Principal Starry was stunned.
He couldn't believe his eyes. A planet, a planet with a gaping maw, seemed to be devouring something.
Zooming in, it appeared to be consuming cosmic debris.
But upon closer inspection, countless fleeing humanoids were visible within that debris!
Then, the planet opened something resembling an eye, scanning the cosmos!
As if searching for its next target!
"Is this truly Heaven?"
A living planet… Was the world mad?
Or was he mad?
Was this Heaven?!
Was this the Heaven everyone longed for?!
What had happened to those who ascended to Heaven?
Principal Starry felt a chill, an incomprehensible terror. He dared not think too much, as it was utterly despairing.
The heroes of legend, guided to Heaven by Angels…
"They're all dead, aren't they?"
"There's no creator; ascension to Heaven was a cruel hoax?"
"No, this isn't Heaven. I must be dreaming; it has to be a dream. I have to go back, I have to go back…"
Principal Starry's consciousness returned to his star system, but the vision remained a haunting darkness in his mind.
Thankfully, everything within the star system was normal…
Normal?
One day, Principal Starry observed their planet.
Legend held that their planet was protected by a dragon, an ancient dragon god, guarding against invasion.
This dragon god slept eternally, awakening only in times of need.
This was an ancient myth; it wasn't even a legend.
Because no one had ever seen this so-called guardian god.
Today, Principal Starry did.
Their planet opened its enormous maw, spewing forth a colossal dragon carcass!
So, the mysterious bone fragments floating in space were… dragon bones?
The guardian dragon god?
"Ha… Ha ha… Hahahaha… Nightmare, it must be a nightmare… Planets don't open their mouths. I must have heard too many stories; I'm dreaming this."
"I must go back, I must wake up…"
Principal Starry repeatedly tried to hypnotize himself, but it was all real. Truth slapped him in the face.
Telling him, believe it or not, this was the world's truth!
The world beneath our feet was merely a giant, spherical creature!
And the Heaven we worshiped was a being like this monster!
Afterward, Principal Starry observed the stars repeatedly, each time bringing new shocks.
He felt he was on the brink of madness.
People often say they'd gladly die for the truth, but for the people of this world, the cruelest thing was knowing the world's true nature!
But even that might not be the worst.
What was truly terrifying was the manuscript left behind by the Broken King.
"In my youth, I mocked the Broken King. Now I understand him; I am his confidant, his fellow patient."
"The world drove us mad because we saw the truth."
It turned out that the Broken King was telling the truth; we were the ones living in ignorant delusion!
His manuscript detailed the relationship between Heaven and their native world, the truth, in excruciating detail.
It was far more unbelievable than what Principal Starry had witnessed!
"If anyone sees this, I'll likely be mad by then. My reputation isn't good; my actions have made me infamous."
"But at this moment, I am a pure scholar. I will reveal the truth of this world to you."
"This is the door to truth."
"The world is a giant monster; Heaven is another monster; they are twin brothers."
"This star system is their hunting ground, and we are the livestock they raise, fattening us until we're strong enough to escape this world."
"First, let's congratulate our mother planet."
"It will open its all-consuming maw, swallowing our flesh and souls without remorse."
"The entire star system is a trap, circling the star; Heaven is a hunter."
"It will eliminate all who escape, devouring anyone who flees the mother planet."
"Unlike the stationary mother planet, Heaven orbits the star system according to a certain pattern, feeding on its parasites while trying to obtain food from its brother."
"The legends of Heaven, we've heard them since childhood."
"Heaven creatures have visited this world; Heaven sent so-called Angels to spread its beauty."
"Then we struggle, falling one by one into its mouth!"
"Originally, these twin brothers only awakened rarely, but lately, their awakenings have become increasingly frequent."
"I feel they're preparing something massive."
"This is but a moment for them; for us, it could be millennia."
"I wasn't the first to discover the truth. The Ancient Gods knew; that's why they didn't dare to leave this world."
"Who would have imagined that over a hundred Ancient Gods once existed on this small planet?"
"Where are they now? They were devoured, of course."
"By consuming these Ancient Gods, Heaven and the mother planet grew stronger, day by day, year by year."
"They gave us the seeds of power; they cultivated powerful beings, only to feed themselves."
"Until one day, they discovered that powerful beings were becoming increasingly rare; for many years, no Ancient Gods had been born."
"So they grew impatient; they targeted the remaining native Ancient Gods… and me."
"Knowing the truth, assisting the mother planet, succumbing to corruption, grants power. Helping the mother planet create stronger beings, becoming its earthly executor."
"Some agreed; I refused."
"What awaited me? Needless to say, my body would eventually cease to be mine. My spirit and consciousness would no longer be my own."
"But I did it anyway, because I had to reveal the truth."
"I might die, but the truth must be preserved. Waiting for someone, a brave hero, to appear, to slay the planet's will, to end this endless nightmare cycle."
"Why am I so certain? Because I foresaw it."
"A thousand years from now, my descendant will inherit my power, raising the Heaven-defying blade to slay the mother planet and Heaven."
"Our bloodline is noble; we inherit the bloodline of the guardian dragon god."
"We traced our ancestry back to the source; it was devoured by the mother planet, but the dragon's power flows through our bloodline."
"Only if…"
"Only if… what?"
The final entry ended there.
The Moors became a pivotal point, but a thousand years, even more, had passed.
The Broken King's prophesied descendant had yet to appear.
The Broken King's prophecy seemed to have fallen into a void.
However, his words did warn many; some, heeding his words, hesitated to pursue ascension.
Gradually, ascension was forgotten.
The Ancient Gods who had compromised with the mother planet remained inactive.
A thousand years later, no new Ancient Gods were born; the mother planet grew impatient.
It began to awaken frequently, preparing to destroy the surface world.
Since the world could no longer produce Ancient Gods, it was deemed to be on a flawed trajectory.
And flaws must be purged, then rebuilt.
Destroying humanity, killing all life on the surface, then gestating new life and civilization.
Starting over—that was the mother planet's plan.
This was the predetermined fate Principal Starry spoke of.
Everyone would die, escaping was impossible. The world would be destroyed; even without the invaders, destruction was inevitable.
No tomorrow, no hope for the future; the next day, everything would be buried.
In this hopeless world, who could endure?
Yet, even so, Principal Starry refused to surrender; he wanted to gamble on the Broken King's prophecy.
If that person existed, he would spare no effort to help, to end this world's cycle.
But since that person hadn't appeared, Principal Starry had abandoned that distant prophecy when facing the True Ancestor.
It ended there.
He was exhausted; he no longer wished to endure the torment of this truth.
Rather than be driven mad by the world or perish on the predetermined day, he would end his own life.
The memories ended.
After viewing his memories, Chino fell into contemplation.
"So this is the world's truth."
Principal Starry recovered, looking at the colossal Chino. "You saw… then leave now, while you still can."
"Before the mother planet detects you outsiders; otherwise, you'll be buried with us."
Chino's expression was calm. "My god's concerns were correct; this world truly harbors powerful beings."
"It can devour 5th Step beings casually. The mother planet could be 6th or even 7th Step."
"However, what my god values… even if the opponent is 7th Step, we'll still prevail."
I should report this to Lord Aurora first; let's see what she thinks.
...
On Earth, before Chino could report, Mei already knew.
"A planet-sized lifeform, constantly devouring 5th Step beings to grow, and there are two of them."
"From this perspective, it's somewhat similar to Ghroth."
"So this wasn't a pointless endeavor after all; I'm facing two 6th Step, perhaps even 7th Step beings."
"What a surprising and unexpected discovery."
"No wonder I felt the urge to devour the world; lifeforms of this magnitude are the best source of power."
However, information regarding the enemies' specific abilities and strengths remained scarce.
Mei could now cross Dreamland and reach that world, but she hadn't acted.
Instead, she continuously sent probes, testing the limits of that world.
She was worried about this possibility:
If that world harbored something truly terrifying, Mei's arrival might put her in mortal danger.
Fortunately, Mei hadn't become arrogant despite achieving 6th Step and possessing two of the six Chapters.
Her initial plan remained unchanged; she always maintained a healthy respect for the unknown.
Even if the world lacked 6th Steps, this caution was necessary.
"So, the survey ends here."
The essential explorations were complete.
What remained was planning the extermination of those two planets.
First, it was uncertain whether they were carbon-based lifeforms; it wasn't even certain they were alive.
Could they, like Mei, exist in higher dimensions, as quanta or specters?
Or was their planetary form merely a façade?
Mei considered the possibility that they were non-carbon-based spherical lifeforms, rolling through cosmic dust, camouflaged as planets.
This hypothesis was plausible, but 6th Step lifeforms were what Mei considered Sanctuary-level.
At this level, they were practically gods.
The complexity of such lifeforms was beyond Mei's comprehension.
Because she herself wasn't a pure lifeform; the potion's power had shattered her, rendering her intangible, leaving only her supreme consciousness.
And that consciousness was all she was.
Anyone who could erase this consciousness would effectively kill Mei.
Therefore, Mei ≠ immortal; she possessed a state of death-defiance.
Whether the otherworldly entities possessed the power to kill Mei could only be determined in two ways:
Mei could directly confront them, or she could use her future chapter.
Perhaps that wasn't a bad decision.
Even as a last resort, Mei could use temporal reversion, but that was her final gambit.
Unless the enemy could instantly kill her before she reacted.
Then…
Let's take a peek at Mei's future in that other world.
Given the current probes, defeating those two planets was impossible.
Mei's consciousness leaped towards a distant future branch.
Following the branching timelines, Mei suddenly froze.
"…There's this scenario?"
"This is unexpected."
"Alright, everyone, change of plans. Protect the human named Larter."
"Make sure he doesn't die; this man is vital."
"Everyone else, find every 5th Step Ancient God in this world; leave none alive."
Mei glanced at the future scenario.
Before she saw how she defeated the two planetary monsters, she saw Larter slaying the mother planet with a single blow.
Amazing.
This kid was clearly the chosen one. If the future followed this path, there would be no need to worry about those two planets.
All they needed was for this chosen one to display his power and save the world. Then Mei could step in and reap the rewards; everything would be simple.
...
Poor Larter was unaware that an otherworldly being had set their sights on him; he was still focused on rescuing Jena.
They initially headed for the Atura Treasury, but the Angel arrived first.
Fortunately, the Angel hadn't found the hidden treasure, giving Larter and Zane a chance.
They not only obtained an ancient magical artifact but also a legendary weapon.
However, they struggled to disable the Treasury's restrictions.
These weren't simple barriers; they were laser-like energy fields that severed anything that touched them!
Lacking a solution, Larter devised a reckless plan.
He plunged his Broken King hand into the energy field. His hand was indeed severed.
But even severed, it remained functional.
His plan was to use the severed hand to retrieve the items within.
The Broken King's flesh was immortal; even if shredded into thousands of pieces by energy, it would regenerate.
And even if it didn't, it would simply grow back.
Zane took the White Emperor's sword; Larter took the Heaven-defying Sword. Their next destination was the Western Continent.
The City of Hope, Albia—traveling west from there led to the Great Forest of Middle-earth.
That was the territory of the Elves and Druids, where Jena, a half-elf, originated.
They had weapons but needed manpower.
Seeking aid from elves or half-elves in the Great Forest of Middle-earth was a good option.
That was the plan, but on their way to the Western Continent, they remembered an acquaintance.
This acquaintance had a peculiar background; they met him in a small village tavern.
He was drinking alone, his face etched with a story.
This piqued Larter's interest. As a skilled poet, he never missed an opportunity to hear such stories.
After a conversation, the man revealed his tale.
He was once an ordinary worker in a city, living a simple life, married to a woman of average attractiveness.
He was honest but gullible, often taken advantage of.
Even by his own brother, who had an affair with his wife, leaving him heartbroken.
Being honest, he could only endure.
Now, lost and aimless, he'd lost the meaning of life.
Confusion. Utter confusion!
At his lowest point, he met his sect leader, who granted him immense power, enabling his revenge, allowing him to exact retribution on the adulterous pair.
Intriguing. Extremely intriguing!
How powerful was he? His power was beyond description; his speed was like light, too fast to see!
Powerful. Immensely powerful!
He had achieved revenge, yet remained lost, uncertain of his path.
Exceptional. Immensely exceptional!
Wasn't this exactly the kind of reliable comrade they needed?!
Honest, righteous, immensely powerful, personally avenged his enemies, with clear-cut emotions, no lingering resentment!
Now lost and confused—his buffs were maxed out!
Larter skillfully spun his tale, painting a vivid picture. He described his adventures with his friends, their experiences, and Jena's abduction.
And how they were now trying to rescue their friend!
"Such loyalty and righteousness! I must help you overthrow that despicable white-haired fiend and rescue your friend!"
"We've been waiting to hear those words!"
The two men high-fived; this new comrade was a gem.
Zane expressed sympathy for the man's story; such things were never easy.
But he wouldn't automatically trust him based on his misfortune.
Past experiences had taught him that; he'd once considered 009 a good man, only to be proven wrong.
This made Zane cautious, leading him to question their new companion.
"Isn't this too coincidental? We were looking for a companion, and one just appeared. Are there really such good things in this world?"
Larter waved a hand. "I know; you feel guilty about the white-haired man and have lingering psychological trauma."
Larter thumped his chest, then pointed at Zane.
"Brother, I understand."
"But this man is different. I can guarantee that I sensed something was off about that white-haired man from the beginning."
"But this man… I can feel his honesty. How could such an honest person lie?"
"Trust me, I've met countless people. This man is trustworthy."
Zane sighed. "My doubts aren't entirely due to that incident; there are other things."
"First, his accent is strange. It's not local, nor from the North or the East."
"Didn't you notice? He speaks awkwardly, almost mumbling."
"I think you're overthinking it. I've met people like that before; they're just not articulate and slightly stammer." Larter dismissed it.
"But I still…"
"Enough, Zane. Don't forget our goal is to rescue Jena. More powerful and trustworthy allies are always better."
Though far away, their words were overheard.
The seemingly ordinary middle-aged man raised his mug, draining the ale.
Then, a fleeting smile crossed his lips.
The coincidence was perfect, for he had arrived with a purpose.
003 The Hollow, Han Verte, the Mirror Demon.
Mei had summoned him from Earth, providing him with the language of this world and instructing him to assist the heroes.
Why him? Han Verte was reliable and obedient.
He had good interpersonal skills and few enemies; most people were clueless about 003.
003? Who was that?
Where was that person?
He was a true Hollow, untouched by causality, forever outside of monster conflicts.
Given the mission's sensitivity, he was unlikely to cause unforeseen problems, so Mei was relatively unconcerned.
However, 003's current abilities were somewhat lacking.
Since this team was aiming for the mother planet, Han Verte's abilities needed improvement.
Mei had prepared a special upgrade potion.
But this fellow's existence was so low-key, Mei often overlooked him. Han Verte also kept quiet; there was nothing she could do.
Mei originally intended for Han Verte to join the Old Ones series, but the timing wasn't right.
So, let's get him to 4th Step first.
Potion: Watcher.
...
Han Verte joined Larter's group, but Larter felt it wasn't enough; they needed more allies.
Therefore, they needed to go to the Middle-earth Great Forest.
This land, home to the kindest race and the Ancient Gods, lived in harmony with nature; only here could such a sight be seen.
The legendary Nature God, the Wind Whisperer, Cito.
Often depicted as a deer-like Ancient God, he resided beneath the largest ancient tree in the Middle-earth forest, frequently whispering like the wind. His voice carried on the breeze to every natural being.
This was the most benevolent Ancient God.
People had perhaps forgotten how many Ancient Gods existed; some were even nameless. But they would never forget Cito.
Because this Ancient God consistently protected this land.
So why were there only the Death God, Nature God, and Wisdom God?
The answer was clear: it wasn't that other Gods didn't exist; those Ancient Gods were simply gone.
Imagine a time when humanity also had a god.
The War God, Til—how unfamiliar that name sounds.
On the way to the Middle-earth forest, Larter recounted their story to Han Verte. "Remember that time we actually found an Ancient God's dwelling?"
"A true temple."
"This Ancient God wasn't in the historical records; we'd never heard of him. Legend says he was one of the two descendants of the Dragon God, Bahamut, the God of Righteousness."
"He also had a twin brother, called the Hellfire Deity, Tiamat."
"In that temple, we found a book, 'The Book of Fallen Gods,' filled with names."
"Those were the names of gods!"
"One hundred and seven gods, and I only recognized six."
"The book detailed the Ancient Gods' powers, territories, and brief biographies; I couldn't believe it was pure fabrication."
"I was shocked. At that moment, I felt a connection with the book's author!"
"And there, I pondered something. If so many gods once existed, where did they go?"
"Did they ascend to Heaven?"
"Yes, ascension to Heaven. I've heard that legend since childhood, but it's strange, isn't it? No one has ever returned from Heaven."
"Is Heaven a perfect paradise where no one wants to leave?"
"I don't believe such a place exists. If it does, it's either a dream or Hell." Larter said.
"I remember a scholar once saying that if he ascended to Heaven, he would return to tell the world what Heaven was like."
"He ascended, but never returned."
"So many gods ascended; I don't believe none wanted to return."
Zane shook his head. "Ascension is just a legend. Don't take it too seriously."
Larter gritted his teeth. "Everything that exists has its own reason. I don't believe this is just a legend; there must be something we haven't discovered."
"This might be important!"
"No, this isn't important. Rescuing Jena is most important."
"Of course, rescuing Jena is crucial, but I don't think we should only discuss this on our journey; it's not something we can solve through discussion!"
Zane rubbed his temples. "I just think you should focus on what's more urgent, not these irrelevant myths."
Han Verte coughed. "Cough, cough. I think Larter has a point; this is… a bit unfathomable."
"Right?!"
"Yes, I agree. Something's wrong. So many gods ascended, including human gods; they had families and kin."
"If Heaven were a better home or a better life, even if they couldn't bring their family, they should at least return to let others know."
"Unless… they couldn't return."
Couldn't return?
"What if they all died in Heaven?"
Larter suddenly fell silent.
Zane frowned. "Where did you hear that?"
Han Verte scratched his head. "I was just thinking randomly; I have limited knowledge; please excuse me."
Random thoughts?
Random thoughts that conveniently align with the Broken King's ramblings?
"You…"
Before Zane could speak, Larter clapped his hands. "Perhaps that's it. Ascension to Heaven might be a conspiracy."
"Otherwise, why is that book called 'The Book of Fallen Gods'?"
"How did the author know these gods were gone? Their final descriptions all mention ascension, so does ascension equal death?"
Seeing Larter being led astray by Han Verte, Zane was speechless.
Wasn't Larter usually so meticulous, always able to detect flaws in details and uncover the truth?
Why did he believe everything Han Verte said?
Dude, aren't you even slightly suspicious?
Seeing Zane's frustrated expression, Larter knew what he was thinking. But there was something he hadn't told Zane.
He hadn't opposed Han Verte because his intuition and a primal instinct whispered to him!
Han Verte might be right!
The more of the Broken King's body he gathered, the more he felt a sense of urgency.
The Broken King's remains seemed to be subtly guiding him.
Larter had felt this before. Furthermore, the Broken King's flesh had a practical ability.
It could sense malice; if someone harbored ill intent, his skin would tingle.
He felt no such tingling around Han Verte.
This proved that Han Verte genuinely wanted to help them.
...
The three arrived at a town, bustling with activity.
A robed figure wearing a mask passed them, leaving a fragrant trail.
Larter, detecting the scent, turned. "Hmm… that's Night Orchid fragrance. Only nobles of the Woma Empire use this."
"Ah?"
"Don't question it; my knowledge is as vast as my appearance."
"Night Orchid requires nighttime processing; it's incredibly rare; you can't buy it even with money."
"Only Western nobles use it, and it's favored by women."
"I'd guess that was a beautiful woman."
"I concur. How did you deduce that?"
"Intuition."
Han Verte turned to look at the woman; he'd noticed her before Larter.
Because the woman was strong.
At least 4th Step strength.
A 4th Step individual was a legendary powerhouse in this world.
Knowing that there were four human legendary powerhouses, and three were already captured, this woman was the fourth?
The fourth powerhouse was from the West, a member of the Woma Empire's royal family.
Crimson Knight was a well-known title.
However, after discovering she was female, many changed the appellation to Crimson Lady.
Her story was complex; for instance, she fell in love with Achilles on the battlefield.
She later discovered that her father's death was linked to Achilles' uncle, leading to endless turmoil.
It seemed that the legendary powerhouses in this world were all somehow connected to Achilles.
If Larter was the chosen one, he was likely the nemesis, tangled in countless intertwined destinies.
...
Chino presented Principal Starry to Mei; he'd asked his questions, seen what he needed to see.
His understanding of this world was almost complete.
All power in this world originated from the Mother Planet. The Mother Planet scattered seeds; these seeds grew strong.
Upon reaching a certain life stage, they were recognized by the world's laws, receiving souls and their initial power.
But the Mother Planet possessed another kind of power.
Those in the know called it the Gate of Truth; only great sages possessed it.
Those who received the Gate of Truth's power gained near immortality.
Principal Starry, like the Broken King, resisted this power.
Their fates differed, however. The Broken King, upon learning the truth, spread it, attempting to reveal it to all.
Thus, he attracted the Mother Planet's attention; its will corrupted his body!
Principal Starry, however, kept this secret hidden, never mentioning it to anyone; therefore, the Gate of Truth's power didn't affect him.
It wasn't right to say he was correct or the Broken King wrong.
There was no right or wrong; judgment resided in the heart.
They disagreed with the Broken King's truth, deeming him evil.
Similarly, they were unaware of Principal Starry's deliberate concealment.
Chino stated, "First, we are invaders. An invader's basic principle is that this world's tragedies and narratives are irrelevant to us."
"Do what we must; my god will reward us."
"Three 5th Steps—the Angel and White Walker chose Fire Eater Nara; we will confront the Wisdom God, Dogma."
"The Wisdom God… can we defeat it through intellect?"
To Hydra's question, Chino calmly replied, "First, it must 'actually' be the Wisdom God, not some highly intelligent beast."
Chino didn't believe in the world's gods.
Perhaps everyone thought that way; they were simply stronger monsters, lacking divine authority, power, or special functions.
Just stronger monsters; why call them gods?
According to fragments of Principal Starry's memories:
"The Nature God, Wind Whisperer Cito, a deer-like 5th Step being."
"The Death God, Fire Eater Nara, appearance unrecorded, possibly a serpent or lizard."
"The Wisdom God, Nightbringer Dogma, an owl-like 5th Step monster, located near here, in the Nightbringer Temple in the east."
"Fighting on land… isn't favorable," Hydra said. "If we lure it…"
"Good point."
"An underground battle is disadvantageous. Creating a home-field advantage is necessary against an equal opponent."
"Therefore, we will envelop the continent."
Huh?
Hydra blinked; she hadn't meant that.
Vespa nodded. "Then let's begin."
Siren raised her right hand. "Need a hand?"
Chino spread his arms; countless chunks of flesh fell from his body!
These chunks transformed into numerous Deep Ones, including Priest units.
Tidal Incantation!
The Priests began chanting incantations!
Vespa opened his mouth wide, voraciously consuming seawater; then, like a bubble, he launched a massive geyser of water into the sky!
Aren't you all quite proficient?
Hydra was astonished. It felt like they'd done this before; their actions were too smooth, too practiced.
"I suddenly remember… were there massive tidal surges on Earth before?"
"You're mistaken."
...
Endless Wasteland.
The Angel frowned at the Honesty Gate before her.
"State your name!" x2
Boom!!
Golden-pink runes blazed across the Angel's body; with a single kick, she shattered the Honesty Gate!
The Frost King silently gave a thumbs-up. "Great power, bricks fly."
The golden-pink runes faded from Angel Moon. "Friendly reminder: I enjoy chatting, but if I can't understand what my opponent is saying, I tend to kick them to death."
So true!
The Frost King agreed; these otherworldly beings spoke gibberish.
The Angel kicked open the door and entered the Molten Fire Palace; the path ahead descended continuously.
At the end was a spiraling staircase, its depth unknown; the Angel walked for ten minutes without reaching the bottom.
The surrounding temperature steadily increased.
Visible heat waves shimmered in the air; the walls became scorching hot.
Reaching the bottom was taking too long for the Angel.
With a kick, she shattered the staircase, descending directly to the lowest level!
The Frost King followed, silently giving another thumbs-up.
Precisely!
Clearly, the Angel preferred a speedrunning style.
Reaching the lowest level, they found another massive door.
Without hesitation, the Angel kicked it open, revealing a world of molten lava.
Before them lay a stone bridge; scorching lava flowed on either side. It was called a palace, but it was essentially just a long bridge.
The ceiling was densely packed with stalactites; glittering crystals of various colors adorned the walls.
These appeared natural, not artificially added.
The Angel dashed to the end of the bridge, reaching a vast, circular palace.
The surrounding stones glowed red-hot, like meat on a spit.
However, for beings at their level, the lava's heat posed no threat.
"Nara, show yourself."
The Angel called out, but there was no response; only the burning lava.
The Frost King approached. "He might be asleep. Throw some rocks into the lava; maybe you'll hit him."
Good point.
The Angel shattered the palace with a wingbeat, hurling the debris into the lava!
Boom!
The stone fragments plunged into the lava, causing the lava to splash like water, though thicker.
Then, the lava sea surged violently!
A colossal creature emerged from the lava!
It was a…
"Worm?"