In a desolate wasteland, the scorched earth flickered with scattered flames. Amidst the burning landscape, one fire began to shift and morph, transforming into the majestic form of a phoenix. Its glowing eyes scanned the surroundings, settling on five enormous shields arranged in a formidable defensive formation. Behind the shields stood five towering lizardmen, their expressions cold and unyielding.
One lizardman lowered his shield slightly and sneered, "Your flames are useless against us. Our defense is impenetrable. And soon, the Demon Dragon will be free!"
The phoenix narrowed its eyes, its voice sharp and unwavering. "Why release the Demon Dragon? You know its temperament as well as I do. Even if you manage to free it, it won't obey you. It might even kill you first!"
A crazed smile crept onto one of the lizardmen's faces as he shouted, "So what? For the sake of our grand plan, any sacrifice is worth it!"
Hearing this, Phoenix's tone grew sharp, its body igniting with fierce flames. "Sacrifice? You speak of sacrifice? Do you even understand the cost we paid to seal that dragon back then? I lost comrades, friends, my kin—all of them! What you're doing now is nothing but an insult to their sacrifices. I won't let you succeed!"
Flames roared to life around the phoenix, its presence like a blazing inferno.
The lizardman laughed mockingly, "Hah! You can barely scratch this shield formation. What makes you think you can stop us?" Without waiting for a reply, he charged forward, wielding a massive, rune-inscribed axe that radiated an ominous glow.
The phoenix surged forward as well, meeting its attacker head-on. The lizardman leapt into the air, swinging the axe down with terrifying force. In response, the phoenix swept its right wing, conjuring a fiery wall that intercepted the blow. Sparks flew as the axe clashed against the barrier, but from the side, another lizardman lunged with a longsword aimed at the phoenix's flank. Forced to retreat, the phoenix narrowly avoided the strike.
Before it could regain its footing, a sharp whistle pierced the air. Turning quickly, the phoenix saw arrows streaking toward it. Its thoughts raced: "Their coordination is flawless! I can't find an opening to counterattack. And those weapons—they're dangerous. Getting hit would be a disaster."
In the blink of an eye, the phoenix's eyes glowed brilliantly, summoning numerous fireballs that orbited around it. The fireballs shot out, intercepting the arrows mid-flight, shattering them into ash. The remaining fireballs streaked toward the archer lizardman, exploding in fiery bursts.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!" The explosions shook the ground, roaring like an erupting volcano. Yet the archer calmly raised its shield, deflecting the blasts with ease.
The phoenix growled, "Damn these shields!"
Before it could act further, the sky darkened, and an icy chill filled the air. Countless massive ice spikes materialized high above, cascading downward like a deadly rainstorm.
At the same time, the lizardmen with the axe and the longsword charged again, their movements swift and calculated. Cornered, the phoenix had no choice but to ascend, evading the coordinated ground assault as it soared toward the descending ice spikes.
"Ice magic? A mere chill won't stop me!" the phoenix thought, its flames intensifying. Its body ignited with a blinding orange-yellow blaze, radiating heat like a miniature sun. It dove straight into the icy rain, the fire and ice clashing with explosive force.
As the flames consumed the ice, steam erupted, filling the air with a deafening hiss. The collision of energies created a dazzling explosion—one side a blazing orange, the other an icy blue. The resulting shockwave rippled across the sky, shaking the heavens with a thunderous roar.
Meanwhile, Leng Chen stood amidst the horde of stone monsters, surrounded by piles of shattered remains. His fists pulsed with golden energy as he absorbed particles from his defeated foes, replenishing his strength with every victory.
Yet the tide of stone monsters seemed endless. From the ground, more emerged, clawing their way up to surround him. At first, Leng Chen had struggled to keep up, but as he absorbed more energy, his strength grew exponentially. Now, each swing of his fists reduced the monsters to rubble with ease.
Still, the unrelenting numbers pressed on.
Just then, a massive explosion reverberated through the air. Leng Chen instinctively turned toward the source, his eyes widening in shock. High above, an immense burst of light illuminated the sky—one half blazing orange, the other icy blue.
"What… is going on over there?" he muttered, his voice filled with a mix of awe and unease.