The sky did not just darken—
It broke.
A massive crack split across the heavens above the Skyfire Kingdom, stretching from one end of the burning horizon to the other. From within it, a swirling abyss of darkness churned like a living storm.
Lightning of pure shadow flashed inside the rift.
The battlefield fell silent.
Even the flames seemed to hesitate.
Kim Woo Bin stood frozen, staring upward.
"What… is that…?"
The answer came slowly.
Not in words—
But in presence.
A crushing, suffocating pressure poured out of the portal, pushing down on everything below like an invisible mountain.
Arin took a step back.
"I can't… breathe…"
Astrael lowered his head slightly, his wings tightening.
"This power…"
Even Ignivar's flames flickered uncertainly.
"This is no ordinary creature…"
Above them, the Dark General raised his hand slowly.
And from the portal—
Something emerged.
At first, only a massive hand appeared.
Black.
Cracked.
Covered in glowing veins of dark energy.
It gripped the edge of the portal and pulled.
Then—
A head.
Massive, horned, with eyes that burned like dying stars.
Then shoulders.
A body the size of a mountain.
The creature stepped through the rift completely.
And the sky seemed too small for it.
Woo Bin's voice trembled.
"That's… impossible…"
Arin whispered:
"A titan…"
The Dark General spoke, his voice filled with pride.
"Behold."
"The Shadow Titan."
The titan floated above the battlefield, its enormous body radiating waves of dark energy that distorted the air itself.
Every breath it took sounded like thunder.
Every movement shook the sky.
Woo Bin clenched his fists.
"This… this is on a completely different level…"
Astrael's voice was grave.
"Even I cannot face this alone."
Ignivar growled.
"Nor can I…"
Arin looked at Woo Bin.
"So what do we do now?"
Woo Bin stared at the titan.
His heart raced.
His mind screamed to run.
But something inside him—
Refused.
"We fight."
Arin blinked.
"You're serious?"
Woo Bin nodded slowly.
"If we don't stop it here…"
He looked at the ruined kingdom below.
"There won't be anything left."
The Shadow Titan lifted one massive arm.
Then—
It pointed downward.
At them.
Woo Bin's eyes widened.
"Get ready!"
The titan's hand glowed—
And then slammed downward.
A massive wave of dark energy crashed toward the ground like a falling ocean.
"Astrael!" Woo Bin shouted.
The silver dragon reacted instantly, spreading his wings wide.
"Behind me!"
A wall of silver flames erupted, clashing against the incoming darkness.
Ignivar joined in, unleashing a torrent of fire.
The two forces combined—
Barely holding back the attack.
The impact shook everything.
The ground cracked.
The sky roared.
Woo Bin struggled to stay on his feet.
"This thing is insane!"
As the attack faded, Astrael spoke quickly.
"Woo Bin! Listen carefully!"
Woo Bin looked up.
"There is something you must understand now!"
"What is it?!"
Astrael's eyes burned with urgency.
"The Dragon Bearer's power… is not just your own!"
Woo Bin frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"It is shared!"
Woo Bin blinked.
"Shared…?"
"With dragons!"
Ignivar's voice echoed.
"Our strength can become yours… and yours, ours…"
Woo Bin's eyes widened.
"You're saying…"
Arin finished the sentence.
"You can combine your power."
Woo Bin looked at the titan again.
Another attack was already forming.
Bigger.
Stronger.
He clenched his fists.
"If we don't try this now…"
He turned to Astrael and Ignivar.
"Then we lose."
Astrael nodded.
"I will trust you."
Ignivar lowered his head slightly.
"As will I."
Arin stepped beside Woo Bin.
"Then let's do it together."
Woo Bin smiled slightly.
"Yeah."
Woo Bin closed his eyes.
He focused on the dragon mark.
On Astrael.
On Ignivar.
"I need your strength…"
The mark began to glow.
Brighter than ever before.
Energy surged around him.
Not just blue—
But silver.
And flame.
Three powers began to merge.
The air around him twisted violently.
Arin stepped back, shielding her eyes.
"This energy…"
Astrael roared.
"Now, Woo Bin!"
Woo Bin opened his eyes.
They burned with mixed light—
Blue, silver, and fire.
"Let's do this!"
The titan unleashed its next attack.
A massive beam of dark energy tore through the sky.
Woo Bin didn't dodge.
He stepped forward.
He raised his hand—
And all three energies gathered into one.
"DRAGON… PULSE!"
But this time—
It wasn't just a pulse.
It was a beam.
A massive, roaring blast of combined dragon power.
It collided with the titan's attack.
The sky exploded.
Light and darkness clashed violently.
The ground shattered beneath them.
Arin watched in awe.
"He's… matching it…"
Woo Bin gritted his teeth.
"This is… everything I've got!"
The beam pushed forward—
Slowly—
Then faster.
The titan's attack began to crack.
The Dark General's eyes widened slightly.
"Impossible…"
Woo Bin roared.
"GO BACK!"
The beam surged forward and struck the titan directly.
A massive explosion filled the sky.
The Shadow Titan staggered.
For the first time—
It moved back.
A crack formed across its chest.
Dark energy leaked out.
Woo Bin dropped to one knee, breathing heavily.
"I… did it…"
But Astrael's voice was tense.
"No…"
The smoke cleared.
The titan still stood.
Damaged—
But far from defeated.
The Dark General spoke again.
"You have grown stronger."
His eyes glowed.
"But this… changes nothing."
The titan raised its arm again.
The crack began to heal.
Woo Bin's eyes widened.
"It's regenerating?!"
Ignivar growled.
"This battle is not meant to be won…"
Astrael finished:
"Not yet."
Woo Bin clenched his fists.
"We can't beat it right now…"
Arin nodded.
"Then we fall back."
The Dark General watched silently.
"Run."
"There is no escape from what is coming."
Woo Bin looked at him.
"This isn't over."
The general smiled coldly.
"I know."
Astrael spread his wings.
"Everyone, move!"
Ignivar rose into the sky.
Arin helped Woo Bin stand.
Together, they retreated as the Shadow Titan loomed above the burning kingdom.
Far from the battlefield, they stopped.
Woo Bin leaned against a broken stone, exhausted.
"That thing…"
Arin nodded.
"We're not ready."
Astrael looked at Woo Bin.
"But you will be."
Ignivar spoke one last time.
"Find the fragments…"
"Only then can you stand against that power."
Woo Bin looked at his glowing hand.
Then at the distant sky.
The war had changed.
This was no longer just a fight.
It was a race.
Against darkness.
Against time.
Against a power that could destroy everything.
Woo Bin stood up slowly.
"Then we don't waste time."
He looked at his team.
"Next stop…"
"The Flame Core Temple."