Before Saga could even fully register it, a wave of drowsiness hit him like a tide, urging him to set aside all else and succumb to sleep.
Without resisting his body's natural instincts.
Saga folded his wings, spiraled downward, and quickly located Black Sharks and Addison, entrusting them with some matters to attend to.
Next, Saga soared into the air, circled once, and then dove headfirst into a mine shaft leading deep into the gem mines. This tunnel was much larger and more spacious than the others, ample enough for Saga's form to pass through, specifically designed for him. Returning to Moon Bay was for the purpose of hibernating in this energy-rich gem mine environment.
Deep within the mine lay a Dragon's Nest, rich in Magical Elements.
Upon reaching this place, Saga took out all his Magic Gems, scattering them around himself, then wriggled about, shifting his sleeping position repeatedly until he found the most comfortable sprawl, and with that, he closed his eyes and fell into a deep slumber.
As Saga slept,
Invisible threads of various Force Fields began to weave and converge into his body, turning him into an unseen vortex, a black hole of attraction.
Time flowed on, steady and unchanging.
Above Moon Bay, Magic Fish slaves perished batch after batch, but new Lanternfishmen were born from eggs specially placed on Waning Crescent Island, brainwashed by Saga's kin to revere him from the depths of their hearts. The population of the Tiger Shark tribe also began to grow thanks to the improved living conditions, with many new births.
The Slimes multiplied ceaselessly, their numbers ever increasing.
Even the common Tiger Sharks learned to command the Slimes, greatly facilitating their daily lives.
Demon Warlock Addison could only maintain his skeletal form for now, but accustomed to it, he was in no rush, focusing on his recovery for the upcoming soul-snatching battle with the Storm Giant, aspiring to become an unprecedented Dragon Vein Giant.
Black Sharks continued to refine their abilities, mastering the element of lightning to become a veritable 'Lightning Shark.' With agility that only improved over time, they became more nimble and adept.
The Yellow Crystal Earth Dragon was also making progress.
Black Sharks and the Yellow Crystal Earth Dragon sparred multiple times, with the former mostly ending in defeat.
It wasn't just Black Sharks and the Yellow Crystal Earth Dragon.
Skull Ulgong, the Mutant Slime Ilum, and other powerful kin engaged in sparring while Saga slept, with Demon Warlock serving as the referee and controlling a high-ranking Tremorboar skeleton to keep order.
Moreover, with a unified ruler now in Moon Bay, the monsters' lives became very stable.
However, these creatures, which took pride in strength, grew restless with the prolonged peace.
Thus, three months into Saga's hibernation, led by the kin leaders, Moon Bay initiated large-scale duels, even constructing an arena for this purpose. All kin monsters could participate, earning titles such as Warrior, Elite, Leader, Champion, etc. Monsters with higher titles enjoyed better food, more comfortable living quarters, and more mating opportunities.
Despite the occasional death of monsters in these intense and not-so-safe duels, their bloodthirsty nature did not dampen their enthusiasm, for they only remembered the victors.
It's worth noting that the fallen kin did not go to waste.
They were reborn as Undead creatures, joining the ranks of Moon Bay's undead forces.
The popularity of dueling fostered a martial spirit on this small island.
Many monsters broke through their previous levels, gaining strength and status.
Therefore, Black Sharks, now acting as the overseer, decided to keep this activity going and promote it among the kin until Saga awoke to make a final decision.
On Grayrock Isle, with Saga's backing, Blue Dragon Glorithia managed the island's monsters quite well.
She did encounter a minor issue.
The largest power on the Grayrock Archipelago, the Poli Duchy, with its growing population, found its territory insufficient and sought to claim Grayrock Isle, which had lost its Giant rulers. They negotiated with Blue Dragon Glorithia several times, to no avail.
While the Blue Dragon and the island's monsters lacked the power to contend with the Poli Duchy, the duchy's higher-ups did not act rashly, knowing that other, more powerful dragons backed the Blue Dragon and that she was on good terms with the Topaz Dragon Lord of Goldsand Isle. They continued to negotiate in a businesslike manner.
Time continued to pass quietly.
Soon, it was the year 2084 of the Era of Peace.
And in the early months of the Era of Peace in 2084, during the month when the frosty snows melted, a significant event occurred on this long-peaceful planet.
One of the five great higher empires, and one of the top three, the Divinia Empire, issued a formal announcement.
The Divinia Empire was renamed: the Empire of All Gods.
The renaming of the Divinia Empire, or rather, the Empire of All Gods, signified a profound transformation. Along with the new name, the Empire of All Gods introduced policies and declared innovative national governance concepts, implementing major decisions that could lead the empire down a different path.
[All deities deserve respect, belief, and worship.]
[The citizens of the Empire of All Gods need not confine themselves to the worship of a single deity, for all the gods in the heavens demand service.]
[At dawn, one may pray to the Lord of Dawn for a wonderful morning; during farming, to the Earth Mother for a bountiful harvest; in life-and-death battles, to the God of Slaughter for victory; as night falls, to the Goddess of Night for protection in the darkness; and when the moon rises, to the Moon Goddess to never lose one's way under her guidance.]
[All followers of the gods may become citizens of the Empire of All Gods.]
True to its name, the Empire of All Gods decided to serve all the deities in the heavens, with each citizen expected to worship multiple gods, regardless of whether they were benevolent or malevolent.
This change shocked the citizens of other nations, eliciting mixed reactions.
On Saiga Planet, no, even across the entire multiverse,
The mainstream belief was that faith should be singular, devout, and unconfused.
Allowing one person to worship different gods at different times was an avant-garde concept from the Empire of All Gods.
It's worth mentioning that the Divinia Empire, even before its renaming, was already the nation with the most intense religious atmosphere on the planet.
Only in the Divinia Empire did the imperial family not shun theocracy; instead, they strived to reconcile royal and divine powers, seeking an effective path. During the Divinia era, a multitude of religious sects thrived within the empire, with headquarters for almost all deities' sects located there, fulfilling obligations through covenants with the imperial family in exchange for the right to proselytize.
The religious atmosphere in this world was not particularly intense, but it was not entirely absent either.
All gathered together, it was still a formidable force.
The Divinia Empire's strategy of attracting a multitude of sects reaped the benefits of faith, propelling it to become one of the higher empires, and even one of the top three.
The signing of the non-aggression pact and the start of the Era of Peace saw the Divinia Empire play a crucial role.
Now, having witnessed the gods' slight intervention that easily quelled the Mechanar Empire's supreme creation's attack, the Divinia Empire decided to further strengthen the influence of the gods within its borders, even going so far as to rename itself the Empire of All Gods.
The empire's scholars of divine studies, experts in faith and religion, and others discussed tirelessly day and night.
The Divinia Empire's innovative concepts were now set in stone, implemented, and officially renamed the Empire of All Gods.
Shortly after the Empire of All Gods' policies were enacted, the nation's power began to expand rapidly.
As divine authority was on the rise on this planet, and with an increasing number of god worshippers, a significant portion was drawn to the Empire of All Gods' policies, flocking to the empire, with many even renouncing their original nationalities to become citizens of the Empire of All Gods.
As for whether the gods approved of the Empire of All Gods' concept, whether they favored or loathed it, scholars of divine studies held differing opinions.
Meanwhile,
As the Empire of All Gods gathered faith in the name of the gods,
The Mechanar Empire was also in motion, constructing grand mechanical creations and engineering wonders.
Mechanical ancient trees that blotted out the sky, a steel wall that spanned national boundaries, and towering mechanical colossi hundreds of feet tall were being built, consuming vast amounts of manpower and resources. Some citizens of other nations, oblivious to the reasons, mocked the Mechanar Empire's leadership for their obsession with these seemingly useless wonders that detracted from the empire's foundation. Yet, some wise individuals pondered the hidden reasons behind the Mechanar Empire's actions.
Among the top three nations, only the Skyrealm Empire maintained an aloof posture, seemingly unaffected by worldly concerns.
As for the Beasthaven Empire and the Naturia Empire,
These two higher empires, slightly weaker than the top three, had recently experienced friction due to frequent Beasthaven slaver raids in Naturia territory.
The orcs of Beasthaven, fierce and combative, and the Naturia Empire, which valued freedom, equality, and harmony, were naturally at odds. Some orc nobles enjoyed capturing Naturia's elven citizens as slaves for personal use or to sell to other nations' nobles with similar tastes. The orc slaver raids were rampant and unceasing, causing serious discontent in the Naturia Empire, which protested vehemently, though no actual conflict had erupted.
As for the other ordinary empires, such as the Undead Empire on the distant continents of Yarl and Klaes, the Ogre Heartstealer Empire, the Barbarian Frost Empire, and the oceanic realms of the Sharks, Sirens, and Magic Fish Empire, among many others like the countless kingdoms, duchies, and city-states, there were no significant changes on the surface.
After some time,
In the year 2084 of the Era of Peace, the month of rebirth and sprouting,
The Stormy Ocean, the Whirlpool Sea, Moon Bay, First Quarter Island.
A horde of sea beasts was invading.
Splash!
With the surging waves, countless sea beasts, thousands upon thousands, landed on the sandy beaches of the three islands of Moon Bay.
These sea beasts, known as Giant Crocturtles, had heads like crocodiles, triangular in shape, with long, thick shells on their backs marked by several raised ridges. Their scutes were brown, black, gray, and so on, resembling small mountains in their continuous arrangement. The creatures were quite large, each shell at least two meters in diameter, like walking grinding stones.
Every year, during the month of rebirth and sprouting, the normally ocean-dwelling Giant Crocturtles would come to suitable islands to lay their eggs.
To ensure a safe and secure environment for their offspring, the Giant Crocturtle herds would clear the islands of powerful creatures before departing. As powerful Magical Creatures with vast numbers, they certainly had the capability to do so.
Now, a formidable and numerous herd of Giant Crocturtles had landed on Moon Bay.
Proofreader & Editor: Lotas