Lygus immediately glanced at the screen, at the Aeon of [Preservation], Qlipoth, who had appeared because of The Irontomb. In an instant, he understood what Fu Zhu was trying to do.
"You madman!"
Many who had learned of his plan had thought he was a madman, but at this very moment, Lygus felt that Fu Zhu was the true madman!
To think someone would intentionally provoke a battle between gods?!
The other Chrysos Heirs, hearing the exchange between the two, didn't quite understand. They simply looked at Lygus with curiosity.
Seeing their expressions, Lygus let out a cold laugh and explained to them just how their supposed savior intended to destroy the world.
"Fu Zhu's plan is far crazier than mine. What he's doing now is akin to killing one Titan by luring out another Titan to fight it. And you? You are all just ants watching from the sidelines. Even a simple breath from an Aeon would be a devastating blow to your world!"
Hearing this, Castorice was the first to step forward and object.
"But he's not the same as you!"
Lygus turned his head to look at her, as if asking with his eyes what the difference was.
Castorice stared at Lygus with a burning gaze, speaking each word with genuine conviction. "To our savior, luring out a second Titan to fight the first is a means to save the world! If it had any chance of destroying the world, he wouldn't do it! He must have his own assurances to do something like this!"
Hearing such a "naive" statement, Lygus couldn't help but chuckle twice.
"You are nothing more than 'shadows' inside a cave, mimicking the outside world. How could you possibly know how vast the world outside is, how the beings that exist out there can drive one to despair."
Then, he turned his head to look at Fu Zhu.
"I'm sure they won't believe what I say, but it's different coming from you. Do you plan to keep them in the dark?"
Fu Zhu, however, shot Lygus a flippant look, raising an eyebrow. "You say they're shadows in a cave, but aren't you one yourself? Limited by your own perception, how would you know I don't have the ability to pull this off? Just watch, Lygus. This is my thesis now, and you are only here to observe."
Lygus said no more, turning his gaze back to the screen. He wanted to see what gave Fu Zhu such confidence!
---o---
Outside Amphoreus, after bestowing its blessing upon The Irontomb, Qlipoth also noticed the Ender Dragon coiled above the world.
Just as Fu Zhu had predicted, Qlipoth did not disappear. Instead, its projection grew even more solid, almost becoming a physical entity.
Lygus was not surprised to see this scene unfold on the screen. This was a blatant scheme aimed squarely at [Preservation].
After learning about the Ender Dragon, everyone had come to the same conclusion.
If it is not killed, it will inevitably trigger the fifth kind of Finality. And Qlipoth, whose Path is [Preservation], would always choose to act against the Ender Dragon upon encountering it, no matter the circumstances!
Qlipoth slowly turned its colossal body, gazing towards the Ender Dragon coiled above Amphoreus. The Ender Dragon also noticed this powerful being. It tilted its head, glancing at Fu Zhu standing in the crowd, looking like he was enjoying the show.
'Playing this game again?'
Although it didn't open its mouth, its voice appeared in the minds of every person within the star system of Amphoreus.
Likewise, Herta and Screwllum, who were observing the scene through Nous's perspective, also received this message.
Herta couldn't help but frown and mutter, "…Them? How many times have it and Fu Zhu interacted?"
The first time she met Fu Zhu, she had been curious about the strange abilities he displayed and had investigated him, but found nothing.
Fu Zhu's first appearance was at the Herta Space Station. His history before that was a complete blank.
After that, the first meeting between the Ender Dragon and Fu Zhu that she knew of was in the Simulated Universe. But the meaning behind the Ender Dragon's words now clearly indicated that it and Fu Zhu shared a long history.
But how could such unique beings like Fu Zhu and the Ender Dragon have left no trace in the cosmos before?
Unless… they both came from another world that no one had yet observed! The "main world," "Nether," and "The End" that Fu Zhu spoke of were excellent proof!
Just as everyone was pondering the meaning of the Ender Dragon's words, the battle began!
However, the first to strike was not one of the two gods, but The Irontomb.
The Irontomb raised its four arms high. A bright, silver spiral sword materialized in its hands, and with a casual motion, it gripped the sword and thrust it viciously towards the Ender Dragon's head!
The crew aboard the fleets outside Amphoreus noticed this, and almost simultaneously, the same order was given.
"Full power to defensive shields, prepare to brace for impact!"
Everyone knew that in a clash between beings of this level, the mere shockwaves could easily destroy their massive fleet. Only a few would be able to survive.
---o---
The spiral sword stabbed down, true to its mark. Yet the Ender Dragon had no intention of dodging. It simply raised its head high, meeting the blade's edge.
The moment the tip of the spiral sword struck the Ender Dragon, the blade began to crack and shatter, inch by inch, disintegrating just like the Antimatter Legion fleet that had previously provoked it.
The Irontomb did not stop. With a flex of its arms, countless cross-shaped sigils appeared before it. A sea of light cannons erupted from the crosses, hurtling towards the Ender Dragon.
This time, the Ender Dragon didn't choose to face it head-on. Instead, it opened its mouth, and a dark purple orb of energy condensed within. The next instant, a beam of light shot out, aimed straight at The Irontomb.
The light cannons in the beam's path, whether they made contact or not, were annihilated in an instant. Only a few stray shots managed to hit the ground, blasting out craters.
Everyone had assumed The Irontomb would be able to withstand the Ender Dragon's attack for at least a short while, but in the blink of an eye, its torso was pierced through by the beam. The beam passed clean through and continued to stretch into the distance.
Next, the Ender Dragon did something no one expected. With a sudden swing of its head, the beam swept sideways along with its movement. Every fleet within the area swept by the beam was annihilated.
The people on those ships were vaporized before they could even send a message. The Irontomb, which was the first to be attacked, disintegrated piece by piece, utterly defeated.
After clearing out a portion of the fleet, the Ender Dragon showed no signs of stopping. It turned its massive body, intending to eliminate all the other annoying bugs outside Amphoreus.
It was at that moment that Qlipoth finally made its move.
It swung a giant hammer towards the Ender Dragon's head. The Ender Dragon immediately turned back, countering Qlipoth's giant hammer with its beam.