"I told you to stay in the city!"
Amber yelled, panting, at the three abnormally energetic brats in front of her as she ran.
"This isn't something children can meddle with!"
Luffy, running at the very front, turned his head and pointed at Paimon, who was floating beside Amber, also panting.
"But Paimon can go out of the city!"
"I'm not a child!"
Paimon stomped her feet vigorously in the air, puffing out her cheeks in protest.
Soon, they arrived at the site of Stormterror's attack.
The scene was a mess.
Several merchant carriages were overturned, goods were scattered everywhere, and there were several huge, shocking claw marks on the ground.
Barbara and the sisters of the church were urgently treating the injured merchants, with sacred Anemo elemental halos enveloping the wounded, soothing their pain.
Ace, Luffy, and Sabo did not go to see the injured.
Ace's black eyes sharply scanned the surrounding destruction, searching for traces left by Stormterror.
Sabo, on the other hand, knelt down, carefully observing the claw prints on the ground, trying to analyze the giant dragon's direction.
Luffy raised his head, sniffing hard at the air.
"Over there!"
Ace suddenly pointed towards the depths of the forest.
There, several huge trees were snapped in half, leaving a clear gap leading to an unknown place.
No sooner had he spoken than he was the first to rush out!
"Hey! Stop!"
Amber shrieked, trying to stop him.
But Sabo and Luffy followed Ace's steps without hesitation, disappearing into the woods in an instant.
"Seriously!" Amber gritted her teeth in anger.
"Traveler! They ran off!" Paimon tugged at Traveler's sleeve, pacing anxiously, "We should hurry and follow them too!"
The group ran wildly through the rugged mountain forest for nearly half an hour.
The surrounding trees became denser and denser, and the light grew dim.
Suddenly.
A low, deep dragon's roar, full of pain and anger, faintly came from ahead.
"Stop!"
Ace, who was running at the front, suddenly raised his hand, his entire body tensed.
Everyone instantly stopped, even their breathing softened.
Ace gestured to the others behind him, then crouched low and silently approached a huge rock ahead.
They cautiously peered out from behind the rock.
The sight before them made everyone hold their breath.
It was the edge of a cliff.
The huge Stormterror, Dvalin, was lying on the edge of the cliff.
His armor-like scales were covered in wounds, dark purple blood continued to seep out, his huge wings hung limply by his sides, and every breath he took was accompanied by heavy gasps.
And in front of that behemoth stood a slender figure.
A young man wearing a emerald green cloak and a beret of the same color.
He held a wooden lyre in his arms, a gentle smile on his face, as he looked up at the furious and pained giant dragon.
"Don't be afraid..."
The young man dressed as a Bard spoke, his words like a clear spring in a mountain stream, carrying a strange power that could soothe hearts.
"I'm back, Dvalin."
"Wow! A giant dragon!"
Luffy's eyes burst with two huge stars, and he pointed at the behemoth on the cliff edge, nearly drooling.
"Let's go! Let's beat it up!"
As he spoke, he bent his legs, ready to spring out like a cannonball!
Bang!
A fist slammed hard on his head.
"You idiot!"
Ace grabbed Luffy by the back of his collar, pressing him firmly to the ground, the veins on his forehead throbbing wildly.
"Behave yourself!"
"It hurts! Ace, what are you doing!" Luffy cried out indignantly, clutching his head.
"Didn't you see!" Ace lowered his voice, his black eyes filled with unprecedented solemnity, "This big guy... we can't deal with him right now!"
He looked at the terrifying aura emanating from the giant dragon, an aura whose mere aftermath was enough to suffocate, and his heart pounded.
That was a completely different kind of power from the old man Garp, yet equally despair-inducing!
"Let's see what that green guy is going to do first!" Ace stared intently at the Bard holding the lyre.
"Exactly, exactly!" Paimon flew over, her small face also full of tension, "Dvalin is in great pain right now, rushing in will only make him angrier! That Bard... he seems to be quite something!"
As they were speaking.
The Bard, the young man named Venti, plucked the strings of the lyre in his arms.
Zheng—
An ethereal, pure melody, like a clear spring in a mountain stream, slowly flowed out.
"Don't be afraid..."
Venti spoke, his words, carried by the wind, imbued with a strange power that could soothe all things.
"Listen to the sound of this wind, Dvalin."
"This is the familiar, free song of yours."
He hummed softly while playing the lyre.
The song, the lyre's melody, transformed into visible cyan light particles, like countless dancing dandelions, gently and softly falling upon Dvalin's huge, scarred body.
"Roar..."
The giant dragon let out a low, pained whimper.
His dragon eyes, originally stained crimson by fury, had a moment of clarity under the soothing touch of the cyan light particles!
The crimson receded, revealing a pure sky-blue.
But the next second!
Dark purple, ominous patterns once again spread wildly from his neck!
"Roar—!"
Clarity and chaos furiously alternated in his eyes!
He clutched his head, letting out an even more painful roar!
Just then!
A mocking, sharp, and malevolent laugh abruptly echoed on the cliff's edge!
"Jie jie jie jie..."
A dark blue vortex appeared out of thin air, and a short figure wearing a comical mask and holding a staff leaped out from it!
"Don't even think about purifying him!"
The Abyss Mage raised his staff high, and a cold, chilling ice cone condensed at the tip of the staff!
"The pain of the Abyss will be with him forever!"
"It's an Abyss Mage!" Paimon shrieked, "Be careful!"
Traveler didn't hesitate for a moment, the one-handed sword in his hand let out a clear hum, and he transformed into a golden streak of light, rushing straight towards the Abyss Mage floating in mid-air!
"Anemo Blade!"
The moment he swung his sword, a cyan whirlwind wrapped around the blade, creating a sharp whistle!
This sword strike was as fast as lightning!
However!
Clang!
A crisp collision sound!
The fierce sword light heavily struck the light blue ice crystal shield surrounding the Abyss Mage, but it only sent up a series of ice shards!
The shield remained completely still!
"Jie jie jie... foolish attack!"
The Abyss Mage let out a piercing laugh.
"Useless! Useless!"
💎 Power Stone Bonus: Every 100 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter
🌟 5-Star Review Bonus: Every 5 (5-Star) Reviews = +2 Extra Chapters
💬 Comment Speed-Up: If any chapter reaches +10 Comments = The Next Chapter Will Be Released Faster!