Crack, crack.
A sound like space shattering echoed between heaven and earth. Having received "permission to act," Death naturally wasted no more time. The enormous figure seated between heaven and earth seemed to raise both hands and reach straight for the approaching giant firebird.
The word "seemed" was necessary.
The sky across the entire domain had already been engulfed by Death's blackness. Youzui's Diviner could only infer its movements from the shifting, seemingly denser black outlines on either side of Death's figure and the direction in which the surrounding space bent.
Screech!
The firebird let out a piercing cry.
The wooden plaque held in its beak abruptly dissolved in a mass of dark red flame, flowing like water along the firebird's long beak, neck, and wings, all the way to its tail feathers. In moments, it covered the great bird's entire body.
Almost simultaneously, the hunters inside the Magic Array felt a violent tremor.
"Double Peaks Piercing Ears."
Zhang Jixin held on to the firebird's violently shaking head, struggling to control its flight amid the tremors. His voice carried a hint of rueful wonder. "I learned that move when I was three, and I never imagined I'd be on the receiving end of it one day... let alone inside a battle formation, getting hit with 'Double Peaks Piercing Ears' by someone whose face I couldn't even see."
"I thought those two enormous hands were going to squash us into pulp," Fatty Xin said, still shaken.
The Diviner had no leisure for their banter.
"Can we confirm that we were attacked?"
Since Xiao Xiao was not stationed at a formation node, he could not confirm the strength of the attack just now. But he could make an indirect assessment by touching the inner wall of the Mana Cocoon within arm's reach,