GODZILLA- CH-31. Escape and Pursuit

By then, let alone fish, even shrimp might vanish.

After all, these frog-fish consumed everything. Wherever they passed, the seabed corals were stripped bare, leaving desolation in their wake.

For the Shark People's survival, the other three tribes had no choice but to help. If the Shark People fell, who could say whether these frog-fish wouldn't eventually dominate the seas and turn their gaze toward the land?

If that were to happen, the entire world might face ruin.

However, the ultimate outcome of this war didn't hinge on the battles between the four tribes and the frog-fish.

In this age of titanic creatures, in this era of gods, the decisive factor was always the clash of divinities.

After all, the gods' power was unmatched. No matter how vast the frog-fish numbers, they couldn't endure the relentless onslaught of divine might.

At this moment, the four tribes were fiercely engaged with the frog-fish and couldn't spare attention to their rear.

But while the tribes overlooked it, the frog-fish didn't.

From the front lines, a multitude of frog-fish spotted James observing the battlefield from afar in the ocean depths.

For a moment, the fighting frog-fish froze.

Chattering furiously, they signaled to one another, and in the next instant, they surged in unison toward James.

Seeing the swarming horde bearing down on him, James stood motionless, dumbfounded.

Even the four tribes were momentarily stunned. But as realization dawned and they turned their gaze toward him, their bodies trembled—not from fear, but from sheer ecstasy and excitement.

"Ha! This is amusing. When did the world become so entertaining?" James muttered to himself. "Have I ever seen such brazen ignorance?"

"A bunch of oversized sea cockroaches dares to come after me?"

His lips curled into a grin. "Fine. Let them come. Let's see if they're still so arrogant after this."

---

An overwhelming tide of frog-fish surged toward James.

Despite their numbers, James remained unfazed. He stood perfectly still, his cold gaze fixed on the approaching horde.

The first frog-fish reached him, sinking its sharp teeth into his thick, rock-like skin. More followed, swarming over him until his body was entirely encased.

From a distance, he resembled a figure enveloped by a swarm of insects.

Seeing the strange god so easily overwhelmed by their brethren, the frog-fish priest orchestrating the attack faltered, a flicker of doubt crossing its alien face.

Was it possible for gods to be this weak?

Instead of celebrating, the priest frowned, an uneasy suspicion gnawing at its thoughts.

Only the mindless, expendable frog-fish rushed blindly to fight and die. The priest, a higher being in their hierarchy, understood the value of prudence.

In its eyes, the low-level frog-fish were no better than sea cockroaches—replaceable, disposable. They could die in droves and still be swiftly replenished through breeding.

But those capable of intelligence and leadership were rare, and as a priest, it represented the pinnacle of their caste. To it, survival wasn't just instinct—it was divine mandate.

Watching James motionless amid the frenzy, the priest hesitated. Something about this god felt... wrong.

Most of the frog-fish priests were wise and cautious, never underestimating any god.

When the frog-fish warriors attacked James under their command, the priests themselves had already begun retreating.

What seemed like a reckless assault was, in reality, a strategy—using cannon fodder to cover their escape from the battlefield.

As the frog-fish priests swam away rapidly, more crazed frog-fish warriors rushed toward James.

But as the priests retreated cautiously, the entire sea area was suddenly bathed in fiery red light.

The brilliance was dazzling, intense, and terrifying.

James' body, previously swarmed by frog-fish warriors gnawing at him, turned molten red. A high-temperature halo erupted outward from his body.

The halo expanded in a perfect sphere with James at its center.

For an instant, it was as though time itself froze.

The frog-fish warriors, clinging to James and biting at his rocky form, stopped moving. In a fraction of a second, their skin began to disintegrate.

First, the surface melted away, then their flesh and bones.

All organic matter vaporized in the wake of the fiery halo, reduced to nothingness.

Even the surrounding seawater boiled and evaporated instantly, creating a temporary vacuum around James.

Encased in a molten aura, James stood at the center of the chaos, isolated from the world outside.

When the fiery shield reached its maximum radius—500 meters—it collapsed back into his body, like time rewinding.

The seawater rushed back in, filling the void left behind.

The frog-fish warriors were annihilated in a flash.

The frog-fish priests, watching from a safe distance, froze in terror. So did the four allied tribes and their own warriors further away.

Fear spread like wildfire. The molten god had turned his gaze toward them.

The once-frenzied frog-fish warriors now fled in every direction, panic-stricken and desperate.

The sight was like a swarm of bees suddenly scattering away from a threat.

"Is this... our Father God?"

In the distance, the dinosaur people trembled with excitement.

Though these new-generation dinosaur people had never seen James in person, his likeness had been immortalized in statues and rituals for generations. Even enlarged and glowing red, his form was unmistakable.

To them, James looked like an enormous version of their kind—a divine protector returned to save them.

As realization struck, one dinosaur priest raised his spear and bellowed:

"My fellow Lava People, the Father has returned! Do not let him witness cowardice! Fight with me for glory! Show him our courage! Kill!"

"Kill!"

"For the Father!"

The dinosaur people erupted in cheers, invigorated with renewed energy and purpose.

Their cries echoed across the battlefield as they charged the retreating frog-fish forces.

Seeing this, the shark people priests also rallied their warriors:

"People of the coastal waters! The God of Molten Flame has arrived! Victory for the Four Gods of Order is at hand!"

"Kill! Drive them out!"

"The alliance will triumph!"

"Kill! Kill them all!"

Even the snake people and mosquito people joined the charge.

For days, the four tribes had been oppressed and beaten back. Now, their frustrations erupted in a relentless counterattack.

With James' arrival, a ray of hope illuminated their darkest hours.

At last, the warriors of the four tribes had their chance to vent their pent-up rage and strike back at their tormentors.

While the allied forces pursued the fleeing frog-fish army, James focused elsewhere.

To him, the cannon fodder was insignificant—mere ants.

His attention turned toward the central battlefield, where the undercurrents of power and chaos were brewing.

The true battle of gods was near, and James could feel it through the ripples in the water.

Without looking back, he swam forward, leaving the skirmish of the four tribes behind.

The water lizard's heart sank completely.

The battle with the giant octopus had dragged on for six days and nights. During that time, it had been utterly suppressed.

But there was one small silver lining: the giant snake, unreliable as it was, had killed countless Sons of the Abyss.

For now, as long as the giant octopus could be kept away from the coastal waters and its people, the current losses were manageable.

Yet, the water lizard found itself the primary target of the giant octopus.

Escape was no longer an option.

For six relentless days, the octopus had pursued it. Though the water lizard was slippery and hard to grasp—its body coated in a slimy liquid that the octopus' suction cups couldn't cling to—it had still borne the brunt of the octopus' rage.

Occasionally caught, the water lizard always managed to slip away.

This infuriated the octopus. Its colossal strength was matched by its towering frustration.

With each failed capture, its anger grew, until it was consumed by a primal need to destroy its foe.

Despite its immense power, the octopus lacked intelligence. It relied solely on brute strength, roaring and lashing out as it chased the water lizard.

But the water lizard was cunning. Retreating carefully, it lured the octopus farther and farther from its territory.

Finally, the battle encroached on the domain of another great beast—a colossal trilobite buried deep in the seabed.

This ancient creature slumbered peacefully until the violent clash awakened it.

Its people, humanoid beings with metallic shells and segmented bodies, scurried to assess the situation.

Known as the Sons of Black Water, they were usually peaceful, their god uninterested in territorial expansion.

But now, their lands were threatened.

The trilobite emerged from the sand, its small eyes scanning its surroundings.

It sensed the tremors in the water and the roars of the giant beasts.

Who dared bring such chaos to its domain?

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