GODZILLA- CH-21. Thousands of years passed

Therefore, both the water lizard and the giant moth decided to leave.

However, before departing, the water lizard left some of its shark people in the city.

Although the water lizard wasn't particularly smart, it understood that since this city was built by the lava beings—and they valued it greatly—there must be an important reason. Judging by the dinosaur people's dedication to staying in this city, the water lizard felt it should protect these allies out of loyalty.

Besides, this arrangement would allow its people to learn the art of barbecuing from the lava beings—far preferable to the disgusting raw food it normally consumed.

Feeling satisfied with this expedition, the water lizard gave a meaningful look to the giant snake before it started its journey back to the sea along the river.

As for the giant moth, it observed the water lizard leaving its people behind and, being equally astute, decided to leave some of its mosquito people in the city as well. The giant moth also hummed a warning at the giant snake, making its intentions very clear.

The warning was so obvious that it made the giant snake both sad and frustrated.

"Are you kidding me? What's wrong with you two? Why are you so helpful to the lava guy?" it hissed. "Is it just because he gave you tasty meat? Pathetic! Ridiculous..."

Well, in short, this is what the giant snake seemed to be thinking at the moment. Finally, too enraged to stay, the giant snake ignored its people and burrowed into the ground, retreating swiftly back to its original underground lair.

Although the giant snake was dumb, it wasn't entirely foolish. It knew that harboring any ill will toward the dinosaur people would be asking for trouble. Three against one? Just the thought was enough to make it despair. So, it chose to give up and sleep away its sorrow.

For now, sleep was its only escape from the boredom and frustration it felt with reality. The idea of conspiring or rallying with other giant beasts was beyond its limited intelligence, and it was further hindered by internal injuries.

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"Elder, what should we do next? Why did Father God suddenly leave? Is this another test from Father God?"

In the empty city, several older dinosaur people gathered around the elder and questioned him, their voices tinged with trepidation and confusion.

The dinosaur elder seemed to be coming to his senses. He frowned in thought, choosing not to respond immediately, instead carefully considering their next steps.

He had a general understanding of the four gods' relationship. Aside from the snake god, who had been humiliated by their Father God, the other two gods had clearly protected them. This was evident from the snake god's attempt to tear up the divine contract and attack the dinosaur people as soon as Father God left. But thanks to warnings from the gods of water and sky, the snake god had retreated.

The snake god and its people were, in the elder's eyes, potential threats to the dinosaur tribe. Even though they were temporarily united, the elder believed this unity was solely due to Father God's influence. For that reason, the snake people were seen as an unstable factor, a potential danger to be wary of.

Thus, once the four gods had left, the dinosaur elder planned to demand strict reparations from the snake people for the recent conflict. Although the four tribes were now allied, old grievances needed to be addressed. This was the perfect excuse to both maintain the alliance and ensure some retribution.

With the gods of water and sky showing allegiance to Father God, the dinosaur elder also decided to mend relations with the shark and mosquito people. Their mutual support could help minimize the snake people's influence.

Though he didn't intend to declare war or destroy the snake people, the elder was determined to keep them subdued to prevent any threat to his tribe. Reflecting on all this, the elder silently admired Father God's wisdom. Leaving the snake people and their god was, to him, another divine test.

This was Father God's message to his people: never let your guard down, even in an alliance. As lava warriors, they must always uphold their courage and vigilance, for only in doing so would they remain worthy as the people of the God of Lava and Earth.

The dinosaur elder never doubted Father God's wisdom. The enormous city Father God had created was a clear demonstration of divine foresight, as it allowed a direct and intimate connection with the other tribes. Observing that the gods of water and sky left some of their people here, the elder concluded that the dinosaur people had a duty to protect this sacred city.

With that in mind, the elder decided to keep most of his tribe in the city, using the two strange "caves" left by Father God as models to settle everyone there. Having interpreted Father God's intentions, he explained everything to the tribe, who soon praised Father God joyfully.

Then, the dinosaur elder announced several important matters:

1. Invite a mosquito person to serve as a language translator and approach the snake people to demand reparations for the recent conflict.

2. Designate part of the tribe to start learning the languages of the other three tribes for smoother communication in the future.

3. Station some of the tribe in the volcano, but relocate 60% to the sacred city gifted by Father God.

4. Begin searching for Father God's resting place underground, an endeavor that future generations would continue.

It was common knowledge that gods required rest, and Father God's sudden departure was likely for this purpose. Though intended as a test, it was only natural for his people to seek out his resting place.

With these directions established, the dinosaur people began to act. Meanwhile, the other three tribes—the shark people, mosquito people, and snake people—also discussed their own future paths.

Time flowed on, and while James slept in the underground lava, the outside world seemed to progress rapidly. Perhaps a thousand, maybe ten thousand years passed. In that time, elders passed away, and new generations inherited their ancestors' wisdom, fostering continuous growth.

The holy city, once desolate, was now bustling with massive stone houses. The entire city was divided into four sections, each occupied by one of the four tribes. The previously nomadic tribes had transitioned into a city-state era, with communal stone houses and shared culture.

Through generations of peaceful exchange and cooperation, a common language emerged, alongside written symbols developed by the mosquito people. This advance allowed the four tribes to flourish and solidified the holy city as a cultural center of the continent.

The permanent population of the four tribes surpassed 400,000. While the city couldn't house everyone, small residential areas sprang up around its enormous walls, allowing more people to settle.

Although the four tribes adopted city life, they were still in the early stages of societal development. Their social structure was basic, dividing people into only two classes: the sacrificial group, responsible for rituals and combat leadership, and warriors, a class open to all adults regardless of gender.

In their holy city, they traded and exchanged goods, but with food as the main currency. Their shared faith turned the city into a "safe zone," as the strongest warriors of each tribe guarded the settlement, creating a sanctuary for new generations.

Time's wind swept across the world, and while the four tribes grew stronger, external crises emerged. In this extraordinary world, new powerful races and gods arose without warning.

For example, a troublesome enemy—a giant underground insect—appeared, attacking from below. Lacking intelligence but reproducing rapidly, these creatures were a threat to all four tribes.

Further challenges arose overseas. The shark people faced encroachment from the Lord of the Deep Sea's forces, an aggressive water god invading near-shore regions. To defend against this new threat, the god in the form of a water lizard called upon the snake and wind gods for aid. Even with their help, the situation remained dire.

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