Clash

Three li away from the human camp.

Fido, who had just finished setting up the perimeter, looked up and saw a blazing fire illuminating half the sky in the distance.

His eyes flickered as he bared his fangs in a wide grin.

“That brat always makes such a racket the moment he acts.”

Eager to prove himself, the old kobold gripped the hilt of the sword on his back, suppressing the urge to charge into the bloody battle.

He glanced sideways at the two Graces beside him.

He waited for his next orders.

“Tap... tap... tap...”

Irene stood with her arms crossed, gazing into the distance, her fingers tapping in a rhythmic pattern.

Her golden eyes blinked occasionally, her gaze firmly locked onto the rising flames.

“Boom!”

Another burst of fire erupted in the sky.

At the same time, a mental wave rippled into Irene's mind.

It was a message from afar.

“Only one Gold Rank...”

Irene's fingers stopped tapping as she sighed softly.

“It seems these people haven't received any reinforcements recently.”

The young dragoness's eyes grew thoughtful as she began to formulate a plan.

According to Daviel's previous description, the human group only had about two hundred people.

Among them were about thirty Silver Rank combatants, plus a Gold Rank mage.

On their side, they had two true dragons and a ten-thousand-strong army of dragonborn.

The advantage was entirely theirs. Should she just steamroll them and order everyone to charge in for an all-out slaughter?

The thought involuntarily popped into the little dragon girl's head.

But in the next second, she dismissed it.

It was better to be cautious.

Only hot-headed red dragons and brainless white dragons would charge in blindly.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she spoke:

“Fido, you stay here.”

“Huh?”

Fido was surprised. “Your Grace, do I not need to join the fight?”

“No.”

Irene smoothed her wind-ruffled hair and pulled up her hood.

Her voice grew low.

“An army's strength lies in its quality, not its quantity.

“The enemy's numbers are small, so this battle will mostly be decided by high-end combatants.

“Daviel and I are more than enough to deal with that Gold Rank mage.

“As for their lower-level forces, deploying the Imperial Guard is enough.”

The straightforward kobold instantly grew anxious. “But, Your Grace...”

“Listen to me.”

Irene's tone hardened as she locked her gaze onto the old kobold's startled face, emphasizing:

“Once these humans find themselves at a disadvantage, they will definitely try to escape.

“They might even use teleportation spells or scrolls.

“That would cause us to lose track of them immediately.

“But teleportation has its limits. Standard teleportation spells and scrolls don't cover a very long distance.

“I need you to disperse the Black Knights in a net-like formation, with one guarding every hundred meters or so.

“Form a massive net to completely seal off this entire area.

“If any humans try to flee in the chaos or teleport away, they will be instantly detected by this net of Black Knights...

“...like fish caught in a net, unable to escape.”

The cold night wind continued to howl, but the old kobold remained silent.

Beneath her hood, the little dragon girl's golden eyes blinked softly as she glanced to the side.

Sprawled on the ground and drawing circles out of sheer boredom, the massive black beast noticed her gaze and pouted.

Then, he pulled out a pair of pink lace panties and put them on his head to cover his bald spot.

With a highly reluctant expression, he flapped his dragon wings.

Amidst flying sand and dust, he soared toward the conspicuous fire in the distance.

Like a moth drawn to a flame.

...

Inside the human camp.

The battle was already raging.

Explosions, clashing weapons, and angry roars echoed continuously.

Though caught slightly off guard at first, the humans did not panic.

These were professional soldiers specifically selected to protect Rudolf, and their reactions were incredibly swift.

Once they identified the enemy, they quickly engaged.

Battle qi surged from the warriors as they clashed with the attackers.

In the rear, the spellcasters continuously cast buffing spells and provided fire support.

Shield guards raised their half-man-high shields, firmly protecting Rudolf behind them.

They formed an airtight, indestructible wall gleaming with metallic luster.

Cezar maintained his offensive rhythm, having absolutely no intention of attacking the old mage protected within.

If he were foolish enough to charge in and try to kill the old mage, he would likely die on the way before even getting close.

His goal had never been assassination in the first place.

The intelligence had already been sent back. Now, he only needed to wait for Her Grace's arrival.

The young beastkin constantly maneuvered around the edges of the human camp, using other humans as cover.

Relying on the powerful physical traits and agility granted by his dragon blood, he ensured he wouldn't be hit head-on by the old mage's spells.

Yet even being grazed by the aftershocks of the spells posed a significant threat to him.

After all, he was only a low-tier Silver Rank dragonborn, while his opponent was a genuine Gold Rank powerhouse.

No matter how strong Cezar's constitution was, it was difficult to withstand those chaotic fluctuations of mana.

In fact, his body was already covered in numerous wounds of varying sizes.

However, these wounds did not hinder his combat capability; instead, they further stimulated his wild nature.

“Roar!”

The young beastkin roared and charged at a human spellcaster, cleaving him in half at the waist before the man's terrified eyes.

Amidst the splattering blood, his golden eyes were tinged with a sinister shade of red.

Seeing another compatriot die at the hands of the beastkin, the old mage frowned.

In truth,

as a Gold Rank archmage, his prestige was immensely high.

Even if he went all out without regard for the lives of others, no one would dare complain.

What truly bound his hands and feet was the ever-growing sense of unease in his heart.

After seeing these beastkin and half-beastkin with draconic features, he was absolutely certain of one thing.

This was by no means a simple raid.

The strange black dragon from last time had likely returned to seek him out.

“Whoosh...”

The freezing wind whipped through his white beard. Rudolf felt the unease in his heart gradually reaching a crescendo.

Gripping his staff tightly, he muttered to himself,

“Goddess of Magic above, is that black dragon truly your punishment for my research into those forbidden creations?”

Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed from the horizon!

The old mage's body tensed instinctively, and the staff in his hand, inlaid with red and blue gems, surged with powerful mana.

An overwhelming Dragon Fear swept down from the sky, making everyone on the ground feel as though a heavy weight had been placed on their shoulders.

When they looked up, they beheld a hellish scene.

A massive beast, almost completely blended into the dark night, rapidly filled their vision.

The gargantuan beast was diving down at breakneck speed.

Its roar reverberated through heaven and earth:

“Roar!!! You old geezer! Hand over your life!”