Chapter 228 Astel
At the bottom of Laputa, a gray-black hemisphere is slowly Transfiguration.
However, it wasn't the energy-gathering pillar that unfolded to release Heavenly Fire as in the original story. Instead, it was a series of huge diamond-shaped openings unfolding on the side, as if preparing for something to hatch.
The passageway grew larger and larger until it exceeded 100 meters in both length and width, at which point the tremendous creaking of the black rocks rubbing against each other ceased.
As purple light burst forth from the darkness, six enormous skeletal arms gripped the edge of the opening, their distinct knuckles crushing countless tree roots clinging to it.
With all the arms exerting force simultaneously, the overall length exceeded two hundred meters, resembling a bizarre creature formed from the convergence of stars.
The monster resembles an ant-like creature, with a slender body made up of countless blue-purple spheres connected together. Each sphere is of a different size, like a miniature planet, with a halo flowing across its surface.
Two pairs of transparent, iridescent wings extend from the middle of its body, while a barbed tail club hangs from its tail end.
The most bizarre thing is its head. Although its body is similar to an insect, its head is shaped like a human skull, with a scythe-like mandible extending from its mouth, and a dark blue single eye embedded in a hole in its forehead.
The monster completely ignored gravity, floating lightly away from Laputa and swimming freely in the air.
During the process, the body, composed of blue-purple spheres, lit up one by one, and several star rings appeared around the body, emitting a hazy halo.
Seemingly sensing something, the monster suddenly turned its head, its single eye fixed on the Fallingstar Beast half-hidden in the ruins. The two monsters stared at each other from a distance of nearly a thousand meters.
Dola held her breath, her mind blank.
She had seen all sorts of strange and wonderful things, but neither the bison of the New Continent nor the sea monsters of the Eastern Ocean could compare to this creature that was beyond human comprehension, which made her feel a chill run down her spine.
She couldn't help but let her mind wander.
The monster in the distance bore too many similarities to the Fallingstar Beast: the same giant blue eyes, the same ferocious jaws, and the same purple glow that accompanied its movements.
The staring contest lasted a long time; no one knew what they were communicating, but the air between them almost seemed to freeze.
A purple light suddenly gathered in the eyes of the monster in the distance, and the obvious sound of energy gathering could be heard from thousands of meters away.
"Don't stand still! Run!"
Dola turned and ran, reminding those still in a daze to drop everything and run for their lives.
Clearly, the two monsters' negotiations have broken down, and they are preparing to fight.
The Fallingstar Beast stomped heavily on the ground with its front hooves, and purple light began to gather in its single blue eye. The rubble on the ground was lifted into the air by an invisible force.
When both sides have charged up to their limit, two distinctly different purple beams of light are unleashed simultaneously.
The monster fired a thin beam of light, so fast that its trajectory was almost invisible, leaving a straight purple line in the air.
On the other side, the Fallingstar Beast unleashed a powerful torrent of energy, its rays wreathed in gravitational lightning, propelling it forward with overwhelming force.
The two beams of light collided violently in the sky, and then a strikingly different scene unfolded: the beams pierced through the Gravity Ray and hurtled straight towards the Fallingstar Beast without any hindrance!
The Fallingstar Beast roared and desperately increased its energy output. The originally continuous Gravity Ray almost turned into clumps, and clumps of gravitational energy crashed into the thin beam of light.
Rumble!!!
A blanket of purple enveloped everything, and gravitational lightning struck the remaining buildings of Laputa with frenzied force.
The stone bricks that had stood for thousands of years shattered instantly, and the shockwave caused the entire ruins to collapse on a large scale, burying countless precious jewels and artifacts in the rubble.
"Shit! What the hell is all this?!"
Dola clung tightly to a stone pillar, with her sons, who were nearly blown away, hanging behind her as she cursed under her breath.
In fact, her guess was correct. When the Fallingstar Beast evolved again and broke out of its stone shell, it would become a true alien species of the starry sky.
These creatures, randomly drifting and sowing seeds in the universe, are almost impossible to live in groups. Unless there is a higher will to control them, the raging interstellar creatures will not even spare their own kind.
Once they meet, the only outcome will be a fierce battle until one side is completely devoured.
Clearly, the Fallingstar Beast, still in its larval stage, was no match for the adult form that had molted countless times.
The seemingly powerful Gravity Ray actually represents a lack of precise control; the opponent's slender beam is the true embodiment of compressing gravity energy to its extreme and highly condensing its power.
Sure enough, after that attack, the Fallingstar Beast was already in a state of dizziness and weakness, and all four of its legs were trembling.
Dola and the soldiers hiding behind the ruins were in a state of extreme urgency.
Come on, Niuniu!
You can do it!
At least hold on until we got some distance away!
The adult monster had begun its second energy charge, this time with an even brighter light. The single eye on its forehead had turned almost pure purple, and massive gravitational energy was condensing and compressing around it, forming a visible vortex.
In its calculations, this attack would definitely kill the strange fellow, and then it could eat.
The Fallingstar Beast frantically pawed at its limbs, trying to escape, but its four legs were no match for the speed at which its opponent turned and aimed. No matter how it dodged through the ruins, the adult of its kind kept its single eye locked on its target.
Just as the purple light reached its limit and was about to erupt, the question arose, "Who's bullying my Niuniu?"
A golden figure burst from the edge of the rooftop garden, falling like a meteor and slamming into the monster's head!
The Golden Power Hammer, which had been concentrated in his right fist, suddenly erupted, and a thunderous sound resounded throughout the sky.
This punch not only interrupted the beam of light that was about to be launched, but also directly caused the massive body, which was over two hundred meters long, to lose its balance and tumble and fall into the sea of clouds ten thousand meters below.
The golden figure hovered calmly in mid-air; it was Mu En who had made his move.
In the distance, the soldiers erupted in deafening cheers.
Dola plopped down on the ground, panting heavily, her face showing relief at surviving the ordeal.
Pazu and Sheeta, who were lying on the edge of the garden, waved frantically and shouted something. Although it was hard to hear clearly, it was definitely cheering.
The Fallingstar Beast then began to complain pitifully through the Blessing Link.
What about being loyal to one's duty? What about fighting bravely to protect those scoundrels? What about being ashamed to be considered one of those barbaric creatures? What about saying, "Brother, if you don't come soon, you'll lose your most loyal Niuniu forever!"
Mu En ignored it, only looking down at the monster below that was re-unfolding its body, its single blue eye radiating anger and killing intent, and marveling at it.
Although it hasn't been tested in person, the combined power of those multiple Golden Power Hammer was enough to shatter a small mountain.
The blow only created a few cracks on the monster's head, and those cracks healed at a visible speed within seconds.
Such vitality, defense, and recovery speed are truly befitting of a fully-formed interstellar alien species that has acquired immense energy.
Mu En stood facing the monster from a distance, softly uttering its name: "It really is you— Astel, Astel!"