Chapter 35: Ch 35: Calm Before The Storm

Naida hesitated, then spoke carefully.

“Your Grace… what are your orders?”

Aegis was silent for a long moment.

Then—

“No negotiations.”

The words were soft, but absolute.

“No warnings. No messages.”

He turned slightly, his divine authority rippling outward like an unseen tide.

“He threatened my domain.”

Another step.

“He insulted my people.”

Another.

“And he thought he could take what is mine.”

The ocean responded.

Far away, storms began to gather without clouds.

Aegis finally looked back at them.

“Prepare the domain,” he said calmly. “Recall the Hydra. Seal the inner sea. I will go meet this MadDog myself.”

For the first time, Naida felt fear.

Not for them.

But for the man who had dared to bark at a Sea God.

Naida’s eyes shone as she saw the man she loved and chose standing up for his people.

She immediately summoned the dual-headed Hydra and the Crab King from the sea.

Afterward, all of them headed out.

It was Aegis’s first time leaving his palace, yet there was no grand entrance or decoration.

His presence alone asserted dominance, not to mention his terrifying followers: the Sanguine siblings, the Phoenix descendants, the dual-headed Hydra, the Crab King, and a mermaid spirit.

The Phoenix descendants all transformed into their Phoenix forms. The Crab King was carried by the Hydra with its wings.

Aegis rode atop Billy’s back, standing tall and regal.

While riding behind Aegis, Naida finally noticed the golden headband around his head.

Her expression shifted to surprise.

“Your Grace, where did you get that crown?”

Aegis turned back briefly and replied, “On the Tree of Life. Do you recognize it? Does it belong to the Sea God?”

Her eyes blurred with tears as she nodded.

“Yes, it does. And it is one of the Sea God’s most important treasures. Did you somehow meet Lady Hamuna there, Your Grace?”

Aegis raised an eyebrow at the name.

“Are you talking about that Tree Spirit?”

Naida nodded.

“Yes, I did met her. How is she connected to all this?”

Naida sighed before speaking, while the others kept their ears sharp to listen.

“She was one of the previous Sea God’s lovers, but for unfortunate reasons, they could not be together. She has carried that pain ever since. She must have obtained the crown when the Sea God fell and dutifully delivered it to you.”

Aegis fell silent. He hadn’t known such histories were involved.

Naida did not speak further about the Sea God, even though the girls insisted on knowing more about how the Sea God had failed.

Not long after, gliding through the blue sky, they arrived at their destination.

A floating island hovered in midair, suspended by an unseen force. It looked like a land filled with desert mountains and lifeless canyons.

It was really smaller compared to the Aquabyss Domain.

“Did this fly really dare to challenge us?” Aegis asked again, with disbelief attached.

“Yes, Your Grace. He is either mad or has hidden cards. We should be careful regardless,” she replied cautiously.

He gave small nod. Then they descended slowly.

Billy and Milly circled once above the floating island before lowering their altitude. Their crimson wings cut through the hot and dry air.

Below them stretched a vast canyon. Its walls were craggy and scarred, as if the land itself had been clawed apart by an ancient storm.

At the very bottom of the canyon stood a base.

It’s a square-shaped structure built entirely from red rock, its surface rough and unpolished, blending almost perfectly with the surrounding terrain.

From its corners, crude towers rose, etched with earth-element runes that throbbed faintly with mana.

“So this is his nest,” Aegis said calmly.

They finally landed.

The ground trembled slightly under the combined pressure of the Hydra, the Crab King, and the Phoenixes.

Around them, dust rose.

And then, slow and deliberate footsteps echoed from the base.

“Step, step, step…”

A man emerged.

He was a fully grown adult, broad-shouldered and tall, with thick, unkempt black hair and a heavy beard streaked with dust.

His skin was tanned and rough, marked by scars that spoke of countless battles.

Earth-element mana rolled off him in dense waves, making the ground beneath his feet subtly shift with each step.

This was MadDog.

“So you’re the Sea God everyone’s whispering about,” he said with a crooked grin. “Hah. And here I was expecting someone stronger. You’re just a pretty punk with these cuties around you. ”

Aegis responded with calm:

“You threatened our domain. You insulted my people. State your purpose.”

“HAHAHA…” MadDog laughed loudly, the sound bouncing violently against the canyon walls.

“Purpose? It’s Simple. Your island is rich with water. Too rich. And you? You’re new. That makes you easy prey.”

From the looks of things, he didn’t know a shit about the present situation in Global Chatbox.

He didn’t know who Aegis was.

His lustful eyes crossed over Naida, the Phoenix sisters with undisguised lust.

“Tell me punk, have you fucked them yet? How tasty are they?”

Aegis’ eyes turned cold, while Naida blushed furiously.

“Tsk, you did not? Then these beauties are such a waste in your hand. I will claim them as my bonuses.”

Flama’s flames erupted instantly, but Aegis raised a hand.

MadDog’s grin widened.

“I was hoping you’d come personally. And you did. This makes things a lot easier.”

He suddenly stomped his foot. “Booom!”

And the ground exploded.

From below massive rock pillars rose upward, forming a massive Cage instantly.

Boom!

The cage sealed completely, earth-element runes igniting across its surface.

From beneath the cage, the ground split open again.

“Roarrrr!”

Massive lions with stone-plated hides leapt forward. Their eyes glowed with savage hunger.

Hyenas followed next. Their bodies twisted by earth mana, jaws were wide and dripping with saliva as they circled eagerly.

MadDog threw his head back and laughed.

“Hahaha! Welcome to my hunting ground!”

He spread his arms wide.

“These beasts haven’t eaten in days. Let’s see how long a so callee Sea God and his pretty followers last!”

Inside the cage, dust died down slowly.

“Grrrr!” The beasts growled, inching closer.

Aegis stood silent. He knew, without a doubt that in a dangerous situation It’s always remain calm.

Soon, droplets of water manifested out of the very air.

The Sea God’s anger was like the calm before the storm.

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