Spirit Word: Sword Control
Finn let out a breath of relief, shook out his slightly sore arms, and sighed. "We finally got out."
"Yeah, we're out." Mai Sakatoku also revealed a heartfelt smile.
But her smile lasted only an instant before it was replaced by confusion. She felt as if she had forgotten something again.
Amon sat at the bow, watching them calmly with a gentle smile on his face.
The team had escaped the Nibelungen and brought back enough information: the bird-men transformed from villagers, the mysterious square pyramid, the reliefs on the pyramid depicting the War of the Two Kings, the natural cave beneath it, the densely packed bird-men Corpse Guardians within, the Giant Cocoon suspected to be a Dragon King's egg, and the formidable Second Generation Dragon Kind...
Arjun said softly, "This is no longer something we can handle. We must report it to The Academy immediately and have them send stronger forces."
"Wait! It... it's coming after us!" Aini's voice trembled uncontrollably as she pointed behind the boat.
Everyone abruptly turned around. Under the cold moonlight, a massive serpentine body covered in dark scales silently rose from the middle of the broad, shimmering river.
Even more terrifying, beneath the water's surface, a pair of snake eyes glowed with brilliant golden light like miniature searchlights. Through the flowing layer of water, they fixed the group in an icy stare!
"Quick! Get ashore! In the water, we're sitting ducks!" Arjun roared, his voice hoarse from tension.
As if to confirm his judgment, the enormous snake head sank beneath the water again. The river returned to calm, leaving behind only ominous ripples.
But no one believed it had left. The bone-deep sensation of being watched from the shadows by an apex predator soaked into everyone's marrow like ice water.