The air felt thick and tense within the fortress. While the ritual of the elven and dwarf kings had been interrupted by the devastating force of Lu Ming's army, something much darker and more primal was beginning to awaken. The walls of the fortress trembled, and a deep crack opened in the ground right in the center of the main hall. A deep, almost guttural roar emerged from the depths, echoing in the hearts of everyone present.
From the crack emerged a colossal creature. An ancient beast, formed from pure darkness and stone, rose before them. Its body was covered in impenetrable rocky scales, and its eyes glowed a deep red, as if they harbored a fury that had been contained for millennia.
Lu Ming, in his fifty-meter dragon form, spread his majestic wings and ascended a few meters, observing the beast intently. He knew that facing this creature would not be an easy task. At his side, **Eternal Shadow** called upon his powers, creating shadows that stretched out like snakes, attempting to wrap themselves around the beast's legs.
"It's a guardian beast!" **Eternal Shadow** shouted. "It was created by the elves and dwarves to protect their darkest secrets. If we don't destroy it quickly, it will lay waste to everything in its path."
The beast, sensing the threat, let out a roar that shook the fortress walls and broke the shadow chains that tried to immobilize it. With a swift movement, it swept out with its gigantic tail, launching several **Super Draconic Soldiers** into the air. The ground cracked under the impact, and dust filled the air.
**Lu Ming** wasted no time. With a mighty roar, he launched himself at the beast. His fire breath engulfed the creature, but the flames barely seemed to affect it. The beast's stone skin was nearly impenetrable. Dragon soldiers attacked from all angles, but their weapons bounced off harmlessly.
Meanwhile, the elven and dwarf kings, taking advantage of the chaos, snuck into a hidden passage. Wounded and humiliated, but still determined, they knew they had to escape so they could plan a counterattack.
Lu Ming noticed their attempted escape. Although his instincts screamed at him to chase them down and finish the job, he knew he couldn't let this unleashed beast cause any more destruction.
"**Eternal Shadow**," Lu Ming ordered, not taking his gaze off the creature. "Take an elite group and chase after the kings. They must not escape."
**Eternal Shadow** nodded, and with a quick gesture, he summoned a group of dragon soldiers. They quickly entered the secret passage, leaving Lu Ming and the rest of the army to face the beast.
Lu Ming, his mind working quickly, assessed the situation. He knew he couldn't rely on brute force alone. He had to find the beast's weakness. He watched its movements, its reaction to attacks. And then he saw it: every time one of the soldiers' flames came close to its eyes, the beast backed away, instinctively protecting them.
"Eyes!" Lu Ming shouted, charging forward again. "Aim for its eyes!"
The **Super Draconic Soldiers** and the rest of the troops quickly coordinated. The sorcerers launched bursts of concentrated fire directly into the creature's eyes. The beast backed away, temporarily blinded by the bright light and heat. Taking advantage of the distraction, Lu Ming attacked with all his might, concentrating his energy on a single point: the creature's right eye.
With a deafening boom, the blow pierced the beast's defense, reaching its magic core. The creature roared one last time before collapsing heavily to the ground, its body beginning to crumble into fragments of inert stone.
**[System Notification: Ancient Beast Defeated. +5,000 gold coins.]**
Lu Ming looked at the defeated creature and took a deep breath. It had been a difficult battle, but there was no time to rest. He felt something else lurking in the shadows, something he did not yet fully understand.
**Eternal Shadow** returned, his clothes and armor covered in dust, but with a triumphant look.
"The kings have been captured, master," he reported with a light smile. "They will not be able to reorganize."
Lu Ming nodded. "Good. Make sure they are closely watched. We need to prepare for what is coming. Something tells me this victory is just the beginning."
The fortress was beginning to crumble around them due to the collateral damage of the battle. Lu Ming and his army quickly retreated outwards, taking with them the captured kings and anything of value they could salvage.
As he watched his troops gather outside the ruined fortress, Lu Ming knew that he had won a great battle, but he was also aware that the war was still far from over.ar. The future held more challenges, but with each victory, his power and that of his army grew.
**Lu Ming** looked out to the horizon, beyond the smoking remains of the fortress, towards the vast territory yet to be conquered. He was ready for whatever came next, knowing that his destiny was forged in the fires of war and conquest.
--