On the royal capital's land, six natural elements gathered at the same time. Beneath the furious half of the sky, waves of frenzied roars echoed.
Torrential rain and raging winds danced wildly across the sky. Layers of black clouds streaked with lightning covered the heavens.
Countless crystal-clear raindrops swirled through the air as black-purple lightning crashed down from above.
Carried by towering waves and spiraling winds, they ravaged the chaotic land.
Even in such a harsh environment, countless twisted vines still burst through the soil, blooming with pink flower buds as though welcoming the storm.
Half the sky had become completely chaotic, while the other half seemed buried beneath brown earth, making it feel unbearably oppressive.
A fierce sandstorm covered nearly the entire land. Massive boulders and shattered rocks collided in midair, producing deafening booms.
Yet within the sandstorm, several crimson lava pits could be seen faintly, and mountain ranges wrapped in lava glowed red.
With every step Uranos took, newly risen mountains collapsed under the force of its tremendous tremors.
The land was covered in great tears, and scorching lava surged beneath the countless cracks.
The intense heat baked the flying sand waves, while massive fragments of solid rock tried to cover the wide fissures once more.
Lightning alone couldn't leave even the slightest damage on Uranos's tough shell.
But once rain seeped in, that bolt of lightning could bypass its rocky armor and strike directly into its body.
A single element might not be able to harm Uranos.
But when several elements combined, it was a completely different story.
Wind, fire, water, wood, and lightning.
Five giant beasts stood upon the land of elemental chaos, facing the surging sandstorm with solemn majesty.
Uranos thrust its massive body forward. Its enormous frame, covered in black stone armor, endured the erosion of lightning and raging winds.
A terrifying pressure continuously poured from its body, blanketing the entire land.
At this moment, Uranos was far from being in good condition.
Lightning had carved deep marks across its armor, while violent winds and heavy rain left slash after slash across its body.
Even though the Calamity of Earth possessed defense that bordered on absolute, it still couldn't block every attack when faced with so many elements striking together.
Looking at the five giant beasts ahead, Uranos's six eyes glowed with a yellow light.
Why had these Calamities, all born from the same origin, gathered here together?
And why were they all targeting it?
Its clever mind couldn't understand.
But at the same time, that only made Uranos even more violent.
So what if it was one against many?
Uranos showed no fear toward the incoming elemental assault. Instead, it rapidly overturned the rocks behind it and lifted them onto its shoulders.
The enormous boulder that reached into the clouds trembled slowly in the air.
The incomparably massive rock looked as though it was about to crash down upon the earth.
The five Calamities watched as the enormous boulder was slowly raised.
Its target was Guldon.
At the same time, the surrounding winds began to rage.
Great amounts of floating sand and shattered stone formed whirlpools and surged toward Uranos.
Wrapped layer upon layer in sand, the boulder seemed to be supported by an invisible force as it hovered above Uranos's shoulders.
Like flowing sand driven by raging waves, it supported the dark, solid boulder before slamming it violently toward the earth.
BOOM!
The flowing sand tore through space as the massive boulder, carrying overwhelming force, smashed toward Guldon.
A pillar of dust shot high into the sky. Even before striking the ground, the boulder had already begun cracking under the force of the storm.
Countless elements poured toward the rock, but the enormous boulder scattered them all and slammed heavily into Guldon, whose body was covered in flowing lava.
The violent impact, along with the wave of scorching heat caused by Guldon being knocked sideways, sent the lava on the ground surging once more.
Lava splashed upward, turning into sheets of white steam beneath the torrential rain, as though it were about to swallow Uranos's gigantic feet.
But just as the lava began to churn, Uranos planted both hands on the ground, lowering its massive body into a half-crouch.
It slowly raised its enormous head. Light flickered in its eyes as it looked up into the clouds, toward the two dragon-like figures hidden within the sky.
Suddenly, a terrifying wave of dust slammed across the uneven ground.
The massive earth-brown body was actually blasted into the air by the powerful current, rising deep into the clouds.
It charged toward the two dragon Calamities hidden above the sky.
The dust wave carved an enormous pillar through the air, curving slightly as it pierced the black chaotic clouds.
Lightning flashed within the clouds, and a gigantic black figure tore through the sky.
Vega, who had been lying across Viktor's shoulder with feathers that had grown somewhat pale, widened his eyes in confusion.
"What the hell?"
"That giant rock can fly???"
Not just Vega, even Dozaler and Druja looked up together, watching the enormous shadow streak across the sky.
In an instant, vibrant green natural energy rapidly gathered from every direction, winding around Druja's body like vines.
Countless plants growing within this land of elemental chaos each offered a thread of vitality.
The thick clouds of dust swirled around Druja, forming a protective layer.
Layer after layer of patterns traced enchanting designs through the air, while the surrounding natural energy became increasingly rich, overflowing with the aura of life.
Very soon, a beam of light burst from the center of the green mist, illuminating the surrounding space.
Bang!
The dust dispersed.
Druja, now with limbs and a vastly enlarged body, appeared upon the land.
[Abundance: Complete Form]
At that moment, countless vines burst from beneath the earth, wrapping tightly around it as they rapidly expanded.
A gigantic flower bud quickly closed, enclosing Druja within.
The petals exploded apart.
Druja shot toward the sky like an arrow, leaving behind a long emerald ripple across the ground.
Its body pierced into the clouds, chasing after Uranos.
Within the torrential rain, Dozaler drew the pouring rain around itself, gradually becoming wrapped within flowing water.
Countless droplets gathered, forming a pale blue layer of water over Dozaler's body like a suit of liquid armor.
Soon, the water began to surge.
The blue membrane suddenly shattered, and several flowing lines of light spread across its body.
[Source of the Tides]
Thousands upon thousands of water droplets circled around it, slowly lifting Dozaler into the air.
The current rolled like surging waves, carrying Dozaler through layer after layer of heavy rain.
Its tail fin swayed as it leaped into the clouds.
In an instant, the battlefield shifted into the black sky.
Within the dark curtain of rain, even fiercer winds and blazing lightning erupted.
The storm became blades that swept beneath the heavens, constantly tearing apart the thick clouds.
The dazzling lightning became spears, weaving back and forth through the darkness and drawing down bolt after bolt from above.
The sky descended into chaos.
The entire world seemed to have been swept into an even more violent elemental storm.
Viktor stood amid the roaring lightning and surging shockwaves, allowing the strangely colored magic flames burning around him to sway through the air.
He raised his head and looked toward the utterly chaotic battle in the sky, smiling faintly.
The next second, terrifying magic began flowing across Viktor's trench coat.
Supported by several streams of magic, he simply held Erica in his arms.
His tiny body shot upward like a meteor.
Straight into the black sky.
Across the vast battlefield, only Guldon remained.
Its body flowed with layers of lava as it stood within the raging elemental upheaval.
It simply raised its head quietly, looking up at the surging magic in the sky.
Like a proud king, glaring at everything above.
One day...
———
Under the cover of the elemental upheaval, the entire royal capital looked unusually dark.
But strangely enough, the chaos only covered the capital itself.
Outside the city, crowds of residents stood on tiptoe, staring toward the sky.
Their minds buzzed.
The world beneath the black clouds seemed to have been cut apart by a deep chasm.
Above the enormous walls of the royal capital, it was as though magic had sliced the sky in two.
Outside the walls, the sky was clear and as peaceful as ever.
Inside the city, darkness hung heavy and chaos knew no end.
Within the capital, every corner seemed on the verge of collapse.
The earth shook.
The elements fell into disorder.
The terrifying sight filled everyone with shock.
"What... what's happening?"
"Why has something like this happened to the royal capital? Did we anger the gods?"
Some children were overwhelmed with fear amid the elemental chaos and burst into tears.
Their parents held them tightly, closed their eyes, and silently prayed to the heavens.
A squad of knights hurried over, trying to maintain order among the panicked crowd.
"Stay calm! Everyone, stay calm!"
"Don't disturb the mages of the Mage Council! Please remain quiet!"
Outside the city walls, magic surged from the hands of the mages as they continuously poured their power toward the center of the royal capital.
They had already been holding on for a long time.
Their strength was running out, and cold sweat covered their foreheads.
But at a time like this, the magical barrier had to hold.
There absolutely couldn't be any mistakes.
The mage in command quickly gave his orders.
"Rotate in the reserve mage team! Everyone else, fall back and rest!"
As soon as the order was given, the second group of mages waiting in reserve immediately took over.
They concentrated their magic and released it toward the sky, creating beams of brilliant light.
Seeing their companions take over, the mages on the front line finally let out sighs of relief.
They hurriedly uncorked bottles of magic potion and eagerly drank them.
But just as one mage raised his potion...
His arm suddenly trembled.
Half a bottle of blue potion slipped from his hand and shattered on the ground with the crisp sound of breaking glass.
He looked up at the sky.
As though he had seen something unimaginably shocking.
He stood there, frozen.
Many other mages also stared blankly at the sky, their faces filled with shock and confusion.
"Y-you... hurry... look..."
There were five enormous beasts overflowing with magic.
Within the clouds, illuminated by flashes of lightning, the outlines of their gigantic bodies could be seen faintly.
Their massive forms nearly covered the sky above the royal capital.
Violent purple-black lightning repeatedly tore through the clouds before crashing down upon the land buried beneath torrential rain and sandstorms.
From time to time it struck the ground, erupting in blinding light.
The increasingly violent winds drove the surging air currents toward the center, twisting the heavy storm clouds high above into a rapidly spinning vortex.
Watching the terrifying elemental upheaval, the mages narrowed their eyes.
But suddenly, every one of them froze.
"There's... someone up there!!!"
A streak of light carrying five-colored magic shot across the sky, plunged into the clouds, and charged straight toward the center of the five giant beasts.
Behind him, the trench coat burning with strangely colored flames rapidly expanded, stretching for thousands of miles.
The enlarged coat seemed ready to cover the entire sky.
Viktor held Erica in his arms.
The strangely colored flames illuminated his face with brilliant light.
Lightning, storm, fire, flowing water, and swirling leaves surrounded his body.
As though embraced by the power of nature itself, mysterious magical patterns even spread across his face.
He floated silently in the air.
Powerful magic descended from the heavens, causing the raging elements to gradually return to order.
At that moment, everyone looked up at the sky.
They watched Viktor floating in the air, immersed in surging natural magic.
It was as though they were looking upon a divine messenger who commanded nature.
No.
More than that.
It was more like... A god who existed within disaster, yet ruled over everything.