Not long ago, deep beneath the sea,
The magical array that had been set in place began to emit a gradual glow, while the vast underwater cavern incessantly bubbled with gas.
At the helm of the magic circle, Belmo, with his flowing white hair and robe, recited the final incantation.
The hundred or so mages responsible for maintaining the dome of water trembled slightly, their eyes betraying fear.
They could already hear the roar emanating from the depths of the cave!
Despite the enchantment having a bewitching effect, the target was a legendary creature dwelling at the pinnacle of the food chain.
Even Belmo, at the legendary level himself, could only induce and subtly influence the deep sea dragon—he could not fully control the creature's mind!
It was entirely foreseeable that the dragon, disturbed from its slumber, would awaken in a furious rage.
How many of these young mages, whose powers were still developing, would survive the dragon's wrath?
"Do not lose focus! Concentrate! Once the deep sea dragon awakens fully, everyone must immediately cast [Sea Wings] and disperse! You…"
Tils-Merlin was emphasizing these crucial instructions to the young mages when suddenly, a colossal roar erupted from below, and the massive deep sea dragon burst forth from the cavern!
"Roar—"
Its roar unleashed a torrent of turbulent water, effortlessly shattering the dome that the mages had worked so hard to maintain!
"Scatter! Quickly, disperse!"
Merlin shouted urgently through a [Sound Bubble], but still, several young mages, paralyzed by fear, hesitated momentarily in their casting, only to be swept back into the cavern by the surging current!
Even those who managed to use [Sea Wings] immediately found their survival was not guaranteed.
They barely swam a short distance when they felt an immense force approaching from behind, only to be pierced by the dragon's spines or simply swallowed whole by the enraged creature!
Merlin exerted himself to conjure a wide stream of [Sea Wings], protecting over twenty individuals to evade the chaos. Still, he was buffeted by the tidal wave generated by the dragon, leaving him dizzy.
As he gazed on, he witnessed several figures being consumed by the dragon, one of whom had merely minutes before been asking him questions, now meeting a grim fate…
Merlin's fists clenched involuntarily, an overwhelming sense of helplessness washing over him.
He had done everything in his power to ensure the survival of these fellow mages of common origin, yet Belmo had evidently downplayed the risks associated with awakening the deep sea dragon.
In mere minutes, at least sixty or seventy of the hundred mages present had lost their lives!
Belmo remained utterly indifferent, his proud and eager expression seemingly reveling in the prospect of a dance with the dragon…
Witnessing this, Merlin's typically tranquil face contorted with rage.
"You arrogant, inhumane overlords— the Divine Kingdom shall crush you!"
...
Moments later, the deep sea dragon, having vented some of its fury, broke through the water's surface, soaring into the sky.
At dawn, the first rays of sunlight illuminated its massive frame, rendering it a striking sight against the horizon.
To those on Peaceful Island, Nalan Xia and her companions, it appeared as a lizard magnified a thousandfold, adorned with broad, spiked wings and a sharp horn protruding from its forehead.
Its entire body was cloaked in deep blue scales, and its powerful limbs ended in talons reminiscent of a mighty eagle.
Spines jutted along its back, extending to its long tail, which bore the remnants of unfortunate mages clinging to its length, flung about by the sea breeze.
Such a terrifying being seemed inherently designed to be the apex predator of the ocean!
Yet in cunning, the dragon was no match for humanity.
The deep sea dragon's slitted eyes were clouded, clearly disturbed by high-level spells, as voices echoed in its mind, compelling it to attack the island before it.
"High-Level Mind Link!"
"Suggestion!"
"Rage Spell!"
Hovering beside the dragon, Belmo waved his staff, casting spells to further influence the creature, continually stoking its ferocity and coaxing it to act on his behalf.
"Even if you had prior knowledge and preparation, under the dragon's boundless destructive power, all would ultimately be in vain!"
"Roar—"
Unable to withstand the relentless mental intrusion, the deep sea dragon surged toward Peaceful Island in a wild frenzy!
"First rank! Fire arrows!"
At that moment, Huyan Gui, with his right hand raised high, swung it forcefully; a cacophony of dull thuds followed as dozens of heavy crossbows unleashed a volley upon the dragon!
Thud!
Instinctively, the deep sea dragon evaded, though a few bolts grazed its skin, scraping away bits of scales.
The pain further fueled its fury as it unleashed a torrential surge of water!
Whoosh—
Like a thick, high-pressure water cannon, the gushing torrent surged toward Peaceful Island, and the lined-up warriors of the Divine Kingdom struggled to hold their shields, yet more than ten were sent sprawling by the force!
Then, the descending deep sea dragon, harnessing its momentum, slammed down with a resounding crash, obliterating several houses beneath it.
With a powerful sweep of its long tail, it sent multiple warriors of the Divine Kingdom flying!
Even though they possessed the robust foundation of second-stage body refinement, they appeared as fragile as infants before the dragon, which boasted the strength of six stages!
"Second rank! Fire arrows!"
"Third rank! Fire!"
Huyan Gui commanded repeatedly, the last two rows of heavy crossbows firing in succession, then reloading before the first row unleashed another volley, creating a continuous barrage.
With the deep sea dragon grounded, the success rate for their shots increased dramatically, with over sixty percent hitting their mark!
However, most of the bolts were deflected by the dragon's resilient wings, and those that struck its body were largely rendered harmless, with only the tips piercing beneath the scales, failing to inflict any significant damage.
As the dragon's head turned toward them, Huyan Gui positioned himself protectively in front of Nalan Xia.
In the next instant, a high-pressure jet of water surged toward them!
Whoosh—
The frontline shield-bearers of the Divine Kingdom were swept away, and Huyan Gui crossed his scimitars, bringing them down forcefully!
Boom!!
The water column was cleaved in two, yet his blades shattered, and he staggered back, his trembling hands drenched in blood!
"Ugh... What a formidable beast."
Huyan Gui turned to Nalan Xia, intending to inquire about a strategy when he noticed the look of delight on her face.
Could it be that reinforcements had arrived?
He quickly turned back, only to see countless blue-purple gelatinous tendrils swiftly extending, enveloping the deep sea dragon like a cosmic net!
Gurumi had arrived!
More precisely, Gurumi was still in its blue-purple bracelet form, coiling around the forearm of the witch Meg; at first glance, one might have mistaken it for a spell she was casting.
Belmo, hovering above and surveying the battlefield, immediately recognized Meg's interference, and his expression darkened ominously.
The magical fluctuations emanating from her were peculiar, and what sorcery could produce such tendrils to restrain a dragon?
Belmo cast [Amplified Voice] upon himself and exclaimed, "Meg! Will you stand against me?!"