Everyone stared toward the center of the magma sea.
The ocean of lava had beco completely chaotic.
Waves hundreds of ters tall crashed violently while the entire surface rotated like a gigantic whirlpool. Around the edges of Mantleheim, the magma visibly receded away from the shores.
anwhile at the very center, the lava began rising upward.
Slowly at first.
Then faster.
And faster.
Until finally a colossal pillar of magma erupted upward with enough force to shake the entire realm.
BOOOOM!
The pillar soared several kiloters high, reaching nearly all the way to Mantleheim's ceiling. Molten lava cascaded down its sides like waterfalls while terrifying heat spread outward in every direction.
The dwarves stared upward in shock.
Even the transcendents narrowed their eyes seriously.
"What kind of magma elental is this?" one elder muttered.
"No ordinary greater elental could create such a disturbance," another said grimly.
"It cannot be a Grand Magma Elental," a third elder argued imdiately. "That should be impossible. We regularly cull the magma elental population specifically to prevent such evolution."
Yet even as he said it, uncertainty filled his voice.
Because the aura spreading from the pillar truly felt monstrous.
Then the pillar moved.
The endless lava condensed inward rapidly.
The gigantic column twisted and reshaped itself while the magma compressed further and further. Before everyone's eyes, the massive pillar gradually transford into a humanoid figure.
Gasps spread through the gathered crowds.
A colossal giant now stood within the magma sea.
Its body towered upward until its head nearly brushed against Mantleheim's ceiling. Arms wider than mountains hung at its sides while its legs resembled heavenly pillars anchoring the entire realm itself.
Its surface constantly shifted between molten lava and blackened rock.
Streams of magma flowed down its body like rivers.
The giant's head lacked most features.
Only two blazing crimson eyes existed upon the smooth face, shining like miniature suns within the darkness.
The pressure radiating from it beca suffocating.
Several weaker dwarves collapsed instantly.
Others staggered backward in fear.
Even the transcendents' expressions changed completely.
"This aura..." one elder muttered.
"It really might be a Grand Magma Elental," another said grimly.
"That thing could destroy Mantleheim if it loses control."
The giant suddenly moved.
Slowly, it turned its head toward the gathered dwarves.
Then it roared.
RRRRROOOOOAAAAARRRRR!!!
The sound exploded across the entire realm.
Shockwaves rippled through the air while lava erupted violently beneath the giant's feet. The roar carried imnse elental force that slamd into everyone present.
Dozens of dwarves were blasted backward.
So weaker immortals fell directly onto the ground.
Even ng Bai nearly lost his footing despite gripping Stasis tightly.
The transcendents imdiately stepped forward.
Their Dao Embryos began manifesting around them as they prepared for battle.
"All dwarven warriors prepare!" one elder roared.
Massive hamrs appeared.
Forge fires ignited.
Formation arrays activated across the cliffs and walls surrounding Mantleheim.
The atmosphere instantly turned tense.
Yet before anyone could move further, another roar echoed through the realm.
This one sounded entirely different.
Wild.
Excited.
Familiar.
A crimson blur suddenly shot across the skies faster than lightning itself.
"Shrubby!" ng Bai shouted imdiately.
The giant red beast tore through the air recklessly, heading directly toward the colossal magma giant.
"Damn it, that's dangerous!" one dwarf yelled.
Several elders even tried reaching out to stop him.
But Shrubby moved too quickly.
The giant being of magma lowered its burning gaze toward the incoming red blur while everyone prepared themselves for an inevitable clash.
Then sothing completely unexpected happened.
Shrubby let out an excited roar.
The magma giant responded with another roar of its own.
And then the enormous molten colossus... crouched down slightly.
Like a parent greeting a child.
The gathered dwarves froze.
Shrubby slamd directly into the giant's chest with enough force to crack mountains.
Instead of attacking, however, the magma giant simply caught him carefully within one enormous hand.
Then the gigantic creature rumbled deeply while gently rubbing its massive thumb against Shrubby's head.
Shrubby happily wagged his tail.
Silence fell across Mantleheim.
Every dwarf stared blankly.
ng Bai blinked several tis.
Daoist Chu slowly lowered the formation scroll he had been preparing.
Cattaleya frowned deeply while trying to process what she was seeing.
Even the transcendents looked utterly baffled.
Then the magma giant spoke.
Or rather, it attempted to.
Its voice sounded like mountains grinding against each other while volcanoes erupted simultaneously.
"Shrubby... stronger..." it rumbled proudly.
The mont the words echoed out, everyone's eyes widened.
"That thing can talk?" a dwarf muttered weakly.
"No..." another whispered in disbelief. "Wait... why does it sound stupidly familiar?"
anwhile Shrubby continued roaring excitedly while perched atop the giant's hand.
Then suddenly the colossal magma being, began shrinking.
Its gigantic body rapidly condensed inward as endless lava flowed back into the sea. The towering figure beca smaller and smaller until eventually a far more familiar shape erged.
The crimson eyes dimd slightly.
The molten body solidified.
And finally, standing above the magma sea with lava swirling around him, was Lin Mu.
Or rather, a very different looking Lin Mu.
His body radiated terrifying elental pressure while crimson cracks resembling flowing magma spread faintly beneath his skin. His long hair floated upward slightly as dense elental energy twisted around him.
The surrounding magma sea continued responding to his re presence instinctively.
Everyone stared in absolute silence.
Lin Mu looked around calmly before noticing the massive army gathered along the shoreline.
Then his gaze landed on the transcendents whose Dao Embryos were still fully summoned.
He blinked once.
"…Did sothing happen?" he asked honestly.
The entire realm went silent for several long seconds.
Then one drunken dwarf in the back shouted loudly.
"YOU ALMOST CAUSED A NATURAL DISASTER!"
"Huh?" Lin Mu replied in confusion.
"No." Daoist Chu spoke. "This isn't the first ti... HE'S DONE IT AGAIN!" "What!? He's done it before?" The dwarves asked.
"He's caused a Tsunami before and a ga Quake that made an entire Spatial Plane collapse before." Daoist Chu explained.
Hearing that, the dwarves were at a loss for words.
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