(Heartfelt thanks to 'Excalibur' for the 10,000 reward! And thanks as well to 'Sword in Hand, Laughing at the Firmament', 'GS Chaoshi', 'O0 Tear Wound 0o', 'God, Lord God', 'Cold Rain Farewell', 'Book Friend from Wanwan', 'Pokémon', 'Fading Love', 'Between the Cracks', and 'Night of the Black Sky' for their rewards!)
"Boom—!"
When the savage Dragon Claw reached out from the enormous gate known as Eclipse and crashed onto the ground, an astonishing shockwave exploded outward from the fallen claw, rippling in every direction.
The impact was like a terrifying Category 12 hurricane, erupting like an explosion and cracking the entire ground open. The fractures spread outward like a spiderweb.
"Uwaaaaaah—!"
The Kingdom soldiers holding weapons were all swept away by the terrifying shockwave amid cries of alarm and misery, thrown aside as cleanly as so much trash.
Yukino, who had been restrained by a group of soldiers, had not even realized what was happening before the soldiers tightly holding her were likewise blasted away. She broke free of her restraints and fell prone on the ground, unable to even open her eyes against the gale-like shockwaves.
Emerald likewise avoided being blown away because she was lying on the ground, but she could not close her eyes no matter what. She stared fixedly in the direction of the Eclipse Gate, her eyes filled with shock.
Under those circumstances, the savage Dragon Claw rose once more, and its owner slowly walked out through the gate.
Before long, everyone present—including Emerald, Yukino, Dutton, and the Kingdom soldiers who had been blown away—saw it.
A dragon walked out from the enormous gate known as Eclipse.
Under the stunned gazes of Emerald and the others, the dragon that had emerged from the Eclipse Gate opened a pair of scarlet eyes flashing with ferocity, raised