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"Roar!"
The pitch-black Aether dragon wrestled half its body out from the Abyss, snapping its jaws towards the seemingly ant-like Life on the ground below, ready to enjoy its first meal upon waking.
The overwhelming might of a prison god slammed into everyone's faces; the air and Aether around turned heavy and solidified, becoming like a sticky quagmire. Those trapped within it stiffened in their limbs, petrified in place, able only to watch helplessly as the giant maw descended.
"Boom!"
Just then, a solemn thunderous roar shattered the silence at the scene, and a fierce Thunderbolt fell from the heavens, like a silver-gray sword slashing down, heading straight for Hippomenes in midair.
The dragon's body jerked back instantly, growling as it swung its sharp claws upward. After sacrificing a few shattered fingers, it crushed the Thunderbolt above Hippomenes's head with brute force.
It seemed that the two were evenly matched.