CHAPTER 281: CHAPTER 281: TRAPPED ON THE SEAFLOOR, THE TIDAL GIANT

"Not enough." the old woman said coldly, watching the little boat keep sinking.

The man spread his hands helplessly. "Gemma, I’ve taken out everything I had. You make up the rest."

"Okay. Kane, you’re the most important person in my heart." Gemma hugged him, eyes full of feeling.

Nalorin Sylvia felt sick. This woman was so fake.

But the next second, everyone froze.

Gemma suddenly pushed the man straight into the sea.

"Kane, since you’re so important to me, you must count as a precious offering too." Gemma said calmly, looking innocent and pitiful, as if she were the victim.

"Bitch..." the man cursed, but the next moment the sea swallowed him whole, and he was gone.

The surface went calm again, and the boat stopped sinking.

"You really are heartless." Nalorin Sylvia said coldly, glaring at Gemma.

Gemma looked unconcerned. "Don’t act so noble. If you were in this crisis, you might be even more ruthless than me."

"Hmph!" Nalorin Sylvia snorted and ignored her.

Boom!

Suddenly, the boat roared as a huge wave slammed down.

The boat shook wildly and began to sink again, faster than before, with seawater pouring in.

"What’s happening?" Gemma’s face changed. She had a bad feeling.

"Still not enough!" The old woman frowned, also confused.

The sea had been calm just now. Why did it turn violent so suddenly?

A bad feeling rose in her heart too.

The Eternal Wood Emperor looked at Gemma and said coldly."Keep going, or I’ll throw you in myself."

Gemma swallowed. She was unwilling, but faced with death, she still pulled out a pile of treasures and tossed them into the sea.

Johnnie noticed there was even a divine artifact among them.

He was puzzled. What in the sea needed so many treasures to buy a way through?

"I’ve already given up half of what I have." Gemma said with a frown, stopping her hands.

Water kept pouring in. The boat was still sinking, the sea already up to their knees.

"Wood Emperor Senior." Johnnie said coldly.

The Eternal Wood Emperor understood. With a wave, a vine shot out, wrapped Gemma, and flung her into the sea.

"No—"

Gemma panicked and tried to beg, but the next second the water swallowed her whole.

Hum...

A golden light flashed under the water—she still had a treasure on her. Then a terrifying presence descended.

Crack!

With a sharp snap, the light shattered. Johnnie caught a glimpse of a huge dark shape slipping past in the depths.

The woman and the broken golden light were gone.

"What was that?" Nalorin Sylvia gasped. The sea grew calm again, but she felt a growing unease.

That aura was cold and terrifying, enough to make your skin crawl.

The boat stopped sinking, but it didn’t rise either.

"One of you is from the dragon race." the old woman said in a low voice, sweeping her gaze over Johnnie’s group.

Dragon race?

Johnnie frowned. He had dragon blood, but he wasn’t truly a dragon.

"Senior, none of us is from the dragon race." Nalorin Sylvia said.

The old woman clearly didn’t believe it. "The thing below hates dragons. Whoever is a dragon, or tied to dragons, jump in and offer yourself. If not, we all die."

Johnnie’s brows tightened. "Tied to dragons" likely meant him.

He carried dragon blood, and he and Cecilia had conceived a throwback Celestial Dragon.

And the Red Carp—she was now the Sword Soul of the Dragon Patterned Sword, but she was also a true dragon.

Johnnie asked."Senior, is there no other way to get out of this?"

"No." the old woman snapped. "Whoever among you is tied to the dragon race, jump in yourself. Otherwise, don’t blame me for forcing you."

Johnnie frowned, done talking. "Go!"

Nalorin Sylvia and the Eternal Wood Emperor struck without hesitation, charging at the old woman.

The small boat was still sinking, but he could tell that as long as they stayed on it, the thing under the sea didn’t dare attack.

Sword light flashed, and countless vines lashed out.

"Courting death." The old woman showed no fear. She shouted, her bamboo pole shuddered, and it easily shattered the sword light and vines.

Breaking the sword light was one thing—but those vines were the Eternal Wood Emperor’s attack.

Even with his source wounded and his strength reduced, he was still a Core God–level expert.

If she could block him so easily... was this old woman a Highgod?

"Get off!" she roared. The boat lurched hard, and a terrifying force slammed into them.

Caught off guard, the three were flung into the sea.

Whoosh!

Waves surged. The boat shot upward, lifted off the surface, and flew into the sky.

It can fly?

"Bastard, get back here!" the Eternal Wood Emperor yelled. Several more vines howled out, trying to wrap the boat.

Hum!

Another strange ripple of power shook the air, crushing the vines. The boat sped into the dark clouds and vanished.

From the depths below, a terrible pulling force rose up, dragging them down against their will.

Johnnie took a deep breath, and the next second the sea swallowed him whole.

Whoosh...

Two vines shot through the water, wrapping around Johnnie and Nalorin Sylvia.

It was the Eternal Wood Emperor. He could resist the devouring pull in the seawater, but he still couldn’t take the two of them and escape.

Boom!

The sea surged. A terrifying current blasted up from the seafloor and flung them away.

In the dark depths, a huge shadow flashed and rushed toward them.

A giant!

Johnnie caught a vague look at it. It was a massive giant.

"My lord, he’s coming for you!" the Eternal Wood Emperor’s voice sounded in Johnnie’s mind. Several vines formed again and shot at the huge shadow.

Rip, rip—

In an instant, the vines were torn apart. A huge phantom appeared, closing over Johnnie.

It was the giant’s palm.

Hum!

The Intent of the Sword buzzed. Johnnie and Nalorin Sylvia attacked together, countless blades of light striking in a blink.

Clang, clang—

Crisp impacts rang out. The giant’s body was covered in fine scales, hard as metal. Their attacks couldn’t hurt him at all.

Johnnie thought about using the Seven Sword.

But this thing’s defense was insane. The Seven Sword couldn’t break it, so the Instant Kill and poison effects couldn’t trigger.

Whoosh...

The water heaved. The huge palm was already falling over them.

The seawater around them was locked down, and Johnnie couldn’t even use his space-blink skill.

The Eternal Wood Emperor tried to help. One powerful wood skill after another burst out, but he still couldn’t break the giant’s defense.

Johnnie could feel it: this guy’s own power wasn’t that strong. He seemed to be drawing on the ocean. As long as he was in the sea, he was almost unbeatable.

"Master, I’ve seen this creature in old records. It’s like a Tidal Giant. It fears lightning!" Nalorin Sylvia’s voice sounded in his mind.

Afraid of lightning? Heavenly tribulation!

Johnnie’s eyes lit up. No wonder it only dared to stay on the seafloor.

Hiding underwater kept the lightning above from reaching it—but he could start a heavenly tribulation and draw that lightning down.

Heavenly tribulation is a special power. Even in seawater, it won’t be affected at all.

He acted at once. Johnnie didn’t hesitate and drew on the power inside him.

Hum!

In a blink, the seawater around him surged, and a strong aura spread out.

Rumble...

Above the water, thunder rolled. A tribulation cloud slowly formed, covering the space over Johnnie’s head.

The Eternal Wood Emperor was also within the range of the heavenly tribulation. This was a tribulation meant for a Core God–level expert.

Whoosh!

The water heaved. The giant palm fell and closed around Johnnie’s small body.

A harsher, choking pressure hit him. Johnnie felt like he was about to be crushed.

This monstrous giant clearly wanted him dead.

Boom!

A thunderclap rang out. The sea boiled, and a bolt of tribulation lightning tore through the water and crashed down on the huge palm.

The giant’s eyes went wide with fear. It was too late to dodge.

Crack!

Endless current surged. The seawater lit up a strange purple-red.

"Roar!"

The giant howled in pain. Under the strike of the heavenly tribulation, its injured scales were ripped off, and dark red blood poured out.

The crushing pressure vanished. The giant pulled back its hand, shot a fearful look upward, and turned to flee, no longer caring about Johnnie.

Too late to run now.

Johnnie’s eyes went cold. He chased right after it and used his space-blink skill.

Without the giant’s suppression, he could move freely through the water.

His figure flickered, and in the next instant he appeared in front of the giant.

Right behind him came an even thicker bolt of lightning.

Rumble!

Another blast shook the sea. The water churned like it was boiling.

The giant was almost blown backward, blood spraying from its mouth and nose.

Die.

Johnnie willed it, and the Seven Sword flew out, spiraling in to shred the giant.

By now, the scales on its palm and half its body had been blasted off by the lightning, so it couldn’t block Johnnie’s attacks at all.

Splat!

Blood sprayed as scary damage numbers flashed.

-3233500

-3316800

-1460000000

...

This thing was also a Half-God. Johnnie’s strikes could only deal a bit over three million true damage.

But the Seven Sword’s poison made it lose 1% HP per second, and passive regen didn’t work, so it was losing over 1.4 billion HP every second.

Its total HP was a terrifying 146 billion—top tier among Half-Gods.

Rumble!

Right then, another bolt of lightning came down. Caught off guard, Johnnie was instantly blasted to death.