Chapter 53: A New Catastrophe

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After creating the miracles known as the Azure Cord Lactation Sea and the Pool of Life, Ikhtamo ordered a state of martial law to search for signs of new divine artifacts descending upon the world.

However, before any news arrived, an unexpected event occurred.

The "Butterfly Clan, Ikhtamo Mythology, Dementia Chapter" records it as follows:

Legend has it that after fashioning the brain, Ikhtamo established the Azure Cord Lactation Sea and the Pool of Life, but soon he felt his energy slowly waning, his body growing weak, and he would frequently fall into slumber, accompanied by loud snores.

Moreover, he began to grow impulsive and irritable. Concerned, Ikhtamo sought the cause of his ailment.

It was revealed that while Ikhtamo had conquered Titans through strength, Angels through speed, Elves through knowledge, and Dragons through fiery breath, he had forgotten the fifth powerful race—the Pearl Sea Sirens.

Resentful that Ikhtamo had not visited their people, the Pearl Sea Siren Pugava, sensing her impending end, cast a curse of dementia with her dying breath.

"Ikhtamo, you have overcome Angels, Titans, Elves, and Dragons, yet you lose to us Sea Sirens. O wise and valiant Elephant God, you shall age into dementia and perish within it."

Ikhtamo realized that this disease was prematurely induced; even if the curse had not been cast, such a fate was inevitable because the lifespans of the left and right hemispheres of the brain were asymmetrical.

The highly intelligent, rational left brain has a short lifespan.

The moderately intelligent, emotional right brain lives longer.

As rationality declines, emotion increases.

Thus, all creatures endowed with left and right brains came to suffer from senile dementia.

...

As time flowed on, Ikhtamo in his temple began to fall into intermittent slumber, his thunderous snores echoing across the sacred mountain.

Meanwhile, the races of the world flourished and began to establish their own nations.

Though they heeded Ikhtamo's summons and revered this mighty god who had eradicated calamities, they also built their own armies and developed their civilizations.

...

The Azure Cord Lactation Sea.

This was an inland sea of the continent.

It was the sea of creation, the origin of the evolutionary explosion of life.

Countless knots of various shapes filled the seawater.

Small insects, the Butterfly Clan, and common folk of various races wove these knots at home to make a living, selling them to wealthy and powerful patrons.

These strong ones would purchase the semi-finished knots and, at the Azure Cord Lactation Sea, weave them into entirely new species.

Along the shoreline stood Agni and Valuna, two great Titan friends.

At that moment, they stirred the seawater with stirring rods, weaving life, while discussing their plans.

"I will weave a more perfect life, one mightier than the Tree of Origins!" Agni declared, passionate and fiery.

Valuna, gentle as water, smiled and said, "You surely will succeed. But I heard that the great Ikhtamo has contracted dementia. I wish to weave a mighty life."

"I want to weave that life too, to save our great god," Agni replied.

Valuna said, "Then I will as well. I think we should focus on restructuring the left brain."

Agni countered, "I believe we should work on the right brain, enabling it to nourish and delay the left brain’s decline."

"I think..."

"I think..."

They exchanged a glance, and Agni suddenly burst into hearty laughter.

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Valuna was infected by this exuberant joy and also laughed heartily.

The boisterous laughter of the two giants split the sky.

This was the emotion bestowed upon them by the great Ikhtamo.

Laughter! Friendship!

Passion! Faith!

The world had suddenly gained flavor and vitality.

Days passed, and through constant discussion, their friendship deepened. They decided to combine their ideas.

Together, they would reconstruct the left brain, enhance the right brain’s function, and create a new life to save the great Ikhtamo.

Yet, they soon fell into dispute.

"No, no, here we must use the Unity Knot!"

"No, the White Cloud Knot is better here!"

Instead of reconciling, they stubbornly quarreled, their voices growing louder.

Their relentless bickering stirred waves in the sea; flying spittle shattered the sand and stones below.

Even passing Angels, Elves, and Dragons dared not approach the two towering Titans.

Seeing Valuna’s incessant chatter, the hot-tempered Agni finally silenced him by blocking his mouth: "No, no, it should be woven like this."

Agni began weaving life inside Valuna’s mouth, tying knots with his tongue.

Valuna’s eyes widened, but the next moment, he too started knotting with his tongue: "It should be woven this way!"

The two Titans, tongues entwined, continued weaving life inside each other’s mouths.

Both became stubborn, persistently weaving and trying to convince the other.

Splash!~

Countless knots transformed into new lives that fell from their mouths—bugs, trees, flowers, grass, fish...

One year.

Two years.

Ten years.

They became famed along the coast as the... Kissing Gods.

They even became a renowned landmark of this sea.

Splash!

They continually wove life with their mouths, new creatures endlessly emerging.

Nearby Titan weavers marveled at their talent.

But as time wore on, neither was satisfied with just their mouths.

They made a wager.

"Nine rounds, first to five wins."

"Each time one loses, he must build within his body a small Azure Cord Lactation Sea, like a mouth, for the other to weave knots with a stirring rod."

Thus, victories and defeats alternated.

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The two embraced their rivalry, engaging in a battle of wits and wills.

First round: Agni won; Valuna built a small Azure Cord Lactation Sea under his armpit.

Second round: Valuna won.

Time passed; they each won four rounds.

Their two armpits and two groins had four Azure Cord Lactation Seas.

"The final round, the decisive match!"

"You must win, Agni!"

"No, Valuna should win!"

Along the shore, countless spectators cheered for the two Titans as if they were mountains come alive.

In the end, Agni prevailed.

Valuna lost and, honoring his promise, constructed the last weaving site beneath his navel.

They began weaving life at this new location, feeling boundless joy.

"What is happening?"

At that moment, two divine artifacts descended from the sky.

Fiery Agni received the Flame Divine Artifact.

Gentle Valuna received the Water Divine Artifact.

The power of the artifacts intertwined fire and water, causing their forms to grow ever larger with each weave.

Eventually, Valuna transformed the entire Azure Cord Lactation Sea into a jelly-like ocean, drawing it into his navel.

"Where have we arrived?"

"It feels as if we were swept away by something!"

"This is an inland sea," the countless lifeforms still weaving in the Azure Cord Lactation Sea exclaimed in shock.

"This is incredible!"

"Are we to weave life here?"

They were at a loss, uncertain of what had transpired.

Because this world’s creatures were woven by insects, they did not craft unnecessary parts.

Thus, except for the Butterfly Clan, Titans, Angels, Dragons, and Elves were all sexless.

Yet at this moment, true gender began to emerge in the world.

...

From the "Butterfly Clan, Ikhtamo Mythology, The Gender Chapter":

[It is said that after the establishment of the Azure Cord Lactation Sea, Agni and Valuna contended for supremacy on the shore.]

[Nine rounds, first to five wins. Each won four rounds; they wove life into each other's two armpits and two groins. In the final decisive round, Agni triumphed. Valuna’s defeat awakened the feminine within him, bringing gender into the world.]