Chapter 16 : Geocentric world

I can't face him head-on, so am going to make a strategic move to feign my actions as the first step.

The evolution of internet communication has rendered brevity an underappreciated skill.

Declaring "The ruler must not face insults," Arthur made a calculated move, prompting Namor to defend with his halberd.

Amid their standoff, Arthur deftly maneuvered his halberd, exploiting a fleeting opening in Namor's defenses. With precision, he landed a swift kick to Namor's abdomen, staggering him. Seizing the moment, Arthur momentarily disarmed Namor, momentarily holding his trident. However, before he could take action, the trident seemed to possess a will of its own, swiftly returning to Namor's grasp.

"Your prowess in close combat is impressive, but I won't grant you the opportunity," Namor asserted, unleashing a relentless barrage of energy bombs from his trident, akin to a Gatling gun.

Forced into a defensive retreat against Namor's martial prowess, Arthur's predicament grew dire. As a last resort, he employed telepathy to call upon the aid of Godzilla.

"Brother, come to my aid!"

Roused from slumber by Arthur's entreaty, Godzilla stirred, blinked, and commenced swimming towards Arthur's location.

"Roar (I'll protect my kin)~" Godzilla's bellow resonated, his immense form swiftly propelling towards Arthur.

While the Atlanteans were confounded by Godzilla's intentions, both Arthur and Namor deciphered the unspoken message.

In no time, Arthur merged with Godzilla, causing Namor to halt his pursuit upon Godzilla's arrival.

"Esteemed guardian, this is a battle of royal stature; I implore you not to intervene," Namor beseeched, holding a fluent conversation with Godzilla.

Internally, Godzilla pondered, "This is my kin; should I not defend?"

By the gods, my kin!

Namor's countenance darkened, "Must you protect him?"

"Are you still undeterred? Even your ancestors accord me respect. Mind your manners and tread cautiously," Arthur cautioned, adopting a brotherly tone.

"Brother, let's depart," Godzilla declared, unabashed, departing without regard for Namor's response, leaving behind a slightly abashed Arthur.

Onlookers from a distance observed the cessation of the battle, feeling a sense of unfulfillment, yet none dared obstruct the departure of the duo - a man and a colossal beast.

"Thank you, brother, for your intervention. I was indiscreet," Arthur expressed gratitude, reclining against Godzilla's dorsal fin, recuperating cautiously.

The sudden surge in power left Arthur feeling adrift. This confrontation had driven home the reality: relying solely on the Sea King's power was inadequate.

In Marvel's realm, Sea King Namor stood as a formidable entity but fell short, both in comparison and potential.

While esteemed on Earth, this standing paled in comparison to the cosmic scale.

Despite his ability to subdue himself in the battle, Namor's capabilities hinted at an arduous journey ahead for Arthur.

Reflecting on this, Arthur queried Godzilla as they delved deeper into the ocean, "Big brother, where are we headed?"

"To rest in the inner sanctum of the Earth," Godzilla asserted.

Living a monotonous life as a reclusive titan, Godzilla's existence revolved around eating, sleeping, and battling monsters.

Satiated for now, and with no monsters to challenge, sleep was the only respite from boredom.

"To the heart of the Earth!"

While intrigued by the inner sanctum, Arthur's true intent lay in testing his mettle, eschewing external validation.

Regarding the inner sanctum, Arthur possessed a rudimentary understanding.

Before his crossing, he had watched the film [Godzilla vs. King Kong].

According to the monster universe's lore, the Earth's inner sanctum resided within its core, a realm of bizarre geological features, the origin of most monsters, excluding extraterrestrial entities.

Numerous channels connected the Earth's inner sanctums. To hunt down rampaging monsters, Godzilla navigated these passages, traversing the world's breadth.

These anti-gravity channels, shrouded and expansive, facilitated travel between the Earth's core and its surface.

In the film [Godzilla vs. King Kong], Godzilla's atomic breath breached the Earth's core, confronting King Kong.

Arthur pondered whether these channels were meticulously crafted by Godzilla for his convenience, given his intelligence and abilities.

As they approached an anti-gravity channel beneath the Atlantic Ocean, Godzilla's destination became clear.

This passage, colossal at three to four hundred meters wide, descended endlessly, defying Arthur's enhanced vision.

Submerged within the ocean, Godzilla initiated his descent.

Initially imperceptible, as they ventured deeper, the passage's gravity reversed. Godzilla's speed surged, the scenery whizzing past as if traversing through spacetime.

After a five-to-six-minute sprint, the competing gravitational forces within the passage curtailed Godzilla's pace.

Arthur, subjected to an invisible force, felt his body strained. Fortunately, his robust physique averted a potential tearing apart.

As they progressed further, the strain lessened, replaced by a sensation of weightlessness.

Soon, Godzilla and Arthur emerged from the passage.

Theoretically, under tremendous oceanic pressure, the water should have jetted into the Earth's inner realm akin to a high-pressure water cannon. Yet, due to gravity reversal, the water halted at the passage's threshold.

Gravity fluctuated in this alternate space, allowing Godzilla and Arthur to experience minimal gravitational pull upon exiting the water.

Using his limbs to scale the rock walls, Godzilla hastened forward.

Upon entering the passage, they descended; upon exiting, they seemingly ascended.

This upward trajectory, albeit not precise, eventually transformed into a downward plunge.

Arthur clutched the trident in one hand and secured a hold on Godzilla's dorsal fin, descending in tandem.

The underground world, preserving its primal essence, comprised upper and lower edges, with the atmosphere nestled between.

Bizarre foliage adorned both upper and lower ledges, merging sky with terra firma.

A mountain range with both edges constituted mountainous structures. Lava flowed in select areas, casting an ancient and mystical ambiance.

A hiss resounded as Godzilla and Arthur plummeted from the upper edge to the lower, landing in the domain of the winged serpent "Quetzalcoatl."

Quetzalcoatl , a colossal titan snake, could grow up to 130 meters in length, resembling ancient mythological serpents. Adorned with red-winged membranes along its upper body, it possessed wings enabling swift aerial mobility across precipitous terrains.

Perhaps eons ago, Quetzalcoatl had escaped the Earth's inner realm, leaving scant traces of its existence on the Earth's surface, bereft of enduring legends.