The outer plains of Tirna. The wasteland, where development had not yet been completed, was filled with heavy equipment that had been half-abandoned. This was once a place where trench warfare had occurred due to war, a land called a no-man's land.
Osian gazed at it silently. In the flow of time, even the no-man's land had become land to be developed later. But today, at least, this place was very quiet.
-Whoooosh.
His hair fluttered in the wind. Osian recalled the conversation from the conference room.
-What you need to do is simple. Become stronger than before.
That's what he had said to Terence, who had asked what they should do.
When he said that, Terence frowned as if he couldn't believe it.
-Become stronger? You must not have checked, but I've become much stronger than before, you know?
-You need to become even stronger than that. Beyond using all types of magic, you need to know how to use them simultaneously.
-If you think conventionally, yes. But with your talent, and Elise's talent, it becomes possible. Because I did it too.
I did it, so you can too. He knows how irresponsible those words are. Osian was a knight, while Terence and Elise are mages, dark mages. Insisting on the same method when their paths are different is foolish.
But that only applies if they were ordinary mages or dark mages. Terence still looked displeased, but Elise was different.
-Okay. I'll try it.
She doesn't question whether it's possible or impossible. Since Osian told her to try, she'll try. It was truly simple logic. Since Elise said she would do it, Terence felt unnecessarily anxious.
-Hmph. Whatever, I'll just try it.
Elise said she would do it. Then he would too. It might be dangerous to attempt. There was also the risk of becoming crippled. A risk that any other mage wouldn't even attempt. But Terence was different.
How can one walk the path of magic without taking risks?
It was a radical idea, but that was Terence's way. Of course, sometimes such radicalism held him back. Saint Tree was a representative example of that.
But men blinded by unrequited love are always like that. Terence boldly declared he would do it.
With this, the remaining puzzle pieces—the mage and dark mage—were also fitted together. Osian opened his eyes that had been closed.
Whoooosh.
The blowing wind was ominous. The rain mixed in the wind grew stronger, hitting the Starlight Armor he had already donned.
Looking around, others who had participated in the Sea Dragon subjugation battle were also facing the rain and wind while staring in one direction.
Following their gaze, Osian also looked straight ahead.
A massive rain cloud was approaching there. Calling it merely a rain cloud would be absurd. It was a conglomerate of clouds so massive that it covered the entire sky and, not satisfied with that, was large enough to swallow the entire troposphere.
Lightning struck periodically inside the writhing, moving clouds. Along with the flashing light, thunder that shook heaven and earth was transmitted through the atmosphere.
Even though it was visible to the naked eye, the distance was still considerable. Nevertheless, the pressure could be felt keenly through the skin.
The forces gathered here were truly impressive. But were they enough to face the disaster approaching from afar? Not quite.
'We're not the only ones subjugating Sea Dragon in the first place.'
The organizers of this operation were Tirna's city government. Those participating in the subjugation battle were a backup prepared for any unforeseen circumstances.
Already, ahead of them, there were those who had stepped forward to stop Sea Dragon.
'Tirna's military. And special forces.'
Though hidden behind the ridgeline, massive weapons were probably waiting for Sea Dragon beyond there.
"It's starting."
It was Fernando, who had been most silent, who said this. Did this man who desires death sense something? He said so despite not being able to see.
But no one objected to him. Everyone vaguely sensed it. That now was the right time.
Soon, an amazing sight unfolded beyond their vision.
The world had grown dark, sunlight blocked by clouds. From below, countless tracer rounds could be seen soaring toward the sky. They were anti-aircraft guns fired by Tirna's military.
The operation to subjugate Sea Dragon had begun.
Tremendous firepower, difficult to count how many shots, was projected at a single point. Shells that flew en masse toward the massive cloud were simultaneously swallowed by the cloud.
Soon they caused a large and spectacular explosion from within.
'Judging by the power, these aren't ordinary shells.'
Unless the city government were fools, they would have prepared to counter Sea Dragon bringing a supercell. The first of these preparations was the exclusion of the air force.
Not only had the air force suffered critical losses during District 44's baptism of fire, but airships had poor compatibility in fighting Sea Dragon.
No matter how large and sturdy an airship was, it would be swept up by the strong winds. So inevitably, they had to rely on ground forces alone.
Anti-aircraft guns to shoot down the massive flying dragon. They had laid them out along the route it would approach and were waiting. The shells used were also special magic rounds to reduce the power of the typhoon.
Since they fired them all at once and detonated them simultaneously, the power was unimaginably great.
Indeed, the approaching supercell could be seen hesitating slightly.
However, the hesitation was brief. The massive cloud began to move again more violently, as if angered by the fact that it had been surprised.
The first attack ended in failure. But everyone had anticipated this would happen.
The power of simultaneous bombardment is strong. But not enough to sweep away a natural disaster in one blow. Humanity has advanced and civilization has become brilliant, but the pure physical force possessed by natural disasters was still an insurmountable wall.
'Now the operation moves to the second phase.'
After the volley, the ground-based anti-aircraft guns spewed as many flames as possible at maximum capacity. Countless lights rose from the ground. It was like watching lights trying to pierce through the clouds and become stars in the sky.
Amid that grandeur, the typhoon moved as if angered at humans who dared to defy heaven.
Kwaaaarrrrumble!
An intense vibration felt through the skin despite the distance. The storm of electric charges flashing in the clouds began to fall toward the ground.
Lightning connecting the ground to the clouds poured down. It wasn't just one or two. It was transcendent destruction that swept across a wide area all at once.
Seeing most of the visible horizon being dyed with lightning was enough to chill one's spine and make one's knees weak. It was truly a mythical sight.
People gathered there gulped or trembled finely. Tirna's vast forces were being swept away in an instant.
Their supplied communication devices were filled with all kinds of negative noise.
-Anti-aircraft gun units! Nearly annihilated!
-Second attack impossible! Its attacks keep coming!
-Damn it! Everyone on the first line fall back!
Due to the storm of lightning poured out by the supercell, all the anti-aircraft guns prepared in the first wave were swept away. But casualties were still low. This was because all those operating the anti-aircraft guns in preparation for such a situation were automatons.
The important thing was the second attack.
'It's coming.'
Flash!
A single strand of red lightning cut through the sky and pierced the center of the typhoon. It was lightning. Sky lightning beautifully tinged with red and white.
'The judgment lightning used by Sky Dragons.'
Sky Dragons that have roamed the skies since long ago have been evaluated as apostles of gods or beings equivalent to gods. And the special lightning used by Sky Dragons was said to be judgment directly delivered from heaven.
The current lightning was the same.
A pure white, streamlined body could be seen flying swiftly while cutting through the sky. A Sky Dragon 1.5 times larger and more beautiful than other Sky Dragons. Amenora had released her polymorph and revealed her true form.
She didn't fire the judgment lightning just once. She subsequently created lightning in her hands for second and third strikes and threw them as she made them.
The red lightning was sucked into the center of the supercell and caused successive explosions.
A rumbling sound echoed. From within the hesitating supercell, a strong wind blew.
The lightning cloud that had been heading toward the ground turned toward Amenora. Lightning branched out in all directions like twigs. Amenora dodged all the lightning while flying through the sky.
Lightning is fast. No matter how fast a Sky Dragon's flight speed is, it can't be dodged. But it doesn't reach Amenora. She flew elegantly as if dancing and wasn't touched by any lightning.
‘Sky Dragons read the flow of the sky. To her now, the paths and trajectories of all lightning are visible.'
Amenora fired magic while evading lightning. An ensemble of attacks continuing simultaneously with flight. It was the ultimate in magic only possible for a Sky Dragon. Terence, who was watching this, stared at the magic as if being sucked in, even forgetting to breathe.
However, despite Amenora's struggle, the Sea Dragon did not stop. The massive supercell continued to advance toward Tirna.
Whoooosh.
The strength of the wind felt on the skin intensified. At the same time, the ambient temperature began to drop rapidly.
Tap. Thud. Thunk.
Among the raindrops, occasionally frozen ones fell and hit the armor. After some time passed, the wind grew stronger, and now small hail began to mix in.
Haah.
When he exhaled, his breath was visible due to the lowered temperature. All the others were flustered. The supercell hadn't even come close yet. Yet it was already like this.
Nevertheless, it was at the moment when Amenora was continuing to pour magic toward the supercell without giving up. Lightning struck once from the center of the supercell, and a certain form appeared.
From head to tail tip, it was the form of some being stretched out long like a snake. The eyes of that shadow-like appearance seemed to shine with intense blue light.
Immediately after, a blue beam shot long toward Amenora, cutting through the air.
Amenora dodged urgently but not perfectly. It grazed her wing slightly. And her wing with membranes froze with a crackling sound.
'Freezing breath.'
It's the breath used by the Sea Dragon. That thing turns whatever it touches into an extremely low-temperature state. Its power was enough to pierce even the scales of Sky Dragons, which have resistance to most cold or heat.
Amenora began to retreat while staggering. It was because she knew there was no chance of winning if she continued like this.
After that, countless bombardments poured down, and all kinds of weapons spewed fire. Nevertheless, the Sea Dragon did not stop.
The Sea Dragon, having become one with nature, wielded disasters and punished everything that interfered with it. Everything was being scorched.
The wind swept across the surface as if grinding it, leaving nothing behind. Even sturdy tanks were torn to shreds by the wind and dented by hail.
The prepared first and second defensive lines were breached futilely. The third defensive line also saw no success.
Osian thought.
‘As expected, this can't stop that thing. Amenora's warning wasn't for nothing.’
She had done her best too, but the opponent was too strong. The Sea Dragon probably wasn't originally this strong. But due to rage from maternal love, it must be using power beyond what was permitted.
Though he wanted to resolve this through dialogue since it was being used by another, there was no choice.
Osian walked forward. Before anyone could stop him, three crests rose behind Osian's back.
Flames bloomed in the torrential rain.
Sun, Moon, and Stars.
Simultaneously, Osian's body floated, defying gravity and wind. Terence, Elise, and Fernando silently watched Osian like that.
"Now, it's our turn."