GODZILLA- CH-36. From Dust to Dust?

Seeing this, James's brain seemed to struggle with processing the scene before him.

Logically, how could such an enormous tree not host any extraordinary species?

Yet in reality, there was no sign of life here at all.

How strange! What is this shield-like thing?

Was it created by the giant tree?

James stepped closer to the invisible barrier.

His massive frame loomed over it, but the barrier neither emitted sound nor showed resistance. Instead, it spread ripples outward like waves across water.

The ripples extended far, revealing the massive scale of the barrier.

"It truly covers the entire hemisphere! This power is incredible."

"Is it meant to prevent foreign creatures from entering? If so, could it mean this tree has a will of its own? But is all this effort really just to stop outsiders?"

James frowned in confusion.

In his mind, it didn't make sense. The tree had grown to such an exaggerated size. If it could move its roots or branches, what force on this planet could possibly challenge it?

Then it hit him.

"Maybe it can't move at all?"

If that were true, a barrier of this magnitude made perfect sense to protect itself.

"Hah, fascinating. A massive immovable tree—a sitting giant."

"But if this thing could move, it would be completely unreasonable. It might even throw the entire planet off its orbit," James mused aloud with a chuckle.

Standing on the invisible barrier, he tested its strength by jumping twice.

The barrier remained solid as a rock. Breaking through it would be no easy feat.

James continued his observations from various angles and distances, studying the tree from its outer orbit.

However, only the upper half of the tree was visible.

The dense mist shrouding its lower sections was impenetrable.

One thing was clear: the tree's branches and leaves covered at least one-fifth of the planet's hemisphere.

It was truly beyond comprehension. James, in his past life, would never have dreamed of such a thing existing.

"Well, that's enough for now. I'll check back later after speaking to the other three beasts. Maybe I'll spend a few days studying this further."

After the sun had bathed the hemisphere for a long time, James finally stepped away from his observations.

He planned to reassure the three beasts, enlist the giant moth's help to approach the tree from the atmosphere, and perhaps find a way to breach the barrier.

There was also the matter of attracting new dinosaur souls. His to-do list was growing, but James had plenty of time to tackle it all.

___

The battlefield near the deep-sea abyss was tense.

The remaining frog-fish people had retreated into the abyss, a natural trench more than 5,000 meters deep.

The tribes of order—the dinosaur people, snake people, and others—stood at the edge, gazing into the darkness.

The abyss was vast and ominous, its sheer size enough to strike fear.

For the dinosaur and snake people, who were not true aquatic species, the journey to this depth pushed them to their limits.

"The Sons of the Deep Sea are familiar with this abyss," the shark priest observed with a heavy sigh. "If we're ambushed here, retreat will be nearly impossible."

"Agreed," the snake priest added. "Our races are creatures of the land. Entering the deep sea like this already taxes us greatly. Fully eradicating the Sons of the Deep Sea isn't feasible now, especially given our casualties. It could take thousands of years for us to recover."

The priest's lament drew a solemn nod from the shark priest.

"Do not worry," he said. "Your tribe's support has not gone unnoticed. We, the Sons of the Offshore Sea, will remember your kindness."

"There's no need for such formality," the dinosaur priest, Patton, interjected with a weary smile. "We are all children of the Four Gods of Order. There's no need for distinctions between us."

"Even so," the snake priest replied, "we must ensure your tribe is properly rewarded for aiding us."

"Let's settle that later," Patton suggested. "We still don't know the outcome of the war between our Father God and the Lord of the Deep Sea. Discussing rewards is premature."

The mention of the gods made the priests uneasy.

Though they had faith in the strength of their respective deities, the Lord of the Deep Sea's power in his domain was undeniable.

This realization prompted a decision:

"Withdraw the troops immediately," the shark priest declared. "We must avoid unnecessary risks."

The others agreed, and the tribes began their retreat, sending scouts to monitor the gods' battle.

Five days later, on a beach connecting the offshore sea and the mainland, the five great beasts gathered.

Around them, the five tribes stood in reverence, their members scattered across the shallow sea, sky, and land.

Excitement and awe filled the air as the tribes prepared to honor their fallen.

Under the watchful eyes of their gods, the priests began conducting sacred rituals for the deceased.

The rituals varied by tribe.

The Sons of Wind tore their dead into fragments with storm winds, scattering the remains into the troposphere to return to the realm of their god.

The Sons of Water froze their fallen in ice, then sent the bodies to rest on the seabed.

The snake people used concentrated poisonous fog to dissolve their dead into black water, completing their ritual.

Finally, it was the dinosaur people's turn.

Just as they prepared to burn their fallen with fire, James crouched down, his enormous form casting a shadow over the gathering.

With a simple gesture, he ignited the bodies of the dinosaur people.

The sight stunned the priests and warriors.

"The great Father God himself is leading the souls of our warriors!"

"This is proof of his love for his people!"

Excitement spread among the dinosaurs as they retreated to watch the ceremony from a safe distance.

Amid the awe, only Patton, the new chief priest, retained a calm, rational demeanor.

__________

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