Chương 97: Chapter 96: Leviathan, King of the Abyss

The world shook. Not from an earthquake. Not from an explosion. But from the heartbeat of something that should never have awakened. The ocean split in half. Miles of seawater rose into walls that touched the clouds, revealing an abyss so deep that even sunlight could not reach its bottom. From that darkness... Two colossal crimson eyes opened. They were larger than castles. Older than mountains. Filled with endless hatred. The World Turtle cried out. For the first time in recorded history...

The Ancient Guardian screamed. The black spear piercing its shell pulsed with corrupted Astra, spreading dark veins across its golden body. Entire forests on its shell withered. Ancient rivers turned black. The crystal bridge shattered. Candidates leaped backward as pieces of the World Turtle's shell collapsed into the sea.

"Everyone!" Rayan shouted.

"Get away from the edge!" Cassian grabbed two falling sailors before they plunged into the abyss. Siena raised dozens of lotus barriers, protecting the remaining crew of the Dawn Sovereign from flying debris. Michael spread his wings, catching injured soldiers in midair. Even Auriel moved without hesitation, cutting apart massive boulders before they crushed civilians. For one brief moment... Enemies and allies fought together. Because everyone understood the truth. If the World Turtle died... They all died.

The ocean erupted. A massive horn broke through the surface. Then another. Black scales, each the size of a fortress, emerged one after another. An enormous serpentine head rose from the abyss. Its jaws alone could swallow entire cities. Ancient runes burned across its body. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Chains wrapped around its neck, wrists, and tail. Most had already snapped. Only a few remained. The Guardian's voice trembled.

"... Those are Atlas' chains." Lyra stared in disbelief.

"He imprisoned Leviathan himself..." The monster inhaled. The surrounding sea vanished into its mouth. Entire rivers flowed backward. Storm clouds spiraled into a gigantic vortex above its head. Then... It exhaled. A beam of compressed abyssal energy tore through the heavens. The attack missed the World Turtle by inches. Instead... It split a distant mountain range in half. The horizon exploded. Even after several seconds... The beam continued into the sky until it disappeared among the stars. Silence followed.

Cassian slowly swallowed.

"I..."

"... don't think I can punch that." Kael's expression hardened.

"So the prison really broke." Auriel looked toward him.

"You knew."

"I suspected."

"You didn't tell anyone." Kael's eyes never left Leviathan.

"Would you have believed me?" No one answered. Because the answer was obvious. No. Leviathan finally spoke. Its voice echoed like thousands of storms colliding.

"Atlas..."

"Come out." The sea trembled.

"I have slept long enough." No response came from the heavens. Only silence. Leviathan laughed. The sound alone shattered cliffs across the World Turtle's shell.

"Still hiding..." Suddenly— Golden light erupted from Rayan's chest. The Dharma Dragonblade floated into the air. Its dragon-shaped guard roared. The pendant Arkan had entrusted to Lyra began glowing. A familiar figure appeared beside Rayan. Not physically. A spiritual projection. Arkan. The First Dharma King. His transparent form looked toward Leviathan with calm eyes.

"It remembers me." Rayan stared.

"You fought it?" Arkan nodded.

"Long before kingdoms existed." Ten Thousand Years Ago... The newborn world had no balance. The seas belonged to Leviathan. The skies belonged to the First Archons. Humanity did not yet exist. Leviathan sought only one thing. Freedom. But freedom for Leviathan meant drowning the continents before humans could ever be born. Atlas, Arkan, and the Seven Kings fought together. The battle lasted forty-nine days. At its end... Atlas forged the Chains of Eternity. Arkan delivered the final strike.

Leviathan was imprisoned beneath the Sea of Eternity. Until today. The vision faded. Leviathan's crimson eyes locked onto Rayan.

"You carry..."

"His soul." The ocean exploded beneath its body. The King of the Abyss lunged. Its gigantic jaws descended toward the World Turtle. Everything happened in an instant. Michael charged first. His divine spear became a streak of golden light. Auriel followed, six obsidian wings tearing through the sky. Kael appeared from a portal of darkness, black flames surrounding his blade. Lyra summoned thousands of celestial sigils.

Even the mysterious white-haired Ninth Candidate stepped forward, raising one hand toward the approaching monster. For the first time... Every chosen candidate stood together. Seven different powers collided against Leviathan's scales. BOOOOOOOOOOM!! The explosion illuminated the entire Sea of Eternity. The World Turtle's shell cracked further. Towering waves raced toward the horizon. When the light faded... Everyone stared in disbelief. Leviathan hadn't moved. Not even an inch. Its scales remained untouched.

Only one faint scratch marked its neck. The King of the Abyss smiled.

"Children..."

"Have you finished?" Fear spread through every warrior present. Even Michael's strongest attack... Had accomplished almost nothing. Then... The white-haired Ninth Candidate quietly stepped past everyone. He looked up at Leviathan with the same lonely expression.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

"I think..."

"... I know you." Leviathan froze. Its massive crimson eyes widened. For the first time... The King of the Abyss looked... Afraid. The mysterious youth slowly raised his right hand. A single silver thread appeared between his fingers. The world itself began to distort around it. Atlas' horrified voice thundered across heaven and earth.

"NO!"

"Do not cut that thread!" The white-haired youth looked confused.

"But..."

"He'll die if I don't." The silver thread glowed brighter. And every soul present instinctively realized one terrifying truth. That tiny thread... Was connected to Leviathan's fate itself. To Be Continue....