Chapter 399

Chapter 399: Mood Improved with a "Pop"

“In the Endless Ether, it is not just the Abyss that calls the shots.”

“Splash—!”

A colossal divine body, mightier than almost any being, glided through the shallow ether universe—a realm bordering the Endless Ether and the Chaos Swamp.

Its back breached the sea’s surface, displaying grandeur to the void and all within the ether!

“Hmm—!”

“Roar!”

Beneath its radiance, countless tiny deities scattered in terror.

They feared this colossal divine presence.

Though aware this powerful deity embodied the Endless Ether’s abundance and mercy, its sheer scale alone cast an ever-present dread!

Such was its aura—authority radiating without wrath.

And this magnificent, colossal deity was none other than…

“At least I, the Ether Mother, will never let the Abyss gain dominance!”

“Therefore…”

“Mighty Giant God!”

“Join my cause!”

“You are worthy to serve beneath me!”

The Ether Mother’s magnetic, alluring "Creation’s Sigh" rippled through ether and void.

—-

Spotting the enormous caudal fin, the broad dorsal fin, and the towering spine rising from the sea, any layman would surely shout—“Look!”

“A giant whale!”

“A giant whale!”

Trilobite was no layman. Yet in theory, judging solely by the underdeveloped dorsal fin and the glimpse of back and tail above water, he couldn’t fully identify the creature.

After all, paleontologists had never observed living specimens of their subjects; they reconstructed ancient beings only through skeletal clues and comparisons to modern relatives or creatures with similar habits.

Specimens like Edmontosaurus—preserved as “fossil mummies”—were rarer than phoenix feathers.

Certainly, some creatures bore appearances too bizarre or distinct to miss. One glimpse of a key feature, like lower fangs piercing nostrils, and experts knew instantly.

But this creature offered no such glaring oddities for Trilobite to note.

Laymen confused them with whales.

Those with passing knowledge might mistake them for distant Canglong—convergent evolution blurred lines.

Yet Trilobite was neither layman nor dabbler; he was a paper-publishing authority.

“Hmm…”

"Definitely not a whale! Did you see how its tail fin stood upright instead of lying sideways?"

"Clearly, it’s lizard-like."

"From its body structure, it didn’t resemble late-period marine reptiles like ‘Floating Dragons’."

"And marine reptiles aren’t that big…"

"It must be an ichthyosaur!"

"A huge ichthyosaur!"

"Probably…"

"A member of the Sastrosauridae family?"

Sastrosauridae was considered the pride among ichthyosaurs; most powerful ichthyosaurs belonged to this family.

This included the famous Himalayan Ichthyosaur.

Based on different reconstructions, the Himalayan Ichthyosaur measured between 12 and 20 meters long, potentially ranking among the largest predatory marine reptiles in the strictest sense.

However, its teeth were relatively small, suggesting it preyed on smaller marine life. Whether it deserved the "strongest" title remained doubtful.

The giant creature before Trilobite wasn’t a Himalayan Ichthyosaur, but a larger and likely gentler Sicanthosaur.

This giant ichthyosaur reached 21 meters in length and possibly weighed over 50 tons!

At this size, it might’ve been not only the largest ichthyosaur but the biggest marine reptile ever!

Interestingly, years earlier, paleontologists had discovered fragmented ichthyosaur fossils at England’s Pink Hill.

Though scattered, applying the Sicanthosaur’s body-type formula suggested this ocean giant could grow beyond 28 meters—possibly up to 32 meters—weighing 180 tons!

If future evidence confirmed these fragments belonged to large Sicanthosaurs or other massive Sastrosauridae species, the blue whale might lose its title as Earth’s largest creature.

Paleontologists theorized such colossal beings were likely gentle "suction-feeders," using their Big Mouths to ingest large soft-bodied animals.

The ocean’s most abundant large soft-bodied creatures were squids and their relatives.

Squids were Mesozoic marine staples—not to be missed.

"But…"

"It still seems slightly different from Sastrosauridae."

"Generally, Sastrosauridae was considered a basal group, with ongoing debate about dorsal fins."

Dorsal fins maintain swimming stability; removing them causes fish to list sideways.

For terrestrial vertebrates adopting a fish shape, evolving dorsal fins marked a crucial adaptation to marine life.

"Now it’s confirmed—Sastrosauridae had dorsal fins."

"Another paper for Nature!"

"But…"

"What are you doing?"

Trilobite watched the colossal creature—towering over twenty meters—bobbing on the distant "sea surface," a magnificent spectacle.

Yet sadly…

"It’s just scenery."

Through his system vision, the Sicanthosaur glowed purest white.

Another neutral creature devoid of Chaos Energy.

Suddenly…

"Uuunh—Doooo—!"

"Hsssshooo—!"

The giant ichthyosaur released deep, rumbling roars.

The low-frequency sound traveled far, vibrating the "sea" into simmering motion as droplets danced upward.

"Why shout? You’re interrupting my meal!"

"Raaaawr—!"

Trilobite roared threateningly, annoyed by the disrupted feeding.

"Don’t think I fear you just because you’re the biggest marine reptile!"

"Believe me, I’ll—"

"Hm?"

Just then, Trilobite’s Olfactory Membranes detected anomalies in the leaping droplets and mist.

"Sniff… sniff…"

He submerged his head’s front into water, sensing scents and magnetic fields.

Instinct immediately revealed what he’d overlooked…

"Oh!"

Excitement flashed in Trilobite’s eyes.

"So you’re not just a Sicanthosaur—you’re Mrs. Sicanthosaur!"

His mood brightened instantly.