Under Godzilla's overwhelming strength, Belobog's tense atmosphere began to ease.
Everyone was methodically making final preparations.
...
Meanwhile, in the expanse of the universe, the Antimatter Legion closing in on Jarilo began to stir.
They had sensed the presence of something worthy of destruction—they would bring it ruin!
The frenzied legion failed to notice that not far behind them, a spaceship was tailing closely, or rather, their path aligned perfectly with the spaceship's route.
"That many Antimatter Legion troops… could the Astral Express team be in trouble?" Muttered a small doll-like girl, no taller than Master Diviner Fu Xuan.
-----------------------------------
The air was unusually heavy.
Although Belobog had already been spared from blizzards and disasters, the wind in the air still stung the face.
"A little nervous," March 7th rubbed her hands together and breathed into her palms while hunching over slightly. "Why can't we strike first? Isn't waiting here just asking to be a target?"
Dan Heng's expression remained calm: "The Xianzhou Luofu didn't expect an attack from the Antimatter Legion. The fleet brought this time isn't large. Miss Topaz represents the Interastral Peace Corporation. The IPC wouldn't fight a war for Jarilo for free. It's already rare enough that she's willing to lead IPC staff to help."
"Oh right, who would've thought those creeps would actually chase us here." March 7th suddenly understood. Then she recalled how terrifying the Antimatter Legion truly was.
If it were just a normal invasion, March 7th would've thought they were just bad people and helped the locals.
But an invasion from the Antimatter Legion was different. These guys destroyed everything in their path.
"Thankfully, there are no signs of a Lord Emanator involved this time—just a wandering faction of the Antimatter Legion."
Yukong joined the conversation. She found this unnamed man called Dan Heng rather interesting.
He gave her a strangely familiar feeling, as if there was a faint connection.
"What if an Emanator shows up? We don't have anyone who can match an Emanator's power," March 7th said worriedly.
"Heh, there are only a handful of Emanators in the universe. Nearly every one of them is documented. Their whereabouts are closely monitored by all major powers. Of course, the ones who frequently appear in public are relatively safe."
What Yukong said was true. Emanators were as conspicuous in the universe as the sun. Even the Emanators publicly acknowledged by the IPC were only a few—there might even be some hidden ones.
But regardless, to those knowledgeable about the universe, the word "Emanator" alone brought a suffocating pressure.
During this rare moment of peace, the group chatted for a bit.
"Report, Master Yukong! We've detected Antimatter Legion activity. They're expected to enter Jarilo-VI's atmosphere in three hours!" A Cloud Knight soldier ran over to report the current situation.
"Three hours? That's enough." Yukong nodded slightly and waved him back to his post.
"Three hours… that soon?" Hearing there were only three hours left, March 7th grew even more nervous. This was her first time involved in a battle between two major forces.
Or rather, this wasn't just two forces.
Even on Jarilo alone, several notable factions from the universe had gathered. A battle of this scale was rare even across the stars. She hadn't expected to be a part of it today.
"Hmph! With my bat here, if a thousand come, a thousand die!" Stelle struck a heroic pose, her aura brimming.
"Yeah, yeah, my big hero. Can you come down first? Standing up there makes you an easy target."March 7th rolled her eyes and looked up at Stelle.
Stelle was standing on the city wall, her whole figure standing two heads taller than everyone else—bold and eye-catching.
...
"Director Topaz, are we really going up against the Antimatter Legion? Just us?" An IPC employee in heavy armor asked cautiously.
Hearing their anxious voices, Topaz smiled: "Relax. We're just here to provide backup. Remember, your safety comes first."
"Yes, Director Topaz!"
Once her subordinates had gone off to carry out their duties, Topaz let out a long sigh. Her gaze drifted to the largest open area in Belobog, where a towering pillar upheld the city.
"At this point, I hope this investment of mine doesn't end up wasted."
Patting Numby's head, Topaz smiled.
"Hey, seriously? You're still here at a time like this? Planning to fight off the Legion with just you and your little pet?"
Holding a scythe, a former Emanator confronted Topaz.
Though she didn't like how Topaz always showed up in Jarilo to collect debts whenever things got better, she couldn't bear to watch her die in a situation like this.
Besides, those unreasonable debts had already been withdrawn thanks to Yukong's intervention.
Now Jarilo only had to repay the principal.
As for the repayment, Topaz didn't really care. They definitely wouldn't repay the outrageous interest, and Jarilo couldn't afford to either. If push came to shove, they'd just give collateral. If it was just the principal, they wouldn't bother to interfere.
...
The Astral Express had now gone into hiding, observing the Antimatter Legion's movements from a secret location.
"They're here…" As soon as the Antimatter Legion's soldiers appeared in sight, Himeko stopped stirring her coffee.
"Three Doomsday Beasts. Unknown numbers of high-level Legion Members. That's quite a terrifyingly strong army," Welt pushed up his glasses and said calmly.
Just then, a trembling voice came from the corner: "W-why does Pompom have to sit here scared, pom… Why did the passengers, March and the others, have to stay on Jarilo, pom… No, no, Jarilo is dangerous too, but Pompom's still worried about them…"
Pompom was already curled up in the corner.
Don't scare the train conductor like this, come on!
Himeko and Welt exchanged glances and saw helplessness in each other's eyes.
After all, helping Jarilo had been their idea. Pompom hadn't refused, but the danger was indeed unsettling.
"Pompom, how about a cup of coffee to calm your nerves? We're already well hidden—they won't find us."
"!!! Pompom thinks Pompom isn't scared anymore! No coffee though—Pompom wants juice instead. Pompom wants to wait for March and the others to come back safely."
After speaking, Pompom hurriedly scampered away on her short legs, disappearing from sight, leaving only Welt silently staring at the coffee in Himeko's hand, which constantly exuded an indescribable aura.
"I remember there are no more ingredients for juice on the train. How is Pompom going to make it then?" Himeko asked in confusion.
While she was puzzled, the Antimatter Legion was already closing in on Jarilo.
"Whoosh! Whoosh!" Three Doomsday Beasts flapped their wings and charged toward the planet in their sights, bringing destruction to the world they deemed unworthy.
Just as they were about to enter the atmosphere—
"Boom!" Several beams of light shot straight into the sky. The scorching heat burned holes into the hardened bodies of the Doomsday Beasts. Through those holes, one could see the scene on the other side—completely pierced through!
And not just them—the first beam was like a signal. Following it was a sky-filling barrage!
Beams of light, trailing glowing tails, rained down on the Antimatter Legion one after another, each blast taking down swaths of void soldiers.
"Roar~!" The Doomsday Beasts let out a roar, not halting their advance despite the injuries. An overwhelming aura instantly filled the battlefield.
"An ambush! Who is it?!"
The Antimatter Legion is not trodden by void soldiers alone—many have chosen this path of ruin. The sudden attack left them momentarily stunned.
But the assault from the Xianzhou didn't stop just because they paused. A relentless barrage of cannon fire rained down upon them, and in doing so, their attackers' identity was revealed.
"The Xianzhou emblem? What's the Xianzhou doing here?"
"Forget it! These bastards actually dared to attack us? Wipe them out!"
It's well known that most who walk the Path of Destruction aren't right in the head. And those who are too smart usually don't walk it. Clearly, the one leading this army wasn't too clever.
Without hesitation, someone led a small squad charging toward the Xianzhou fleet!
"Lord Yukong, the Antimatter Legion has taken the bait. Some of them have already breached the atmosphere. We don't have enough firepower to intercept them all."
"Mm, I understand. Keep yourselves safe. Don't engage recklessly."
Ending the communication, Yukong looked up at the sky with a serious expression. The sky was dark and murky, but Yukong knew—that wasn't the sign of rain, but something far worse descending.
"They're here!" Seele shouted.
Everyone snapped to attention, watching as a Void walker broke through the clouds, followed by several massive beasts. Countless void soldiers stood atop them—clearly their vanguard force.
The overwhelming number blocked out the sky. Everyone who saw this scene couldn't help but swallow nervously.
"In the name of Landau!" A powerful shout woke everyone up. Gepard stood in Sentinel officer armor, face firm, holding a gun and shield, standing tall.
In the next moment, everyone felt a surge of warmth flowing through their bodies—that was the power of Preservation.
Gepard's action revitalized the crowd.
Under the Silvermane Guard's operation, several massive cannons aimed at the sky. The next second—
"Boom!" The cannons, drawing energy from the planet's core, concentrated their power and blasted upward!
Wherever the light beams passed, void soldiers turned to ash.
Before they could cheer, more roars echoed. Two massive figures emerged from the clouds—Doomsday Beasts again!
"Roar!!!"
"What overwhelming pressure… No wonder they're called anti-planet weapons. Hey, how did you deal with them last time?"
Seele's expression turned serious. Though tense, she wasn't afraid under the Doomsday Beasts' pressure.
Come on, Godzilla's way bigger than these guys. So what if they've got wings? I've handled worse!
Hearing Seele's question, Stelle and Dan Heng simultaneously turned to March 7th.
"When it comes to this, March is the expert." Stelle smiled.
"Hehe, I wouldn't go that far. But what should I do?" March 7th asked, puzzled.
"Just do what you did on the space station." Dan Heng replied calmly.
"Like on the space station…" March muttered, then her eyes lit up. She lifted her head, bow in her left hand, arrow drawn with her right, a wild grin on her face.
"Come down here!"
"Roar!"
"Wahh! It really came down!"
Seeing the Doomsday Beast actually charge at her, March nearly lost it.
Weren't they supposed to be brainless destruction freaks? Why do they understand what I say?!
"Serval!" Seeing the Doomsday Beast drawn over, Bronya's eyes lit up, and she quickly shouted behind her.
"Coming!" With a shout, Serval's righteous iron fists (Engine of Creation) struck just before the beast reached the city walls!
Before it could react, the Doomsday Beast's whole body was sent flying out of control.
It scraped deep trenches across the ground, while atomic-level energy traces still shimmered in the wake of the impact.
"Ha, this big guy's pretty handy after all."
"Boom! Boom! Boom!" The massive body of the Engine of Creation stomped across the land, charging toward the Doomsday Beast still lying in the pit.
March 7th excitedly watched the scene, loosing arrow after arrow from her bow, every shot hitting its mark.
The vast number of void soldiers couldn't be completely held back. Many still made it onto the city walls, clashing fiercely with the Silvermane Guards and Cloud Knights.
Among them, Yanqing's sword danced freely, each swing claiming numerous foes.
...
Compared to the battle above, it was much quieter underground.
Kafka and Silver Wolf were both there accompanying Godzilla.
"It's so lively up there, I really want to go see."
Silver Wolf let out a yelp and collapsed backward as if her bones had disappeared.
"Hehe, no rush, this little cutie hasn't even moved yet," Kafka chuckled softly, her gaze falling on the seemingly asleep Godzilla.
A few days ago, it could sense the arrival of the Doomsday Beast from a great distance. Clearly, it had noticed this time too, but the fact that it hadn't moved puzzled her.
Heave-ho, heave-ho.
Silver Wolf jumped over to Godzilla in a few quick bounds and asked curiously, "Big guy, why haven't you headed to the main hall area with the others yet?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Silver Wolf suddenly felt taller.
Looking down, it wasn't that she had grown taller — she was flying.
"Hey! Put me down!" Lifted by her collar with its tail, Silver Wolf struggled hard, but a sedentary gamer couldn't match the muscular might of Godzilla.
In the next second, the tail powered up, swinging rapidly with a whoosh, and Silver Wolf turned into a human pinwheel.
Then came a throw.
With a whoosh, Silver Wolf spiraled toward Kafka.
Kafka calmly lifted her gaze and gracefully sidestepped.
Thud!
With a dull thud, Silver Wolf flattened out on the ground.
Godzilla never opened its eyes the entire time....
On the surface, the battle continued.
The Doomsday Beast roared and charged at the Engine of Creation. Seizing the opportunity, Serval directly manipulated the engine to extend its arms and try to pin down the beast.
Just as it was grabbed, the Doomsday Beast let out a low roar, and the surrounding air became visibly distorted!
"Watch out! That thing's about to fire a beam!"
"Then let's see whose is bigger!" Serval sneered, scoffing at the idea of comparing firepower with a cannon she personally designed.
The center of the Engine of Creation caved in, then a massive barrel emerged, gathering energy and glowing faintly blue.
It was the weapon Serval had been working on — modeled after Godzilla's giant cannon!
Both sides were charging up.
"Careful!" Serval's anxious voice came through.
Boom!
A massive sound shook everything, not from the beam clash, but from the arrival of a new destructive figure.
Another Doomsday Beast — even bigger than the first!
Broad wings, muscular build, and terrifying presence.
"Wh-Why is there another one? Weren't there only supposed to be three? And why is this one so huge?" March 7th was completely flustered.
She looked at her bow. Was this really going to work against that thing?
Did she just hear Himeko's voice?
Right then, Himeko's voice rang out, "That Doomsday Beast is a recent discovery. Not only is it larger than the others, but it also contains a much stronger destructive force. Clearly, it was deliberately cultivated!"
"Someone actually raised this thing?" Stelle's expression darkened. A beast that size — no way her baseball bat could knock it out. She'd need to go all out and even then—
"Cocolia! I can't control the Serval anymore. That thing's too powerful — attack now while you can!"
Serval shouted.
Hearing her, everyone snapped out of their daze and sprang into action.
"Break!" Dan Heng charged forward as always, followed by Yanqing.
Stepping on a Voidspawn's head, Yanqing's gaze locked onto the giant Doomsday Beast. He judged that Dan Heng's strike would hold it for a bit, and he'd follow up with a flurry of attacks.
Boom! The plan sounded great, but the next second, another Doomsday Beast came out of nowhere and sent him flying.
"That's the fourth one," March 7th's eyes were full of fatigue. Seriously, how many do you guys have? Just bring them all out at once already. What's the point of one after another?
As the fourth Doomsday Beast appeared, deep underground, a pair of terrifying eyes suddenly snapped open.
Roar!
A deafening roar shook all of Belobog. The ground trembled, and the shockwave turned many Voidspawns to dust.
"That sound!" Bronya, in the heat of battle, turned around joyfully.
Whoosh!
In the next moment, the sky darkened.
A "tower" blocked everyone's view. Fierce winds blew through, sweeping away the most aggressive Voidspawns, while others were obliterated by a single swing of a tail.
Boom!
The Doomsday Beast didn't even have time to react before it was seized by the massive figure. No matter how it struggled, it couldn't break free.
Looking at the little toy in its hand, Godzilla narrowed its eyes, ready to play.