Adam could hear the sudden shift in the chaotic environment with unnerving clarity, the massive, agonizing sounds of Dravhark now overlaid by the sharp, metallic wails of his still-blinded, panicked allies. Even through the veil of absolute darkness, and over the accumulating, pressurized sound of the dragon's charging fire, the boy felt the immediate, profound spike in energy.

His mind, despite the blindness, was able to roughly categorize the nature and origin of the power, and the recognition of the energy signature only amplified his surprise to an unbelievable degree. The sheer, colossal wave of power that had just erupted was so immense that it felt as if a new, terrifying entity had just been prepared to be summoned into existence.

Then, the low, grave, and perfectly robotic voice that had spoken moments before boomed through the hall once more, cutting through the agony and the darkness with sharp, mechanical certainty.

"Alien Killer! - Gigantron! - Great Demon Lord: Noctharis! … Demonic Kaiju Fusion, unleashed!"

The air instantly became heavy, thick with a powerful, crushing atmosphere that was immediately followed by a profound feeling of raw, almost painful static electricity, as if they were near a power station. The robotic voice spoke one last time, a terrifying pronouncement that named the creature that had just been fully formed.

"Demonic King: Giant Killer!"

The words were instantly punctuated by an extremely loud, sharp shriek that echoed off the immense stone walls, a sound so unnatural and high-pitched that it seemed to vibrate in the very bones of all present.

Though the debilitating effects of the severe blindness and the residual disorientation still gripped most of the users, every single one of them felt the sudden, distinct appearance of the new entity on the battlefield.

It was a terrifying presence, a massive, muscular form of mottled gray skin and dark, cracked armor, its enormous hands ending in gigantic, wicked golden claws, with a dark red chest plate that pulsed with a faint, malevolent light. The creature's head was crowned with twin horns and a large, jagged mask resembling a beetle. This was Emir's latest transformation, a creature vastly different from the Death Chimera he had transformed into in the last fight, a clear result of the unique power of his [Dark Galactron Claw].

Emir's mind, which had been a blank slate of instinct during his previous transformation, was now clear, though still profoundly foggy, in a constant, agonizing struggle to maintain lucidity.

His plan had worked perfectly: he knew, thanks to Teo's words, that true control over his transformed state required immense mental fortitude, something he entirely lacked and would take time of practice to acquire. However, the moment Samantha had produced the gummies that could store a skill, Emir had not hesitated, immediately asking Adam to copy his [Mental Resistance] skill into the candy, which he had consumed the moment Dravhark's flash had rendered everyone blind and helpless.

Now, having undergone the terrifying transformation, his mind was far clearer than it had ever been, though he still felt as if he were constantly fighting a crippling exhaustion and a struggle to remain awake… However, remembering Teo's specific instruction to anchor his focus to something vital, Emir instantly thought of his team, his new friends, and the desperate, unwavering goal of rescuing Sebastian. With that thought firm in his monstrous mind, the Giant Killer's colossal body let out a terrifying roar and began to charge, instantly advancing toward the enormous, agonizing sound of Dravhark.

The black dragon, despite his crippling pain, was momentarily surprised by the sudden, colossal appearance of the new threat. The massive dragon quickly lifted his head, focusing the accumulating energy in his mouth for a final, catastrophic assault, and then fired a potent, concentrated torrent of black fire directly at the approaching monster. Emir's colossal figure did not hesitate, continuing his relentless charge toward the dragon. However, before the black torrent could even graze him, the destructive fire instantly froze, swirling unnaturally in the air for a fraction of a second, before beginning to compress into a single, tight vortex of pure, concentrated darkness.

Kazue was there, standing directly in front of the colossal body of the monstrous kid, laughing with an unrestrained, joyful sound that echoed through the vast hall. She held the black sphere of compressed fire in one outstretched hand, her body completely unaffected by the sheer, contained destructive energy.

"I have never seen black fire in my entire life!"

Kazue exclaimed, her voice filled with pure, unadulterated joy.

"But I can hear its voice perfectly, and it is dying to serve me!"

The personal skill that now governed her every movement was in full, terrifying effect, allowing Kazue to defy gravity, floating effortlessly in the air as the very atmosphere obeyed her commands, acting as solid platforms for her to move upon. She had activated her [One With the Elements] ability with the malicious, cursed fire of Dravhark, rendering the dragon completely unable to harm her with his fire and granting her absolute manipulation over its volatile energy.

Kazue, however, was not content with merely stopping the attack. Holding the terrifying sphere of compressed fire, she continued to laugh, utilizing her newly purchased skill, the [Advance Soul Share] skill... A small, luminous sphere of pure soul essence instantly emerged from Kazue's chest, a tiny spark of light that rapidly plunged itself into the black fire. The girl then released the sphere, tossing it into the air as if it were a simple playground ball.

"I never expected to have Dragonfire to play with so soon!"

The sphere of compressed fire fully absorbed the fragment of Kazue's soul and began to convulse violently, its form rapidly transforming. A massive tail erupted from the base, followed by large, black wings, four powerful legs, a long neck, and a cruel, serpentine head. The black sphere had instantly mutated, becoming a miniature version of Dravhark, though still the size of a large horse, made entirely of concentrated black fire.

Kazue laughed again as her new creation began to look around with a mixture of confusion and curiosity, before happily circling the girl in the air. Kazue reached out, gently cupping the cheeks of the miniature dragon as if it were a cute new pet, completely unconcerned about the searing, destructive heat of its form.

"Who is the cutest little dragon in the whole world?"

She asked, her voice filled with the same affectionate tone one would use for a puppy.

"I need to give you a name."

She paused, considering the situation with a deep concentration. If the fire came from Dravhark, then its name should be Dra… Dra…

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"Dora! Dora the Dragon!"

The decision was absolute, and from the absolute nothingness of the surrounding space, a small, intricate ribbon, also made of pure black fire, instantly materialized on the miniature dragon's head.

Kazue's joyous distraction, however, had consumed too much time, and she failed to notice the immense, terrifying body of Dravhark advancing silently upon her. The dragon was already upon her, his colossal, gaping jaws open wide, the fanged maw ready to close and crush the small mortal. But before his massive fang could connect, Emir's colossal, gold-colored claw, charged with an immense and powerful surge of electricity that briefly illuminated the entire hall, impacted the side of Dravhark's head. The force of the strike was catastrophic, snapping the dragon's head sharply to the side and saving Kazue from imminent death.

The enormous Giant Killer advanced after its devastating strike, instantly positioning its massive body directly beside Kazue. The colossal figure spoke, the words echoing through the stone halls in Emir's recognizable voice, distorted into the sound of a bad, static-filled microphone.

"Miss Kazue, please, don't get distracted!"

The massive creature stated, its voice still holding the polite concern of the small boy. Kazue, whose eyes were wide with a mix of shock and intense curiosity, smiled openly at the monstrous figure.

"Eh? Emir!? Hey! Looking good!"

The monstrous body of the Giant Killer let out a chilling, sharp shriek, a sound of raw power that was immediately followed by the boy's muffled voice.

"Yes! I'm still struggling a bit… But I am here!"

Kazue laughed sincerely at the exchange, moving effortlessly through the air toward the monster's massive head, where she landed and gently patted the Giant Killer's metallic plating.

"Pat. Pat. Then let's do this! Just you, me… and Dora!"

Dravhark reeled, recovering from the powerful, electric blow, and let out a furious, deafening roar, cursing the insolent humans who had dared to attack him and asking a question that burned in his agonizing mind.

"How are you so different from normal humans?! I have crushed far superior races, and I have never encountered beings as strange and insolent as you!"

He lunged forward immediately, desperate to wipe them out. The exchange of physical blows that followed between the immense, agonized body of Dravhark and the colossal form of the Giant Killer was truly deafening. Despite the dragon's weakened state, both monsters possessed roughly the same catastrophic physical strength.

Dravhark struck with his massive fangs, his immense tail, and his single remaining front claw, while Emir retaliated with brutal headbutts, his own enormous golden claw, and a sweeping attack from his powerful tail. The impacts were concussive, causing continuous shockwaves to ripple through the stone, but Emir held a subtle advantage; his Giant Killer form generated a constant, powerful surge of electricity that surged through Dravhark with every successful strike, clearly debilitating the already agonizing dragon.

The rest of the users, still blind and disoriented from the flash, were tossed violently about by the powerful shockwaves caused by the clashing giants, unable to do anything but try to hold their ground. Adam was the only one who managed to maintain his position, bracing his arms against the tremendous, continuous force of the impacts, utterly stable despite his inability to see.

Kazue and Dora, meanwhile, were operating in the air, a terrifyingly effective unit of chaotic distraction. They "flew" around the dueling monsters, constantly harassing Dravhark every time he attempted to charge his breath of fire, forcing him to block their strikes. The girl, using the full force of her mechanical gauntlets, and Dora, using focused slashes of black fire, continuously struck the dragon's head, distracting him just long enough for Emir to land another devastating blow.

After enduring almost a minute of this punishing, relentless assault, Dravhark let out a raw, desperate scream of pure rage. Overcoming the debilitating pain of his mark, he charged a devastating torrent of black fire at point-blank range, a desperate, all-or-nothing move against the seemingly immune Kazue and the immense electric monster.

This time, however, the girl did not stop the attack. Instead, she positioned herself directly between the colossal body of Emir and the incoming torrent of fire, intending to defend her monstrous ally. With a massive, joyful grin plastered across her face, Kazue seized Dora, placing the fire-dragon on her shoulder like a makeshift rocket launcher. She then, utilizing her [Toon Physics Manipulation] skill, seized Dora's tail and brought it to her mouth as if it were a massive, absurd trumpet.

Just as Dravhark's torrent of black fire was about to incinerate her, Kazue blew into Dora's tail with all her might, releasing her powerful [Storm Titan Howl] skill and channeling it through the fire dragon as if it were a weapon's barrel. Dora instantly opened its fiery mouth, and a terrifying tornado of concentrated black fire erupted from its maw, a monstrous vortex far more powerful than Dravhark's own stream, a clear result of the [Storm Titan Howl] combining its power with Dora's elemental core.

The resulting clash between the twin black fires was cataclysmic, but the tornado instantly overwhelmed Dravhark's raw stream, striking the dragon directly in his face. The impact did not cause much physical damage, but it inflicted a torrent of agony, both physical and deeply psychological. The humiliation was absolute; the dragon continued to be ridiculed and defeated by insignificant mortals. The sheer fury instantly consumed his mind, and his attacks became more desperate, wild, and unfocused, turning him into an even easier target for the devastating, coordinated assaults of Emir and Kazue.

A few meters away, Adam had not ceased his effort to retain his balance amidst the massive shockwaves caused by the duel of titans, but his inability to see rendered his movements agonizingly slow and ineffective. He stumbled, falling painfully to his knees, utterly frustrated by his physical limitations… However, in that moment of despair, a voice reached him, a familiar, high-pitched mechanical sound that cut through the surrounding chaos. It was Falk, who had been lost in the initial chaos but had finally found his way back.

The automaton landed gently on Adam's shoulder, its metallic body settling softly.

"I am exceedingly pleased to have located you, this place is insane!"

Falk said, his voice a series of fast, dry mechanical chirps.

"My ocular sensors are severely limited in this low-light environment, but the advantageous corollary is that I did not suffer any damage whatsoever from the blinding luminous flash. This body is a machine, after all."

Adam spoke, his tone tight with urgency, ignoring the surrounding carnage.

"Can you still perceive the combat?"

Falk responded with immediate certainty.

"Yes, I can, and I must relay an observation: during the initial confrontation with Dravhark, I detected several variations in the dragon's magnetic field, particularly after the powerful attack that pierced his chest. I am detecting those variations with far greater intensity now that the dragon is weaker and significantly more vulnerable."

Adam instantly understood the implication, his mind racing.

"Are you referring to…?"

Falk cut him off, anticipating his logical conclusion.

"Yes. It would appear that the dragon, like all Darkness Draclings, possesses a core somewhere within its chest cavity. It is the source of his colossal powers and, most likely, his single greatest weakness."

Adam immediately knew his purpose.

"Perfect, Falk. Then I need you to be my eyes."

Falk accepted the command with unwavering certainty, and Adam instantly invoked his spectral wings, launching himself forward, prepared to follow the automaton's precise instructions to navigate the terrifying environment and finally join the fight.

Just a few steps from where Adam had been kneeling, tucked away behind a colossal, fallen rock that had crashed down during the earlier battle, stood Chloe.

She too had remained unaffected by the flash of light, not due to any skill, but because she had instinctively shut her eyes in fear the moment the combat had begun, a reaction she was currently too embarrassed to admit. She had remained hidden and immobilized, listening to the agonizing sounds of the battle, but now she was utterly lost, unable to determine her next course of action, although she had clearly heard the crucial exchange between Adam and Falk regarding the dragon's core.

However, a painful, frustrated thought crossed her mind… What good does it do her to know that? None of her skills possessed the necessary offensive power to inflict any meaningful damage on a creature like Dravhark. Her frustration was palpable and the helplessness feeling was invading her once more.

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