The oppressive aura radiating from the figure before them was far beyond anything a typical dangerous creature could produce.
Helena instinctively took a step back, her icy blue eyes wide with a panic and fear that seemed ingrained in her very bloodline. No matter how much she told herself to stay calm, her trembling lips betrayed her utter terror.
"What... what kind of dangerous creature is that...?" Helena's voice quivered uncontrollably.
The situation had shifted from a controlled exam to a fight for survival in an instant.
Just moments ago, she and Noah had been carefully tracking an A-level creature. Now, faced with this monstrosity, there was no time to think, let alone mount a proper defense.
Noah's usual fearlessness was put to the ultimate test. She rarely felt true fear, always managing to compose herself in dire situations.
Whether it was ambushing the Star Wanderer Dragon King to free her parents from a spatial barrier or standing her ground against Constantine in the Arctic ruins, she had always forced herself to confront danger head-on.
But this was different.
The overwhelming pressure before her felt like a physical weight, a towering mountain pressing down on her chest, making it difficult to breathe. She clenched her fists so tightly her pink nails dug into her palms, using the sharp pain to jolt her mind back into focus.
Her eyes narrowed as the figure's form became clearer through the fog: a one-eyed, crimson-gazed behemoth radiating dark energy, its massive frame a grotesque blend of dragon and wolf-like features. In its hand, it wielded a warhammer that seemed to suck the light from the air.
"That's no dangerous creature, Helena," Noah said through gritted teeth.
"Then... what is it?"
"A dragon," Noah whispered, retreating a half-step and pulling Helena with her. This was no ordinary dragon. "A Dragon King."
Without another second of hesitation, she grabbed Helena's wrist firmly. "Run!"
The aura emanating from this Dragon King explained the primal fear coursing through their veins. A Dragon King's mere presence was enough to paralyze weaker beings, leaving them utterly defenseless.
For most humans, the sheer weight of such an aura would render them unable to even raise a weapon. Noah, still just a young dragonling nearing graduation, knew she had no hope of defeating such a foe. That she managed to force herself to think rationally and flee while dragging Helena along was, in itself, extraordinary.
They sprinted through the dense undergrowth of the Demonic Moon Forest's inner zone. Helena's dazed eyes were fixed on the small, determined hand holding hers. The warmth and steady pulse she felt through that grip slowly anchored her, pulling her back from the brink of sheer panic.
"Noah..." Helena began, her voice still shaky. But before she could form a complete thought, a deep, thunderous footstep echoed behind them, much closer than before.
.
.
.
THUD!
THUD!
THUD!
The steps grew heavier, faster, and more purposeful, each one shaking the ground beneath their feet. Helena risked a glance over her shoulder, her pupils contracting in fresh terror.
The Dragon King, gripping its massive warhammer, was pursuing them with terrifying speed.
"He's catching up!" Helena shouted, her voice strained with panic.
"I hear him," Noah responded, her gaze locked forward, refusing to waste energy by looking back. She knew that meeting the creature's single crimson eye would only deepen her fear and shatter her resolve to survive.
Noah's mind raced, analyzing the shattered pieces of the situation.
The two dead A-level creatures they had found? This Dragon King had killed them. The brutal, crushing injuries on their bodies perfectly matched the destructive power of his hammer.
But if his original target had been the local creatures, why was he now chasing them?
Helena was too frightened to voice her own thoughts, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The thunderous footsteps behind them were deafening, shaking the very ground and sending forest creatures scattering in every direction.
Noah tightened her grip on Helena's hand. "Run, Helena! We can't stop here! He'll kill us!"
She forced her voice to remain steady, calculating aloud to maintain her own calm. "We took about 30 minutes to get here. If we keep running at this pace, we can reach the outer zone in ten. Once we're there, the teachers will sense his aura and help us. We'll be safe. Do you hear me, Helena? We have to keep going—"
.
.
A massive shadow leaped over their heads, landing directly in their path with an earth-shattering crash that sent tremors through the forest floor.
Noah skidded to a halt, instinctively shoving Helena behind her and positioning herself as a shield. Her heart hammered against her ribs, the sound deafening in her own ears.
The Dragon King stood before them, his towering frame cloaked in swirling black energy. His single, glowing crimson eye locked onto Noah with an unnerving, predatory intensity.
He tilted his head, a low, gravelly voice rumbling from his chest.
"So you're the child of the man Shadow mentioned."
Noah's breathing quickened as she struggled to maintain her composure. Her hand instinctively went to the hilt of her dagger, gripping it tightly.
The Dragon King's gaze flicked to the weapon.
"Lightning magic, is it? That confirms it."
He sneered, hefting his massive hammer. "A couple of academy pests tried to keep me out of here. Something about an exam and not interfering." He let out a dismissive grunt. "Hmph, nonsense. What a waste of my time."
His voice grew colder, dripping with menace. "But who would've thought I'd stumble upon such an unexpected surprise during this little game of yours?"
He pointed the hammer directly at Noah. "Killing you will surely increase my reward."
"Noah! What do we do?" Helena's trembling voice came from behind her.
Noah was also terrified, but her mind clung to the critical information she had just gathered:
He was here for them, not the local creatures. He knew about her—and her father. He was a mercenary, working for someone called 'Shadow,' who likely held a grudge against her father.
Seeing the futility of her small dagger, she slowly sheathed it. This wasn't the time for a provocation she couldn't win. Any reckless action would guarantee their deaths.
Grabbing Helena's hand again, Noah shouted with all the force she could muster, "Run! Don't look back!"
.
.
The Dragon King watched the two girls flee, a mocking grin spreading across his bestial face. Resting the massive hammer on his shoulder, he muttered to himself, "Run, little ones. Let's see how far you get."
As they disappeared into the thick foliage, he chuckled darkly, a memory surfacing.
"Thirty years ago, the other child was far more obedient."
.
.
.
The thickening, mystical fog of the forest's inner zone finally worked to their advantage, obscuring their trail. Hidden within a large, hollowed-out tree, they peeked out cautiously, their hearts pounding as they confirmed their pursuer wasn't immediately nearby.
Noah turned to Helena, gently cupping her friend's tear-streaked face. Their blue eyes met, a mirror of fear and determination reflected in both pairs. Helena suddenly hugged Noah tightly, her voice breaking as she buried her face in Noah's shoulder.
"Are we... are we going to die here, Noah?"
Helena's composure, usually so steady, had finally shattered. She had always been a well-behaved, traditional girl, raised under the strict but safe rules of her mother. This brutal reality was beyond anything she had ever faced.
Noah hugged her back just as tightly, softly patting her shoulder. "We'll be okay, Helena. I promise."
She had often heard her father make such promises, and he had always kept them. But now, facing a Dragon King, Noah could only pray she had the strength to do the same.
Before Helena could respond, a loud, sickening crack split the air.
A towering ancient tree, as thick as a house, snapped in half. Its massive trunk crashed down, violently exposing their hiding place and sending splinters flying.
The Dragon King loomed over them, his single crimson eye gleaming with sadistic glee.
"So here you are, little princesses. Ready to die?"
He raised his warhammer high, bringing it down with devastating, world-shattering force.
BOOM!
The hammer obliterated the tree roots and the ground where they had just been standing, scattering debris and clearing the surrounding fog with the shockwave. But as the dust settled, the Dragon King frowned, his eye narrowing.
"Something's not right," he muttered.
The feel of his hammer striking the ground was off; it hadn't met the resistance of flesh and bone. Lifting it, he found nothing beneath but pulverized wood and churned earth.
"What—?"
Before he could finish his thought, Noah, holding a stunned Helena securely in her arms, flashed into existence behind him in a blur of silver and black light.
Her academy skirt fluttered as she landed in a half-kneeling position, her silver-black hair trailing with the residual momentum of her impossible speed.
A faint, ethereal glow surrounded her as she whispered the name of the technique, a legacy from her father:
"Gates of Nine Hells: Fourth Gate—Godspeed."