"This... is truly dangerous."
The energy orb was enormous and overflowing with power.
Even from a great distance, its shockwaves suppressed and scattered the people below.
If it fell, Nolan was absolutely certain that not only the square but the entire capital city would be reduced to ashes.
On the main stage, Ragan's expression hardened as the orb appeared.
Damn it! If that thing falls, the whole capital will be wiped out! he muttered angrily.
In truth, such a massive attack could have been easily deflected or held back. But the sudden appearance of the dragon made it impossible for the Celestial Mages to intervene in time.
"I have no choice. The only option is to activate the capital's secret barrier," he said coldly.
The secret barrier was a protective magic buried underground, only used in moments of extreme danger.
He hesitated to activate it because of the enormous cost—just five minutes of activation would consume one hundred thousand magic stones, equivalent to one million Sharn.
Still, he had no choice. If he waited for the mages to arrive, everything would be reduced to ashes.
Boom!
The shockwave from the energy orb erupted again, devastating an area a kilometer away from the square. Houses and buildings crumbled into rubble.
The unprepared people were thrown violently, their fate uncertain—whether they survived or perished remained unknown.
The black dragon flapped its massive wings and lowered its head, aiming the energy orb at the palace square.
Whoosh!
In an instant, it sent the orb hurtling forward at a terrifying speed.
With each pass, the air around it crackled and boiled from its unbearable heat.
Ragan gritted his teeth, ready to activate the secret magic barrier—when suddenly, a woman broke away from the crowd and leapt into the sky.
"Seven Sword Style: Split the Sky!"
With her right hand, she swung a sword that shimmered whitish-gold toward the energy orb.
Slash!
From the void, a twenty-meter-long energy blade erupted, crashing into the orb.
Boom!
The collision unleashed a deafening explosion, sending shockwaves roaring in every direction.
Nolan immediately shielded the little girl in his arms, closing his eyes as wind and dust whipped around them.
But not everyone was so lucky. Many were violently thrown by the shockwave, including the heads of noble families who tried to escape but were caught in its fury.
"Ugh!" Aldric grasped a pillar to steady himself against the shockwave.
His eyes squinted, trying to see what was happening, but dust and wind blocked his view.
Cedric, Adalen, Zarak, and Cassian were in the same struggle—clinging to any iron or wooden pole nearby to brace against the force.
Gradually, the shockwave died down, the chaos settling before disappearing completely.
Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. Their eyes instinctively shifted upward—and to their shock, the energy orb had vanished.
The figure who had destroyed it was an extraordinarily beautiful woman—Evalyn Lionheart.
"That... isn't she Young Lady Evalyn of the Lionheart family?" one noble exclaimed, admiration ringing in his voice.
"Hiss! It really is her! Damn, she's unbelievably strong!" Another responded, overwhelmed with admiration.
Evalyn was a dazzling figure, her reputation rivaling even that of princes like Aldric, Cedric, and Adalen.
It might sound like an exaggeration, but in truth, it was only natural. At a remarkably young age, she earned the recognition of the Divine Sword Luminus—the sacred weapon of the Lionheart family.
For a thousand years, no one had managed to claim the sword's recognition—until Evalyn became the first in history to do so.
"Phew! I never expected her to actually show up. She saved us all."
Nolan let out a relieved sigh. Without Evalyn, they would have all been reduced to ashes by now.
"Brother!"
Elina's voice called out from the side. Nolan turned to see her rushing toward him, worry etched on her face.
"Hahh... Are you... hahh... okay?" She asked breathlessly when she reached him.
Nolan smiled and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the sweat from her forehead.
"Don't worry. I'm fine," he said calmly. Then he turned to the little girl in his arms and asked, "Right, little one?"
The girl nodded eagerly, her face bright with a smile. "Yes! We're fine, Princess Elina."
Elina sighed in relief and returned a small smile. But when she looked at the girl in Nolan's arms, her eyebrows lifted slightly.
"Who is this little girl, brother? Is she your new sister?" she asked coldly.
Nolan: "..."
New sister? Where else would I have a new sister? Aren't you the only one?
He shook his head softly, chuckling. "She's a little girl I saved. Her mother got separated from her during the chaos."
Elina's cheeks flushed as she realized her mistake. "Ahem... Sorry, brother. I jumped to conclusions."
Nolan rolled his eyes but stayed silent.
"Well, forget that for now. We need to focus on the black dragon," he said seriously, glancing up at the sky.
Above, the black dragon glared furiously, realizing its attack had been easily blocked.
Nolan was certain it would strike again—and this time, even harder.
It wasn't that he underestimated Evalyn—he simply doubted she could withstand what was coming.
He could feel the dragon's magical power surging, growing more overwhelming with each passing moment.
If the creature fought at full power, they might all be reduced to ashes this very moment.
Elina offered a calming smile. "Don't worry, brother. The Seven Constellations Mages have arrived."
She pointed toward the main stage, where Ragan stood tall, surrounded by seven black-cloaked figures kneeling on one knee, saluting him.
Each cloak bore a beautiful, gleaming gold constellation symbol on its back.
Nolan looked surprised but then smiled. "With them here... it seems we really might be safe."