Chapter 337

Chapter 337: The Collapse of the Fantasy Tree of Subspace

"These strange things are so annoying!"

"That’s right, extremely annoying!"

A group of hell demons patrolled the Fantasy Tree of Subspace, feeling irritable; they wore special protective suits and used unique tools to clean away some root-like objects from the walls.

It was better not to call them roots; these things were long and thin, lacking a clear root system, instead spreading out like a net.

Among the thick and thin, sprawling strips, there were trembling, wriggling "tumor-like" objects that burst open now and then, squirting out a stream of golden sacred water with a "puff."

The hell demons, equipped with special tools and protective suits, aimed to remove these nuisances.

A powerful Demon Lord oversaw the actions of these mid-level demons.

"Stop talking!"

"We were here under the command of the great core councilor of chaos, the twenty-ninth seat of the Chaos Council, the venomous Astarloth, to clean up these vile tumors harming the Fantasy Tree of Subspace!"

"They would cause slow corrosion of the tree’s very structure!"

"If you wished for your home to stay sturdy, and for your servants to remain locked up, then don’t slack off!"

It was unclear when these annoying "moss-like" monsters started spreading on the Fantasy Tree of Subspace; they clung to the tree’s surface, slowly thinning the outer layer.

In bad spots, the corrosion had even reached the outer part of the "law substance."

The Chaos Demon God had to pour in big resources and order many demons to wipe out these pests.

But the "moss monsters" always came back, impossible to get rid of for good.

Both the demons and the Chaos Demon God were furious about it.

"Hurry!"

"Flatten this patch of ‘tentacle moss’ for me!"

"Whap——!"

The Demon Lord wielded a fire whip, its crack echoing in the air.

Under that pressure, the demons had no choice but to obey…

"Ah——!"

A scream rang out.

From the front of the Fantasy Tree of Subspace came a rumbling noise, like hundreds of giant legs slamming and shaking the tree.

"It’s over!"

"It’s the Star-Eater Plutonium Dragons!"

"Those pests just won’t leave us alone!"

The Demon Lord, who had been waving the fire whip proudly moments before, dropped it and bolted, running faster than anyone.

Like master, like servant.

The Chaos Demon God and the demons were all out for themselves; don’t expect them to be brave under his rule.

Against foes like the Chosen Warrior, tempted by gain or saving their own skins, the demons might go all out with their fury; but facing the Star-Eater Plutonium Dragons…

This was not an opponent they could fight against.

Running for their lives was the priority.

The Demon Lord’s escape seemed to signal the others.

"Run!"

"Quick! Dive through the hole into the Fantasy Tree of Subspace!"

"Get inside!"

The battle between the Star-Eater Plutonium Dragons and the Chaos Demon God continued.

Lacking decisive combat strength, the Star-Eater Plutonium Dragons could not confront high-ranking members, especially core members; so, under the unexpected leadership of "Ye’s Foolish Act," they engaged in large-scale guerrilla warfare against the Chaos Demon Gods, spreading widely everywhere.

They particularly launched attacks in areas where the young shoots of the Fantasy Tree were located and around the Bubble World, which had been conquered early on, targeting the chaotic battleships and transport vessels that transported resources to the Fantasy Tree.

They even knocked over several young shoots, rendering areas that used to generate resources for the core of the Fantasy Tree unable to do so; at this point, to defend against the Star-Eater Plutonium Dragons’ incursions, many originally productive areas had even begun to turn into wounds of chaos, constantly bleeding resources.

Recently, taking advantage of the Chaos Demon God focusing his attention on Themis and Valaharl, the Star-Eater Plutonium Dragons had become bolder; they even sent small groups of troops into the core area of the Fantasy Tree of Subspace.

Just like now!

"Roar——!"

The roar of the Star-Eater Plutonium Dragons grew ever closer!

"Ah——!"

"No!"

The screams of demons caught unprepared became louder and closer.

However, the Chaos Council was not foolish.

In their long struggle against the Star-Eater Plutonium Dragons, they had summarized some experiences to minimize losses.

For instance, demons would leave escape channels when moving on the surface of the Fantasy Tree of Subspace.

Unless they were particularly unlucky and ran into a suddenly attacking Star-Eater Plutonium Dragon, demons had a chance to escape inside the Fantasy Tree to find shelter and survive.

"Ah…"

"We made it inside!"

"The law’s outer skin of the Fantasy Tree is incredibly tough! Absolutely solid!"

"The Star-Eater Plutonium Dragons can’t break through!"

"Yeah! This time, that fellow should not…!"

The demons’ relieved words soon caught in their throats.

They saw…

The law’s outer skin, praised by the demons as "incredibly tough" and "absolutely solid," had actually been breached!

Those "moss" that originally only grew on the surface of the Fantasy Tree had extended their root systems into the interior of the Fantasy Tree.

In the vast space, countless root tumors and root fibers spread and writhed freely.

"Glub glub…"

"Hiss…"

At their ends, finer tentacle-like structures spread out and greedily siphoned the energy of the Fantasy Tree of Subspace.

"How can this be?!"

"How is this possible?!"

"Our Fantasy Tree of Subspace is actually…?"

"Invaded on the inside!?"

In the memories of the demons, only their Fantasy Tree of Subspace had ever invaded others in the Chaos Swamp Realm; they had never been invaded by anyone else.

When they saw these sprawling "monsters," the demons put down all their strange entertainment activities.

Faced with an unprecedented situation, they forgot how to respond.

Such a dazed reaction was deadly.

Because what they faced then was not just these monsters that had pierced the Fantasy Tree’s law substance and invaded its interior; in fact, this danger was not even the most deadly.

"Boom——!"

The Star-Eater Plutonium Dragons had arrived!

"Creak——Creak——Creak——!"

The huge biting sounds echoed inside and outside the Fantasy Tree of Subspace; the spreading "monsters" not only eroded the law substance of the Fantasy Tree but also successfully pushed their "filamentous tentacles" deep inside, weakening the structure of the Fantasy Tree.

The attacking Star-Eater Plutonium Dragons certainly wouldn’t miss this weakness of the Fantasy Tree of Subspace.

This was a great opportunity to break through!

Soon…

"Boom——!"

A violent roar and explosion erupted.

"Roar——!"

Furious roars rang out within the Fantasy Tree of Subspace!

The massive Star-Eater Plutonium Dragon had broken through the outer skin of the Fantasy Tree and was crawling into its interior!

Its gigantic scythe-like mouthparts snapped open and closed, declaring death and destruction to the demons there.

However, that was not the worst situation yet.

"Boom——Boom——!"

Suddenly, the Fantasy Tree of Subspace shook violently, and the demons screamed as they fell to the ground; the twisted, towering buildings constructed within the internal space of the Fantasy Tree collapsed, shattering into rubble.

Countless demons were crushed into a pulp by the cataclysmic events.

Even the Star-Eater Plutonium Dragons were startled.

In the next moment…

"Boom——!"

The surviving demons suddenly found themselves weightless, floating into the air.

And the Star-Eater Plutonium Dragons, with their heads poking out into the interior space of the Fantasy Tree, could observe more clearly.

They discovered that the trunk of this Fantasy Tree of Subspace was actually collapsing!

"No——!"

"Ah…"

"How can this be?!"

"This is the main branch!"

Although there had been instances where branches of the Fantasy Tree of Subspace were corroded from the inside and then broken by the Star-Eater Plutonium Dragons, those branches were always the "tips."

The law substance wasn’t complete.

Even if broken, it didn’t cause much harm to the Fantasy Tree itself.

It was a small injury, but very humiliating.

However, this time was different.

What was starting to decay and rot was the thick trunk of the Fantasy Tree of Subspace!

Such a trunk, being corroded and rotten…

Unprecedented!

But they had no time to think about the meaning of this.

"Boom——!"

"Whoosh!"

The Star-Eater Plutonium Dragon, clutching this section of the branch of the Fantasy Tree, fell into the Sea of Ether, splashing up towering waves.