Chapter 30: The Seven Mages of the Constellations Show Their Power! (1)

Chapter 30 - The Seven Mages of the Constellations Show Their Power! (1)"Prepare to die, all of you miserable fools!" Bang! The black dragon hurled a ball of energy toward the people gathered in the square. Whoosh! It shot out like a cannon, causing the air within a five-hundred-meter radius to boil with scorching heat. The temperature across the capital surged, as if summer had suddenly arrived in full force. Everyone dropped to their knees, overwhelmed by the sheer pressure of the approaching energy. As the ball drew closer, their faces turned pale, their bodies trembling uncontrollably. Is this... the end? They were certain—nothing could survive a blast like that. Boom! The energy ball collided with the capital's protective magic net, triggering a deafening explosion. "Argh!" Lyra and the constellation mages gritted their teeth, pouring every last drop of mana into the formation. If they stopped now, the magic net would collapse—and death would follow. "Brother..." Elina called out, her voice trembling as she clutched Nolan's right hand tightly. Her slender body tensed as she pressed closer to him, seeking comfort and safety. Nolan looked at his sister with calm eyes and gently rubbed her head. "Don't worry, Elina. They'll hold it off," he said softly, trying to soothe her fear. Elina said nothing, only buried her face in Nolan's arm. "Damn it..." Evalyn cursed, her teeth clenched as she stared at the burning ball crashing against the net. For the first time... she truly understood what it meant to be powerless. As the sole bearer of the Divine Sword of Luminus, she was meant to be the protector of all—just as her ancestor once had been. But now... Evalyn lowered her head, eyes narrowing as she glanced at the Divine Sword in her right hand. Moments later, the energy ball erupted into a dazzling explosion of light. The sight made everyone breathe a sigh of relief. They wiped the cold sweat from their foreheads and exchanged weary smiles. They had been certain they would die, yet the Mages of the Constellations had proven far stronger than anyone expected. Yet unlike the cheerful commoners, Ragan, Aldric, Cedric, Adalen, Nolan, Evalyn, and Elina—and even the heads of the noble families—showed no trace of joy. Their brows were furrowed, their expressions grim. "This is truly dangerous..." Ragan murmured, clenching his right hand into a tight fist. The attack may have been repelled, but that didn't mean they were safe. It was only one strike from the Black Dragon—and if it unleashed another, no one could be certain the defenses would hold. Ragan's gaze shifted to the Seven Mages of the Constellations. All of them were breathing heavily. Even with their faces hidden beneath their hoods, he could sense how pale they were beneath the fabric. "Hah... Hah... Hah..." Cassiopeia panted, her teeth clenched. "This situation is far more serious than we imagined." The black dragon's attack was unbelievably powerful. To prevent it from striking the square and devastating the capital, she and the other mages were forced to expend a quarter of their mana. And it wasn't a small amount—each of them possessed a mana reserve as vast as a great lake. Yet just to block a single attack, they had to sacrifice a quarter of it. That alone showed how terrifying the black dragon truly was. She turned her gaze toward Orion, who stood two hundred meters away, and sent a telepathic message. "What do we do now? If this continues, we'll run out of mana—and when that happens, death and destruction will be all that remains, not just for the capital, but for everything beyond it." Orion fell silent, his brow furrowed as he sank into deep thought, urgently searching for a solution. After a moment, he straightened, locking his gaze firmly on the dragon. "All of you," he called telepathically, "give it everything you've got! We'll pour all our strength into defeating it!" In a situation like this, Orion knew that mere defense was futile. It might buy them time—but it wouldn't win the battle. So he decided to take a risk. If they succeeded, it could turn the tide in their favor. But if they failed... he and his comrades were prepared to make a final, desperate strike, sacrificing themselves to inflict as much damage on the dragon as possible. "Hahaha! That's the spirit, Orion! I've been waiting for this moment!" Draco, one of the Seven Mages of the Constellations, laughed heartily. He was a towering figure draped in a black cloak—standing nearly two and a half meters tall—with muscular arms visible beneath his garments. His deep, rough voice carried an intimidating weight, enough to unsettle anyone unfamiliar with him. "Yes, this is our only option. I'm with you, Orion," Lyra replied softly. Although short in stature and also cloaked in black, her curves and prominent hips gave her a striking presence. At the support from his comrades, Orion exhaled deeply. The serious expression beneath his hood hardened as he declared, "Then let's attack!" "Let's go!" Whoosh! The seven figures surged forward toward the dragon with incredible speed. The black dragon erupted into a cold, mocking laugh. "Hehehe... You weaklings want to challenge me? Such foolish hope!" With a powerful flap of its wings, it soared toward Draco. "Human, you'll be my first prey!" The dragon bellowed, whipping its tail around to launch a devastating strike. But Draco met the attack without a trace of fear. Instead, a confident smirk curved his lips. "You arrogant creature! Do you really think I'd lose in a straight fight? Don't be delusional! I am Draco, and my constellation is the Dragon!" He clenched both fists tightly, then slammed them together with fierce force. Boom! A deep red aura burst from his body, shooting into the sky and whipping up a fierce windstorm. Buzz! The red light swirled and grew around him, expanding until it vanished—revealing an enormous red dragon. The majestic creature bore two sharp red horns and powerful flaming wings that beat the air with thunderous strength. The black dragon froze, stunned beyond belief. "What!? How could you possibly take the form of my own kind?" It gasped in horror. Before it could recover, Draco spread his wings and slammed into the black dragon with his massive body. Bang! The impact sent the black dragon flying a full kilometer away. Roar!! Draco's roar echoed across the area—just as fierce and terrifying as the black dragon's own. Watching this, everyone below stood frozen, mouths agape. "Damn... that's incredible power!"