Zack gritted his teeth, unleashing his most powerful lightning spell on the dragon that seemed hell-bent on killing only him. Yet, the spell barely scratched the creature.
"Damn it!!"
He rolled in another direction to avoid the dragon's flames, unaware that Max and his team were shocked to see him unleash such a powerful spell out of nowhere.
When did Zack become so powerful? This question swirled inside their heads, but the four had no time to find an answer.
The dragon's eyes narrowed, burning with malevolent intent. In a heartbeat, a wave of powerful Evol washed over the individuals in its surroundings. It was like a physical blow, a hammer striking everyone.
Horror washed over the crowd in a wave, their hearts pounding as many dropped to their knees, unable to even lift a hand.
Only those who were 10-star or above barely managed to stay standing, their bodies trembling against the weight.
Zack spat out blood, his eyes darting frantically between Max and the others.
"Where did that bastard vanish?"
He rasped, his voice strained. Everyone understood he was referring to Skyler, but they were just as clueless as him.
Jenny's gaze swept across the distance, her face etched with disbelief and anger. Skyler had put all of them in danger!
"There are some rocky structures in that way. I think he had hidden inside them!"
Zack leaped back, narrowly dodging another flame strike. He wiped the warm blood from his lips, his expression grim.
"Two of you go and hunt him down! Even together, we can't defeat the dragon!"
He growled, his voice filled with urgency. However, he cursed when no one moved.
Austin, Jenny, and Elana exchanged glances with Max. They would never heed the words of someone who lusted after a girl a year younger than him and had even been beaten up by Max not long ago.
Max's expression hardened.
But now wasn't the time to hesitate.
He glanced at his teammates.
"Austin, you stay back and help the injured in the area with your healing power. Jenny and Elena, you two go look for Skyler!"
The two girls nodded. Austin clicked his tongue in irritation. Then, they scattered silently to do as they were asked.
The dragon's slit pupils narrowed at the ants that were still moving around. In an instant, spears of flames formed above its body before crashing down on the trees.
The air crackled. And panic-stricken cries rose from the crowd as they desperately shielded themselves from the flames.
Zack shoved himself back and took out a wooden plaque engraved with 'Crystalline Ward' from one of his storage rings.
This small plaque was the reason why he was still in the cave when Skyler showed up—he had gone looking for artifacts found in the future from the other passageways.
His heart clenched as he gazed at the plaque, his anger toward Skyler reaching a fever pitch. He actually wanted to preserve this artifact, to use its power in the future!
"I swear, I will make that crazy bastard pay dearly once I escape this place alive!"
With a heavy heart, he flung the plaque toward the protagonist, who caught it with ease, almost instinctively. Max looked back at Zack in confusion, and he gritted out.
"Use it! It will stop the dragon for a while by enveloping it in a cocoon. I am too injured to get close to the dragon and activate it."
Max stared at the wooden plaque in his hand, astonished. He hadn't expected Zack to possess such a powerful artifact. As far as he remembered, Zack was just a spoiled rich brat, with all talk and no action, who was abandoned by even his own family.
'Where did he find it?'
A message flashed in front of him.
#Goddess of Compassion: This plaque is one of the hidden pieces in the Battle Royal. It can even hold a 25-star beast for a while. Just pour your Evol into it to activate it and break it on the dragon's body. This will buy you and everyone else time to escape.
Max reacted with lightning speed. The dragon, caught off guard by the audacious ant charging towards it, lashed out with its front claws. But the ant vanished into thin air right before its eyes, leaving it stunned. A roar of fury erupted from its throat as it flapped its wings, creating wind currents.
However, the dragon froze mid-air, its slit pupils widening in disbelief. The small ant had reappeared, hovering directly above its head, and with a swift, decisive movement, shattered the plaque against its horn.
Max hissed as he dropped down, his brow furrowed with pain. A sharp, searing agony shot through his abdomen and shoulders.
"I still can't fully control the space element. Even casting a single spell harms my body."
The dragon let out a roar that shook the very foundations of the earth, but before it could even unleash a tail swipe that would send Max flying, a blinding light engulfed its frame. It shuddered and tried to break free, but the light only intensified, weaving itself into a shimmering, crystalline cocoon that imprisoned the dragon's monstrous form.
A hush fell over the individuals in the area as they watched in stunned silence as the dragon thrashed against the cocoon.
However, the cocoon held firm, its glowing surface reflecting the shocked faces of the many onlookers. Soon, the dragon's furious struggle ceased, leaving behind only a white crystalline cocoon suspended in mid-air.
Max released the breath he'd been holding, a collective sigh of relief echoing through the crowd as everyone, finally free from the heavy pressure, lurched back to their feet.
Many people fled in different directions. They hadn't forgotten the special mission, and a thousand points was a lot. Yet, those points were meaningless if they cost them their lives. Moreover, no one knew how long the cocoon would hold back the dragon, so it was better to be safe than sorry.
In the end, only three people, Max, Zack, and Austin, were left in front of the cocoon.
Zack struggled to stand straight on his feet, throwing the only sneaker on his left foot to the side to put on a new pair of shoes.
He dusted his burned and torn hoodie and wiped the dirt off his face rather calmly. But inwardly he was fuming. Max flinched when those calm silver eyes turned to him.
"Which way did Jenny and Elena go? I lost track of Skyler with everything happening."
Mac frowned. Not sure how Zack changed so much from what he remembered. Even his aura had completely changed.
"You..."
Before he could ask anything, Austin grabbed his javelin with a dark face.
"To the left. I am going to teach that little punk a lesson. He's two years younger than us, but ever since he showed up, he's been making our lives hard—like a bad omen!"