The cavern had become a battlefield of ruin.
Massive cracks spread across the black stone floor while broken crystal formations bathed the chamber in unstable crimson light. Smoke and mana storms twisted violently through the air as the roars of the male drake echoed endlessly throughout the mountain depths.
Flames.
Dust.
Blood.
Pressure.
Everything inside the cave trembled beneath the clash between Kel and the mountain predator.
BOOOOOOM!!
The male drake's gigantic claws crashed downward with enough force to flatten buildings, yet Kel intercepted the strike head-on with condensed telekinetic force and aura reinforcement simultaneously.
The collision alone shattered the surrounding ground.
Several explorers nearly lost their footing again.
And amidst the chaos—
The realization slowly spread through everyone present.
Heral was terrifying.
No.
More terrifying than that.
Monstrous.
Because even while battling the enraged male drake—
He still maintained suppressive pressure over the restrained female.
One mind.
Two battlefields.
The female drake continuously thrashed beneath the creature-control restraints while suppression runes glowed violently around her body.
Yet Kel's invisible telekinetic pressure prevented her from moving more than a few meters.
Meanwhile—
The male drake roared and unleashed another torrent of crimson flames.
FWOOOOOSH!!
The firestorm swallowed the cavern entirely.
"DEFENSE MAGIC!"
Multiple mages immediately cast layered barriers while Kel vanished from the flames before they could engulf him completely.
The next moment—
He appeared directly above the drake.
SLASH!!
The aura blade descended like falling moonlight.
Black-blue energy tore across the drake's back explosively, sending blood scattering through the cavern.
ROOOOOOOAR!!
The male drake twisted violently in pain and fury.
Its tail swung blindly through the air.
KABOOOOOOM!!
Entire sections of the cavern wall exploded apart.
Yet despite the overwhelming battle—
Someone else stood frozen.
Watching.
Landon Veil.
The young viscount's sharp eyes remained fixed upon Kel's figure moving against the drake like living darkness.
His silver-black formal combat coat fluttered beneath the violent winds created by the battle while one hand unconsciously tightened around the hilt of his sword.
His lord.
Fighting alone.
Landon's jaw tightened slightly.
Every instinct inside him screamed to move immediately.
To fight beside Kel.
To protect him.
But he couldn't.
Not freely.
Because now—
He was no longer merely a knight.
He was Lord Landon Veil.
A rising southern noble.
One of the central figures of the Southern Council.
And Heral—
Was officially only his alchemist and attendant.
If Landon suddenly displayed excessive loyalty or familiarity toward him—
Questions would arise instantly.
Dangerous questions.
Sairen softly murmured through the soul-link while observing Landon from Kel's perception.
"…That knight of yours looks ready to explode."
Kel calmly blocked another claw strike.
"He's restraining himself."
Meanwhile—
Landon watched as Kel was blasted backward through a collapsing stone pillar by the drake's wing strike.
The black-haired man recovered instantly—
But Landon's restraint finally cracked.
Enough.
The young lord stepped forward suddenly.
"ALL MAGES!"
His commanding voice cut sharply across the battlefield.
The surrounding explorers immediately turned toward him instinctively.
Because unlike Heral—
Landon officially held authority.
"CAST SUPPORT BUFFS OVER HERAL!"
The mages snapped back to action immediately.
"Speed enhancement!"
"Mana reinforcement!"
"Physical resistance!"
"Regeneration support!"
Multiple magic circles ignited across the cavern as supportive spells surged toward Kel one after another.
Blue.
Silver.
Golden.
Mana wrapped around Kel's body like flowing light.
Then Landon pointed his sword toward the male drake.
"OFFENSIVE MAGES!"
His sharp gray eyes narrowed coldly.
"TARGET ITS WINGS AND EYES!"
Several combat mages instantly repositioned.
"Lightning Spear!"
"Ice Lance!"
"Compressed Wind Blades!"
High-speed lethal spells erupted toward the male drake from multiple angles simultaneously.
BOOOOOOM!!
The drake roared furiously as lightning exploded across its wounded wing while ice spikes pierced partially between damaged scales.
The attacks alone could not critically injure it—
But they distracted it.
Slowed it.
Created openings.
And Kel immediately used them.
BOOM!!
He vanished again.
Appearing beneath the drake's neck.
SLASH!!
A devastating upward aura strike exploded across the monster's chest, forcing the gigantic predator backward several meters.
The explorers stared in shock.
The coordination suddenly changed the battlefield entirely.
Meanwhile—
Landon moved again.
Without hesitation—
He grabbed the remaining creature-control belt resting near the supply packs.
The massive enchanted restraint glowed faintly beneath the crimson crystal light.
Then—
He looked toward five nearby combatants.
Veteran fighters.
Fast enough to survive near the drake briefly.
"You five."
The chosen explorers immediately stiffened.
"With me."
No hesitation remained in Landon's voice now.
Only command.
The combatants quickly grabbed chains and support restraints attached to the belt while Landon drew his sword fully.
Silver aura flowed faintly around the blade.
One mercenary stared nervously toward the male drake.
"…We're seriously trying to restrain that thing?"
Landon's eyes remained fixed on the battlefield ahead.
"Yes."
Simple.
Absolute.
Then—
He rushed forward.
BOOM!!
The stone floor shattered beneath his speed.
The five combatants followed immediately behind him carrying the massive restraint chains while spells and drakefire continued exploding across the cavern.
Meanwhile—
Kel noticed instantly.
For a brief moment—
Their eyes met across the battlefield.
Landon slightly lowered his posture.
Not enough for others to notice fully.
But enough.
Respect.
Acknowledgment.
Loyalty.
Kel immediately understood his intention.
Sairen softly sighed.
"…Your knight really would follow you into hell itself."
Kel's aura surged violently.
"That's why he's dangerous."
Then—
The male drake suddenly spread its wings fully.
Mana gathered violently around its throat.
Far denser than before.
Several mages immediately paled.
"…Everyone down!"
The drake was preparing a concentrated breath attack.
A direct annihilation blast.
Yet before the creature could release it—
Kel raised one hand.
The air distorted instantly.
Then—
The drake's head slammed downward violently under overwhelming telekinetic force.
KABOOOOOOOM!!
Its breath attack fired directly into the cavern floor instead.
The resulting explosion shook the entire mountain.
Stone melted.
Shockwaves erupted.
And in that exact moment—
Landon moved.
"NOW!"
The young lord and the five combatants rushed beneath the stunned drake.
Chains flew.
Enchanted restraints activated.
The massive creature-control belt locked violently around one of the drake's forelimbs.
ROOOOOOOOAR!!
The male drake exploded into fury.
Its entire body thrashed wildly.
One combatant was sent flying instantly into a stone wall.
Another barely avoided being crushed beneath the drake's tail.
Yet Landon never retreated.
Aura erupted around his body as he drove his sword into the stone floor to anchor himself against the shockwaves.
His silver-gray eyes remained cold and focused beneath the crimson crystal light.
Because if his lord intended to capture monsters capable of ruling the skies—
Then he would help him chain the heavens themselves.