The Influenced Region of Teary-Eyed Snapper broke down into fluid under the effects of Subtle Terrain Domination and seeped into Wally's heart, fusing with his Spirit Container. In a matter of seconds, it became one with his Spirit Container, causing him to feel a bloated feeling.
But once he assumes Empyrean Snapper form, the feeling would vanish, for the massiveness of his Empyrean Snapper's Spirit Container was enough to accommodate the entirety of the Teary-Eyed Snapper's mass.
Thump! Thump!
He felt his heartbeats grow laboured, for the weight of the Spirit Container stressed his heart. In response, Wally infused the power of Subtle Terrain Domination in his heart and handled the excess pressure.
[There's no time, Wally! Hurry!]
The 1st Empyrean Snapper urged him, feeling pressured by Brangara's attacks.
[He's building his second body. Once that's complete, he could attack us without any hesitation!]
"I know…" Wally nodded when he noticed the Lightning Plasma Spirit Pool form ripples. A second later, he realised what was happening, tearing up in response. "I'm sorry!"
[Don't be! It's our honour to become a part of our future!]
The Empyrean Snappers were infusing their inheritances in the Lightning Plasma Spirit Pool using the Water Slip Skill. As it was a peak Gold Grade mineral, it could store a large volume of information in a minimal volume.
"Are you finally making a move?" Brangara tensed up to see the 1st Empyrean Snapper billow with Prana, charging up an attack. But right as he prepared to defend himself, propping up the shell of a damaged Empyrean Snapper as a shield, mist covered the region. "Is this it?"
The mist rapidly covered the region, creating a smoke screen, reducing visibility to zero. Brangara blew out hard, clearing his vicinity of the mist, only to observe the mist fill up the void in a matter of seconds, 'Fast!'
The other Empyrean Snappers joined the effort to strengthen the mist, and using it as a cover, they approached the 1st Empyrean Snapper and extended their heads into a massive hole that opened up in the mountain on its back.
The hole extended until their Spirit Weapon range made contact with the Lightning Plasma Spirit Pool. The Empyrean Snapper left its inheritance in the Spirit Pool and retracted its head, following which a second Empyrean Snapper did the same.
Every time they did this, Wally continued to cry, knowing very well that this would be their last life, for they were leaving the entirety of their accumulations to him.
[Unfortunately, the inheritances of two of us have been lost forever.]
The 1st Empyrean Snapper consoled him, giving him directions.
[Just in case, before you make the trip to the Sandy-Grey Void, head to the rest of the Empyrean Snappers and accept their inheritances too. We cannot leave anything to chance!]
"I will," Wally wiped his tears and clenched his fist hard, "I'll succeed, no matter what!"
[Also, I have arranged a bodyguard for your journey. He'll be more reliable than Geugeu for your purpose. I only ask you to keep an open mind about him!]
As it spoke, a tunnel entrance opened, allowing a fish-shaped Pranic Beast made out of bones to slither in. Once it stared at Wally, it reverted to human form, revealing the figure of a toned man with a bulky frame.
His chiselled face accentuated his hardened expression, one barely able to reign in his hatred. He observed Wally and glared at the walls of the mountain, "Fine!"
Red Mystic Path—Resha!
The moment Brangara began to face the Empyrean Snappers, Resha obviously detected the Prana signature of his fated enemy, as he was accumulating strength in the Guna Caves.
Brangara remained subtle when he consumed Bludders and Shifting Ants. Besides, he was only at the entrance, which was more than enough to consume the amount he wanted. As a result, he didn't generate any waves which Resha could have sensed.
But obviously, once he began to fight the Empyrean Snappers, the Prana waves billowing from their battle spread across a large distance, generating a Minor Crisis as the Iron Grade Pranic Beasts lost their minds.
As they rushed out, the effects were visible at the Guna Caves, which shared a large border with the Dralh Sea. Resha obviously felt it and had rushed out, intending to face Brangara.
He had interacted with the Cooter Clan during the past three years he spent at the Guna Caves intending to change himself. Thankfully, by staying away from the Mammoth Clan, bereft of Empyrean Tusk's influence, he could be himself to a large extent.
It was he who spread the title of First Calamity for the Royal Zinger. The Cooter Clan had a large network for disseminating information, especially through their sea routes that reached all the way to the Dieng Canyon.
They used the Ravaged Tribes—that they had been funding—to spread this information further, which was done in an effort to make as many races realise that this Era wasn't solely the Celestial Boar's, but also the Royal Zinger's.
This way, when Brangara forms a force—which he did in the name of the Varahan Empire—and seeks to expand it, the various races wouldn't simply submit to his rule. Originally, left with no other option, they could only submit to force.
But now, they could show their dissatisfaction and resistance by using the name of the Royal Zinger instead, which was the Celestial Boar's enemy.
Name alone is power, which became even more relevant when it was a Mystic Grade Pranic Beast's. Hence, Resha had been using the Royal Zinger's name to keep Brangara's growing force in check, all while he was accumulating power on his own.
He actively collaborated with the Cooter Clan as equals. Geugeu witnessed his fight against the Boar King during the Second Major Disaster and hence treated Resha with respect.
Both the Mammoth and Cooter Clan's ambitions were the same
—reaching the Mystic Grade. Hence, by representing the Mammoth Clan, Resha extended a hand of cooperation with the Cooter Clan, exchanging information on a large scale, which benefited both parties.
Since the Mammoth Clan was currently living in hiding, Resha was aware that it wasn't just a matter of time before Brangara targeted the Cooter Clan. Hence, he had been preparing for the eventuality in the Guna Caves.
But the moment he entered the Dralh Sea and began to approach the Cooter Clan by swimming in the form of a fish deep in the water to avoid Brangara's detection, the 1st Empyrean Snapper's message reached him.
It had spread Water Slips across the Dralh Sea during the fight, which was why it remained still all along. These Water Slips had been modified to react only to Resha's Prana signature.
And they had been spread all across the region to ensure at least one of them would come in contact with his body. The one that managed to do so was twenty kilometres away from where the fight was happening.
[I need your help to protect the Cooter Clan's future! Please keep yourself hidden while you approach me!]
That was the message. But seeing the terminology used, Resha knew that the 1st Empyrean Snapper was talking about Wally, whose existence he became aware of during their past three years of cooperation.
Hence, he curbed his intent to join the fight and approached the 1st Empyrean Snapper, after which he was informed of everything through the Water Slip Skill.
"A Mammoth Clansman?" Wally expressed his surprise upon seeing Resha, controlling his bias as he understood, 'The situation is that desperate!'
"Fuck!" Resha kicked the floor in anger, unable to refuse the 1st Empyrean Snapper's request, for Wally's current situation was the same as his Sumatra Chronicles self.
"Thank you!" A tinge of mist formed in the air and was inhaled by Resha. As it was unleashed using the Water Slip Skill, words formed in his mind a few seconds later—once the blood from his lungs reached his Spirit Container.
Hearing the 1st Empyrean Snapper's voice in his mind, Resha sighed and stopped before the Lightning Plasma Spirit Pool and stared at Wally, "What are you waiting for?"
He pointed at the Major Treasure hovering in the air, "Fuse with it before its presence leaks out."
Wally stared at the Major Treasure of Spirit and touched it. It fused with his heart in an instant, causing a mysterious power to churn within him. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time to experiment with the power it granted him.
[Resha himself intends to become a Mystic Grade Empyrean Tusk. Both of you will be able to help each other's objectives. Rely on him when necessary, Wally. And learn everything you can about Brangara from him.]
"I'll avenge everyone! Please believe me." Wally kneeled respectfully once all the Empyrean Snappers finished placing their inheritance in the Lightning Plasma Spirit Pool.
With a thought from him, Subtle Terrain Domination activated in full swing, compressing the Lightning Plasma Spirit Pool into a droplet that he swallowed. A couple of minutes later, he adjusted to the increased mass of his human form and stared at Resha, "Let's leave."
"Okay," Resha nodded and transformed into a large fish with a hollow inside, large enough to house Wally. Staring at the wall, Resha uttered in helplessness, "You have my word, Tanparl."
"I'll protect Wally until he enters the Mystic Grade."
A field of mist flowed into his nostrils as the voice of the 1st Empyrean Snapper resounded in his mind. If anyone other than him were to inhale this mist, their mind space would shatter, for it contained the voice of a Deity, "I'm grateful, Resha."
"Thank you for your sacrifice."
"I haven't done anything worth your gratitude." Resha sighed, "The ones making the sacrifice are the Empyrean Snappers."
With a sullen mood, Resha jumped into the water under the cover of the mist and swam through the Dralh Sea. But even from afar, he could hear the sounds from the fight between Brangara and the Empyrean Snappers.
Though they were putting up a tough fight, it was a gradual slaughter. And every thunderous boom that reverberated across him caused him to flinch, for the same booms resounded during the Fourth Major Disaster in Sumatra Chronicles every time Brangara punched an Empyrean Tusk.
'I'm too weak! Even if I joined the fight, I could have only delayed the inevitable! I'm not strong enough to stop this!' He knew it, which only angered him further. The Empyrean Snappers were going through the same shit the Empyrean Tusks experienced in Sumatra Chronicles.
And if Resha doesn't become strong enough, it would be a of Sumatra Chronicles' Fourth Major Disaster. "Damn it! Damn it all!"
"Wally!" Resha grumbled in rage once they swam far away, feeling a storm in the hollow of his body, "We're giving our everything to enter the Mystic Grade! Hold on to your rage and hatred until then."
"Yes!" Wally roared, giving his everything to calm down the turbulent air around him that erupted when he reacted to the sounds of battle, understanding that every resounding boom meant the death of his brethren.