R'lyeh City

The sky was densely covered in dark clouds, black and oppressive as though an abyss had descended, carrying threads of fear and ill omen. The sprawling ruins stood as symbols of a civilization's former glory.

Countless wreckages, collapsed buildings, and sunken ground.

Human civilization seemed to have turned to ashes amid fear and chaos.

Lu Changsheng, Iron Man, and Daigo appeared on the abandoned Steel Continent.

"Friday, scan the surroundings for signs of living people." Stark looked around in surprise.

"There are no signs of human activity nearby. Based on the various indications, no one has come here for a very long time."

Daigo focused his mind. "What exactly happened? An entire city was just abandoned?"

Lu Changsheng was not surprised. According to his calculations, Cthulhu had already awakened, and R'lyeh City had risen from the sea. The power radiating from Cthulhu had likely unconsciously affected humans who had made no preparations.

"I'm afraid more than one city was abandoned. Daigo, Octopus Head said in the group before that humans cannot look directly at him. If they accidentally see him, they fall into madness. What happened here has everything to do with Octopus Head," Lu Changsheng said.

"This..." Daigo was momentarily speechless. That group member who had always been lurking was actually this powerful?

Stark silently patted his chest. Then layers of seemingly illusory armor covered his body, solidifying into golden-red armor. Lights flickered across the Crimson Phoenix Steel Armor as its formations activated.

"So this lets me resist Octopus Head's psychic attacks?" Iron Man's armor was a fusion of cultivation and technology, exuding an overwhelming sense of coolness, like the sun god of Greek mythology.

"Yes." Lu Changsheng nodded.

"What do we do next? Unseal Octopus Head's seal? Are there still living people on this planet?" Daigo looked into the distance, his sense of justice urging him to protect the weak.

"There definitely are, but they've probably gone into hiding." Lu Changsheng said, "And they have a very poor impression of Octopus Head."

"I can guess why." Iron Man nodded.

Just seeing him was enough to drive someone mad. In his world, such a being would either be sealed away somewhere or eliminated with concentrated firepower.

And seeing the state of this world, it was easy to guess that humanity here had probably fought Cthulhu before—and lost.

"Then if we unseal Octopus Head, will the people on this planet die?" Daigo asked in confusion.

"More or less. The moment the seal is broken, enormous tidal waves will wash away the land. Humanity will lose all its homes," Lu Changsheng stated the result of his deduction.

"Wouldn't that make us sinners who destroyed a civilization?" Daigo said.

"Daigo, you're overthinking it. With True Monarch here, a tsunami is nothing. Don't forget, True Monarch can cross the universe." Iron Man patted Daigo's little head.

"Ah! I forgot." Daigo scratched his head sheepishly.

Rules intertwined within Lu Changsheng's eyes. He saw this planet's past, and he also saw what existed upon it besides Cthulhu and humanity.

Living beings could not withstand Cthulhu's power. Even catching a distant glimpse could easily affect them. Many gifted in language or painting would sometimes see fragments of Cthulhu's form in their dreams, then describe or paint it.

But too much contact could sometimes cause living beings to mutate, turning them into monsters with chaotic minds and bodies like fleshy balls covered in tentacles.

"Let's go. We'll make contact with the humans here first," Lu Changsheng said.

"Huh?" Daigo was surprised.

"Didn't you want to save this planet and protect this world?" Lu Changsheng said. "Octopus Head may be the source of this disaster, but he is the target we must release for this mission. We can't eliminate him, so we can only start with humanity."

"True Monarch is right. Daigo, at the very least, we need to find the remaining humans and ensure their safety, so that this world's last spark doesn't go out." Iron Man said, "Didn't True Monarch just say that unsealing this ancient group member would flood the continent?"

"Ah, okay!" Daigo immediately nodded.

Lu Changsheng split apart on the spot, performing a real-life duplication.

A golden figure separated from his body, then transformed into Lu Changsheng's appearance. Golden Light then concealed itself within the body.

This body of golden light was the Merit Avatar.

The Saint's Body took one step and vanished into the void.

"True Monarch?" Daigo stared blankly at the scene.

"Don't mind it. I separated this avatar to go with you and search for the remaining humans. The one from before has something to do." Lu Changsheng waved his hand.

Iron Man watched thoughtfully, unsure what inspiration Lu Changsheng's move had given Stark.

"But the planet is so huge. Where are we supposed to search?" Daigo took out the Spark Lens.

"Head east," Lu Changsheng said.

"Uh..." Daigo said.

"Let's go. To the remaining human base in the east." Iron Man took off.

"You two be careful. There are creatures on this planet that have been assimilated by Octopus Head. They've completely lost their minds and become monsters." Lu Changsheng estimated that the human high-ranking commanders had likely been affected at the beginning, causing errors in judgment that led humanity into its current state.

"Mm-hm." Daigo nodded.

On Lu Changsheng's Saint's Body side.

His Saint's eyes saw many things. Cthulhu was not the only existence in this universe; there were many beings similar to Cthulhu.

The Earth inhabited by humanity was like a small boat drifting through a flood.

This universe was quite interesting, no less fascinating than the Ultra Universe.

He tore through space and locked onto Cthulhu's location.

R'lyeh City. This ancient undersea ruin had emerged and stood upon the sea's surface. Its vast constructions were as terrifying as the heavens themselves. It was not hard to see that this place had once possessed technological standards no weaker than modern human civilization.

Chaos covered this place. No living being could arrive at R'lyeh alive and remain sane.

Tsunami after tsunami surged outward, while beneath R'lyeh City lay a vacuum zone.

As Lu Changsheng arrived, his figure gradually became illusory. The power here was interfering with him, but a ray of Golden Light immediately shone from his body, dispersing all forces that did not belong to him.

Cthulhu's power, which ordinary people feared and could not face, had no effect on him.

"Cthulhu, I'm here," Lu Changsheng murmured.