Chapter 488: We won!
A rising tide of vital force kept condensing inside the obsidian obelisk, growing more powerful and purer by the second. Ouroborus and Jormungandr observed this spectacle with solemn gazes, exchanging a silent nod.
Neither wanted to risk any chance that their forces would be caught in a catastrophic backlash. With a quick signal, they directed the rest of the army to withdraw, forming a tight perimeter around the massive black spire. Hope flitted through the Sky Seed Depravitas’ minds that everything would resolve peacefully, but they also knew too well that a miracle could crumble into disaster at a moment’s notice. Caution demanded they be prepared for the worst.
Overlord, standing nearby, shared their vigilance. He understood that no prediction was ever flawless, however carefully calculated. So, sword in hand, he joined Ouroborus and Jormgundr high in the sky. If some monstrous eruption arose from the obelisk, he would be ready to fight.
On the ground below, Freya remained at the head of the human army. The surge of Origin Force obtained from the death of the Leviathan King had hastened her recovery enough that she could stand and fight once more, though she was still far from fully healed. The pain in her chest lingered, but she held herself tall, determined to do her part if disaster came.
Near Freya stood Grand Marshal Anglius, his eyes sharp and weapon ready. King Viserin, Major General Theodor, and a host of generals and commanders were positioning soldiers around the perimeter. Their weapons bristled with newly infused Force, and their magics stood ready to combine into a myriad of destructive spells at an instant’s notice. No one uttered so much as a word. A haunting silence blanketed the entire scene, each soldier’s eyes locked on the obsidian obelisk, waiting to see what might emerge from that silent monolith.
Hours ticked by in an oppressive hush. The black spire glowed with ever-increasing intensity, each flicker of radiance pushing back the darkness of night until it appeared like midday. At last, the radiance began to fade. Tension tightened in every breath, hearts pounding with wary anticipation.
It was at that moment the massive "maw" of the obelisk seemed to open, and a wave of overwhelming heat washed over the human forces. It felt like the gates of an inferno had swung wide, and from that scorching portal, a colossal humanoid draconic figure emerged.
The creature was a towering inferno of terror and majesty, his muscular form radiating raw, fiery power. Dark obsidian scales, jagged and ominous, cloaked his body, each fissure within them glowing with molten lava that coursed beneath the black shell. His massive wings, ablaze with fire, dripped streams of liquid flame, dominating the sky above. A pair of curled horns crowned its head, framing eyes that burned like molten suns. Claws and fangs glinted razor-sharp, and droplets of black blood sizzled wherever they fell upon the charred earth.
Standing at a daunting forty meters tall, this draconic entity advanced on two legs, flames erupting under every footstep. The dragon’s tail lashed behind him, crackling with destructive energy that marred the ground beneath.
Jormgundr and Ouroborus wore grim expressions, instantly recognizing that this new presence overshadowed even the Leviathan King that had nearly driven them to despair. The Leviathan King’s might have been devastating. Yet this draconic being exuded an even greater aura of raw, unfathomable power.
Spells and destructive energies sparked around the Sky Seed Depravitas as they braced themselves for a potential fight. Overlord, ready with his sword, remained close while the human army tightened their formation. But then, to everyone’s surprise, the massive fire dragon halted its approach a hundred meters away, standing still as though waiting. The air hummed with tension. All it would take was a single misstep—one spark—and the entire battlefield would erupt in chaos.