The sky cracked with power.
Dark clouds churned violently above the shattered Skyfire Kingdom, swirling around the looming figure of the Dark General and his army. Dozens of Shadow Drakes circled like predators, their glowing eyes fixed on the battlefield below.
And behind them—
The war beast.
Massive. Armored. Monstrous.
Its wings stretched wide like blades forged from darkness, each movement slicing through the air with terrifying force. Its body was covered in jagged black armor, pulsing faintly with red energy, as if something inside it was alive… and angry.
Kim Woo Bin felt the pressure instantly.
"That thing… is not normal…"
Beside him, Arin tightened her grip on her flaming sword.
"It's not just a beast," she said.
"It's a weapon."
Above them, Astrael spread his silver wings.
"And a dangerous one."
From behind, the newly freed Fire Dragon, Ignivar, let out a deep, controlled roar. Flames coiled around his body—not wild anymore, but steady and powerful.
Woo Bin glanced at him.
"You ready?"
Ignivar's voice echoed in his mind.
"This time… I fight with my own will."
Woo Bin smiled slightly.
"Good. Because we're going to need everything."
The Dark General raised his hand slowly.
"Destroy them."
The command echoed like a death sentence.
The Shadow Drakes screeched and dove.
At the same time—
The war beast moved.
It didn't fly at first.
It stepped forward—
And the ground beneath it shattered.
Then, with a powerful leap, it launched into the air.
Woo Bin's eyes widened.
"It can fly too?!"
Astrael roared.
"Positions!"
Everything happened at once.
Astrael shot upward, meeting the incoming Shadow Drakes head-on. Silver flames burst from his mouth, cutting through the dark creatures as they swarmed him from all sides.
Ignivar took to the air next, his fiery wings blazing brighter than before.
"I will hold the sky!"
He unleashed a massive wave of fire, forcing several Shadow Drakes back.
Below, Woo Bin and Arin stood their ground as a group of shadow soldiers rushed toward them.
Arin moved first.
She dashed forward like a streak of fire.
Her blade flashed—
One.
Two.
Three enemies fell instantly.
Woo Bin followed.
The dragon mark on his hand glowed.
"Dragon Pulse!"
A burst of blue energy slammed into the advancing enemies, knocking them back.
But even as they fought—
The real threat was coming.
A massive shadow fell over them.
Woo Bin looked up.
"INCOMING!"
The war beast dropped from the sky like a falling mountain.
Its claw slammed into the ground—
BOOM.
The impact shattered the battlefield.
Woo Bin and Arin barely dodged in time, thrown back by the force.
Woo Bin rolled across the ground, coughing.
"That thing hits like a truck!"
The war beast turned its glowing red eyes toward them.
Then—
It roared.
The sound was unnatural.
Not like a dragon.
Not like any living creature.
It was… mechanical.
Controlled.
Arin stood up slowly.
"It's not alive…"
Astrael's voice echoed from above.
"It has been corrupted and enhanced with dark magic!"
Woo Bin clenched his fists.
"Great. So we're fighting a giant armored monster."
The war beast charged.
Woo Bin jumped to the side as the beast's claw tore through the ground.
"Too fast!"
Arin leaped onto its arm, running along its massive limb toward its head.
"I'll distract it!"
Woo Bin nodded.
"I'll back you up!"
He raised his hand.
"Dragon Pulse!"
The blast struck the beast's side—
But barely made a dent.
"What?!"
Arin reached its shoulder and struck with her flaming blade.
Sparks flew—
But again—
Minimal damage.
She jumped back just in time as the beast swung its wing.
"This armor is too strong!"
Woo Bin gritted his teeth.
"There has to be a weak point!"
Above them, the Dark General watched calmly.
"Struggling already?"
He raised his hand.
Dark energy gathered again.
Astrael saw it.
"Woo Bin! He's targeting you!"
Woo Bin looked up—
Too late.
The attack fired.
A massive wave of dark energy rushed toward him.
"MOVE!" Arin shouted.
Woo Bin reacted instantly.
He raised both hands.
"DRAGON PULSE!"
Blue energy collided with darkness.
The explosion shook the battlefield.
Woo Bin was pushed back, sliding across the ground.
He dropped to one knee.
"Not… enough…"
The general's voice echoed again.
"You are improving."
"But still far from ready."
Woo Bin clenched his fists.
Something inside him stirred again.
Stronger than before.
The dragon mark burned.
Not just on his hand—
But spreading up his arm.
"What… is happening…?"
Arin looked at him.
"Woo Bin?"
Blue energy began to surround him.
Wind picked up around his body.
Astrael's voice turned sharp.
"Do not resist it!"
Woo Bin closed his eyes.
He remembered everything—
The village.
The sanctuary.
The training.
Ignivar's pain.
"I won't lose…"
The energy surged.
His eyes opened—
Glowing blue.
A pulse of power exploded outward.
Arin stepped back.
"This energy… it's different!"
Woo Bin stood up slowly.
"I feel it…"
"Everything…"
The war beast charged again.
This time—
Woo Bin didn't move away.
He stepped forward.
"Let's try this…"
He raised his hand—
But instead of a blast—
The energy formed around his arm.
A concentrated aura.
"Dragon Strike!"
He punched forward.
The energy extended like a massive claw—
And struck the war beast directly.
CRACK.
A piece of its armor broke.
Woo Bin's eyes widened.
"That worked!"
Arin grinned.
"Now we're talking!"
Ignivar roared from above.
"Aim for the cracks!"
Astrael joined in.
"Focus your power!"
Woo Bin nodded.
"Arin!"
"I'm ready!"
She leaped onto the beast again.
This time, targeting the broken area.
Woo Bin gathered energy.
More than before.
Stronger.
Controlled.
"Dragon Pulse… full power!"
Ignivar descended from the sky, flames gathering in his mouth.
Astrael followed, silver fire building.
"NOW!" Woo Bin shouted.
Everything hit at once.
Arin struck the weak point.
Woo Bin released his attack.
Astrael and Ignivar unleashed their flames.
The war beast roared—
Then exploded in a burst of dark energy.
The shockwave spread across the battlefield.
When the light faded—
The beast was gone.
Woo Bin stood still, breathing heavily.
"We… did it…"
Arin smiled.
"Yeah."
But above them—
The Dark General remained.
Unmoved.
Unimpressed.
"You destroyed a puppet."
His voice echoed coldly.
"But the war has just begun."
Woo Bin looked up.
"Then bring it on!"
The general's eyes glowed.
"Oh, I will."
He raised his hand—
And the sky itself began to crack.
A massive dark portal opened above them.
Something far worse was coming.
Astrael's voice turned grave.
"This presence…"
Ignivar's flames flickered.
"This is… not good…"
Woo Bin stared at the portal.
For the first time—
He felt it.
Real fear.
"What… is that…?"
From within the darkness—
Something moved.
Something ancient.
Something powerful.
And it was coming.