Chapter 18: The spark of war from a footprint.
The diverse monarchs of various races gathered at the palace, each driven by their own thoughts and contemplations. Lead by the emperor himself, they navigated through heavily fortified checkpoints until, at last, the regal leaders beheld the fabled relic left behind by God.
What lay before their eyes was a tetralobite fossil, seemingly unremarkable but distinguished by peculiar footprints etched upon its surface.
For hours, the leaders of countless races roamed around, fervently seeking the profound secrets it held, only to discover mundane truths.
"Could this be the sacred artifact left by God millions of years ago?" Emperor Tianhu marveled at the fossil, his mind brimming with wonder. "Is it possible that it holds more significance than just being a mere footprint?"
"What the key? The esoteric cultivation methods that encapsulate the fundamental truths of our world? The invincible creatures of legend?" scoffed the indignant Pterosaur King. He commanded the sky-dwelling pterosaur clan, a dominion second only to a select few god-created species. Even the human emperor approached this clan with deference, fully aware of their significance.
"This relic, left behind by God, undoubtedly harbors unfathomable mysteries," mused the Pterosaur King, his gaze fixed upon the fossil with a reverents.
"According to historical records, there was a moment when God unequivocally revealed Himself to the world: at the dawn of this era. During the Creator's descent, all creatures hailed their divine ruler, and the world rejoiced under a resplendent array of celestial radiance," elucidated the Pterosaur King, casting a knowing glance at the Human Emperor. "Your predecessor was said to have aspired to divine enlightenment, rumored to possess the blessing of God. This elevated your human race to become the most formidable entity in the world." He gestured with open hands, as if yearning for such a gift.
"This fossil encapsulates the aura of antiquity that spanning millions of years. What we can deduce is that countless eons ago, during the cataclysmic age, tranquility permeated the land, and God graced the world with His presence, meticulously surveying his world." Jiang Ping, an outsider, felt a tinge of dejection.
"Did I not inadvertently crush a tetralobite underfoot merely two days ago? Why does it resonate so magnificently in your narratives? It is nothing more than a lifeless stone!"
Despite Jiang Ping's grumbling, in the eyes of the world's diverse races, this fossilized footprint remained an unquestionable sacred object. Even devoid of energy, it remained a sanctified souvenir inscribed with the footprints of God himself.
With the graduate departure of the various leaders from all races, Humanity secured a genuine treasure—a tangible embodiment of the divin.
The earth trembled, and countless sentient beings yearned to embark on a pilgrimage, but the mighty human race promptly dissuaded them, halting their advance.
The other races cast envious gazes at the unwavering fortune of Humans. Not only had they acquired the three grand gifts bestowed by the gods, but they now possessed this sacred relic, arousing widespread jealousy.
News soon reached the ears of the ravenous ants. Deep within the bowels of the earth, at a depth of 10,000 meters, within a labyrinthine nest spanning a thousand meters, the queen maneuvered her distended abdomen while issuing imperious orders.
"Children, how can we allow the feeble humans to lay claim to the on such a vestige of the Lord? If they acquire the power of the divine, our race shall be forever doomed," the ant heroes of varying forms grew increasingly agitated, sensing the ants' ultimate objective—their insatiable hunger for slaughter!
"After decades of cultivation, our clan has ascended to greater heights of strength. I hereby command the entire army to launch an assault. Each of you shall lead your respective forces from the four corners of the earth!"
Queen Bertha's voice dripped with menace as she continued, her words laced with an air of ruthless determination. Her eyes glinted with an icy resolve, reflecting the depths of her sinister intent. The weight of her proclamation hung heavily in the air, suffocating all hope in its wake.
"This time," she hissed, her voice resonating with a chilling intensity, "there shall be no quarter given, no mercy shown. We shall wage a war of annihilation, unrelenting and unforgiving. Either they crumble beneath our might or we face utter destruction. The world, in all its vastness, cannot sustain the existence of two overlords."
Slaughter!
Slaughter!
Slaughter!
The ant heroes roared, and the tens of billions of soldier ants within the city seemed to resonate, emanating a terrifying clamor that withered the azure moss beneath them—a palpable aura of death!
The entire clan recognized the queen's unwavering resolve this time. The sacred relic simply provided an opportunity to shatter the fragile peace between the two races.
Tens of billions of inky-black, fluid-like soldier ants surged forth from the valley of Death, while the ant heroes themselves led elite troops, launching an assault from the rear of the Ten Thousand Races Alliance.
Caught off guard, the Alliance found itself besieged by an onslaught. Though they had meticulously monitored the valley of death for years, decades had passed since the last war, and no one had anticipated the resurgence of the voracious ants.
"Today, there are no foes or adversaries among us. We share a common purpose—to expel the voracious ants and restore the world to its former glory!" Ninth-generation Emperor Wang Qi solemnly pledged before the collective of races.
Beneath him, gargantuan dragon subspecies such as wyverns, sea dragons, and pterosaurs, alongside colossal behemoths, joined forces. Even the enigmatic giant chimera, long concealed from the world, emerged to lend their aid.
In the distance, thousands of elves gracefully soared through the sky, accompanied by Pegasus Knights and Griffin Knights, patrolling on either sides.
In the midst of the harrowing conflict, the insatiable horde of ravenous ants stood as a grotesque aberration, an affront to the very essence of human nature. Their path of devastation left naught but desolation and despair in its wake, rendering them the sworn adversaries of all life, condemned to be vanquished and cast aside. As the battle raged with relentless fury, the Alliance of races, despite enduring grievous losses from the treacherous sneak attack, rallied together to bolster humanity's resistance.
Amidst the chaotic maelstrom, the earth trembled beneath the weight of the human emperor's resolute roar, his defiant voice reverberating as he brandished the mighty Spear of Destiny towards the heavens. This awe-inspiring weapon emitted a radiant gleam, an emblem of indomitable human spirit. The war had reached its climactic juncture, where the delicate balance of destiny teetered on a knife's edge.
With staggering astonishment, the humans unveiled their most formidable arsenal—the Dragon Cannon. This awe-inspiring creation sent seismic shockwaves rippling through the world, effortlessly obliterating the metallic ants with a single cataclysmic blast. Even several ant heroes found themselves ensnared in a relentless barrage of shells, their demise sealed within a tempestuous sea of flames. The unyielding firepower of the human race, fueled by flamethrowers fed by black oil, became an unrelenting scourge upon the ant colonies. Once engulfed in its incendiary embrace, not even the depths of the sea could provide sanctuary. The tireless efforts and unceasing advancements of humanity throughout the years had not been in vain.
In their rapid ascent, humans had achieved unparalleled technological feats, birthing myriad alchemical marvels through their boundless ingenuity. Tens of thousands of Dragon Cannons were mobilized from vast arsenals, their resounding roars reverberating across the battlefield. In the depths of alchemical workshops, production surged ceaselessly as women and children toiled tirelessly day and night. The looming specter of annihilation left no respite, demanding the unwavering dedication of every member of the human race, whether on the front lines or providing support from the rear.
Among the ranks of humanity's forces emerged a steadfast army of 100,000 muskets, their resolute shots piercing the air with precision. These muskets, reminiscent of the modern flintlock design, gleamed with a brilliance that encapsulated the countless swarms of invincible ant colonies.
Gazing from the shadows of antiquity, ancient creature trembled in awe at the unyielding tenacity of the human race, acknowledging their ascendance as the paramount dominion in the realm. Deep within the annals of their past and bountiful reservoirs of primordial might, a nameless dread seized even the supernatural entities that dared to venture near.
When the Dragon Cannon unleashed its devastating fury, not even the most formidable creatures could escape the suffocating grip of death. Faced with an unrelenting deluge of saturating artillery fire, their chances of survival dwindled to mere flickers.
Yet, even with the backing of a hundred thousand artillery pieces, the onslaught of the ant tribe remained unyielding. The ants' macabre employment of insect sea tactics proved horrifyingly effective, pushing the boundaries of human defense to the brink. Billions of soldier ants surged forward, mercilessly ravaging everything in their path. The barrels of the guns threatened to melt under the relentless assault, and the ant colony's inexorable advance appeared all but inevitable.
Concealed amidst the seething masses lurked a select few metallic ants, accompanied by the mightiest heroes of the ant clan. With their elite forces closing in, the defense circle teetered precariously on the
precipice of collapse.
The turning point of this harrowing conflict would be decided in the heavens. Over the years, the Queen Ant had tirelessly developed a breed of powerful ants, imbued with enhanced attributes and formidable forms. Even hero-level Ants had emerged, serving as the queen's trump cards in her relentless pursuit of victory. However, unbeknownst to her, the human race had concealed their true strength. The Emperor of Humans assembled an aerial squadron, mounted atop majestic beasts such as Pegasus, griffins, and pterosaurs.
These formidable aerial forces were armed with devastating burst cannons, capable of unleashing a torrential onslaught of destruction upon the sky ants. The resounding explosions shattered the celestial tranquility as countless sky ants plummeted earthward like darkened raindrops, their life forces extinguished in a bleak demise. A bombing team, equipped with alchemical explosives of unprecedented power, rained down devastation upon the ant colonies, leaving them in disarray. Even the ant heroes could only flee in desperation, their once unassailable dominance crumbling under the relentless assault of humanity.
In the span of a few short days since the outbreak of war, millions of lives had been irrevocably lost, with the ant clan bearing the brunt of the casualties. The world itself transformed into a macabre canvas, saturated with the crimson hues of spilled blood, while countless lifeless bodies lay strewn across the scarlet-stained earth. The heavens, once a serene sanctuary, now bore witness to a malevolent crimson tint, casting a sinister pall over the world. The skies crackled with palpable hostility, while even the stars seemed to shift uneasily in anticipation. The very ground exuded a tangible aura of animosity, as mighty dragons and serpents took to the sky. The unwavering determination of humanity to safeguard their existence radiated with a murderous intent that shook the very foundations of the earth.
Thus, the era stood poised on the precipice of its twilight, portending the inexorable arrival of a cataclysmic epoch. Amidst the torrential cascade of surging biological energy, Jiang Ping, a mesmerized observer of these catastrophic events, found himself compelled to release a long, contemplative sigh.
"Truly magnificent!" he exclaimed, though accompanied by a belch that escaped his lips.
"Never could I have fathomed that my humble footprints, left a mere two days prior, would serve as the catalyst for this grand massacre. The world unfolds in ways far beyond my imaginings—a tale of death born from a single step!"
Jiang Ping found himself immersed in introspection, acknowledging the intricate tapestry woven by the evolution of the world—a tapestry that he, an unwitting agent of profound transformation, failed to fully comprehend. The echoes of his footprints mirrored the assassination that ignited the flames of World War I—an unforeseen catalyst that forever altered the course of history.