From a distance, Leng Chen watched as the phoenix and the demon dragon clashed fiercely. The aftermath of the explosion reached even where he stood, the shockwaves and the roaring winds making it difficult for him to maintain his footing.
He thought to himself, If the power is this intense from so far away, just how devastating must it have been at the center of the blast?
At the same time, a realization hit him like a stone—his current strength was far too inadequate to join such a battle. Clenching his fists tightly, he muttered through gritted teeth, "Sigh... I didn't realize the gap was this huge. Guess I can only head over to check the situation. The battle seems to be over. I just hope the phoenix is all right."
Meanwhile, beneath the vast and desolate sky, the once radiant phoenix now lay battered on the barren ground. Its massive form had shrunk to merely two meters, its once-glorious feathers disheveled and broken. In its eyes, a deep sense of loss and unwillingness burned faintly as it stared at the unscathed demon dragon standing before it.
The phoenix's wings trembled weakly as it tried in vain to stand up, but its strength had long been drained.
The demon dragon stood tall, exuding an aura of overwhelming dominance. Suddenly, six lizardmen emerged from the shadows. One, wielding a staff, walked over to the phoenix with a sneer. "Remember me?" he spat, his voice dripping with malice. "You knocked me flying just now, didn't you?" Without waiting for a reply, he delivered a brutal kick, sending the phoenix hurtling dozens of meters away. The creature let out a pained cry before crashing heavily to the ground, motionless.
"Get up!" the lizardman snarled, his tone mocking. "Weren't you so strong just now? Huh? Weakling."
"That's enough," said the lizardman elder, frowning as he addressed the aggressive one. He then turned to the demon dragon with a cautious bow. "My lord, its power is not to be underestimated. Leaving it alive could become a problem. Perhaps we should..."
"Enough!" the dragon interrupted, its booming voice silencing the elder. "What do you know? I have my own plans."
As the dragon's eyes narrowed, storm clouds gathered in the sky. A streak of lightning ripped across the heavens, casting an eerie white glow over the devastated land. The elder lizardman took an uneasy step back as fear flickered across his face.
The dragon's gaze shifted skyward, and it growled, "Something's coming."
The other lizardmen instinctively turned their eyes upward, alert and wary.
At that moment, Leng Chen arrived at the battlefield. His eyes widened at the scene before him—a once-thriving mountain range reduced to ruins, its grandeur replaced by barren desolation. The air hung heavy with death and despair, a stark reminder of the devastation wrought by the clash of divine beasts.
His gaze fell on the fallen phoenix, then on the demon dragon and the six lizardmen, who were staring intently at the sky. I don't know what they're looking at, he thought, but they haven't noticed me yet. This might be my only chance to save the phoenix.
Steeling himself, he began to inch cautiously toward the phoenix, all the while keeping an eye on the group. What he didn't realize was that they had already noticed his movements.
"Are we really going to let him save the phoenix?" one lizardman asked the elder.
The elder sighed. "Do you think I want this? But Lord Dragon hasn't given any orders."
Just then, the heavens erupted with a blinding white light. A figure emerged from the radiance—a male angel.
The angel was tall and imposing, his muscular frame radiating strength. Deep brown eyes complemented his tousled golden hair, and he wore a shining silver suit of armor. In one hand, he gripped a massive sword, and behind him spread a pair of grand, white-feathered wings. Hovering above them all, his gaze swept across the battlefield with cold disdain. A faint, mocking smile tugged at the corners of his lips as his eyes settled on the demon dragon.
The dragon threw its head back and laughed. "A phoenix just now, and now an angel? Fascinating! Truly fascinating!"
The lizardman elder sneered, "Hypocritical angels. They look so righteous, but their deeds are no different from those of demons."
Leng Chen, hidden in the shadows, stared in awe at the angel, his heart pounding with disbelief.
Just then, the phoenix stirred weakly, opening its eyes to meet Leng Chen's gaze. In a faint, trembling voice, it said, "Run... that angel is..."