Chapter 339

Chapter 339: Why Didn’t We Meet Earlier?

"The Giant God possesses transformative power."

"This power can completely change you!"

"Moreover, He has many successful cases; believe me, it will make you stronger!"

"Everyone, the Endless Ether is full of dangers. Their greed won’t stop at the ‘Endless Ether’—they won’t spare you either."

…

Between the Chaos Swamp Realm and the Endless Ether Realm, a solitary island stood jarringly at the boundary, battered by the ether tide.

A translucent shadow spoke with lively gestures like a salesperson.

Yet this shadow remained quite distinct.

It even had color.

A black robe hugged her curves tightly, accentuating her full figure, but her face stayed hidden beneath the hood and black veil.

Robed in black with her face veiled, the lady gave off the aura of a mysterious "widow."

In a way, she truly was a "widow"—a survivor of her own Bubble World’s destruction.

Her name was Saraph Arachne.

She was an exceptionally powerful Will of the World, who once formed the "World Will Alliance" to resist chaos—unlike Sotiko, who chose to "join those she couldn’t defeat."

Saraph’s people fought bravely using advanced magic and technology, winning some battles and briefly giving her hope.

But when core councilors entered the fray, everything shattered like fragile bubbles.

Just as hope was brutally crushed and light suffocated by chaos, Saraph chose to "dehydrate" and "freeze" her hope, burying it deep in tombs unknown to chaos.

At least, she thought chaos didn’t know.

But did chaos not know?

The demon gods knew the Will of the World’s tricks. Using their vile power, they slowly warped Saraph’s "frozen" hope into monstrous abominations.

They aimed to mock the "Will of the Bubble World’s" futile hope and relished watching her sink into despair.

Most Chaos Demon Gods were pure malice—chaos-loving, evil jokers.

Yet judging by Saraph’s current state, their goal seemed unfulfilled.

Lady Saraph appeared to have found a new purpose, no longer drowning in past grief. She radiated enthusiasm like a star salesperson.

But her audience seemed indifferent.

Three Shallow Ether Wanderers lay sprawled lazily on a "small world"—a patchwork of Primal Mud and Ancient God Fragments, anchored by the Giant God’s "etheric-reversal Fantasy Tree." They basked in the gentle warmth of ether energy.

Ever since hosting the Giant God’s "spawn" and repelling the Ether Cod Deities’ assault, they had found where the Giant God buried the "Endless Ether Mother Deity’s" avatar and settled on that shoal.

The Shallow Ether Wanderers had pledged allegiance to the Giant God.

But under His "protection," they seemed to lose all ambition. Content to dwell there, they used their current strength only to guard the land and fend off minor threats.

They showed no interest in expanding or growing stronger.

A group of pacifists.

At that moment, three lazy beings were lounging about, while one patrolled the area according to a rotating schedule, driving away pesky etheric worms, etheric serpents, and other minor deities like the Ether Cod Deities.

This laziness and "laid-back" style might have been commendable in a peaceful era.

But in that turbulent time, on the brink of dramatic changes, it was highly inappropriate.

"Hey…"

"You should have a sense of crisis!"

"A dramatic change was coming! The Ether Abyss was stirring!"

"At the very least…"

Saraph wanted to promote her ideas, but her words were interrupted by another clear voice.

"Alright, Lady Saraph Arachne, stop wasting your breath on Them."

"These fellows won’t stop until they see the coffin."

Albert Drake’s avatar body wandered nearby, her dorsal fin towering above the water’s surface.

She stood high atop the fin, looking up at Arachne, her crimson hair dancing in the wind from the void.

Her white fitted pants accentuated the voluptuous curves of her long legs, while the lace-trimmed white shirt struggled to contain her ample chest, as if it could burst at any moment; the hollow structure at her chest flowed with a lovely white sheen.

Around her, a fleet of giant ships resembling "Spiny Sharks" roamed.

In the distance, many battleships docked at the port city.

Leading into the port city was a natural harbor shaped by the root systems of the giant tree; there, a large construction site buzzed with activity.

That was the future port, shipyard, and various supporting factories and living areas.

All the facilities, including the port and shipyard, were "fortified structures" buried underground; although this would take more labor hours, it would allow these "assets of the Giant God" to keep operating even after divine-level attacks.

A new colony was thus established.

Albert Drake, her fleet, and the "fleet immigrants" named this new world, built on divine bone and rooted in the Tree of Reversal, "Far Reaching," meaning it lay at the farthest edge of the "Giant God’s Empire."

They thrived here, drawing energy from the "Primal Mud," extracting various materials from the "Ancient God Fragments," and honoring the Shallow Ether Wanderers as the protectors of the new world.

Though these guardians seemed rather unambitious.

Albert Drake glanced at the somewhat regretful Saraph, then at the still-lazy deities, and said with disdain, "I once thought the wisdom and character of deities should be perfect."

"But it seems, in this regard, They are not much different from mortals."

"Deities do not understand that They are merely similar to the mortals They consider to be as low as dust, possessing only an absolute crushing power."

"Once They suffer a loss, They’ll understand — the Giant God does not support waste; then the future tasks will be much easier."

"In any case, these fellows…"

"Cannot compare to the Giant God at all."

"Great is the Giant God!"

Albert Drake clasped her hands together, praying to the true god she admired.

The Far Reaching people honored the Shallow Ether Wanderers as their guardians, but their relationship was just one of "offering" and "reward," based on a trade of benefits.

The people of the Giant God only recognized the Giant God as their deity.

To Albert Drake and all the Giant God’s followers, only the "Giant God" deserved the title of "deity," not just as a powerful extraordinary being.

"Only the Giant God rose above all flaws and weaknesses, gathering the beauty of countless worlds into one perfect being."

"Only He had the right to overthrow the cruel old order set by the Chaos Demon God and build a better, more lively new order."

Saraph nodded, fully agreeing.

"Still…"

She felt a wave of sadness.

"Honestly, I found myself hating Him a little."

"Why couldn’t He have come sooner?"

"If that had happened, my people would…"

Right then…

"Buzz…"

A strange tremor stirred in her soul.

It was the hope that had long been dead.

Saraph had watched her hope shrivel under the Chaos Demon God’s tricks, turning into mockery aimed at her.

Even she had given up on it, stopped thinking about it.

But now…

Hope was "trembling," calling out to her.

Like a child waking from a nightmare, crying for its mother.

"How could this be…"

"No… I must go back and see!"

"Home!"

Saraph lost her calm at once. She dropped a beacon toward the lazy Shallow Ether Wanderers, changed into a black ether wind, and sped away.

Albert Drake saw Saraph rush off, puzzled.

"I’d never seen Deposed Noble so upset."

"What could have made her like this?"

Her thoughts ended without an answer, cut short.

"Roar—!"

"Ah!"

The Shallow Ether Wanderers cried out in fear.

They saw their companion thrashing far away in the Ether Sea, making huge waves.

He cried out in panic and despair.

But it was too late.

A streak of blood spread wider in the Ether Sea!

Beneath it, several enormous backs slowly arched upward.

These were the ferocious "Sin Dragons!"

Their laziness and lack of ambition finally cost them dearly in these chaotic times.

In magic and Divine Body strength, the Shallow Ether Wanderers were no match for the Border Dragons.

Albert Drake could no longer sit idle.

"Listen up!"

"Stop dragging your feet! Are you clams glued to rocks!?"

"All aboard now!"

"Maybe that useless guardian can’t be saved."

"But we must retrieve our companions still inside those ‘Shallow Ether Wanderers’!"

The ether Fleet cut through the waves.

Meanwhile…

Having lost comrades again, the Shallow Ether Wanderers sorrowfully gazed at that mark.

Finally…

"Roar…"

The largest Wanderer made its decision.

It swallowed the mark in one gulp.

Soon…

"Buzz—!"

Silver "patterns" shimmered on its forehead and stomach—a giant mouth filled with sharp teeth, seeming ready to devour all!

But this resolve might’ve come too late?

Because…

"Roar—!"

Several Sin Dragons charged, trying to beach themselves like orcas and drag the Wanderers into the Ether Sea!

—-

"Sniff… sniff… sniff…"

After planting the "tree," Trilobite suddenly recalled planting a "sapling" near the sea.

Wasn’t it meant as a tree burial marker?

On impulse, he decided to revisit it.

After trekking through muddy terrain, Trilobite reached the swamp’s outermost edge by the coastline.

"Hmm… sapling looks fine…"

"Eh!?"

"Damn it!"

No sooner had he checked the sapling than he started cursing.

Something in the sea was trying to storm the "islet" where his sapling grew—and where the Phantom Dragons he’d seen before lingered.

One even radiated a familiar glow and scent.

"They’re trying to kill my clients!?"

"The probiotics inside them will be ruined!"

"I won’t let them!"

"Screw those bastards!"