In the past, whenever they encountered a terrifying Ethereal like this, Zhu Yuan and Qingyi would have retreated without hesitation.
But now.
After all the ordeals they had gone through—after witnessing Sam Li and the Adepti's strength, and seeing the Creator split cleanly in half by a single strike from Sam Li—Zhu Yuan no longer feared an Ethereal of this level.
She knew that Sam Li, or even any of the Adepti here, could dispatch this massive Ethereal with ease. And besides, there was also the mighty Azhdaha.
With that thought, Zhu Yuan quickly said,
"Mountain Shaper, we should help too."
Mountain Shaper answered calmly,
"No need. An enemy like this is something Azhdaha alone can handle."
Even so, he still led Zhu Yuan and Qingyi toward the battlefield.
...
On the other side, Moon Carver was already striding through the air, arriving near where Azhdaha battled the "deep-sea monster" Ethereal. He shouted,
"Azhdaha! Long time no see. What's this? You can't even handle a small fry anymore?"
No sooner had Moon Carver spoken than Azhdaha's attention snapped to him.
With a single sweep of his massive claw, Azhdaha sent several boulders flying straight toward Moon Carver, nearly crushing him.
Moon Carver dodged frantically.
"Hey! I came to help you, and this is how you greet me...?"
Azhdaha roared,
"You're just in time! Fight me together then—I was planning to settle everything with you anyway!"
He squared his stance, clearly ready to take on both enemies at once.
Moon Carver was left speechless.
Wasn't Azhdaha supposed to have regained his memories? Why did he still seem so slow-witted...
Moon Carver gave a wry smile.
"I only came because you seemed to be struggling. Let me lend you a hand."
But Azhdaha snapped coldly,
"This is my battle. I don't need your help. Get out of my way—"
Moon Carver could only sigh:
"..."
At that moment, the "deep-sea monster" Ethereal seized its chance. Countless tentacles lashed out, wrapping tightly around Azhdaha.
And then, behind him, a new spatial fissure split open. From it, a gigantic Ethereal hand emerged, seizing Azhdaha's tail and dragging him toward Hollow Zero.
This too was part of Miss Sarah's plan.
Just yesterday, she had watched the Adepti drag the Creator into the Development Zone Hollow, using the environment to overwhelm him.
Learning from that, she ordered a Destruction-class Ethereal to drag Azhdaha into Hollow Zero as well.
But Miss Sarah had underestimated him.
Azhdaha suddenly opened his jaws, unleashing a golden dragon's breath that pierced straight through the Destruction-level Ethereal constraining him.
One blow left it reeling, badly wounded.
Then, with a powerful lash of his tail, Azhdaha wrenched free and flung the Destruction-class Ethereal out of Hollow Zero, slamming it into Bangboo Town.
Moon Carver chuckled.
"You handle the one tangling with you. I'll take care of this intruder."
He drew his weapon, stepped into the air, and charged toward the Ethereal Azhdaha had flung aside. His strikes rained down, suppressing the monster with sheer force.
But Azhdaha remained ungrateful.
"Once I've slain this creature, I will settle matters with you myself—"
Moon Carver only smiled.
"No problem. His Excellency the Geo Archon is here as well. Let the enemy commander bear witness."
The mention of the Geo Archon made Azhdaha hesitate for a moment. Seizing the opening, the Ethereal wrapped him in its coils again.
Furious, Azhdaha roared,
"Die!"
He leapt skyward, then came crashing down with earth-shaking force,the crash leveled half of Bangboo Town as he tore free from the monster's grip.
As Moon Carver and Azhdaha each grappled with one Destruction-class Ethereal, far away in a mountain hollow more than ten kilometers from the disaster, Miss Sarah watched the scene unfold on her monitors.
The instant Moon Carver appeared on the feed, Sarah's face darkened.
Of course she recognized that "middle-aged man."
Just yesterday, he had dragged the Creator from Hollow Zero into the Development Zone Hollow, leaving the Creator grievously wounded and missing half his body.
She had never imagined she would see him here again.
With Moon Carver's arrival, Miss Sarah knew the plan was doomed.
Seething, she clenched her coffee cup so hard it shattered against the floor.
The cup shattered in her hand, shards skittering across the cabin floor.
From the driver's seat, her subordinate called nervously,
"Miss Sarah, are you all right?"
Still fuming, she hissed,
"Damn it, damn it, damn it... Why is it always you? Why are you everywhere...?"
"Miss Sarah, are you all right?" the subordinate repeated cautiously.
Miss Sarah forced a deep breath, steadying herself.
"I'm fine. Drive."
The subordinate faltered.
"To where? Should we head to Bangboo Town to check the situation?"
She shook her head.
"No. Back to base. Now."
The moment she had seen Moon Carver, she knew the operation was a failure.
Staying here served no purpose—worse, it risked exposure.
Her subordinate, still oblivious, tried again.
"But Bangboo Town—"
Miss Sarah snapped,
"Didn't you hear me? Drive back to base!"
Startled, he fell silent, quickly started the vehicle, and steered out of the hollow.
Even as she abandoned the plan, Sarah's gaze never left the monitor.
And when she saw Cloud Retainer, Xiao, and Sam Li arrive one after another, she knew all hope was lost.
...
As Miss Sarah decisively abandoned her attempt to corrupt Azhdaha and retreated in haste, within the raging SS-class Hollow disaster, Moon Carver and Azhdaha poured out their strength, finally defeating the two Destruction-class Ethereal and pushing the Hollow into its waning phase.
At the same time, Sam Li approached Azhdaha.
"Azhdaha. It's been a long time."
Compared to their last encounter, Azhdaha's attitude toward Sam Li had shifted. Still cold, but no longer hostile.
In a deep voice, he said,
"Morax. Why have you come to find me again?"
Before Sam Li could reply, Moon Carver cut in.
"Even if there's nothing urgent, can't we come to catch up with you?"