In the deep, wide, and pitch-black bronze corridor, a heavy, thunderous breathing sound suddenly echoed, sending chills down the spine.
The slightly damp air seemed mixed with a dry, pungent odor, while waves of heat surged from the far end, an overwhelming sense of pressure, like a terrifying, wild beast lurking in the darkness, grinding its sharp teeth.
At that moment, a shadow, black as night, charged toward them, carrying a violent gust of wind, like an enraged tidal wave.
Fast!
Too fast!
Nono's pupils suddenly contracted, barely having time to react.
In an instant, a suffocating oppressive force, accompanied by what felt like solid gusts of wind and the violently trembling bronze corridor, slammed forward like a speeding train.
It was too late—before she could even think, images flashed through her mind, like a dying person's life flashing before their eyes.
Just as she thought death was certain, someone roughly pushed her away, sending her crashing into the wall beside her.
It was... Chu Zihang?!
Yes, it was Chu Zihang. His reaction was incredibly fast, possibly due to the high concentration of dragon blood in his veins, allowing him to clearly catch sight of that terrifying shadow moving at an inhuman speed.
Twisting his ankle, using his quick reflexes, he quickly pushed off the ground and rolled to the side.
The vicious black shadow swept past him, slamming into the bronze wall it came from.
Boom!
The deafening clash of metal against metal made the entire Bronze City tremble.
The bronze corridor, forged by the King of Bronze and Fire, was struck with such force that cracks spread everywhere, like a spiderweb.
Barely escaping the blast, Chu Zihang and Chen Motong felt a lingering fear as they looked at the ominous dark figure.
Their pupils contracted like needle points, and a sensation they couldn't put into words spread through their bodies, like a tingling numbness.
That was a real, genuine 'dragon'!
Its body was covered in pitch-black scales as hard as steel, its neck long, and black bone spines grew along its spine like jagged blades, cutting through the hard bronze ceiling.
An ancient iron mask covered its face, leaving only its eerie golden eyes exposed.
If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, no one would ever believe that such a creature still existed in the world!
A being that perfectly combined grace and savagery, ferocity and majesty—this was a creature that could make every legend pale in comparison!
This was... a dragon!
Every muscle was a work of pure power, the pinnacle of what a living creature could achieve. Not even the greatest Greek sculptors could capture its perfection.
As the black scales scraped together, sparks flew in the dark corridor, lighting up the towering figure, its piercing golden eyes full of authority.
"Dragon King?!" Nono gasped.
"No, that's not the Dragon King." Chu Zihang tightened his grip on 'Murakumo', his eyes sharper than ever. His unquenchable golden eyes seemed capable of melting metal and burning the sky. In a low, rumbling voice, he said, "This should be a second-generation breed. I've seen the true Dragon King... far more terrifying and stronger than this one!"
If facing 'Odin' had left him with an overwhelming sense of helplessness and an oppressive force that could crush the sky, making it hard to move even a step...
Then this second-generation breed didn't exude that same level of pressure.
"Those who trespass the royal palace shall be killed without mercy!"
The second-generation breed, wearing the iron mask, emitted a terrifying aura from its golden eyes. Its violent roar swept like a storm, "My name is Samson! You lowly creatures dare to touch my king's palace? You will wash away your sins in blood!"
"It... spoke?" Nono was stunned.
"The second-generation breeds are as intelligent as humans, speaking human language is nothing unusual." Chu Zihang narrowed his eyes, locking onto the creature. In a low voice, he said, "I'll hold it off. You find the exit!"
"Exit?"
Nono was shocked. "What about the mission? Are we really abandoning it?"
"I have a bad feeling," Chu Zihang said in a deep voice. "Something deep inside this bronze city seems to be awakening. The Dragon King may have already hatched!"
"I understand." Nono looked at him deeply, knowing that staying here would only be a burden. She nodded. "We must survive. We both need to make it back. I promised Caesar to come back. Don't let me break that promise, Chu Zihang!"
With that, she turned and ran deeper into the passage.
Samson's pupils contracted. He was about to move forward to chase after the escaping lowly creature but was stopped by Chu Zihang.
"Samson, your enemy is me."
Chu Zihang stood tall, facing him without any hesitation, his pupils glowing with a molten, golden-red hue.
"Lowly creature, don't even think about stepping into the palace!"
A harsh wave of sound carried pressure, surging like a mountain crashing down, declaring the Dragon Clan's anger and brutality.
Samson's body moved like a tank, charging forward with full power. His violent form and extreme strength crushed the bronze passage beneath him, swinging his massive claws wildly, aiming to tear apart the sinner who desecrated the palace, to cleanse the sin with the blood of this lowly creature!
However, Samson's speed was fast, but Chu Zihang was faster. Dark scales like armor covered his face, leaving only his eternal golden eyes exposed.
The wide bronze path was immediately filled with explosive sounds.
As the air churned, Chu Zihang unsheathed his sword, and it moved like a shooting star, leaving behind a blazing trail of light, as if a river of flames, rushing toward the fierce next-generation Samson!
No, that was a surging sea of fire—King's Blaze!
Thousands of degrees of fire wrapped around the blade, adding even more power, overwhelming Samson.
Boom!
The moment the two collided, the air rippled like waves in the sea, creating massive surges.
Flames exploded like meteors, their intense heat driving the air, causing a shockwave that rattled the world. The sculptures on either side of the bronze road were shattered into dust.
'Murakumo' struck Samson's tough scales, sparks flying in all directions. A large portion of black scales were shaved off, and the blade dug deep into his bones.
Boiling dragon blood splattered everywhere, and Samson let out a furious roar. He twisted his body violently, flinging the person off his back.
Chu Zihang, now on the ground, had no time to adjust his stance before Samson's claws ripped through the air, coming at him.
Bang!
Crap, thought Chu Zihang for a split second, just before an overwhelming, terrifying force slammed into him like a massive tidal wave.
He was instantly dragged like a bullet, the sound of a sharp sonic boom filling the air, and then slammed heavily into the bronze wall. The immense impact shook his internal organs, and his bones cracked and snapped.
But Samson's attack wasn't over. His claws dug into the bronze road, leaving deep depressions in its wake.
The deafening sonic boom carried an endless violent wind. The air was thick with a savage, defiant energy. Samson's claws, covered in black scales, clenched tightly, unleashing a terrifying torrent of force.
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