"Ander, hurry up, we're assembling! We're about to head out. Check your gear," a voice called out.
"I'm coming, I'm coming." The paladin, clad in plate armor, rushed toward a mixed group of adventurers. This team was composed of humans, elves, dwarves, and even a halfling.
Despite their diversity, the team members got along well, laughing and talking, indicating they shared similar ideals and goals, which helped them overlook their racial differences.
"This is our first time fighting alongside dragons. Make sure to show your best side and don't let them look down on us," a red-robed archbishop said sternly. Though he possessed soul-tier strength, here in Senaps, he was no more than a foot soldier. He had been assigned as the leader of a small squad, with no real authority.
"Don't worry. I won't let those arrogant dragons think less of us." Ander, the paladin in shining armor, grinned confidently.
Soon, this motley group, along with many others from various lands, boarded a floating ship under the guidance of a cloud giant. They were all beings of righteousness, gathered from around the world to support the effort to rid the world of the blight that was the Senaps Subcontinent.
Senaps had long been viewed as a tumor on the world, something many wanted to eradicate but lacked the power to do so. Now, with Muria leading the charge, his call to arms had been met with widespread support.
"I never thought I'd fight alongside a bunch of chromatic dragons," Ander remarked as he looked out the window of the floating ship, spotting a green dragon flying alongside them. The dragon's scales shimmered in the sunlight, casting a brilliant glow. The green dragon noticed Ander's gaze, turned its head, and flashed a toothy grin, revealing its sharp white teeth.
According to their orders, this green dragon would be fighting alongside their squad as a temporary partner.
"This is my first time seeing a dragon too," Ander added with a smile in response to the dragon's gesture. "In my homeland, dragons are nothing more than legends."
According to the stories he'd read, chromatic dragons were supposed to be evil, but from what he had seen, the chromatic dragons in Senaps didn't match those descriptions. They seemed far more agreeable, although they still retained the typical dragon traits of greed and arrogance.
"For humans, dragons may be legends, but for me, they were nightmares," said a young elven girl meditating nearby. She opened her eyes coldly. "When I was a child, I watched a red dragon devour my parents."
"Uh…" Ander and the others fell silent at her words, unsure how to respond. Some considered offering comfort, but given that this event had occurred over a hundred years ago, it seemed unnecessary—she had likely long come to terms with it.
"That kind of evil dragon should have been sealed away by Lord Muria. The dragons we're fighting alongside aren't like that. These are mostly young dragons, many of whom have never left Senaps and haven't harmed anyone. They're nothing like the one that hurt your family," one of Ander's teammates attempted to reassure the elf.
"Regardless, I will never trust a dragon with my back," the elven girl replied with cold determination. She hated dragons.
"You can't just hate all dragons because of one!" a female priest chimed in, gripping her staff in frustration.
After all, this war was being led by someone who was half dragon, and his army included a significant number of dragons. Having someone in their team with such animosity toward dragons was bound to cause problems.
"Don't worry. My dislike for dragons is personal. I won't let it affect our mission."
A slight tremor signaled that they had arrived. They received orders to disembark and prepare for battle, marking the start of their first mission alongside the Senaps army.
"What a sight!" Ander exclaimed as he stepped off the floating ship. He looked up at the sky, where countless dragons flew in formation, glaring down at a distant city shrouded in dark clouds.
Surrounding them was a massive army of giants, tens of thousands strong. The righteous warriors, like Ander's group, were scattered around the giant army, assigned to support the main forces by dealing with any leftover enemies the giants and dragons missed.
"Looks like we've drawn a tough mission for our first battle," said the red-robed archbishop, his expression grim as he looked at the giant army and the dragons above. His gaze then shifted to the ominous, cloud-covered city in the distance, which radiated an unsettling pressure.
"Uncle Om, what's in that city?" Ander, full of youthful energy and ambition, asked the archbishop playfully, despite his grim surroundings.
"What do you think is in a city with this level of defense?" Om, annoyed at being called 'uncle,' rubbed his face, which looked much younger than it felt, and shot back with a question.
"Legendary beings?" Ander, still green in his experiences, looked surprised. In his homeland, such powerful evil entities were unheard of. The prospect of facing one excited him, his face lighting up with anticipation.
"What are you so happy about?" Om grumbled, bewildered by the young man's enthusiasm. "Don't you know that a stray spell in a battle with a legend could kill you?"
"But it's a legend!" Ander responded excitedly.
"You've seen plenty of legends since you arrived in Senaps. What's the big deal?"
"That's different. The legends I've seen here have all restrained their power."
Boom!
As the archbishop and the young paladin were chatting, the dragons in the sky began casting spells in unison. Countless elemental forces converged from all directions, and the sky lit up with brilliant bursts of elemental magic.
In the blink of an eye, the side of the city facing the Senaps army was obliterated. Strangely, no citizens appeared. The eerie silence was unsettling.
"What's going on?" Ander asked, surprised. "Did the city's residents flee when they heard we were coming?"
"Something's wrong," said Om, his face pale with unease. Unlike the clueless youth, his sharper senses picked up something deeply unsettling, causing a bead of cold sweat to form on his forehead.
"Stop playing tricks!" scoffed the commander of the attack, an ancient amethyst dragon who had already reached legendary status. He peered at the quiet, unnatural city with disdain.
In this situation, it would have been foolish to send troops into the city to investigate. The best course of action was clear.
"Nine-phase bombardment! Level this city!" the amethyst dragon commanded, splitting his forces into nine groups of dragons to take turns casting spells, targeting the city.
His goal was simple: flatten the city. Whatever anomaly lay within would be destroyed along with it.
As for any innocent residents? That was unlikely. The city had turned into a lifeless husk, devoid of even the faintest trace of life.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
After just one round of bombardment, a furious roar erupted from the hidden depths of the city. A vast domain unfurled, accompanied by the oppressive might of a deity descending.
"Roar! Insects, you seek death!"
"A god's avatar!" the amethyst dragon muttered gravely, immediately crushing the communication talisman in his hand. "These vile gods are becoming more and more shameless!"
As a wave of blood-colored energy swept across, the divine domain spread, dispersing the elemental forces that the dragons had summoned. Now, the dragons could only rely on their own inner strength to cast spells, though it was likely unnecessary.
The fog that had shrouded the city cleared, revealing that the once ominous city had been reduced to ruins. However, the central area remained intact.
There, a massive blood pool sat, formed from the remains of hundreds of thousands of corpses. Their blood had gathered to create a crimson pool, and from it rose a towering figure—a five-meter-tall man wielding a two-handed greatsword.
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