The Forbidden Land of Eternal Void...
Fifty thousand kilometers to the east, there lay a vast expanse renowned for its desolation.
As far as the eye could see, there was only pitch-black soil and strange, grotesque plants.
The air was thick with a faint white mist, obscuring the view of anyone who stepped into it.
The midday sun shone brightly, yet its light couldn't penetrate the area, as if an invisible barrier was blocking it.
Because of its eerie nature, many feared to approach it. Most called it the Forbidden Land of Eternal Void.
The name was not without reason. It was said that this place had been cursed by a god as punishment for a being who had defied the world's laws ten thousand years ago.
The punishment was so severe that it shattered the land, leaving it in the desolate state known today.
While the truth of the tale could not be confirmed, it was widely believed and passed down as a folk story for generations.
At this very moment, in the sky above the Forbidden Land of Eternal Void, two beams of light—one large and one small—clashed violently before finally separating into the distance.
Upon closer inspection, the larger light revealed itself to be an enormous black dragon.
It had two imposing black horns atop its head, though one appeared broken and damaged. Its tough, slightly jagged black scales were marred by numerous wounds, with red blood flowing down its body.
Despite its massive form still exuding an air of pride and strength, the weariness and exhaustion were unmistakable in its two crimson eyes.
Opposite it, the smaller light gradually faded, revealing the figure of a handsome man dressed in the black robes of a mage.
He had short black hair and striking blue eyes, as clear and vast as the sky.
With sharp, sword-like eyebrows, an aquiline nose, and a tall, well-built frame, he could make any man envious and any woman captivated.
This man was none other than Arthur Crown, our strong and handsome protagonist.
Like the black dragon, Arthur wore an expression of pale exhaustion that he couldn't hide.
He fixed his gaze on the black dragon and spoke coldly, "Surrender, Black Dragon Empress, Malverna Nochtaris! You've already lost this battle. There's no point in continuing, and your life will be wasted in vain. Withdraw your entire dragon army, and I promise to spare you."
The black dragon straightened its massive form, meeting Arthur's gaze with indifference.
"Surrender?" she scoffed. "Hahaha! Do you believe you've defeated me, Arthur Crown? It seems that reaching the Sovereign Lord's Realm has made you arrogant."
Arthur remained unfazed, narrowing his eyes. "Does that mean you refuse to retreat?"
"Of course!" The black dragon replied with pride. "I am the Black Dragon Empress, one of the five rulers of the dragon race. Do you think I would surrender so easily?"
"Very well," Arthur said, his voice firm. "Since that's your choice, I won't hold back any longer." He closed his eyes and raised the magic staff in his right hand.
Bang!
A deafening explosion erupted from the sky, followed by the sudden appearance of a vast magic circle.
The circle expanded, engulfing the entire Forbidden Land of Eternal Void. Black clouds gathered from all directions, converging, before a relentless storm of red lightning erupted.
The black dragon's massive eyes widened in horror at the sight. She could feel the immense threat lurking within the magic circle.
But she quickly regained her composure and opened her mouth wide.
Buzz!
A massive purplish-black fireball suddenly formed in front of her mouth.
The moment the fireball appeared, the temperature across the surrounding tens of kilometers surged drastically, and the scorching air singed the dry, barren ground beneath.
Arthur observed the fireball calmly. With a swift downward swing of his magic staff, he muttered coldly, "World Magic: Inferno Meteor!"
Whoosh!
A searing red meteor, hundreds of meters in diameter, shot out from the magic circle and rocketed toward the black dragon.
The temperature in the area, already heated by the black dragon's purplish-black fireball, soared even higher, reaching thousands of degrees Celsius.
Any living creature caught in such temperatures would be instantly incinerated.
Seeing the meteor hurtling toward her, the black dragon unleashed her own purplish-black fireball to meet it head-on.
Boom!
The two attacks collided, producing an explosion that shook both sky and earth.
The blast obliterated everything within a radius of hundreds of kilometers, and the resulting shockwave warped the fabric of space itself, as if it might tear apart at any moment.
A few minutes later, the explosion gradually subsided, eventually fading away completely.
The dry, barren ground below had transformed into a massive crater, spanning tens of kilometers in width.
At the bottom of the crater, the enormous black dragon lay panting, her body riddled with severe wounds.
Both of her massive wings were shattered, a large hole was torn through her stomach, and her long tail was severed, blood pouring from the wound.
Soon after, a black light appeared around her injuries, seemingly attempting to heal them.
However, the healing proved ineffective, as the dragon's wounds were far too grave.
Floating in the sky, Arthur's condition was no better. He panted, his once-handsome face growing even more ashen.
His body trembled violently, and his heartbeat had noticeably slowed.
"I think I overdid it," he muttered through gritted teeth, gripping his left chest tightly. "The World Magic, 'Meteor Inferno,' drained the last of my mana."
The pain was like thousands of swords stabbing from within, but thanks to the suffering he had endured in the past, it was a pain he could still bear.
Taking a deep breath, he suppressed the pain and landed right in front of the black dragon.
Pointing his magic staff at her nose, he grinned tiredly and said, "Now, you've completely lost, Black Dragon Empress. Any last words or requests?"