There is a legend that has been passed down in this world.
In the distant past, the sky was torn open by a bolt of lightning, and creatures unlike anything ever seen before descended upon the earth.
No one knew where they came from, nor did anyone know their purpose. The only thing people knew was that their arrival brought devastating disasters to the world.
The history of these monsters stretches back even further than the era before the Six Great Gods and the Eight Greed Kings appeared.
Those monsters rampaged across the land, clashing in a terrifying war with the Ancient Dragon Lords who ruled the world at the time.
According to legend, that great war swept across the entire world. Its scale surpassed even the Demon Gods' chaos two hundred years ago. Countless races and civilizations were wiped out.
Among those monsters stood an Evil Tree that reigned at the very top.
It is said that if the Ancient Dragon Lords had not joined forces to eliminate it, that single Evil Tree alone could have destroyed the world.
However, because of its immense vitality, the Evil Tree did not die in that battle. Instead, it was sealed away.
That Evil Tree later came to be known as the Catastrophe Dragon Lord.
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"ROOOOAR!"
A deafening roar spread across the sky above the Great Forest of Tob. The thunderous howl even stirred the atmosphere itself.
The earth trembled violently. Thick roots drove deep into the ground as the land began cracking apart. Massive fissures stretched for thousands of meters and continued spreading outward.
A gigantic Evil Tree appeared.
The Catastrophe Dragon Lord.
Its body alone exceeded one hundred meters in length. When including the six massive vines extending from it, its total length reached an astonishing three hundred meters.
With such an enormous body, its destructive power was naturally terrifying. Even a casual swing of its vines could shake the earth and split the ground.
Just like its title suggested, it was a horrifying existence comparable to a Dragon Lord, capable of bringing destruction to the world.
Across the shattered land, after rooting itself into the ground, the Evil Tree began absorbing nutrients from the earth without pause. The hazy consciousness within its body gradually awakened.
An overwhelming hunger surged through it, driving it to instinctively begin feeding.
Birds and beasts throughout the forest panicked and fled toward the outer edges of the forest. Even powerful magical beasts joined the chaotic escape.
But it was useless.
Thin tendrils began extending and spreading outward.
Plants and animals alike were all turned into nourishment for the awakening Evil Tree.
Its barbed vines devoured everything in their path, yet suddenly its movements paused.
In the distance ahead, a massive stone had caught the Evil Tree's attention.
What kind of stone was it?
Countless dragon shaped phantoms surrounded it. Under the sunlight, faint golden light flickered continuously.
Through the crystal clear surface, a massive shadowy figure could be faintly seen within.
As if sensing the Evil Tree's presence, the phantoms on the stone's surface grew increasingly solid.
The previously faint heartbeat suddenly became thunderous.
An overwhelming Dragon Aura emerged from within, spreading outward without restraint.
A heavy sense of pressure enveloped everything.
This feeling was not unfamiliar to the Evil Tree.
After all, it had once been sealed by the Ancient Dragon Lords.
Sensing that familiar aura, the Evil Tree that had just broken free from its seal trembled slightly.
A strong sense of danger rose within it, yet along with it came the resentment and fury accumulated from being sealed for hundreds of years.
And as a plant type monster that lacked much intelligence, the Evil Tree quickly made its choice.
Massive vines, cutting through the air with a fierce whistling sound, came crashing down and lashed directly toward the enormous stone.
Driven by clashing impulses, the Evil Tree did not retreat. Instead, it followed its instincts and chose to destroy everything before it.
Dust filled the sky, the earth split apart, and a thunderous crash echoed across the land.
But before the Evil Tree could react, a sharp cracking sound suddenly came from the stone.
"Crack! Crack!"
As the dust cleared, violent waves of energy spread outward. The massive stone, already pushed beyond its limits, exploded apart like a gigantic firework.
Crystal colored dragon wings spread open. A pair of dragon claws that looked as if they had been carved from pure crystal reached out and seized one of the Evil Tree's tendrils, tearing it cleanly in half.
The elemental power buried deep within the earth was drawn upward, and the dragon veins of the forest began to gather together.
"ROAR!"
An enraged roar shook heaven and earth as a giant dragon emerged into the sky.
Its body, hundreds of meters tall, was a magnificent sight. Deep blue scales that shone like crystal covered its entire form, and a pair of savage dragon horns rose from its head.
Pale dragon eyes stared downward, burning with fury.
"You deserve to die!"
The dragon roared, releasing a terrifying aura as its pale eyes locked onto its enemy.
Across from it, the Evil Tree stood on guard.
The two faced each other from opposite sides, their gazes colliding.
"Dragon… enemy… eat… eat…"
A broken voice echoed from inside the Evil Tree. Under the overwhelming sense of danger, it followed its instincts and launched the first attack.
Barbed vines shot skyward. Though they were plant based, they were sharper than blades and could easily pierce through any creature.
But this time its opponent was a dragon.
And not just any dragon, but a newborn dragon with a foul temper and strength comparable to a true Dragon Lord.
"ROAR!"
A faint red glint flashed through the dragon's eyes.
Thus began a battle between beings at the pinnacle of the world.
The earth split apart, the forest collapsed into ruins, and massive clouds of smoke surged into the sky.
Each clash between the crystal dragon claws and the enormous vines caused the ground to tremble violently.
In terms of sheer size, the Catastrophe Dragon Lord was larger. However, in direct combat, the dragon clearly held the advantage.
Perhaps because it had just been born and had not yet fully integrated its inherited memories, the dragon did not use magic.
But relying on physical combat alone to kill an Evil Tree whose vitality far exceeded that of a level one hundred guardian was extremely difficult.
As a result, the battle seemed endless. Both sides roared continuously, yet neither could gain a decisive advantage.
The sky trembled and the earth cracked.
As the fight dragged on, the surrounding forest had already been reduced to ruins by their battle.
And high above them, ten thousand meters in the sky, several figures were watching the battle with great interest.
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