The air turned cold and heavy again—a dampened silence gripped the battlefield for just a moment… before it shattered.
A guttural roar split the skies as the dragon surged upward, its massive wings tearing through clouds like parchment. From its chest, the blood-red orb pulsed violently—no longer dormant, but thrumming with twisted life. The beast's body, scorched and bleeding, now shimmered with crimson veins of corrupted mana. Its eyes glowed like burning coals.
And it wasn't done.
The dragon shrieked—louder than before, filled with rage—and dove straight into the fray, maw glowing with heat, claws lashing, tail smashing anything within reach.
Kyle's eyes widened as he stared at the orb embedded in its chest. "That's… that's the Blood Crystal," he muttered in disbelief, horror dawning in his voice. "No wonder it's not dead yet."
Before anyone could respond, a powerful voice boomed across the battlefield, raw with fury and disbelief.
