Daylight gradually brightened, but the aftershock of the explosion still blanketed the entire canyon. The intense heat lingered for a long time, and the air was thick with scorching fumes. Fire elements churned ceaselessly through the air, preventing the other warriors from approaching the center of the blast for the moment. Ang stood at the perimeter, staring intently at the land that had been completely transformed by flames and explosions.
The center of the canyon had become a Vitreous Surface. The soil had melted under the extreme heat, then rapidly solidified into a smooth, hard glassy layer. The surrounding rocks and earth were covered in radiating cracks, as though the entire ground had been torn apart. The sight was exceptionally eerie. The lingering glow of the fire reflected off the vitreous layer, refracting specks of light like stars scattered across the earth.
As Ang observed everything, complicated emotions rose within him. He realized that the explosive he had developed was no longer merely a weapon—it might become the key to victory in future battles. Yet its terrifying destructive power also left him with a trace of unease. The collapse of the canyon and the vitrification of the soil clearly showed that this weapon was powerful enough to alter the terrain of a battlefield, perhaps even causing irreversible damage to the surrounding environment.
Just as Ang was lost in thought, low roars echoed from afar. The fiends that had gone out hunting had heard the thunderous explosion and were gathering at Mount Verki from every direction. Although their commander and most of the fiends had been trapped within the canyon, the remaining fiends still numbered considerably, and they were filled with fury and a thirst for revenge.
Ang knew this was no time to relax. Turning to the warriors around him,