The Ku Hai Divine Lord

Inside the spacecraft's control room.

"Stellar Level, seventh rank!"

Gu Ce climbed out of the Nutrient Pod and stretched his limbs, his entire body crackling and popping.

Today marked the sixth month since his arrival at the Ku Hai Secret Realm.

The Sky Sea was about to sink. Rimuru woke Gu Ce, and he emerged from the Nutrient Pod, preparing to witness this spectacle of the Cosmic Secret Realm.

Four months ago, the Sky Sea had undergone some changes, but they had lasted only a few hours. Gu Ce had been unable to locate the source of the disturbance; he only knew that quite a few people seemed to have disappeared.

That bald Domain Lord had come by once, but he had found nothing unusual. It was as though those people had vanished into thin air.

In the end, the matter could only be left unresolved.

After hearing about it, most of the wealthy young people who had entered the secret realm left early. A small number remained—either unwilling to waste their ticket money or believing themselves lucky, like Gu Ce.

However, Gu Ce had no intention of staying here for long.

After observing the Sky Sea's descent, he planned to leave and find another place to train.

Hong and Thor had both advanced to the Stellar Level and gone off to explore the universe.

Gu Ce was even considering whether he should try taking a Cosmic Mercenary examination for fun.

"Rimuru, check if there are any particularly powerful sea beasts nearby," Gu Ce said.

It had been a long time since he had fought. Though he had constantly trained in the Killing Field within the Virtual Universe, without the risk of injury, the threat of death, and real blood, it always felt lacking.

"There's a Universe Level, sixth-rank Cloud Shark nearby. For some reason, it's traveling alone," Rimuru said curiously.

Weren't Cloud Sharks supposed to travel in groups?

"It'll do," Gu Ce said indifferently.

Not to mention a Universe Level, sixth-rank beast—even against a Universe Level, ninth-rank one, Gu Ce was confident he could take it on.

Over the past few months, aside from having his body strengthened by the Nutrient Pod, Gu Ce had made another breakthrough in the Law of Water!

His Water Domain had reached the ninth level!

A Ninefold Domain was a realm that ordinary ninth-rank Domain Lords could possess only.

In terms of his comprehension of the Law of Water, Gu Ce had already surpassed the vast majority of Domain Lords. Even some World Lords might not possess a deeper comprehension than he did.

After all, under normal circumstances, one only began comprehending Laws upon reaching the World Lord Level.

Of course, the most crucial thing was still the Origin Laws of Space.

Thanks to Six Eyes, Gu Ce's body was no less compatible with the Space Laws than the Demon Killer Clan's.

Although he had spent the past few months focusing on reaching the Ninefold Domain and had barely comprehended the Origin Laws of Space—

His progress in that regard had still been far from slow. He could now create nine incarnations, just one step away from reaching the second level of "Myriad Incarnations."

That Universe Level Cloud Shark was not far away.

Rimuru pointed out the direction. Gu Ce stored away the spacecraft and headed straight toward it.

Before long, the plump Cloud Shark entered Gu Ce's field of vision.

Whoosh!

Gu Ce moved swiftly, leaving behind nine incarnations in the water, as though ten people were attacking at once.

Sea Split!

He opened with a killing move, with no intention of holding back.

If he could kill it instantly, why slowly chip away at its health?

Squelch!

This strike left a long, narrow wound on the Cloud Shark's body, blood continuously spilling from it.

The Cloud Shark flew into a rage. Its eyes reddened as it lunged at Gu Ce.

It was no slower in the water. Opening its blood-filled maw, it tried to swallow Gu Ce whole.

A foul stench wafted from that enormous mouth. Chunks of rotting flesh clung to the corners, seemingly ready to fall at any moment. Looking closely, one could even see shattered bones wedged tightly between its teeth. Mixed with saliva and other filth, they were enough to make anyone vomit at the sight.

Gu Ce frowned and rapidly retreated, unwilling to have any close contact with it.

The Cloud Shark refused to let up. Seeing Gu Ce retreat, it assumed he was afraid and revealed a ferocious expression.

Its two rows of sharp teeth ground continuously as it charged at him like a Brute Ox!

Wave!

Gu Ce's figure flashed, and he instantly appeared behind the Cloud Shark. His Water Domain expanded at once, pressing down upon it.

Boom!

Domains collided!

Gu Ce had not expected this Cloud Shark to possess a Domain as well.

However, its Domain was not particularly strong, having only barely reached the second level. Before Gu Ce's Ninefold Domain, it was merely an ant trying to topple a tree—a futile struggle in the face of death.

The 'Wave' sword technique primarily drew upon the Law of Water. It carried a hint of using overwhelming momentum to crush one's opponent, emphasizing suppression and annihilation!

The 'Sea Split' sword technique, on the other hand, primarily drew upon the Origin Laws of Space. It was somewhat similar to Space Strangulation—sharp enough to sever everything!

What Gu Ce used now was 'Wave'.

The Ninefold Domain suppressed the Cloud Shark within it. Seemingly sensing the approaching danger, the Cloud Shark continuously thrashed its body.

"Splash!"

Gu Ce slashed with his sword!

"Boom!"

Tsunamis churned!

Carrying the force of the sea, the Cloud Sea Sword instantly dealt heavy damage to the Cloud Shark.

This strike landed directly on the wound he had inflicted earlier, widening it further. The force of the waves brought by 'Wave' shattered its bones, even exposing the Cloud Shark's internal organs!

However.

Gu Ce was slightly stunned as he watched countless bubbles suddenly appear before him, nearly blocking his vision entirely!

The surrounding currents surged without pause.

The seawater churned as though it had been boiled, continuously producing bubbles that rapidly rushed toward the surface.

The heavily injured yet still-living Cloud Shark struggled even more violently upon seeing this phenomenon. Gu Ce frowned and thrust his sword into its brain.

The sword blade trembled slightly, shredding the Cloud Shark's brain.

Gu Ce stood atop the Cloud Shark's head, watching the strange changes in the surrounding seawater.

"Rimuru, what's going on?" Gu Ce asked.

Rimuru was equally baffled. Universe First Bank's detailed information on the Ku Hai Secret Realm had never mentioned such a situation!

"Could this be related to that incident four months ago?" Rimuru guessed.

"A secret realm mutation?" Gu Ce could not help frowning deeply.

This was not good news.

After all, some dangerous Cosmic Secret Realms could threaten the lives of Universe Venerables and even Universe Masters.

The Ku Hai Secret Realm had once produced World Lord Level sea beasts. Gu Ce would not lightly underestimate any dangerous place.

Confidence was not stupidity!

Nor would one's state of mind collapse merely because of a temporary retreat.

The Sky Sea began to sink. The currents suddenly flowed downward, while gravity continuously increased, already reaching dozens of times Earth's gravity and still climbing.

Yet the bubbling phenomenon showed no signs of stopping.

The temperature of the surrounding water continued to rise. A massive vortex even appeared beneath his feet, Devouring everything around it like a black hole, seemingly intending to drag Gu Ce inside!

"Master!" Rimuru cried anxiously.

Without hesitation, Gu Ce took out his spacecraft and prepared to leave first, only to discover that the suction beneath his feet had suddenly increased dozens of times over!

"Hm?"

Gu Ce's expression changed, and he swiftly entered the spacecraft.

The spacecraft pushed itself to its limits, attempting to rush out of the vortex's range.

In fact, it succeeded.

But accidents always happened.

A Giant Star Whale over a thousand meters long, estimated to be at least Universe Level Rank 7, crashed head-on into the spacecraft's path, becoming the final straw that broke the camel's back.

"Boom!"

The spacecraft lurched unsteadily and was swept along by the current.

The entire operating system lost control. The force of the vortex outside had already reached Domain Lord Level and was still increasing.

"Ku Hai Divine Lord... Hmph. Even dead, you still won't leave us in peace!"

Just as Gu Ce thought he was about to die before accomplishing anything—

A giant hand broke through the water's surface, grabbed the spacecraft, and scooped both it and Gu Ce out of the water.