Roaarrr!
A thunderous roar suddenly erupted from the southern sky.
The sound made everyone—including Nolan, Elina, the princes, and Ragan—freeze in place.
Instinctively, they turned their heads toward the source. In an instant, horror filled their faces.
"A dragon!?" a terrified scream rang out from among the commoners.
The dragon was colossal—its body black and stretching nearly a hundred meters in length. Dark scales shimmered with a reddish glow, and two enormous horns jutted proudly from its head.
Its face was terrifying, scarred by deep sword slashes on both sides.
A pair of crimson eyes gleamed with murderous intent, impossible to conceal.
Anyone who met its gaze would feel as if their soul was being gripped by a giant hand, ready to be shattered into pieces.
Its massive wings spread wide, and with each flap, shockwaves split the air—bringing with them a crushing pressure.
"Damn it! How did a dragon get into the capital!? Isn't there a magic barrier protecting the city!?"
"I don't know either! But one thing's certain—this dragon is powerful enough to break through that barrier!"
"This is a disaster! Look at its size—it's huge! If it steps on us, we'll be pulp!"
Panic swept through the square. What was once a calm crowd had turned into a scene of pure chaos.
People surged toward the exit gates, pushing and shoving each other in desperation.
However, this was a natural reaction. Who wouldn't be terrified by the appearance of such a massive dragon?
One blast of its fire could reduce them all to ashes!
"Get out of my way, damn it! I need to get out of here!"
"Help! My daughter is missing!"
"Wahh! Somebody help me! I don't want to die!"
The soldiers tried to intervene and calm the crowd, but their efforts were in vain.
The chaos spread not only among the commoners but also to the noble family heads seated on the right side of the stage.
Panic-stricken, they rose to their feet and scrambled toward the special backstage exit.
"Marquis Caltheron, we need to leave now! The dragon's almost here!" Marquis Valmire stood up in a hurry and grabbed Caltheron's arm.
But Marquis Caltheron didn't budge, leaving Marquis Valmire stunned.
"What are you doing!? Do you want to die? If so, I won't stop you!"
With surprising calm, Marquis Caltheron stood up and casually rubbed his wrist.
"There's no need to panic like that," he said. "Don't you see? His Majesty the Emperor and the Dukes aren't panicking."
He gestured toward Ragan, the princess, and the Dukes, who stood on alert but showed no signs of fleeing.
Marquis Valmire fell silent, taking in the scene. Before he could speak, Marquis Caltheron continued, "That means His Majesty must have a plan to deal with this dragon. Our empire has stood for a thousand years—you think they wouldn't have prepared for something like this?"
His calm and logical words slowly began to ease the panic within Marquis Valmire.
Yes, it was true. What he said made sense. Why was I this scared?
Marquis Valmire wiped the sweat from his soaked temples.
In his shock and fear at the dragon's sudden appearance, he had nearly forgotten where he was—the Imperial Capital.
It was the most secure, prosperous, and powerful place on the entire continent.
Let alone a dragon, even stronger monsters would have a hard time causing chaos here.
After all, this was where the strongest forces and greatest mages were gathered and stationed.
There was no reason to feel fear or anxiety.
Meanwhile, on the main stage, Ragan stared at the dragon with unwavering eyes, showing not the slightest hint of fear.
How did that dragon break through the capital's magic barrier? he wondered.
The magic barrier that protected the capital had been created by Celestial Mages—the highest rank of mages in the world.
It was supposed to withstand even the fiercest attacks from the most powerful dragons. And yet, this one had broken through.
That could only mean two things: either this dragon was incredibly powerful, or the capital's barrier had weakened.
After all, the barrier was crafted a thousand years ago. It wasn't impossible that its strength had waned over time.
Brushing the thought aside, Ragan turned to Aldric, Cederic, and Adalen and gave a firm command.
"Get off the stage immediately and help the people maintain order as they evacuate. This is a golden opportunity to win their sympathy—and their loyalty."
The three nodded in unison and replied firmly, "Yes, Father!"
Without hesitation, they ran down from the stage and joined the soldiers in trying to calm the chaos below.
Ragan then turned to Cassian, Zarak, and Elina. "You three as well—go."
"Yes!" they responded in unison, nodding firmly.
Zarak stood and cast a cold glance at Nolan but said nothing before stepping off the stage.
"Let's go, brother," Elina said as she grabbed Nolan's wrist and pulled him along.
Nolan shook his head lightly in resignation, then quickly followed Elina to help restore order among the crowd.
The chaos sparked by the dragon's arrival was beyond imagination.
The palace square was vast, and tens—if not hundreds—of thousands of people had gathered in response to Ragan's summons.
It was complete pandemonium.
"Mommy! Wuuu! Where are you, Mommy!? I'm scared!"
In the midst of the panicked crowd, a small girl's hysterical cries rang out.
She was a six-year-old girl with an adorable round face. Her red hair was braided into two plaits, with a bear-shaped ribbon adorning the right side of her head.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked around frantically, searching for her mother.
"Mommy!" She cried out again, but no one answered.
People rushed past her, too focused on their escape to notice her distress, which only made her more panicked and afraid.
"Did you lose your mother, little one?"
A gentle voice suddenly spoke beside her. Startled, she turned—and saw a handsome figure standing nearby: Nolan.
"You... are you Prince Nolan?" She asked softly, rubbing her eyes and wiping away lingering tears.
Nolan gave a small nod, then crouched down and gently stroked her head. "Yes, it's me."
The little girl sighed in relief and stepped closer, gripping the hem of Nolan's robe. "Prince Nolan, I lost my mommy. Can you help me find her?"
Her innocent, adorable expression melted Nolan's heart.
For some reason, she reminded him of Elina as a child—spoiled and always wanting to stay close to him.
He carefully lifted the girl into his arms and slowly stood up.
"All right, let's find your mommy," he said, lightly pinching her cheek.
"Hehehe..." The girl smiled sweetly, even though tears still streaked down both cheeks. "Thank you, Prince Nolan!"
Nolan returned her smile with a small nod.
But suddenly...
Boom!
A powerful explosion shook the sky. Seconds later, a terrifying shockwave swept across the square.
People were thrown off their feet, knocked to the ground, and blown away before they could react. Everything happened too fast for anyone to escape.
But Nolan remained steady, holding the little girl protectively in his arms, unmoving.
His eyes narrowed as he stared upward.
About two kilometers above the ground, the black dragon hovered, jaws wide open.
Between its teeth, a swirling orb of energy crackled—purple plasma entwined with black flames, bubbling fiercely.
Nolan's expression darkened. "This... is truly dangerous."