A breath of terror

The entire battlefield was suddenly covered by an endless ocean, and the once dry land was no more.

The fire serpent swam across the surface of the sea, flicking its tongue with a hint of dissatisfaction.

"Damn this water," it muttered in a low, raspy voice, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

Being a creature of fire, water was not its domain.

The black panther and the black bear stood cautiously on the surface of the water, their claws slightly sinking into it, their limbs tense as they warily eyed the five priests hovering in the sky.

The magic beasts' gazes were filled with unease.

Meanwhile, the giant vulture continued to circle overhead, its pitch-black eyes locked on the priests below.

Every beat of its wings stirred fierce winds, whipping the rain onto the water, causing ripples to spread across the ocean's surface.

None of them had anticipated that the battlefield's terrain would be altered so drastically in the blink of an eye.

What was even more astounding was that the ocean did not spread beyond the battlefield.

It was as if some mysterious force had contained the water, forming a clear boundary around the area.

The sea's edge was distinct, like an invisible wall blocking the water from flowing out.

Beyond this boundary, the land remained dry, but in the heart of the battlefield, the deep ocean had swallowed everything.

This ocean was not just a change in terrain; it seemed like a separate battlefield altogether.

Father Raphael turned to Father Carsey beside him, his voice as calm as ever.

"Let's go down."

Carsey took a deep breath, nodding in agreement, though even he, who had witnessed countless powerful spells, felt a deep sense of awe at the scene before him.

Father Raphael gently descended from the sky, his feet touching the water's surface as if he were one with the ocean, his robe billowing lightly in the sea breeze.

The water rippled beneath his feet, spreading outward in gentle circles.

The other four priests followed suit, their feet barely skimming the water's surface, sending faint ripples across the sea.

From beneath the depths of the ocean, a massive figure emerged, swimming slowly beneath them, exuding an overwhelming and suffocating presence.

As it approached, the waters trembled in response.

The other priests instinctively looked down at the enormous beast below, their expressions filled with shock.

"What... is that?"

Father Carsey whispered, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead.

Fathers Thomas, Phillips, and Weiss were equally stunned by the appearance of this colossal creature, feeling its oppressive force weigh down on them.

Even the fire serpent glanced at the massive beast beneath the water, its dissatisfaction briefly flashing across its eyes.

The flames that once burned brightly on the serpent's body began to dim.

"I'm out of here. Staying here is just a burden," the fire serpent muttered with a hint of self-deprecation.

As it spoke, the fire serpent coiled into a tight circle, and the flames on its scales faded away.

Its entire form became increasingly transparent, blending into the air until it completely vanished, as if it had never been there.

The three magic beasts on the opposite side seemed unfazed by the fire serpent's departure.

Their attention was now entirely focused on the enormous creature lurking beneath the water.

A rare trace of caution flickered in their eyes.

The giant vulture slightly retracted its wings, as if assessing the threat posed by the underwater beast.

The black panther crouched low, its red markings glowing faintly, but the once ferocious look in its eyes was now replaced with wariness.

The black bear stood still, its limbs crackling with faint purple electricity.

In this eerie ocean, the three previously roaring beasts now maintained an unusual silence.

The pressure from the being beneath the water kept them all on edge.

Meanwhile, Father Raphael remained calmly standing on the water, showing no intention of launching an attack.

His expression remained serene as he closed his eyes, clearly fatigued from days of intense paperwork.

To the surprise of his companions, Father Raphael actually began resting in the middle of this tense situation.

Seeing him unmoved, the other four priests dared not act rashly.

The air was thick with tension, as if any sudden movement could trigger an earth-shattering battle.

The massive figure beneath the water continued to move slowly, its presence radiating oppressive force.

Back at the camp, the soldiers were all watching the distant scene, though the distance made it hard for them to discern what was happening.

They couldn't see the details clearly from afar, but they could sense something unusual about the situation, an eerie silence hanging over the distant battle.

The skies above remained shrouded in thick clouds, though the thunder and lightning had inexplicably vanished, making it seem as though the earlier storm had been nothing but an illusion.

What baffled the soldiers most was the sudden appearance of a vast body of water, as if a sea had been conjured out of thin air.

Speculation rippled through the crowd, but no one had any answers for the strange phenomenon before them.

Soldiers stood at the edges of the camp, straining to make sense of the distant battle.

But from their vantage point, the battlefield was simply too far away to make out any clear details.

The earlier thunderous sounds and violent tremors had now faded, replaced by an unsettling stillness.

"Did you see all that water?

How is it possible for so much water to appear out of nowhere?" one young soldier asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, and now it's so quiet over there. Where did all the noise go?" an older soldier frowned, gripping his weapon tightly, clearly on high alert.

The water remained eerily still, without even a ripple disturbing its surface.

This sudden calm unnerved everyone in the camp, filling the soldiers with a creeping sense of dread.

The earlier signs of fierce combat had vanished, leaving behind only a tranquil ocean reflecting the dark clouds above, creating an oppressive atmosphere that weighed heavily on everyone.

Borne and his nine companions were just like the other soldiers, craning their necks in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the action in the distance.

But their view was completely obstructed by the crowd of soldiers who had gathered to watch, leaving them unable to see anything at all.

Everyone was buzzing with excitement and tension, the air thick with anticipation.

"What's going on?"

Borne asked, turning to Victor and Dillon beside him.

Dillon shook his head, a look of frustration on his face.

"Can't see a thing, too many people in the way."

Some soldiers had even climbed onto nearby high ground, hoping to get a better view of the mysterious ocean.

But even from there, it was hard to discern what was happening on the now-still battlefield.

"Do you think the fathers will win?" a young recruit asked eagerly.

"Of course! They're fathers, after all!" an older soldier replied as he pushed his way through the crowd, trying to find a better vantage point.

Borne, though impatient, realized there was nothing he could do.

More and more soldiers were gathering around the camp, and for the moment, the entire army seemed gripped by the tension surrounding the sudden appearance of this vast ocean.

The soldiers had no choice but to wait, hoping that the mysterious sea would soon reveal its secrets.