The colossal monster spread its wings with an ear-splitting roar, preparing to strike. From its three mouths erupted a devastating combination of fire and electricity—a hellish storm that illuminated the sky like an apocalyptic dawn. Podbe reacted instantly, summoning a crescent-shaped force field that shone brightly before him. The attack collided with the barrier in a deafening explosion before being deflected toward the sea, triggering a tsunami that rose like a liquid wall toward the coast.
Megumi acted swiftly, raising an imposing wall of earth to shield the group from the water's assault. At the same time, Adia created a protective dome that cushioned the residual impact, sealing everyone inside a temporary refuge. Despite their combined efforts, the trembling ground and the distant roar of the monster reminded them of the magnitude of the threat they faced.
Elsewhere, those watching the broadcast looked on in horror as the gigantic reptile dominated the horizon. Those near the area could see it in the distance—a colossal silhouette that seemed torn from an ancient legend. Its multiple heads twisted in the air, searching for its next prey, while its eyes burned with a sinister light.
"If we couldn't defeat him when he was a man—or a god, as he claimed—and not even the dog could stop him… how are we supposed to handle a giant lizard that grows another head every time you cut one off?" Choy remarked sarcastically, his frustration evident. His voice trembled slightly, though he tried to mask it with humor.
"Calm down," said Philip, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. But before Choy could respond, he felt a light tap on his head. Michele looked at him with a mix of reproach and concern. "Calm yourself and don't get worked up," she said firmly, though her gentle tone revealed how much she cared for him.
"Typically, hydras are defeated by cauterizing the severed heads," explained Professor Kile, adjusting his glasses as he observed the scene intently. "But this one is different: it can fly, it has fire and electric attacks, and it seems to regenerate faster than usual."
"There must be a scientific way to take that thing down," suggested Adrian, crossing his arms as he analyzed the problem with determination.
"What if I trap it in one of my portals and lock it away for good?" proposed Aiden, breaking the tense silence that had settled over the group since the battle escalated into the sky. His voice was calm but resolute, as if he had just stumbled upon a viable solution. However, his idea elicited skeptical glances from the others.
"It's risky," replied Eduard, frowning as he crossed his arms over his chest. His expression reflected a mix of concern and doubt. "But how would you get such a massive creature into one of your portals? It wouldn't be easy." His tone was measured but laced with palpable skepticism.
The group was gathered on a small nearby island, trying to plan their next move as they watched Podbe desperately battling the hydra-dragon in the sky. The distant roar of the creature echoed in their ears, constantly reminding them of the magnitude of the threat they faced. The waves of the sea crashed against the nearby rocks, adding a steady, almost hypnotic rhythm to the tense atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Podbe continued to fight the monster in the air. Using the lunar earrings he wore on his ears, he managed to ascend gracefully, leaving a trail of silvery light behind him. "Wow, I didn't know you could fly," Floud remarked, intrigued by the newly revealed ability of the canine.
"It seems he can," added Reia, observing closely. "I think it's thanks to those crescent-shaped ornaments he has on his ears. Look, when he's in the air, they emit an intense glow." The younger members of the group exchanged looks of admiration upon hearing Reia's words.
The hydra, however, was not about to let its prey escape. With swift and precise movements, it pursued Podbe through the sky, destroying everything in its path. The battle now raged in the heights, where each clash between the two combatants sent waves of energy that illuminated the heavens. Podbe attempted to launch one of his attacks, but the creature anticipated his move, positioning its heads strategically to force him to halt. He knew that if he destroyed one of them, more would simply grow in its place.
In a moment of carelessness, the hydra's heads trapped him between their jaws, forcing him to act quickly. With a fierce roar, he unleashed a star-shaped claw attack called STAR CLAW, destroying two heads at once. But, as expected, four more sprouted in their place. "Damn it!" Podbe exclaimed, frustrated. "In moments like this, I wish I had Reia in my mind," he muttered to himself, desperately seeking a solution.
The monster gave him no time to think. The heads began launching electrical rays in all directions, while their necks stretched and retracted with supernatural speed. Additionally, bursts of energy erupted from its wings, disintegrating anything they touched and creating a rain of lightning that fell over the battlefield. The air vibrated with each discharge, and the smell of ozone filled the environment, making every breath a test of endurance.
"That thing is extremely powerful, and Podbe's Universal Wolf power will run out if he keeps this up," Aiden said, his voice heavy with concern as he watched the aerial combat become increasingly desperate.
At that moment, Aiden turned to Leila. "Could you establish a psychic link with Podbe? We need to support him and figure out what we can do." Leila nodded without hesitation. "Yes," she replied, closing her eyes and concentrating. Within seconds, everyone was connected to Podbe through the mental link.
"Come on, Podbe! You can defeat that thing!" Aiden exclaimed with determination. "We've fought for much worse things before, and we've always found a way to win," he added, trying to instill confidence in his friend.
"Yeah, Podbe! You can do it!" the others shouted in unison, having been drawn into the link thanks to Azulema. Suddenly, a deafening chorus began to resonate across the world: "Podbe!" It was like a collective cheer that seemed to rise from every corner of the planet.
"Maybe this will help, but it'll only last for a few moments," Azulema explained, her voice weak from the immense effort of using nearly all her mana to connect with millions of people simultaneously, with the help of her team. Drake, looking impressed, couldn't help but comment, "Wow, if you could do something like this, why didn't you do it sooner?"
Azulema shot him a sharp glare, her aura radiating an intimidating energy. "Because it drains everyone's energy and leaves us without mana. It's a last-resort measure. If it can give Podbe more confidence, then we will do it," she replied firmly. Drake lowered his head, unable to meet her gaze, and fell silent.
"Wow! So everyone is giving me their support… how awesome is that?" Podbe exclaimed, briefly smiling as he dodged the attacks from the hydra-dragon's heads. However, his expression quickly turned serious again when an electric discharge grazed his fur. Adia and Megumi worked together to protect nearby cities, creating barriers and diverting the creature's destructive impacts toward desolate areas.
Podbe continued to soar above the battlefield, but he hesitated before launching any direct attacks against the hydra. He knew that if he cut off one of its heads, more would grow in its place. The Hydra-Zeus took advantage of these moments to mock him. "You're not as strong as you were before, are you? You're still just a helpless little dog," it hissed in a voice that rumbled like distorted thunder.
Aiden, still connected through the psychic link, interjected. "The only thing I can think of, Podbe, is using my portal and pulling it in there. But I don't want to lose you like last time with Urion."
"Don't worry, you won't lose me this time," Podbe responded confidently, his voice steady despite the dire situation.
"Alright, I'll do it," Aiden said, closing his eyes and beginning to draw a large portal with his hands. "But I need time to create one big enough to absorb that beast."
Podbe nodded through the mental link and redoubled his efforts to dodge Zeus's attacks in his draconic-hydra form. The multiple heads launched lightning and fire in all directions, while its wings emitted electrical discharges that illuminated the night sky.
"Do you think he can pull it off?" Choy asked, watching Aiden concentrate intensely as he traced the portal with precise movements.
"If he can do it, but stop talking already," Aiden replied impatiently, his forehead beaded with sweat from the effort.
"Choy, shut that mouth of yours. The kid needs to focus," Michele scolded, shooting him a sharp glare.
"Yeah," Choy muttered, lowering his head and falling silent. In his mind, he thought: First we teleport into shadows, and now he's opening a portal… I wish I had powers like these guys.
Aiden closed his eyes, channeling all his mana into a superhuman effort. At that moment, he heard the soft, reassuring voice of the feminine cloud resonate in his mind. "You can do it, boy, but don't drain too much of your mana, or you'll run out of energy."
"It doesn't matter," Aiden responded with determination, his voice firm though tinged with exhaustion. "As long as I can be useful, I'll do it."
The cloud was silent for a moment before responding: "Alright, if you're willing to go that far, I wish you luck. And if you succeed... we'll meet again."
With renewed resolve, Aiden spread his arms as wide as he could, stretching them toward the sky as if trying to embrace the entire universe. His lips moved in a silent plea: Please, let this work. Slowly, in the sea before them, a large circular sphere began to form—bright, pulsating, and otherworldly, like a gateway to the unknown. The surface of the portal vibrated with strange energy, revealing an endless, dark interior that seemed to swallow everything around it.
"Podbe, you need to bring Zeus here," Aiden said, his voice weak and strained from the immense effort he was exerting. "I don't know how long I can keep it open. It's too big, and it took everything I had to create it."
Choy watched in awe, his thoughts racing. That's incredible, he thought to himself, though he tried to mask his admiration by pretending indifference. However, his expression of wonder betrayed him. The others also seemed impressed, though some, especially the younger ones, could barely hide their amazement. They had never seen such a colossal portal, nor did they fully understand how it worked. It was a mystery, even to those who knew something about magic.
"This boy's power is terrifying," the general thought to himself, observing Aiden with a mix of admiration and concern. "You can't predict what's inside those things, and that's precisely why my colleagues fear them. But worse still is that he doesn't fully know how to control it himself."
"The question is, how do we get that thing over there?" Drake murmured, frowning as he analyzed the situation.
Podbe, who was still battling the hydra-dragon in the air, had a sudden idea. It was risky, even dangerous, but he knew there was no other choice. If he fails, the creature could regenerate more heads, multiplying the danger. However, there was no time to hesitate. With a fierce roar, Podbe shot upward, positioning himself directly above the creature. Crouching slightly, he prepared his legs for the final attack. "NOVA STOMP!" he shouted, launching himself downward like a shooting star, straight toward the nest of the hydra's heads.
The impact was devastating. With superhuman force, Podbe pushed the monster toward the portal at great speed. But something went wrong. "Damn it! I can't stop!" Podbe exclaimed, his voice filled with panic as he felt the pull of the portal dragging him along with the creature. "I guess this is goodbye again, Aiden. I'm sorry."
Both were being sucked into the portal at full speed. Aiden watched helplessly as his friend was pulled in by the creature, but before he could react, the hydra's tail lashed out with unnatural speed and grabbed him too. With no time to resist, Aiden felt himself being yanked into the portal alongside Podbe and the beast. In that brief moment, his thoughts raced: What lay on the other side? Would there be any way to return? But there was no time for answers. The portal slammed shut behind them, vanishing in an instant and leaving only silence and emptiness where it had once been.
The group on the island stood frozen, staring at the spot where the portal had been just moments before. Michele was the first to break the silence. "What… what did we just witness?" she murmured, her voice trembling. No one responded; everyone was too stunned to speak. Only the sound of the wind and the waves filled the space, as if the world itself refused to continue without them.
In some distant place, the feminine cloud observed what had happened with a mix of concern and hope. "This is not the end," she whispered, though no one could hear her. "But the true challenge is only beginning."