Devouring World Dragon

Chapter 125 Noah
Time flies, and hundreds of years have passed in the blink of an eye. Somewhere in the human world...

Under the glow of the setting sun, light footsteps echoed along the country lane. A young woodcutter carried a heavy load of firewood on his back, and he didn't bother to wipe the sweat from his brow, as he was in a hurry to get home.

Looking up, one could vaguely see the face of the curious child from hundreds of years ago on his mature yet somewhat weathered face. But in an era where human lifespan is thousands of years, Noah, who had just celebrated his 500th birthday, was still very young. He had only been married for a hundred years, and just a few months ago, his third son Japheth was born.

Despite his poverty, Noah remained optimistic. For him, a peaceful life and a happy family were all he needed.

He looked up at the sky. The sunset glow, which had turned the sky a deep red, looked exceptionally beautiful. But he didn't pay attention to that. Instead, he stared at the colors of the sunset and muttered to himself.

Is it going to rain around this time?

Thanks to the knowledge of astrology and other arts imparted by the guardian angels, the humans on the continent of Atlantis have gained considerable experience in observing celestial phenomena. Various kinds of magic and mystical knowledge have spread widely, and even commoners like Noah can understand some of them.

Looking closely at the sky, Noah suddenly seemed to see something, and his expression changed drastically. He became extremely nervous and hurriedly hid in the grass beside the path.

Not long after, a strange, vulture-like bird flew across the gradually darkening sky. Its wingspan was as long as ten people, and its size was as large as a farmer's hut. As the strange bird flew, it emitted a sharp and mournful cry and flapped its broad wings as it flew away.

After a long while, Noah emerged from the grass beside the path, gazing in the direction the large bird had flown away, and his previously anxious heart slowly settled down.

……

"Crackling..."

Inside the simple and rough log cabin, flickering firelight illuminated a young woman mending torn clothes. With brown hair and gentle brows, she was focused and earnest, occasionally brushing a stray hair behind her ear.

Nia, a gentle and considerate typical Atlantean, silently dedicates everything to her family. Now, she is intently mending the clothes her husband wore during the day while logging in the bushes.

Are the children all asleep?

Looking at his wife, Noah spoke softly, as if afraid of disturbing something. After all, Japheth, who had just been born, was exceptionally fussy, and if he made a loud noise, he might start crying again.

"Ah."

Nia simply responded to him, and then Noah paused for a moment before speaking.

"On my way back today, I encountered another strange rotten bird."

The hand that was mending the clothes suddenly paused...

"What kind of things did you run into again?"

His wife's voice carried a hint of surprise and unease.

This world is filled with far too many strange creatures. Some are centaurs, some are eagles with lion-like heads, and some are enormous monsters. The war between snake people and humans that lasted for thousands of years has changed so much.

But for ordinary civilians, the millennium war brought countless monsters that sprang up like mushrooms after rain, and the monstrous decaying birds that frequently appeared were one of the greatest threats to civilians.

“These things have been appearing more and more frequently in recent years.”

Noah could only sigh helplessly.

Nia lowered her head, remained silent for a moment, and then said hesitantly.

"Or... you could stay away from the village and go logging."

"That won't do, the children still need my help."

Noah shook his head.

The young woman lowered her head in silence, her hands unconsciously clenching the unfinished garment. Noah looked at his wife with only helplessness.

……

The night was completely dark and silent; nothing could be seen.

Noah lay on the bed, while Nia, who was beside him, had her back to him. Noah knew from his childhood experiences that Nia was sulking with him.

After a long silence, a deep voice rang out.

"I've been thinking these past few days about whether we can cut down trees on the southern mountain. Although there are fewer trees on the southern mountain, there are more people there, so we can look out for each other... Are you satisfied now?"

The last syllable of her voice revealed a hint of indulgent helplessness.

The indistinct figure in front of them remained silent.

Suddenly, a cold hand reached out and gently grasped Noah's rough, large hand.

Although she didn't speak, Noah seemed to hear his wife's hopes and murmured prayers. She only wanted Noah and their child to be safe and sound; she didn't care about anything else. Warmth filled his heart, Noah gently embraced his wife, and then did nothing more, eventually drifting off to sleep as weariness gradually overwhelmed him.

……

A dream, an illusory white mist.

"..."

In a daze, Noah wandered aimlessly through the white fog, feeling as if someone was calling to him from ahead.

Noah.

As Noah murmured, his consciousness gradually returned, and when he saw everything before him, the scene before him made him almost unable to believe his eyes.

Endless radiance; above him, the enormous, blazing sun was closer than ever before, bathing him completely in its light.

A vast and boundless sea of ​​clouds floats around you, stretching as far as the eye can see. Unlike looking up at the sky from the ground, when you are truly in the midst of this vast sea of ​​clouds, its immensity and expansiveness are enough to leave you speechless.

However, even these infinitely vast things appear small in comparison to something even greater.

Its enormous form is so vast that even when it fills the entire field of vision, its full size cannot be seen. It is more boundless than the sea of ​​clouds and more dazzling than the sun overhead. The sun, which overlooks all things from above, seems to be a halo around its head.

It held something in one hand, its pure white pupils were indifferent and cold, and its pure wings on its back shrouded all light and darkness.

Before this infinitely vast thing, the tiny Noah was as insignificant as an ant under the feet of a giant or a blade of grass beneath a towering mountain.

"In the name of Gabriel, the Lord of the Moon and Archangel, I, the messenger of Almighty Father, proclaim to you divine revelation from God."

Gabriel's booming voice shook the vast sea of ​​clouds and stirred up a fierce wind.

Noah stared in astonishment, his mouth agape, and blinked blankly.

"God? Apocalypse?"

"O sons of Adam, the people of the earth formed nations, waged wars, killed God's creations, disbelieved in God's will, and blasphemed God's glory. Countless monsters mingled among the people, lurking in the shadows. These endless monsters are the result of the depravity of the human heart."

"Humanity has fallen; there is no clean land left on earth, no place to harbor a pure soul. Evil people run rampant, and there is no hope of redemption. God is about to destroy this old world."

However, Gabriel ignored Noah's words and instead proclaimed to the descendants of Adam before him.

"I...I don't understand, then why are you looking for me?"

Noah said in astonishment.

The angel lowered its head, its pure white pupils looking down at the humans at its feet, and spoke, word by word.

“Noah, this is why I have declared this to you.”

"God is indeed most benevolent, God is indeed most merciful. Even though humanity is beyond saving, God still leaves a glimmer of hope."

"Noah, God is about to unleash a great flood that will submerge the mountains and the earth. No one will be spared. But you may build a great ark and take a pair of male and female animals and plants of the earth, along with your family, into the ark."

"The flood will last for forty days, and your boat will float on the water for forty days. When the water recedes, your boat will land safely on the land, and a new world will be born, and your descendants will multiply on this earth."

As the angel spoke, a silk scroll floated down from the angel's hand. The huge scroll fell toward Noah, then gradually shrank until it was no longer than an arm's length when it landed in Noah's palm.

"These are the blueprints for building that ship. You can build the great ship according to these blueprints."

Accompanied by an indifferent voice, everything before my eyes began to shake violently...

……

morning.

"what!!!"

Startled awake, Noah sat up with a thud, his face covered in sweat and looking utterly shaken. Beside him, Nia rubbed her sleepy eyes and mumbled something under her breath.

"What's wrong……"

Noah touched his forehead, trying his best to calm his rapid breathing. He looked at his wife beside him, about to force a smile and say he was alright, but when he glanced unintentionally at the head of his bed, he froze...

Beside his bed, a silk scroll lay quietly, gleaming with a golden light in the sunlight.

(End of this chapter)