page.

However...

Pushing the screen aside, Philo chuckled. "No, I’ll just watch for now. Blind betting’s a quick way to lose money. I’ll wait till I spot a fighter I like."

With that, he turned his attention back to the platform. The current match had just ended, and a new one was about to begin.

Grabbing two handfuls of nuts from a snack box, he passed one to Gore before cracking them open and watching the next bout with interest.

Unlike the previous match, where one fighter had wings, this round featured two apterous but exceptionally tough competitors.

There was little dodging or evasion—just raw, brute-force collisions. Their armored limbs collided with such force that sparks flew—real sparks, not the fake CGI from Terran holovids.

Philo even paused mid-bite at the sheer ferocity. Though the soundproofing dampened the roar, his heartbeat still quickened.

The sexual dimorphism among insectoids really was night and day.

He’d known female insectoids handled heavy labor and combat roles, but witnessing a real fight drove home just how vast the physical gap was between males and females.

Even with a high-ranking Military Female insectoid as his mother and two brothers in service—not to mention Gore, likely among the strongest fighters in the species—he’d never appreciated the gulf so acutely.

Strength beyond human imagination, exoskeletons harder than titanium, explosive agility, distinct psionic capabilities, bone spikes, wings... These female insectoids were as dangerous as they were terrifyingly impressive.

Raising his own slender hand, Philo recalled struggling to move a simulation capsule days earlier—a task any female insectoid could’ve handled effortlessly.

Beyond psionic potential, male insectoids, while far hardier than humans, were laughably outmatched physically. No wonder the armed forces prohibited males—if faced with xeno threats, males would have little means of self-defense.

"What’s on your mind?"

Gore, who’d been dividing his attention to the match, noticed Philo staring at his hand and asked quietly.

Smiling, Philo answered honestly, "After watching those two fight, I get why you said males can’t enlist."

Biologically inferior and few in number, losing even one male in combat would cripple the race.

Then, remembering his own plans for military academy, he turned to Gore—a graduate—with another question.

"By the way, does the academy have combat training? Do all students have to spar like this?"

If he recalled correctly, combat training was mandatory for all cadets, whether pursuing commission or not.

Nodding, the blue-haired female insectoid replied promptly, "Yes. Combat training is an annual requirement. Sparring among students is common."

Of course.

Philo’s gaze returned to the vicious bout below, his mouth quirking.

Well, no reward without risk. He couldn’t just enjoy the perks of military academy without facing the challenges.

At worst, he’d ask his mother to donate a few advanced medical pods to the academy. As long as he survived the fights, the worst he’d suffer was some pain before the med-pods repaired the damage.

Plus, sticking with it might turn him into a close-combat expert back on Earth.

Finding bright sides, Philo—now self-pep-talked—studied the fighters with renewed focus, dissecting their techniques intently.

Gore, watching Philo’s rapt attention, averted his gaze momentarily, lost in thought.

Unnoticed, Philo, who’d grown up on combat holos, soon found himself completely captivated in the match—transcending mere curiosity, genuinely enthralled by martial prowess.

It must be said that compared to humans, although the insect race possesses more robust physiques, they are also far more agile. Their fights not only carry greater intensity but are also more thrilling to watch.

No wonder the audience in the stands couldn’t help but roar, and even Philo, witnessing the most intense moments of the match, found himself clenching his fists.

However, it was clear that the main event of this premium arena had yet to officially begin.

Soon, the two insectoids on the field clashed fiercely one last time before one of the B-class Female Insects was knocked off the platform, marking the end of the match.

Though the fight was over, the surrounding spectators seemed even more pumped up. Some disregarded the repeated warnings from the arena staff, standing up to wave and cheer, while others even tore off their shirts to reveal their tattoos.

Curiously observing the electric atmosphere below, Philo didn’t need to ask Gore this time to guess why the crowd was going wild.

After all, the holographic display in front of him displayed the current time and had just popped up a large golden notification.

The page showed detailed information about two unfamiliar B-class Female Insects—their physical stats, the number of fights they had participated in, and their win rates. It seemed this was the morning’s championship defense match.

His gaze lingered on the two B-class Female Insects on the screen. Noticing that one was an A-class and the other a B-class, Philo couldn’t help but let out a low whistle.

A fight between two high-tier Female Insects—no wonder the audience was so excited. Still, whoever owned this combat arena must be quite influential to attract so many high-tier Female Insects to compete. While the huge cash prizes were a major factor, keeping this massive arena going likely meant the owner wasn’t an ordinary figure either.

Just as Philo was about to open the backend page of the notification to check if there was any information about the arena’s owner, another wave of cheers erupted from outside.

Looking up, he paused his action and turned his attention to the fighter gates on either side of the arena. Seeing the two B-class Female Insects—the challenger and the defending champion—emerge, the male insect momentarily forgot his earlier thought and instead studied the two below with curiosity.

Admittedly, since he had disguised his own appearance, noticing the earrings on both B-class Female Insects made Philo wonder if they, too, were wearing disguises.

But even so…

His gaze lingered on the B-class Female Insect who was challenging the champion today, particularly on her silver hair and purple eyes, before he couldn't help feeling that something was off.

"Uh, Gore, don't take this the wrong way…"

"But don’t you think that B-class Female Insect’s disguise looks… familiar?"

Author’s Note:

One of the fanatical admirers has made an appearance.