The icy dust filling the sky was swiftly carried away by the howling wind, and their vision cleared once more.
Harry and Hermione gathered together, gazing delightedly at the defeated Stone Monster.
"At this rate, we'll take down the next one soon!"
Harry said excitedly.
"We need to hurry!"
Hermione struggled to suppress her excitement.
"The protection the Red Stone gives us has less than four minutes left. Once that time is up, we'll have to come out and replenish it. I think that if we leave the Secret Realm halfway through, all our efforts just now will have been wasted!"
Harry nodded, and the two of them prepared to rush to the left endpoint of the central axis and use the same method on the remaining Stone Monster.
Buzz!
But just then, an unexpected change occurred!
Before the horrified eyes of Harry and Hermione, drawn by the strange noise, the scattered remains of the Stone Monster they had just defeated began emitting an earthy yellow glow one after another!
"What's going on, Hermione?!"
Harry looked both shocked and bewildered.
"Didn't we defeat it?"
Hermione was no less confused than Harry. She stared blankly at the shattered stones on the dueling field below, wrapped in light. When those stones began floating into the air under some unknown force, Hermione suddenly shuddered.
"I have a bad feeling, Harry."
Hermione's voice trembled.
"Until we know what's going on, I think we'd better play it safe."
Crack, crack, crack.
Seeing the floating stones begin to gather together, Harry shivered as well.
"I agree with you, Hermione."
What was about to happen had become painfully obvious. Harry and Hermione did not wait to watch any longer. They sprinted along the surrounding wall, desperately racing toward the Teleportation Stone Gate.
A sudden roar sent visible