"Demon... the demon race!?"
Norman stared at the distant shadows in disbelief. Although they were blurred under the night sky...
With his powerful physical constitution, he instantly identified the marching entities.
A black tide crawling across the ground... if that wasn't a demon army, what was?
"Quick... hurry!!"
In his shock, Norman did not forget his duty. He turned and shouted to the knights beside him:
"Sound the alarm!"
"Huh?"
Knight A froze. Before he could react, Knight B grabbed a signal flare from his bag.
He aimed it at the sky and pulled the cord.
'Screech—Boom!!'
A crimson light shot into the sky, the explosion echoing through the night.
At that exact moment, toward the front lines and the Demon King's Castle, another crimson flare ignited.
It exploded almost simultaneously with the flare from the rear guard!
...
Fifteen minutes earlier, beneath the walls of the Demon King's Castle.
Less than a thousand meters from the fortifications...
This was where the beastmen army was stationed.
Two thousand beastmen soldiers, fully armed, had approached the castle.
A lionman led them, standing below the walls and shouting insults so foul they were hard to listen to.
The demons atop the walls were frequently driven into a frenzy by the taunts, only to be restrained by their comrades.
They were tied up like cocoons and carried away.
This had been going on for two days. Every day, some demons succumbed to the rage.
And every day, the beastmen camp rotated seven or eight specialists to continue the verbal assault with their lion-like roars.
"Dashan, I'm saying... how long are we going to keep shouting like this?"
Among the five thousand members of the Lion-Tiger tribe present, excluding the Beast Sovereign and the rarely seen strategist...
The remaining two level sixty powerhouses were both here.
From the Lion-Tiger tribe: Lyon of the Lion tribe, and Dashan of the Tiger tribe.
Both tribes were filled with powerhouses. Even an untrained adult usually reached level ten.
Their immense physical capabilities allowed the Lion-Tiger tribe to maintain a dominant position among the beastmen.
Lyon and Dashan were the best of the best.
Beside Lyon stood Dashan, a tigerman with the character for 'king' etched onto his forehead. He was even taller than Lyon, nearly reaching the two and a half meters of the tauren.
Clad in armor, his exposed hands were covered in the golden fur unique to his tribe.
Black markings coiled around his arms like tattoos.
"We should just charge in! Look at those demons. The gates are wide open, yet they refuse to come out. The brothers can't wait any longer!"
The nature of the Lion tribe, especially the males, was exceptionally aggressive. Almost all of them lived for battle.
They were also highly emotional.
This was why other beastmen tribes often had grievances with them.
Dashan sighed helplessly.
"Lyon, in this situation, the human Saintess must have her own plans."
"Tch! What human Saintess? She's just a hairless monkey... I wouldn't even look at someone like that!"
Lyon curled his lip and glanced at Dashan.
"I'm telling you, Dashan, can you stop being so cautious? Just do it and be done with it!"
Dashan furrowed his brow, making the 'king' character on his forehead even more prominent.
"Lyon, don't be impulsive. Don't forget these are His Majesty's orders. You know the consequences of defying him."
"Tch!"
Lyon snorted disdainfully, but despite his outward attitude, he took the warning to heart.
After all, His Majesty Ricardo... had once personally executed a level sixty-eight lionman.
Though outsiders didn't know, those within the Lion-Tiger tribe understood perfectly.
The Beast Sovereign was a man of absolute authority.
Anyone who violated military orders died by his blade.
Even the arrogant Lyon had to submit.
However, Lyon's emotions were clearly peaking.
"We haven't counterattacked the demon race in a thousand years. With such a great opportunity before us, what is that hairless monkey girl thinking?"
"As long as we take this castle, who in this world will fear the demon race again? Eh? Dashan, don't you agree!"
Dashan frowned. Compared to the combat-loving Lion tribe...
The Tiger tribe was more solitary and did not socialize well.
However, they were extremely cautious in their dealings. This trait was passed down through their lineage.
They would never engage in a fight to the death without a certain level of confidence.
"That may be true, but we must look at the bigger picture. From what I know, the goal this time isn't just simple conquest."
"Why are you like this too! I think you've all been brainwashed by that hairless monkey girl!"
Lyon grumbled, but he still trusted his old friend Dashan.
His words were merely a way to vent his frustration.
However... while they were talking, a commotion suddenly broke out in the direction of the Demon King's Castle.
Lyon and Dashan looked at each other, both seeing gravity in the other's eyes.
Lyon's eyes held more burning battle intent, while Dashan's were filled with suspicion.
"Something happened!"
The two friends spoke in unison, both instinctively looking back at the Demon King's Castle.
And indeed, something was happening.
Shouts and roars echoed within the walls.
The city, made almost entirely of stone, could not be set on fire, yet a plume of green smoke rose from within.
Hidden in that smoke was a strange, unsettling scent.
It smelled somewhat like... burning rot?
Foul, charred, and exceptionally pungent.
Both the Lion and Tiger tribes possessed a keen sense of smell.
The moment Lyon and Dashan caught the scent, they both frowned.
"What is this smell? It's disgusting."
"This scent... are they burning corpses?"
While the two were dazed, the Lion-Tiger tribe members at the very front who were still taunting suddenly collapsed to their knees in pain.
They clutched their necks, their eyes wide with terror. Foam began to leak from their mouths.
Their bodies convulsed violently... as if they were being electrocuted.
"Poison!! All units, retreat!!"
Dashan identified the situation almost instantly and shouted at the top of his lungs.
Beside him, Lyon's eyes turned blood-red with rage!
"Despicable demons!! Come out and fight if you have the guts! What kind of skill is using poison!?"
"Lyon, there's no time for your nonsense! Move!!"
Without a word, Dashan grabbed his emotional friend to prevent him from doing anything reckless.
If they charged in now, they would likely die without even knowing how.
"Quick! Adjutant, the signal flare! Notify the rear guard!"
As he spoke, Dashan looked up at the sky.
"Luckily it's been a windless day lately, no..."
His voice trailed off as a thought struck him. Dashan slammed a massive tiger palm against his own head with a loud 'thud'.
His face was filled with self-reproach and shock!
"I see... I see! How could I forget that!"
The adjutant looked at his commander in confusion.
"Lord Dashan, what are you saying?"
Dashan snapped back to reality, ignoring the emotional Lyon.
He grabbed the adjutant's shoulders and roared:
"Quickly, notify the entire army! Do not head west! Retreat to the north and south!"
"Hurry! It's the monsoon transition period! If this toxic mist follows the wind, the entire army will be wiped out!!"
"Yes... Yes!!"
The adjutant, pale with fear, quickly grabbed a communication stone to notify the troops.
But at that moment, the ground began to vibrate. The source of the shockwaves was visible to the naked eye... the Demon King's Castle!
Along with the tremors, squads of demon elites poured out of the castle in single file, charging toward the Lion-Tiger tribe without hesitation!
Dashan stared at the castle in disbelief.
"Impossible... this is impossible! The Demon King's Castle shouldn't have this many elites left!"
"Where did they come from? How are there still so many demons?"
Watching the massive wave of demons surging from the gates like a black tide...
Dashan's mind went blank. He didn't even know what to do.
Just then, a figure appeared in the sky above the army, moving as fast as a flash of light.
With a thunderous roar, all the members of the Lion-Tiger tribe were instantly snapped back to their senses.
"I am Ricardo! Hear my command! Using the central line as a boundary, retreat to the north and south immediately!"
"Any who delay will be executed on the spot!"
The chaotic Lion-Tiger tribe instantly found their anchor.
The scattered units quickly moved to the sides.
Many took the opportunity to carry their fallen, poisoned comrades with them.
This showed Ricardo's prestige among the beastmen.
A single sentence and his presence floating in the air were enough to instantly calm the chaotic camp.
The retreat began in an orderly fashion.
By now, the dragons in the sky had also noticed the situation.
A green wind dragon descended from above.
"My ancestors once said that the elements of heaven and earth all belong to the dragon race. Lithe elements of wind, heed my command and serve me—Howling Wind!!"
'Roar—!'
Accompanied by the unique chant of the dragon language, a gale swept upward, meeting the toxic mist head-on!
However, the moment the mist collided with the wind elements, the wind dragon noticed something wrong.
This wasn't ordinary toxic mist!
The mist, which was simply drifting with the monsoon, actually managed to clash with the dragon magic.
It even seemed to be suppressing the magic.
From this, it was clear that this wasn't just 'poison'—it was elemental power!
Only elements could counter elements.
This was a truth understood by all sentient races.
That black toxic mist drifting with the wind must contain elemental power.
Otherwise, it could never have blocked the wind dragon's magic!
As the dragon stood in shock, a speck of darkness on the walls of the Demon King's Castle caught its eye.
Oh no!!
The thought flashed through the wind dragon's mind, but it was too late to dodge!
Arrows countered magic because magic often lacked a physical form. While powerful, it could be pierced by a concentrated point.
'Whoosh—!'
A black flash pierced the night sky. The wind dragon only managed to shift enough to avoid its vitals.
But its left wing was instantly impaled.
The moment the black arrow struck the wing, a massive explosion of dark elemental power erupted.
The wind dragon didn't even have time to construct a barrier before it was hit directly by the elemental blast!
'Boom—!'
"Graaaah!"
With a cry of agony, the wind dragon tumbled from the sky. Half of its body was visibly corroded by the dark elemental power.
It looked as if acid had been poured over it; bubbles continuously formed on its skin.
Every time a bubble burst, a large chunk of black flesh came with it!
Without its left wing and suffering such massive damage, the wind dragon could no longer fly. Its body spiraled downward.
With a massive 'thud' it crashed into the earth, its fate unknown!
The other dragons quickly flew over, but they were helpless against the mist filled with dark elements.
Despite exhausting all their efforts, they still could not stop the black mist's advance!
The war instantly shifted into a one-sided slaughter.
At the same time, within the Demon King's Castle, several massive creatures suddenly took flight.
Among the dozens of dragons, those with sharp eyes quickly warned their companions.
"Watch out! It's the feathered serpents of the demon race!!"
"I knew it! I knew it!! The feathered serpents were never completely wiped out!!"
One dragon, clearly quite old and likely a veteran of the war a thousand years ago...
The moment it saw the feathered serpents, its vertical pupils filled with hatred and caution!
"Younger generations! Fall back immediately! You must not engage a feathered serpent one-on-one!"
Staring at the massive creatures rising from the ground—creatures with wings and snake-like bodies, yet possessing front legs...
The old dragon instantly made the best choice.
The dragon race was incredibly united, and the concept of respecting the elderly and protecting the young was followed strictly.
Even the children of an enemy within the tribe would be raised as their own.
Much less an elder dragon.
A young dragon flew forward.
"Grandpa Wass, you're old. It's better if you step back. Leave this to us youngsters!"
"Bullshit! When I was fighting in the Great War a thousand years ago, you were still a hatchling! Get lost!"
Wass, the bearded old dragon, roared. He then turned to face the several feathered serpents that had taken flight.
"You lot, deal with the one on the left. You others, handle the one on the right. Some of you, go down and help the Lion-Tiger tribe. The rest of you, follow me."
As he spoke, the old dragon stroked his beard.
"Dammit, I killed one of these things back then. What's one more today!?"
The moment he finished speaking, the three feathered serpents had already reached their altitude.
Their shrill, screeching roars pierced the old dragon's ears!
But just then, two more rose from the Demon King's Castle.
Seeing this, the old dragon's gaze narrowed!
Five feathered serpents... their combat power was equivalent to nearly thirty dragons!
The dragon claw stroking the beard trembled slightly, plucking out three hairs.
But he seemed not to feel the pain, muttering:
"Five... this is going to be a bit difficult."
The dragons' battle was on the verge of erupting.
A few minutes earlier...
Seeing the signal flares from both the front and rear guards at almost the same time...
Luo Li was instantly jolted awake.
"Something happened!"
Rate on N.U.
