At almost the same instant, the surrounding lightning surged like a tide, frantically battering the golden electric net. The entire sphere of electricity was instantly struck into a brilliant radiance, emitting a deafening roar.
However, under this violent force, Midir’s electric net miraculously held its ground, showing no signs of collapse.
Seeing that it was working, Ronald quickly activated Iron Man No. 23’s equipment, releasing the dozens of rod-type armaments from its back one by one.
They hovered and spun in the air, eventually forming a dazzling blue-white light screen that laid down a second layer of protection just inside Midir’s golden net.
With this double layer of security, Iron Man No. 23 seemed to have donned a suit of indestructible armor. Ronald no longer hesitated and slammed down on the throttle, plunging headlong into the dense, impenetrable sea of thunder ahead.
Under his precise control, the metal giant acted like a massive ship breaking through waves, racing toward the edge of this death zone at maximum speed.
Massive surges of lightning fell incessantly upon the golden electric net like raindrops, and any energy that occasionally leaked through was blocked by the light screen.
Even so, tiny wisps of lightning began to permeate the air, slithering like venomous serpents as they searched for every possible gap.
Inside the protection, the hair of all three people stood on end. Midir could only grit his teeth and increase his mana output further to make the shield even denser.
Fortunately, Iron Man No. 23, in its full-speed sprint, quickly pierced through that heart-pounding region of thunderclouds. As Midir looked back at the receding thunder and lightning, his tensed nerves finally relaxed for a moment.
However, this peace did not last long. The moment they left the lightning zone, a massive red figure appeared before their eyes.
The giant Red Dragon was hovering directly in front of them. A massive fireball, brilliant as a miniature sun, was already condensing above its head. It had clearly been waiting for their arrival.
“This guy was actually waiting for us outside the thundercloud!” Before Midir could even catch his breath, the fireball streaked across the sky like a meteor, bearing down on them with a force that threatened to destroy everything.
In this critical moment, Aila displayed her startling judgment.
She quickly notched three crystal-clear blue arrows onto her silver longbow. After a brief aim, the three arrows whistled out in a triangular formation.
The arrows met the fireball in mid-air and instantly burst apart, transforming into a triangular curtain of azure water that blocked the scorching flames.
Although this hastily formed water shield didn't last long—shattering in an instant due to the high temperature—it bought Midir a precious opportunity to counterattack.
Midir gripped his longsword tightly, a deep blue light condensing at the tip of the blade. He swung the sword violently, and a crescent-shaped wave of blue water erupted from the edge, slicing precisely toward the massive fireball.
With a thunderous boom, the fireball was split clean in two. It transformed into two smaller streams of flame, their power greatly diminished, before finally dissipating into the air.
Faced with its charged attack being so easily broken, the dragon was clearly shocked. It remained frozen in mid-air, momentarily forgetting its next move.
But Midir, who had been ambushed, was now burning with rage. Incensed, he stepped across the sky, appearing before the dragon like a flash of lightning. Starflame, enveloped in sharp wind elements, slashed mercilessly toward the dragon’s belly.
Midir did not hold back with this strike. Wherever the blade passed, even space itself seemed to be torn into fragments.
The dragon’s indestructible scales were as fragile as paper before Starflame’s edge, and a massive gash was easily carved open. Scalding dragon blood gushed out, dyeing the surrounding air red and creating a shocking scene.
The dragon let out a deafening roar. The immense pain caused it to twist its body frantically as it retreated backward in a hurry.
Midir took the opportunity to observe. He noticed a strange, blood-red glow flickering in the dragon’s eyes, a mixture of madness and complex emotions that was hard to decipher.
But that trace of complexity lasted only for a fleeting moment. Midir knew that although this strike had sliced through the dragon’s flesh, a wound that would be fatal to a human was merely a minor scratch to a creature of that size. it wouldn't affect its combat capability at all.
The dragon opened its massive maw once more, and an even more violent dragon breath erupted, scorching the surrounding air until it distorted.
Seeing this, Midir quickly condensed wind elements into wings. He retreated gracefully, narrowly dodging the oncoming heat and maintaining a safe distance from the dragon.
For a time, the man and the dragon stood in a standoff dozens of meters apart in the high sky, both seemingly waiting for the moment the other would reveal a weakness.
Not far away, Aila and Ronald watched the fierce clash between Midir and the Red Dragon with anxiety. Although they were worried, they understood that joining in recklessly would only complicate the situation.
Aila held her longbow high, the string pulled back into a full moon. She had notched an arrow infused with her battle qi, focusing all her attention on the Red Dragon ahead, ready to provide support.
Ronald was working hard to control Iron Man No. 23 to stabilize its form in the howling gale. The dozen or so rod-type armaments also hovered quietly in front, forming a defensive posture.
However, in the midst of this tense standoff, a piercing alarm suddenly rang out within No. 23’s cockpit, shattering the brief silence.
A massive silver-and-black figure burst out from the thick thunderclouds behind them like a ghost. Its speed was astonishingly fast as it charged straight for Iron Man No. 23.
This sudden turn of events caught Aila and Ronald off guard. Their attention had been entirely drawn to the battle ahead, completely ignoring the crisis from behind.
By the time they turned around at the sound of the alarm, the massive figure was already right in front of them. Its gargantuan body looked even more hideous under the reflection of the lightning.
“There’s actually another dragon! And it’s a rarer Storm Dragon! No wonder this cloud layer suddenly turned into a lightning zone!”
After seeing the black figure clearly, Aila cried out in alarm, her blue pupils suddenly shrinking to the size of needles.
She reacted quickly, releasing the string she had already pulled to its limit. The red arrow tore through the sky with the sound of breaking wind, heading straight for the Storm Dragon’s head.
The long arrow streaked across the horizon like a rainbow, carrying Aila’s power as it buried itself deep into the Storm Dragon’s forehead.
However, this lethal strike only managed to penetrate a dozen centimeters before being blocked by the Storm Dragon’s iron-hard skull.
Even so, the blow caused the Storm Dragon’s movements to stall for a fraction of a second. The bloody maw that was about to snap at Aila veered off course, and instead, its massive body slammed directly into Iron Man No. 23.
The gondola pod held by Iron Man No. 23 shattered instantly under the immense impact, with fragments flying in all directions.
Even its massive metal body could hardly withstand such a violent collision. It tumbled several times in the air before barely managing to stabilize itself.
Meanwhile, Aila’s body was thrown out by the sudden impact. Having lost her support, she was like a kite with a broken string, falling toward the ground at a terrifying speed.
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