As Drake drew upon the divine power within the 'Five-colored Dragon God's' core to assume the form of a demi-god dragon, he gained fundamental insights into this world. The concept of 'God' was unfathomable; even the Five-colored Dragon God's fall might have been tens or even hundreds of thousands of years ago in this world's history. Yet before a deity, few secrets could remain hidden. In his fleeting moments of divinity, Drake had tapped into the world's consciousness and learned the universal knowledge it held.
Unlike Earth's universe, with its planets and galaxies, the world of Saint Soren was vertically structured, with the main continent below and various upper and lower planes above, each teeming with its specific life forms.
Though the world was populated with numerous races and professions, they broadly fell into two categories: warriors and mages. Both professions spanned nine levels, and anyone within this spectrum was considered mortal.
Regardless of race, once an individual's professional level exceeded the ninth, they transcended mortality to achieve 'Transcendence'—a state where life form, strength, and even lifespan diverged completely from the ordinary. Those who reached this pinnacle were known as 'Legends,' befitting their name as living legends of the present age.
Above Legends were demigods and deities. At this stage, the very mention of 'God' signified an existence beyond mortal description—transcendent beings with theoretically infinite lifespans.
However, the leap from Legend to demigod was staggering, relying not just on talent but also on enormous amounts of luck. The semi-god queen of the Silver Moon Kingdom, for instance, could entice legendary creatures from other planes to fight for her chiefly because she offered a portion of her divine power as a reward.
As for the warrior Drake had defeated, he was a high-ranking legendary combatant, not just any common fighter but one half-step from demigod status—a step that was a chasm too vast for many gifted individuals to cross. Even considering all beings across Saint Soren's multiverse, such high-caliber entities were scarce, revered and remembered across planes.
Just imagine hurling that legendary warrior onto Earth, and one could begin to fathom the enormity of their prowess.
Plummeting from the sky, Drake's vision sharpened, bringing the cityscape into crisp focus. The city, nestled against the mountains with a cathedral-like palace crowning the summit, trailed down into a sprawling residential and commercial area below.
The two distinct zones appeared chaotic from above, lacking any semblance of planning—a forgivable oversight given the world's medieval level of development, absent of any extraordinary powers.
As the city's populace caught sight of Drake's descent, pandemonium ensued with screams and frantic dashes for safety. Drake's sharp eyes spotted not just humans but dwarves, orcs, and even centaurs hustling in terror—diverse beings more akin to a trading crossroads than a singular race's domain.
"BOOM—"
A sonic blast cleaved the skies, and the earth quaked. Drake's dive halted mid-air by a colossal magical barrier. His primordial draconic physique collided with the shield, creating violent tremors that shook the city below, sending countless residents sprawling and screaming in horror at the immense dragon shadowing the heavens.
Shaking off the dizzying impact, Drake realized he should have anticipated this; a city serving as a vital traffic nexus couldn't lack defenses. The protective barrier had withstood his collision rather well, given it could have shattered a mountain.
Concentrating divine power in his eyes, Drake made out the gigantic protective dome safeguarding the city, now dimming from his earlier assault.
On the city walls, soldiers looked on in terror, their expressions crystal clear to Drake's eyes. Commoners tumbled through the streets, fearful that a moment's delay could spell death by dragon, while non-human races huddled together, trembling as they gazed skyward at the mythic dragon. Mercenaries clutched at their weapons, though their shaking legs betrayed their readiness for combat.
Drake concluded that despite its racial diversity, the city was lacking in true powerhouses.
He quickly calculated the remaining time in his demi-god form, not yet knowing how to replenish the divine power within the godly core. He couldn't afford to exhaust it entirely, needing to reserve a portion for emergencies—a final trump card. Thus, he decided on a swift and decisive attack.
Floating slightly higher, Drake's colossal wings blotted out the sun, casting a vast shadow as the Emerald Dream unfurled once again. High above, an immense magical circle ignited in the sky, turning it into a fiery sea.
Drake knew no magic, his understanding of this world's spellcraft limited to the effects and names within the divine knowledge he had been granted. Yet, gods were beings of wonder, capable of replicating magic with divine might alone.
The Emerald Dream had the power to turn reality into illusion and back again—the essence of the dream realm. At this moment, Drake's fantasy became reality as he unleashed a legendary spell he knew by name—
"Pyroclastic Flow!!!"
A torrent of fiery rain cascaded down like a waterfall, engulfing the entire city. It was a pyrotechnic display fit for a summer's night, beautiful yet brimming with the radiance of destruction.