Chapter 165

Chapter 165: Successfully Changed to the Killing Level

"Hmph, whoever tries to match Lady Xidi’s craft is still far too early."

Gimmerly squatted on the trunk of the Fantasy Tree of Subspace, watching the "meteors" spiral slowly downward.

But calling them "meteors" felt wrong—they fell too slowly, swaying as they drifted. They resembled dandelion seeds more than shooting stars.

Soon, these beings floated from the high branches of the Fantasy Tree into a mist-shrouded region.

There lay the Crystal Walls.

Normally, Subspace-tainted entities meeting the Bubble World’s Crystal Walls would be instantly repelled, unable to penetrate.

The Crystal Walls functioned like the Bubble World’s skin.

Previously, only the Fantasy Tree root systems could pierce the Crystal Walls to deliver terrifying chaotic creatures inside.

Even then, the roots first infiltrated as hair-thin capillaries, slipping past the Crystal Walls undetected to release demons like shapeshifting demons.

Only when chaos corruption spread within the Bubble World, and natives began invoking chaos, would the Crystal Walls weaken from internal decay. Thicker roots could then invade.

But now…

A sharp "Zizi—!" echoed

followed by a grinding "Gaga—zizi—!"

The floating meteors twisted upon touching the Crystal Walls, rotating their spiral tips.

Then…

"Thump!"

They drilled straight through the Crystal Walls!

These "meteors" would now descend into the Bubble World by protocol, unleashing terrifying numbers of demon legions.

Once demon forces outpaced the world’s capacity to eliminate them, the Bubble World would tilt toward chaos, loosening the Crystal Walls anew.

Fantasy Tree roots would spread, penetrate, and breach again—forging fresh pathways!

"Truly…"

"Big sister’s greatest achievement!"

Gimmerly leaped nimbly along the Fantasy Tree’s outer branches.

Beside her sat Elioerg, the Fourteenth Seat who’d once tried to kill her.

Now he showed no trace of temper, not even daring to breathe.

Gone was his former ferocity—he resembled nothing but a dog!

Indeed, he lay prostrate like a loyal hound.

The cause of his transformation was a dazzlingly beautiful creature.

It observed the "meteors’" trajectories.

"Greatest achievement?"

"Far from it, Gimmerly."

A cold, almost feelingless voice showed its owner was extremely calm and could see everything rationally.

Such beings were rare in the Chaos Council.

Perhaps this is why she could become the Twelfth Seat of the Chaos Council.

The powerful, beautiful, and dazzling Lady Xidi looked at the foggy "Bubble World," watching the Crystal Walls break one by one, and she nodded slightly.

A tiny bit of "pride" showed in her beautiful eyes.

"Just a reply to a challenge, a ‘countermeasure.’"

"I am a craftsman."

"I welcome competition."

Gimmerly saw Lady Xidi’s serious look and nervously pulled back.

"Ah!"

"My lady is fired up!"

"Scary! Scary!"

As Lady Xidi’s sister, Gimmerly knew her well.

She seemed peaceful and rarely talked, but if someone challenged her in her domain, Lady Xidi would show them that the title "Creator’s Hand" wasn’t for nothing!

"Haha…"

"The Valaharl people are really asking for trouble."

"What is this ‘Opposite World Nails’ nonsense?"

"Isn’t this stirring my lady’s competitive spirit?"

"Now, my lady made this scary ‘Crystal Wall Nail Drill’ just to humiliate them!"

"Tsk, tsk."

"The Bubble World, which had just recovered, was about to be ruined again."

"Unless…"

Unless Valaharl could quickly gather an army of hundreds of thousands, each as strong as mid-level demons!

Otherwise, the second fall of Valaharl was just a matter of time.

"Of course, your Giant God could step in to fix things."

"But then, Lady Xidi could fully use the ‘sensors’ on those demons to collect data."

"This way, both win!"

"No matter what happened to Valaharl, Lady Xidi would win!"

"Besides, it wasn’t Lady Xidi who used resources to start this attack!"

"But rather…"

"Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—!"

Under the Subspace branches where Gimmerly, Lady Xidi, and Elioerg were, a giant worm slowly swam in the chaotic Sea of Ether.

"Hmph…"

"Greedy fellows blinded by profit and unable to control themselves were everywhere in the chaos!"

—-

Trilobite did not know that the "mushroom," which he had digested and released as mycelium, would provoke a big shot.

Even if he did, he would probably be baffled and feel wronged…

Why would eating a mushroom and taking a dump offend someone!?

Of course, he still hid in his "Cave," unaware of the storm that had erupted outside because of him.

He had eaten enough and tossed the skeleton and chitin fragments out of the cave.

Now, Trilobite was busy adding some components to himself.

"Hmm…"

"Since creatures from the Triassic period had appeared, he couldn’t just stay as a Peter Foot Salamander."

"This was still stuck in the Carboniferous period."

"Too ancient!"

"Hmm…"

Although the Peter Foot Salamander was somewhat outdated, Trilobite did not want to evolve directly into a "dragon" or "beast."

"In the Permian period, ichthyosaurs and other creatures seemed to reign in the swamp environment, and there were powerful Deinosuchus that were not inferior to many giant crocodiles of later times."

"If it weren’t for the catastrophic Mass Extinction at the end of the Permian period, ichthyosaurs might have still held the top predator status in freshwater systems."

"So…"

"He decided to stick with amphibians for now."

"After all, his current form already resembled a crocodile."

"It turned out that the crocodile’s shape was indeed the optimal solution for freshwater."

"Ah, wait, actually crocodiles also derived from… no, it’s called ‘convergent evolution’ with the planted dragon and ichthyosaurs."

"So…"

"Like he had said before, what he wanted to enhance was his instant kill capability!"

【You purchased the Limb Bone Enhancement DLC for 10,000 points of Chaos Energy.】

【You purchased the Limb Muscle Enhancement DLC for 20,000 points of Chaos Energy.】

【You purchased the "Lower Jawbone Extension to Saber Teeth" DLC for 60,000 points of Chaos Energy.】

"Hah…"

Trilobite closed his eyes, feeling the changes in his "big tusks" inherited from Duncker’s fish.

Now, the strange elongation of his lower jawbone had become even slimmer, with a slight inward curve at the middle of his "teeth."

Blood grooves were forming!

Soon…

"Hah…"

Trilobite exhaled a cloud of murky air once more.

He glanced at his status bar.

Trilobite was no longer an ordinary Peter Foot Salamander; he had become…

【Saber Tooth Peter Foot Salamander.】

"I did it!"

"Guess I’ve advanced to the ‘Assassin class’ now."

"Perfect timing – I’m starving!"

"Great chance to test this outside!"

"Miss Valaharl, your lake’s got nothing to eat."

"I’ll head out for food and come back later."

"Really hungry right now. Any shortcuts?"

【Understood. Beginning path search.】

【Path identified: an underground tunnel leads directly outside.】

【Will this suffice?】

"Uh…"

"Shortest route?"

*Ahem ahem…* 【Yes, it is.】

"Hmm…"

"Miss Valaharl, you can’t keep going like this."

【Eh? I…】

Valaharl’s heart jolted.

*Is he talking about me?*

*Did he uncover my secret?*

*No…*

*Could he have discovered this world’s truth?*

*If so…*

*Would he despise me?*

*Would he… just abandon everything? Would he…?*

Her heart felt heavy at the thought.

*Absolutely not… my hard-won… my treasure…*

*I’ll use any means to keep him here…*

…

"You really should take better care of yourself."

"Good service matters, but your health matters more."

Trilobite’s concern sounded genuine.

To Valaharl, it seemed almost… naive.

"Idiot…"

*But so endearing.*

*And so powerful.*

"Thank you."

Valaharl released a long breath, regaining her composure.

*Ahem…* 【It’s nothing.】

【Navigating now.】

【Locate the movable boulder on the cave’s right wall.】

【Once inside… *cough*… follow the passage straight…】

…

Thus guided by "customer service" Miss Valaharl, the late-stage instant-kill specialized Peter Foot Salamander – now sporting saber teeth and reinforced limbs – crawled slowly toward the surface.