In the core region of the Dralh Sea existed a two-kilometre-wide hole that spewed out water nonstop, creating a geyser that reached a height of two hundred metres.
Spilling out of it in the tens of thousands every hour was a gentle, unassuming fish with a needle-like nose. It reached a length of two metres and had little to no combat ability. Its needle-like nose was its sole weapon, but its body didn't have the structural flexibility to wield it like a weapon.
But despite that, staring at their numbers from an island far away was a Cooter Clansman, his face pale as he yelled, "They're coming!"
Expert Iron Grade Pranic Beast—Phell!
Thirty kilometres away from the Abyss Fall, surrounding it like a ring was a series of long islands, each ranging from eight to fifty kilometres. Stationed on this ring of islands were large numbers of Cooter Clansmen, armed to the teeth as large clouds covered the skies above them, forming their armoury.
In the narrow gaps between the islands, wedged there like the final gates of the stronghold were their Deities, forming a total of 38 Empyrean Snappers. Each Empyrean Snapper guarded a gap between the islands, raving about as they were alert, gathering large amounts of Prana to unleash powerful attacks.
This ring of islands was called the Abyss Ring and formed the headquarters of the Cooter Clan controlling the Dralh Sea.
The number of Phells exiting the geyser from the Abyss Fall gradually increased in numbers, swimming through the Dralh Sea as they instinctively made their way towards the islands.
"Attack!" A Cooter Clan master bellowed as a multitude of attacks were launched, blotting the sea in the vicinity of the islands.
Hundreds of Phells died from the array of attacks, the defensive strength of their bodies alarmingly lacking. But despite managing to kill such large numbers with a single volley of attacks, none of the Cooter Clansmen expressed any joy.
Rather, the ones with spectacular eyesight among them stared at the geyser with trembling bodies, observing the number of Phells continue to increase in numbers.
Gradually, more and more Phells began to approach the islands. One among them managed to survive as it waddled through the gaps between the attacks and arrived at an island. Prana gradually accumulated in its body, causing its Spirit Container to feel strained.
Soon, it shattered, flooding all the stored Prana into its body, overwhelming its organs. But this was normal, for the Phell was designed for exactly that. In all its life, it could activate its Primary Nature only once. And when it does, it dies.
Primary Nature—Needle Mine!
The Phell shot out of the water like an arrow and stabbed into the chest of a Cooter Clansman, easily breaking through his defensive arrangements.
"No! No! No! Don't!" The Cooter Clansman shrilled in fear upon seeing Prana flare up from the Phell that lost its life due to multiple organ failure. An instant later, there was an explosion, literally.
Bits and pieces of the Cooter Clansman's flesh splattered due to the explosion, splashing all over the island and the sea water nearby. Each piece of flesh was covered by tiny bubbles that upon closer look, revealed to be spores.
Tens of thousands of spores were shot out during the explosion. The ones attached to flesh pieces in the water began to absorb the nutrients in the flesh piece and began growing at speeds visible to the naked eye.
In a matter of minutes, they hatched, revealing tadpole-like creatures. Eight months later, they would reach maturity and become Phells. At least a couple thousand spores survived and managed to latch onto a piece of flesh large enough for them to consume and hatch.
This was what made the Phells terrifying. If even a single one of them manages to reach its target and explodes, it would release tens of thousands of spores that would all become Phells in the future.
They died upon using their Primary Nature. But even when used once, the power was very potent, with the area of impact ranging between five to a couple dozen metres.
Phells were an extremely invasive species, capable of devouring entire ecosystems in a matter of decades if left untouched. Their extreme fertility made them an endless headache, resulting in losses for any creature that decides to deal with them.
It was unknown where the bottom of the Abyss Fall led. No one had managed to explore it to date. Everyone collectively assumed it led to a mysterious region of the Sumatra Continent that had been dominated by the Phells already.
And from the Abyss Fall, they were pouring out to dominate the rest of the continent. The reason the Cooter Clan set up base here wasn't for anything noble like guarding the continent. No, their reason was very simple.
Phells were very nutritious in nature. In terms of nutritional value, they exceeded Iron Grade Pranic Beasts by at least thirty to forty percent. Therefore, they were extremely valuable, able to handle the Cooter Clan's voracious appetite.
That was why, despite the countless deaths involved, the Cooter Clan maintained a stable base here.
Situated within a wider gap between two islands was the 1st Empyrean Snapper, the strongest of its kind in the current generation. Waves churned around it and generated a hurricane that shredded apart the Phells as they came in range.
Other than the mountain on its back, the 1st Empyrean Snapper's figure wasn't visible. It was fully underwater. Situated on its mountain, facing the Phells was a stone house with open walls. Seated in it and observing the battle nonchalantly was an old man, drinking tea while commenting to the air, "You have gotten sluggish."
"You need to exercise more."
[Don't expect me to fight at full strength when I'm half asleep!]
A reply resounded in his mind, sent by the 1st Empyrean Snapper. Hearing it, the old man laughed, "Excuses."
The oldest human on Sumatra Continent, currently aged 1677 years while possessing strength at the 10-Life Stage. That was Geugeu, the Cooter Clan Chief. He was actually older than his Empyrean Snapper, acting as a Chief from its previous generation.
He had also been alive long enough to see the Boar King's rise to his current, unreachable status.
As he had served the previous generation's 1st Empyrean Snapper, with the current generation's 1st Empyrean Snapper being his grandson, he treated the latter casually, often chiding it.
If the top experts of Sumatra Continent were ranked, first place would obviously belong to the Boar King. Second place would be Raaha, the Mammoth Clan Chief who possessed the power of the Gold Empyrean Tentacle.
Geugeu would be ranked third. He was originally second until Raaha appeared, wielding strength greater than the past Mammoth Clan Chiefs that had the Gold Empyrean Tentacle's power.
Even after being overtaken by Raaha, with the Brimgan Empire's current generation Emperor closing in the gap, Geugeu wasn't concerned in the least. The Cooter Clan had its own business to worry about and didn't have time for anyone else.
"Chief, we received some news regarding Wittral." A Cooter Clansman interrupted his conversation with the 1st Empyrean Snapper.
After hearing the contents, Geugeu raised an eyebrow in surprise, "Wittral is getting close to a Free Human woman from the Brimgan Empire?"
"Interesting," He nodded and gave his command, "Once his time at the Fral Island ends, bring him here, along with the Free Human woman."