Rumble...

Thunder roared, the raging winds howled, and pea-sized raindrops poured down like a torrent. The ink-black sea transformed into peaks that rose high and then crashed down.

Ssss—!

A giant fish, whose body length has crossed the kilometer mark, officially joining the ranks of the Sea God's offspring, was causing waves as it swayed its tail in the sea.

The front half of its body was enclosed in a massive, thick gray bony armor, with a toothy maw that occupied nearly one-third of its body.

Its pelvic fins resembled the forelimbs of a yet-to-evolve reptile, and its spike-covered tail was divided into twelve segments.

This was an antique-grade creature, a "fossil fish," far more dominant than a human's unbreakable "all-heavy ironclad battleship" by a hundredfold.

However, compared to its opponent, this powerful Sea God's offspring, though it screeched fiercely, was obviously at a disadvantage.

In the high-altitude wind and rain, three graceful figures raised their hands, emanating red magical spiritual light of the same origin, rapidly dyeing the sky and sea red.

Whirl, whirl, whirl...

Two underwater currents transformed into thick chains, firmly locking the "fossil fish's" pelvic fins and tail.

In the sky above, eight tornadoes like octopus tentacles descended, summoning fierce thunder from above, and firmly tethers it to the water's surface.

Pseudo Authority: Usurper *3

Ocean Treasure: Weather Ring

Effect: Can forcibly summon a calamity-grade storm covering a fifty-kilometer radius above, with rain, wind, blizzard, and hail.

"Sister, quickly!"

"Understood!"

In the wind and rain, another girl with chestnut long hair assembled her slender hands into a triangle in front of her, and from the palm was suddenly born a dazzlingly bright orange-yellow light ball like a mini sun.

And then came a terrifying energy burst like a solar flare explosion.

Sizzle—!

A ferocious beam of light descended from the sky, instantly piercing the unarmored eyes of this physical-side "fossil fish," cleanly and swiftly killing it.

With the death of this Sea God's offspring — even among top predators in the Broken Star Sea, the raging wind and rain above gradually subsided, revealing the four beautiful figures standing amidst the clouds.

The emerald green snake tail sinuously moving is the Snake Witch Serra; snow-white wings sprouting on the back, waist, and ankles belong to Angie.

Appearing like elemental creatures, the one flickering with electric light is Clareesa, the elder sister among twins, while the one with octopus tentacles dancing is her sister Leonara.

Apparently, the twin sisters had already successfully advanced, and the quartet of Great Wizards from the Life Tree School flawlessly claimed victory over the lower-level Sea God's offspring!

The recent displays by the two newly promoted Upper-Rank Wizard were also astonishing.

Clareesa's Talent Magic: Fruit of Life.

Equivalent to a unique biological perpetual motion machine, able to utilize all manners, including: photosynthesis, chemosynthesis, spiritual tide, magic element fluctuations, charging... and other ways, to extract energy from nature.

Also capable of releasing energy in a fluctuating form within a short time.

Even when utterly exhausted, merely lying motionlessly, nature's wind would replenish her energy through kinetic force.

Even drifting in space, relying solely on cosmic microwave background radiation, she wouldn't starve.

If a space battleship could acquire this ability, then even reaching places without fixed stars wouldn't be a concern for breakdowns.

Leonara's Talent Magic: Evolution Clock.

From humans or other related species, it selects any capability from the myriad evolution paths in the future.

The simplest way is borrowing her own power belonging to future points in time, lasting half an hour at most, with longer duration increasing the length of weakness period.

Of course.

The four witches had all completed Creator's Blood integration, becoming true native species, but none could become the entire "ecosystem" like Aiven, the theory pioneer.

The Snake Witch Serra represents various snakes in the biosphere, extending at most to reptiles like lizards, turtles, crocodiles, and more.

Angie specializes in changing into a few extraordinary creatures, like harpies, mermaids, snake-men, centaurs... exceptionally proficient, she gains whichever extraordinary ability corresponding to whom she changes.

Clareesa not only embraces sea, land, air forms, she also possesses plant and elemental creature forms.

Regarding Leonara, she primarily focuses on mollusks including: squids, octopuses, nautiluses, ammonites, belemnites, snails, slugs, etc., and upon shape-shifting, her psychic ability is greatly enhanced.

After collecting the fossil fish's corpse, leader Serra gently waved her hand.

"Let us proceed."

Whizz! Whizz! Whizz! Whizz!

Four streaks of light swept across the sea surface heading to a vast archipelago not far from them.

Three years ago.

Due to Aiven's moon landing operation, the power of the [Queen and Goddess of Navigation] Hekater has further expanded.

Originally, navigation included some parts of the astrological and solar domains; now the [Nautical Divine Position] has been completely extended to the "Sea of Stars."

If we really are to follow the path of [Catrio's Wheel] and "interstellar colonization," the goddess would indeed become an extremely powerful ally.

However, before solving the most fundamental issue of how to allow mortals to survive in the universe, this divine position is temporarily of no use.

So, Aiven can only, like countless predecessors, turn his energy to the "Broken Star Sea" and the "Behind the Door" world at the end of the world.

However, a full three years have passed.

Now, the power of high-end extraordinaries in the Duchy is no longer so strained.

In the "Life Tree School" alone, among the nine Tier 3 extraordinaires on the same path required for Aiven's next promotion to [Truth Embodiment].

There are already four Great Wizards: Angie, Serra, Clareesa, and Leonara, plus Bach, a Tier 3 [Branded Swordsman].

Thanks to his foresight when he first set foot on the wizard's path, he is not far from that goal.

Especially thanks to Serra and her student's excellent performance, welcoming them into the "Life Tree School" was one of the most rewarding investments Aiven has ever made.

Caw caw caw...

"Teacher, the time reset during the Second Era's Ehecoatl civilization should be one month; we have about three weeks left."

Hovering above the island, assisted by a one-eyed frog with prophecy and foresight abilities, Leonara made a report to the "Snake Witch" beside her.

Clearly, their group's goal is, before launching an assault on the "Behind the Door" world, to explore the "civilization relics" that may exist in the Second Era and First Era, the last two obstacles!

...

Toot...toot toot...toot...

The ocarina on the neck of the [Spirit of Homeland Guardian: Inspector: Mountain Eagle] slowly played, and as the Secret Covenant, the "Mountain Eagle Song" opened a door like a black hole in front of Liweina, Aiven, and Olivia.

From here looking in, there wasn't even the slightest hint of wind on the dark green sea surface.

Directly ahead was a white beach, no, it should be called a white desert because this vast beach extended all the way to the horizon.

In this barren, pure white desert, all things were withering; even the sand, soil, and air had died.

Barren...desolate...cold...

Just looking at it makes one feel the urge to flee.

Liweina couldn't help but shiver slightly; at the same time, she saw a black stele standing by the door, with the following words written in Spiritual Text:

"Those who enter this door must abandon all hope.

Through me, enter the City of Suffering;

Through me, enter the abyss of eternal lamentation;

Through me, enter the throng doomed forever.

Justice moved my exalted Creator;

The power of the Divine Spirit, the highest wisdom, and the utmost love...

Before me, nothing was created except eternal things;

And I am also eternal, lasting through the ages.

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."

At this moment, she saw a brown-skinned figure in the distant white desert turn around and smile at her, but with half of its face missing flesh. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Liweina hid behind Aiven like a startled cat, nervously clutching the hem of her skirt, her lips murmuring:

"Aiven, I guess... maybe, probably, you're taking me to hell?!"

Just about to step forward, Aiven turned back curiously:

"Is there a problem? Didn't you want to know the secret of how mortals could reverse the gods?"

This normally strong Titled Knight was somewhat embarrassed:

"Well, I... fear..."

Aiven scratched his ear.

"Didn't catch that."

Liweina put her hands on her hips, glaring at him with her big lake-green eyes and shouting with effort:

"Hmph, I said, I fear ghosts...ghosts...ghosts...!!!"

"Oh, let's go!"

"Ah—!"