The Energy Dragon's roar was a symphony of destruction, each pulse of its fiery breath threatening to tear Xylos apart. Sera, fueled by a surge of righteous anger and the newfound power coursing through her shadows, met its onslaught head-on.

  Her shadow weapons, now crackling with absorbed energy, sliced through the air with blinding speed, carving glowing trails in the dragon's scales. She moved with a fluid grace, dodging blasts of energy and weaving through the dragon's attacks with an almost instinctive agility.

  [Skill Leveled Up: Energy Absorption (Novice to Apprentice)! (Unlocked by successfully absorbing and redirecting a significant amount of chaotic energy)]

  The Energy Dragon, however, was a force of nature, its power seemingly limitless. It unleashed waves of energy that shattered crystal formations and sent shockwaves rippling across the landscape. The ground beneath Sera trembled, threatening to collapse into the chaotic abyss below.

  "This is insane!" Sera shouted into her communicator, her voice strained. "Thorne, any ideas on how to stop this thing?"

  Agent Thorne's voice crackled back, barely audible over the roaring chaos. "We're analyzing the energy signature, Sera. It seems to be… resonating with the crystal core of Xylos. If you can disrupt that resonance, you might be able to weaken it."

  "Disrupt the resonance? How am I supposed to do that?" Sera yelled, dodging a blast of energy that vaporized a nearby floating island.

  "We're still working on that!" Thorne replied, his voice laced with urgency. "Just… try to stay alive!"

  Sera rolled her eyes. Helpful.

  She continued her assault, her shadow puppets, now infused with absorbed energy, swarming the dragon like miniature whirlwinds. She focused her will, pushing her shadow powers to their limits, trying to find a weakness in the dragon's seemingly impenetrable defense.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  Then, she saw it.

  A faint, pulsating glow emanating from the dragon's chest, a point where the energy seemed to converge and intensify. It was the source of the resonance, the key to disrupting its power.

  "There!" Sera shouted, pointing towards the glowing point. "That's where we need to hit it!"

  But getting close enough to strike was easier said than done. The Energy Dragon unleashed a barrage of attacks, each one more powerful than the last. Sera, relying on her agility and her shadow shields, barely managed to evade them.

  Then, an idea sparked in her mind.

  She channeled the energy she had absorbed, focusing it into her shadow puppets. They solidified, becoming more than just weapons, becoming conduits for her power.

  With a final surge of will, Sera launched her shadow puppets towards the glowing point on the dragon's chest. They struck with the force of a thousand lightning bolts, their energy disrupting the resonance, causing the dragon to roar in pain.

  [Critical Hit! Energy Resonance Disrupted! The Energy Dragon is Vulnerable!]

  The dragon's scales flickered, its energy wavering. It was weakened, but still incredibly dangerous.

  Sera seized the opportunity. She charged towards the dragon, her shadow powers blazing, her determination burning brighter than the chaotic energy that surrounded her.

  She unleashed a final, devastating attack, a concentrated blast of shadow energy that struck the dragon's chest with the force of a supernova.

  The Energy Dragon roared one last time, a sound of pain and defeat. Its energy form shattered, dissipating into a shower of light that faded away, leaving behind only the eerie silence and the faint echo of its power.

  [Boss Battle Completed! The Energy Dragon (Apocalypticly Annoyed) has been defeated! Xylos is saved! (For now.)]

  Sera stood there, panting, her body aching, but her heart filled with a sense of triumph. She had faced down a creature of immense power and saved an entire world.

  But as the dust settled, a strange sound reached her ears. A faint, crystalline whisper, like the tinkling of shattered glass.

  It was coming from the ground, from the shards of the Crystal Critter she had seen destroyed.

  Sera knelt down, her hand gently brushing against the glittering fragments. They pulsed with a faint light, a residual energy that seemed to cling to life.

  And then, she understood.

  The Crystal Critters weren't truly gone. Their essence, their life force, was bound to the crystals of Xylos. They could be shattered, but they could also be reborn.

  A wave of relief washed over Sera, followed by a surge of determination. She would protect this world, not just from the Energy Dragon, but from any threat that dared to harm its delicate beauty.

  Her mission in Xylos was far from over.