Chapter 249: Psychic Ancestor Coral and Rhachis Ancestor Spindle (1/2)
It was a massive cavern, situated deep underground. Two tunnels branched out from the dome-like structure, with the one on the right leading to a pool of lava and the one on the left leading into a ground mottled with holes of all sizes. A tunnel spanned vertically above the one with holes, heading towards the surface.
Geysers erupted from time to time, heading towards the surface due to the tremendous force in them. Part of the geyser splashed onto the walls, cooling down as they streamed towards the tunnel.
Due to the steep path, they eventually made their way into the dome-like cavern, vaporising from the heat. The lava in the other tunnel churned, with its surface a darker shade than the rest, showing its decreasing temperature. It formed small plates that broke from the lava's turbulent motion, eventually sinking within. The heat emanating from it seemed inexhaustible, unable to be cooled down by the water inflow.
At one side of the dome-like cavern, away from the two tunnels were Crust-Mantles, tens of thousands of them. They were currently sprawled on the ground, in poses of submission. They ranged from Tier 1 to Tier 3, with some rare few Tier 4 scattered around, numbering in the single digits.
Surrounding each Crust-Mantle were 4-5 baby Crust-Mantles, barely able to move around. All the Crust-Mantles were as still as rocks, unmoving. The baby Crust-Mantles though were different. They climbed the bodies of their parents, sliding down the slopes of their massive bodies, and having the time of their lives.
They let out faint chirping sounds, no different from birds. Their sizes were small, only around a human's palm. Considering the size differences, and their poor eyesight, their parents literally meant the world to them. They couldn't even see the ends of their parents, the colossal structures awing their primitive thoughts.
To the end of the dome-like cavern was a small entrance, enough for a Tier 3 Crust Mantle to enter. It was a dark tunnel, with the walls hardened to their extremes, preventing any chances of collapse. The tunnel became wider the deeper one went, spanning around 200 metres wide around a kilometre mark.
The ends were situated 10 kilometres away. At that junction was another dome-like cavern, spanning around one kilometre in radius. Filled within it was sand, finer than the ones on seashores. The sand was moulded into numerous mounds, conforming to various geometrical shapes. Buried within them were tiny eggs, nurturing the offspring.
Ten Crust-Mantles—Area Controllers—manned the area, with a Wave Controller taking the lead. They were the only ones focused on the task. Also, judging by their strengths, they seemed weaker than the rest, almost the weakest of the lot in their Tiers. Their Sync Rates barely surpassed 51 percent.
In the large dome-like cavern, the Crust-Mantles were solemn, their emotions a unison. Sounds of water gushing out from the geysers resounded, getting louder and louder. Suddenly, the sounds were muffled, the humidity in the air increasing by a fold.
There was a faint rumble, with the cavern trembling a little. Water gushed forth from the left tunnel, flowing into the dome-like cavern with tremendous force, on the verge of splashing onto the Crust-Mantles.
The Crust-Mantles screeched, their expressions one of alarm, their vigour similar to the death throes of a beast, the spike in their final moments. Just when the water wave was about to crash onto them, it mysteriously stopped. Even the heat radiating from it disappeared, preventing the Crust-Mantles from being affected.
The water condensed itself, turning into a large sphere, rotating with increasing velocities. The turbulence turned it white, due to the influx of air bubbles and the dirt as it scrapped the cavern walls. The dirt was carried by the water, sent into the tunnel with the geysers, and transported to the surface.
Soon, the dome-like cavern was twice as large, possessing a radius of three kilometres. The tunnel with the geysers widened, now spanning a radius of 20 metres. Soon, followed by the water converging upon its mouth, the head of a Frenzy Beast peeked out.
Its girth was equivalent to the enlarged tunnel, only allowing enough space for a thin film of water to layer it. Spanning a thickness of only 10 centimetres, the layer of water wasn't much to boast about. Seeing its appearance, the Crust-Mantles prostrated on the ground; their bodies shivered instinctively, despite the entity having done nothing.
Only the side of the Frenzy Beast's face was visible to them, its upper layer a shade of dark blue, bordering black. Underneath it was murky green, with patches of white. Its skin was covered by scales, with corals protecting the vulnerable parts. It had a long horn on its head, made from corals, with numerous branches breaking out, forming a structure similar to a tree's canopy.
Tier 6 Frenzy Beast—Psychic Ancestor Coral!
On a certain part of the head that had peaked, a large area was surrounded by the corals, with arching portions acting as protection. Three eyes opened within, with each spanning different sizes. The first eye was the smallest, only around 10 centimetres in radius. It was conical in shape, peaking out alarmingly.
The second was situated further back, lodged into the flesh, spanning a radius of 2 metres. It was the largest eye, shaped into a sphere. The third was elongated, possessing a breadth of 10 centimetres, but with a length of 10 metres. It trailed beyond the head portion that had peeked out.