The roar of the Great Golden Turtle echoed across the firmament.
ROOOAAARRR!!!
A massive shockwave rippled out like an ethereal earthquake. Above, the aerial fleets shuddered violently. The energy cannons that were fully charged moments ago flickered and died. The black-clad soldiers fell into a collective panic.
"What just happened?!"
"What kind of monster is that?!"
The colossal form of the Golden Turtle rose further from the Vong Swamp. The lake water churned into towering waves as its shell, resembling an ancient mountain range, broke the surface. The Dong Son bronze drum patterns on its back glowed with a divine cyan light. At the center, the 14-rayed sun pulsed, and the carved Lac Birds seemed to take flight, riding the currents of raw power.
Van Thien stood before the deity, appearing no larger than a speck of dust. He gasped for air, his chest heaving. "You... are..."
An ancient voice resonated within his mind—deep, heavy, like the echo of a thousand-year history.
"I am the protector of this land since the dawn of time."
"Mortals once called me..."
"The Golden Turtle God."
High above, Duan Thiet narrowed his eyes, staring at the titanic creature in the lake. "...A Divine Beast." A cold, sharp smile spread across his face.
"Interesting. Truly interesting."
He raised a hand, and a secondary ship fired a concentrated blast of red energy directly at Van Thien.
BOOM!
The Golden Turtle shifted with deceptive speed. Its massive shell acted as an impenetrable bulwark, intercepting the blast before it could reach Thien. The energy exploded against the ancient stone-like surface... but it didn't leave so much as a scratch.
Duan Thiet's brow furrowed. "God-tier defense..."
Below, the ancient voice spoke again. "Bearer of the Essence. Your mortal frame has reached its limit."
Thien clenched his shaking fists. "It doesn't matter. I can still fight."
The Golden Turtle was silent for a few seconds. Then: "Very well. I shall lend you a relic."
Suddenly, the very foundations of the Co Loa Citadel began to groan.
RUMBLE!
The earth split apart. From deep within the soil, a colossal structure slowly ascended. The invading soldiers froze in their tracks. "What is that?!"
A gargantuan crossbow emerged in the heart of the citadel. The stock was tens of meters long, etched with intricate ancient runes. The bowstring hummed with a light that seemed woven from pure energy. At its center lay a single Divine Bolt, shrouded in a cyan aura.
Thien stared at the weapon. "This is..."
"The Lien Chau Magic Crossbow," the Golden Turtle replied. "The divine artifact I once bestowed upon King An Duong Vuong to defend this nation. Now... I lend it to you."
The God's tone turned solemn. "But to activate it, you must fuel it with your own life force. It may claim your soul."
Thien looked up at the sky. Over a hundred thousand warships loomed like a dark shroud. Below them was Hanoi—his parents, Minh, Mrs. Tu, and millions of innocent souls.
He gripped the cold, ancient frame of the weapon. "...If I don't do this, they all die."
He stepped onto the firing platform, placing his hands on the bow. "Take what you need."
Instantly, the cross necklace flared. A torrent of cyan energy drained from his body, pouring into the crossbow.
VROOOM!
The weapon began to vibrate, warping the air around it. Duan Thiet realized the danger too late, his eyes widening in genuine shock. "What?!"
The single bolt on the tray began to fracture and multiply.
One bolt.
Two bolts.
Ten.
A hundred.
A thousand.
They hovered around the crossbow like a constellation of lethal stars. The Golden Turtle looked skyward. "The time is now."
Thien hauled back the glowing string. His body racked with tremors, blood leaking from his lips, but he didn't let go. Finally, he roared:
"FIRE!!!"
SHINK!
Thousands of light-arrows streaked upward, splitting into tens of thousands of glowing tracers—a reverse meteor shower of divine retribution.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The lead warship vaporized. Then the second. The third. Within seconds, the sky over Hanoi turned into a sea of fire as the fleet ignited in a chain reaction of explosions. The black-clad legion fell into total disarray.
"This... this is impossible!!" Duan Thiet screamed. For the first time, his composure shattered. "A Divine Relic!"
On the ground, Thien collapsed to his knees, his breath ragged, blood pooling at his feet. Yet he kept his head up, watching the burning husks of ten thousand ships raining from the clouds.
The Golden Turtle looked at him with an inscrutable gaze. "You have paid the price." It looked back at the burning horizon.
"But the battle... is not yet over."