Ethan barely had time to take a step forward before a rush of booted footsteps thundered toward him.
Two city guards in full armor grabbed his arms and yanked him back.
"Move it! The serpent's here!"
"Are you insane? You're heading toward it?!"
The street had erupted into chaos—but strangely, the panic felt... dulled. Like everyone had seen this before.
And they had.
This so-called "serpent" wasn't new to Sol'Rakka. But this time… it was different.
Stronger.
The ground trembled violently. Rubble from shattered buildings slid and tumbled in every direction. The creature's massive body coiled through the wreckage, each movement cracking the air with raw, explosive force.
Two soldiers tried to approach, weapons drawn—but before they could even touch the thing, a pulse of energy blasted them off their feet. One of them didn't even hit the ground—he was swallowed midair by the serpent's gaping maw. His scream cut off like a snapped wire.
