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"Now, I shall devour you thoroughly and—"
"MEREOW!"
"Wha...?!"
The roar of a cat echoed as a giant rainbow paw made of yarn smashed the Arachne’s head, crushing her into the ground.
"A... a cat?"
"Meow!"
The yarn cat seized Katherine and injected purifying spirit energy, healing her from the venom and rushing away as quickly as possible.
However...
"Where do you think you’re going?!"
"RETURN!"
"COME BACK!"
Many more Arachnes pursued them, furious that one of their sisters had died.
In the distance, a titanic spider rushed toward the cat, making the ground tremble.
A monster among monsters, an Arachne Queen!
Sensing many of the Yarn Familiars dying, the cat spread its wings made of yarn and flew far away, escaping the Death Domain by a hair’s breadth.
"Ah! K-Katherine?!"
While flying through the skies and rescuing others, Khione saw the cat carrying Katherine to her.
"Q-Queen Khione...? What...! What’s happening? Who is this creature?"
"That is a powerful Yarn Familiar from Daddy Sardine, a Great Spirit Druid! He has saved your life!"
"O-Oh...! Kajithe...! Wait, why couldn’t I remember him until now?!"
Katherine clutched her head in disbelief, realizing she hadn’t recalled the endearing, grumpy cat until this moment.
It was as if her memory of him had been severed.
"It’s a long story...!" Khione muttered, her eyes filled with sorrow. "Elayne lost...! But there’s hope... her Domain! Katherine, do you know how to get there? The coordinates?"
"Her Domain?" Katherine asked. "What... Ah...! You plan to evacuate there?"
"There’s no other place. Someone told me her daughter could be there. We must find her, help her, protect her!" Khione said. "It’s the least we can do after her sacrifice!"
"E-Elena...!" Katherine murmured. "Y-Yes, I’ll tell you everything I know...! But... I remember Goldie was with me... where is he?"
"The fish?" Khione asked. "I... I have no idea, I’m sorry."
"...Goldie, please be safe!" Katherine closed her eyes, falling asleep on the familiar’s lap.
Meanwhile, in the far Eastern Seas of Avalon, a great storm churned the oceans. The Domain of Death was slowly creeping toward the seas, causing panic among the Sea Spirit Races.
In the Great Eastern Sea Palace, a large merman king stared nervously at the glowing orb before him.
The teleportation array to escape to another realm was still not functioning properly!
"This is my fault for not repairing it...! We haven’t used it in eons, after all...!"
The King blamed himself as his people panicked across the sea.
"Guaaaah!"
"Huh?!"
Suddenly, he heard a loud cry as a golden star fell from the skies, crashing into his palace and causing part of the ceiling to collapse.
BOOOM!
"What in the world is this?"
The Merman King stared in disbelief at a giant golden koi fish groaning in pain, sobbing mournfully atop a pile of rubble.
"Sniff... master... sniff, sniff..."
"W-What kind of creature are you— Ah!"
The Merman King gasped at the entity’s presence.
Despite appearing as a mere fish, it exuded the graceful aura of the Sacred Dragon Race.
"Impossible...! A Dragon fell from the skies? A golden koi dragon, at that! Is this our salvation?"
"Ough... Huh? Who are you?"
Goldie slowly swam upward, gazing at the small Merman King with tired, sorrowful eyes.
"Oh, great Sacred Dragon! Please listen to our plea! Save us! Our Realm is in grave danger! The Death Domain spreads everywhere. We will all be consumed if we don’t escape!"
The King prostrated himself before Goldie, pleading for help.
"Please, use your Sacred Dragon Bloodline to create a Dragon Path to one of the Realms your Race governs! It’s our only way out!"
"Huh? I-I don’t know what you’re talking about...! I’m originally from Arcadia, not Earth! And... my parents died long ago. I was living in a damn pond a few months ago, you know?!"
"But please! Please help us!"
"I...! How...! How do I even open a gate?!"
"Just think about it— Ah, use this!"
The Merman King handed Goldie the Teleportation Orb. Goldie held it with one of his fins, focusing his power on it.
Then...
Right away...
FLAAASH!
A golden dragon symbol flashed before him, radiating a vast amount of Yang Energy.
"W-What...?!"
Shocked, Goldie watched as the spatial power formed a giant golden portal, a "Dragon Path" leading to an Alternate Realm.
"It’s open! Everyone, it’s open! Gather up, run!"
The Merman King urgently called his people as they poured into the portal in terror, the Death Domain already invading the seas, with Undead Spirit Sea Monsters attacking the city’s barrier.
"Lord Dragon, please come with us! We need you!"
The Merman King called for Goldie, who stared at the portal, dumbfounded.
"Master..."
He clenched his teeth, entering the portal and beholding a beautiful scenery of countless stars and a river of pure light guiding him elsewhere.
"I will make sure to avenge you! I will grow stronger...! No matter what!"
The once lazy and unmotivated spiritual beast of the Forest of Beginnings had transformed.
Having experienced a horror he never thought it was possible, Goldie had finally resolved to change.
As he passed through the portal and entered another Realm, light enveloped him from all directions.
Goldie stood in awe, gazing at the breathtaking heavenly realm he had reached.
Colorful heavens, countless peaks and mountains, and a vast azure ocean stretched before him.
But above all, a titanic dragon, larger than the mountains themselves, glared down at them.
He was merely passing by but noticed the unexpected visitors.
"Hmm? A large group of visitors this time...! Who are you?! You used an illegal method to enter the Azure Heaven Dragon Realm! As an Azure Heaven Inspector, I have the authority to annihilate all invaders!"
The furious, gigantic dragon roared at the trembling mermen.
"A-Ahh...! Please, senior, have mercy. I was the one who brought them here!"
Swimming toward the titanic dragon, Goldie expected to die on their behalf.
However...
"W-What?! You...! A Golden Koi Lineage?! Impossible! Wasn’t your family exterminated over a hundred thousand years ago?!"
"Huh?"
"Hahaha! You should have said you were of the Ancient Imperial Lineage! Don’t worry, junior, all is forgiven! Come with me to the Azure Sky Palace! I will personally ensure your slaves’ survival if you do."
"I... okay, thank you, senior. And they are not my slaves..."
With no other option, Goldie reluctantly accepted.
He didn’t know what strange and wondrous fate awaited him.
But he would no longer falter.
For his precious master, who had given her life to save him.
He would not stop until he could avenge her.
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