As the monster drew closer, some things that had been hidden came into view.
Dust billowed beneath the monster's feet, and the crowd blocked my view. Only now did I see—or rather, the old man saw—that there were countless strange animals at the monster's feet.
The little animals looked like jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards, and were about the same size. They charged into the crowd, biting and tearing at people.
The Ghost King, floating in the air, laughed scornfully. The sinister aura around him transformed into a creature just like the giant elephant monster, blocking its path.
A deafening crash erupted behind the old man.
He spun around in a panic and saw waves surging into the sky on the distant horizon.
I saw shadows moving within the waves. Soon, something burst out through the curtain of water and shot straight toward the Ghost King. It clamped its jaws around him and carried him high into the clouds.
The old man was so terrified that he collapsed onto the ground.
I stared wide-eyed, trying to make out the newly appeared monster.
A dragon!
An Eastern five-clawed golden dragon!
I was dumbstruck. What surprised me even more was that I could also see a tiny human figure on the dragon's back.
This time, what I heard wasn't a bell, but the sound of a flute, drowned out beneath the dragon's roar.
The music had a grandeur unlike anything I'd ever heard.
The giant elephant formed from the Ghost King's sinister aura suddenly dissipated, returning to his body to protect his soul.
A sound like shattering glass came from high above.
After that, I couldn't see what happened.
The old man scrambled to his feet, turned, and ran, disappearing into the panicked crowd.
The monsters continued their one-sided slaughter for a