Above Lucy, the dark clouds churned violently, swirling with ominous intent as raw, untamed energy crackled through the air. The atmosphere thickened with a suffocating tension, every breath feeling heavier as the impending storm loomed.
The first thunderbolt ripped through the sky, a blinding streak of light, crashing down with a deafening roar. But when it struck, neither Lucy nor the eight-star Volcanic Dragon flinched. The energy dissipated around them harmlessly, as if testing their resolve.
Lucy's gaze remained fixed, her expression calm but alert, while the dragon huffed, its molten eyes narrowing in confusion.
"That was... nothing," the dragon grunted, its voice low and gravelly, almost as if reassuring itself. It bared its fangs, a flicker of doubt crossing its molten-red eyes. "Surely, this tribulation can't be that weak."
