The massive whirlpool within Netherlake gradually spiraled inward until it completely vanished. The surface of the lake stilled, returning to its former calm.
"That's what happens when magical beasts can't unite," Goku said calmly, turning to Bloodrobe. "All they know is how to flee. If they'd actually stood together against the Soul-Eater Ants, things might've turned out differently."
"Fear of death is part of nature—beast or human," Bloodrobe sighed, then looked off toward the horizon. "But it seems some of the surviving Soul-Eater Ants are headed toward human territory..."
He paused for a beat, narrowing his eyes. "If I remember correctly, they'll pass through the Tagor Desert. Isn't that where the Serpentfolk live? You're on pretty good terms with them, aren't you?"
"Hm? The Serpentfolk?" Goku's brow furrowed slightly. He immediately extended his divine sense across the continent.
In an instant, the Serpentfolk territory appeared vividly within his mind's eye. But what greeted him first wasn't the golden sands of the desert—it was an overwhelming black tide. A seemingly endless army of Soul-Eater Ants surged like a flood, crashing against the walls of the Serpentfolk's fortress.
On the ramparts, countless Serpentfolk warriors fought desperately, loosing arrows and Dou Qi attacks. But their strength was too low—most of them only Dou Fighters or barely above. Their weapons and energy blasts barely made a dent in the ant horde.
Were it not for a stunning figure flying above the fortress, the defenses would've long since been overwhelmed.
She radiated powerful Dou Qi, and every strike from her felled dozens of ants in a blood-soaked sweep. Yet the enemy numbers were far too great. Even she couldn't hold the tide at bay alone. As time dragged on, the fortress walls—drenched in corrosive ant saliva—began to collapse. Holes opened one after another. Screams echoed in waves. Countless Serpentfolk were reduced to bleached skeletons.
"Wah! So many ants! Sister Cai Lin, what's going on?!" A tiny, sprite-like girl darted out from the palace—Little Sprite. She had been left behind to help Cai Lin stabilize her cultivation and had only just woken from a nap, roused by the chaos outside.
Seeing her appear, Cai Lin was briefly overjoyed. With a sweeping motion of her hand, another wave of ants was blasted apart by her fierce Dou Qi.
"Little Sprite! Hurry and help me! We have to wipe out these ants—now!"
"Got it! We're killing bugs? Easy!" Little Sprite beamed cheerfully. She didn't care about right or wrong—Cai Lin asked her to fight, so she would.
Raising her small hand, the surrounding world's energy instantly surged toward her, rapidly condensing into a massive orb of power. With a flash, beams of light erupted from the sphere, lancing into the ant horde like divine arrows.
Splurt! Splurt!
Countless ants were pierced and dropped dead. The battlefield was soon strewn with twitching corpses. But the swarm was simply too massive. For every ant they killed, more came crawling over the bodies, shrieking with their blood-red eyes.
Worse yet, Cai Lin and Little Sprite needed moments to recharge between attacks. And in those gaps, more Serpentfolk fell prey to the tide of insects. A single pair of fists couldn't block a thousand blades—let alone a wave of monsters.
"Damn it... If this continues, even if we wipe out the ants, my people will all be dead!" Cai Lin's voice trembled with fury as she fought. "Weren't these Soul-Eater Ants supposed to be extinct?! Why are they back from the Magical Beast Mountains!?"
Her eyes were ice-cold, watching helplessly as her people were torn apart and reduced to bones. No matter how many techniques she unleashed, it wasn't enough. The city was overrun. The ants surrounded them on all sides.
With a heavy heart, she focused on protecting those nearest her, retreating with the survivors to the central palace—the only place left with reinforced defenses. Even so, they had only bought a little time. Once the ants broke through that palace, it would all be over.
"Is this really how the Serpentfolk will end?!"
Cai Lin roared, unleashing a ferocious wave of Dou Qi that obliterated thousands of ants. Blood soaked the streets; the city had become a slaughterhouse—a living hell.
"Die! All of you—DIE!" she shouted, gathering a raging beam of energy in her hands, preparing to unleash it on the oncoming swarm.
But just as she struck, a flash of light appeared before her.
WHOOSH!
A figure emerged, directly in the path of her attack.
Cai Lin's energy beam shot forward at full force.
"Whoa! Cai Lin—seriously? You're attacking me now?" Goku's voice rang out as he casually raised his hand and slapped the beam aside, sending it vanishing into the sky.
"G-Goku... my lord?!" Cai Lin froze midair, eyes wide in shock. A moment later, joy replaced the fear on her face. She rushed over and grabbed his hand tightly.
"Please! You have to save my people! If you don't help now, they'll all be wiped out!"
"Don't worry," Goku replied with a calm smile. "I've got this."
His tone wasn't loud or forceful, but it carried an unshakable confidence that instantly calmed her panic. It was as if everything around them had faded—his voice alone brought safety and peace.
For just a moment, Cai Lin's frozen heart... stirred with something else.
"Goku!!" Little Sprite cried joyfully and turned into a streak of light, latching onto his face like a child. She hugged his cheeks tightly and wouldn't let go.
Goku chuckled, gently pulling her off and turning to Cai Lin. "Go. Help the rest of your people retreat into the palace. I'll take care of the rest."
He flicked Little Sprite's nose. "You go help too. We can talk later."
"Mm!" Little Sprite nodded, no longer playing around. She followed Cai Lin and joined in the evacuation effort.
With the situation worsening, Goku summoned moonlight and Yue Mei from his World Ring. The moment the two women appeared, they sprang into action without needing instruction. They had seen everything while inside and were more than ready.
With the help of several Dou King and Dou Emperor-level warriors, the remaining Serpentfolk successfully fell back to the palace. Once they were inside, Goku waved his hand—a transparent energy barrier rose instantly, encapsulating the entire palace in an impenetrable dome.
Goku stepped into the palace calmly.
Moments later, the swarm of Soul-Eater Ants arrived, crashing against the barrier like an endless tide. Their corrosive acid, their ravenous jaws—none of it made the slightest mark.
For the first time, the Serpentfolk could finally breathe again.
"Master, let me handle the rest," said Moonlight respectfully, standing before Goku. "These ants aren't worth your time."
"Count me in," Cai Lin added, her voice cold with vengeance. "Now that my people are safe, I want to burn every last one of these monsters to ash."
"Not yet," Goku replied with a mysterious smile. "I've still got some use for them."
"Use?" Cai Lin blinked in confusion. "What use could these disgusting ants possibly have?"
Goku gave a calm smile but didn't answer Cailin's question. Instead, with a flick of his will, several figures began to emerge from the World Ring—Saeko, Bulma, Alice, Karin, and others—all of his companions.
He pointed out through the translucent barrier, at the swarming sea of Soul-Eater Ants beyond.
"You see that?" Goku said, voice flat. "Those ants are your trial opponents. Their numbers are massive, but their strength is low—perfect for you to train against."
"W-what?!" Bulma's eyes widened. "You want us to fight that horde?! Goku, we're not you!"
The thought of diving into that endless swarm made her skin crawl. The sickening stench of blood and acid in the air didn't help either.
"Relax. I'm not sending you out there to die," Goku replied with a chuckle. He raised a hand and quickly formed a hand seal. Instantly, glowing spheres of energy enveloped each of the women—protective barriers, shimmering like legendary magic shields.
"These will protect you," Goku said. "As long as those shields hold, the ants won't be able to harm you. So go all out—this is your chance to fight, to grow."
He gave a small grin. "And whoever kills the most ants gets a special reward."
"Reward? Ooh! What kind of reward?" Alice immediately perked up and raised her hand excitedly. Beside her, Karin and Haku also lit up, their eyes filled with curiosity.
Even the more mature women looked intrigued, casting expectant glances toward Goku.
"That's a secret for now," Goku replied playfully. "But don't just focus on body count. I'm watching how you fight, how you adapt, and how you improve. This isn't just about winning—it's about mastering your Dou Techniques, building confidence, and controlling the battlefield. You may be protected, but don't get sloppy. I'll be evaluating you all carefully."
"Forget the reward," Saeko said, stepping forward, eyes gleaming with excitement. "Just the chance to fight like this… that's more than enough."
The anticipation in the room rose like a firestorm.
"For real, huh?" Yuriko smirked. "Guess we've got no choice but to give it everything we've got. Let's show you what our training has accomplished."
The women quickly summoned their weapons from their spatial rings—each blade and staff selected with care. In a flash, Goku's soft and lovely wives had transformed into valiant warrior goddesses, their auras fierce and commanding.
Goku nodded approvingly. "Not bad. Let's see what you can do."
He raised a finger and pointed at the barrier.
"Ready?"
"READY!!" the women shouted in unison, voices full of vigor—especially the little ones like Alice and karin, who shouted the loudest.
But no sooner had they shouted than the group of girls broke into peals of laughter.
"Hehe! That was so silly!" giggled the little sprite, clearly amused, and joined in with the laughter.
"Let's begin! I can hardly wait anymore!" Saeko nodded at Goku, gripping her longsword tightly in her right hand. Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
Goku gave a small nod and pointed with a single finger. Instantly, a transparent barrier shimmered, and a tear began to form within it. The opening widened rapidly. The Soul-Eating Ants outside immediately surged forward with shrill screeches, swarming through the breach without hesitation. Even the powerful auras emanating from within didn't faze them in the slightest—they charged in with glowing red eyes, knowing no fear.
"Hmph! You want in? Get the hell out!" Saeko let out a low shout, eyes gleaming with thrill. Without hesitation, she was the first to dash forward. In a blur of motion, her sword turned into a flash of cold steel, piercing through the swarm of demon ants with precision. In an instant, three first-tier Soul-Eating Ants were cleaved cleanly in half, blood spraying into the air—proof of the sword's deadly sharpness.
"It's been so long since I had a real fight! Don't disappoint me!" Saeko called out with fire in her voice. The moment she stepped through the barrier, she dove into the thick of the swarm. Her sword danced and slashed, cutting down ants one after another. Yet the ants were far too numerous—within moments, an overwhelming tide of them surged forward, completely engulfing Saeko's figure.
Their sharp mandibles bit down against the faint protective aura surrounding her, emitting constant screeching sounds—yet they couldn't penetrate it in the slightest.
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