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Chapter 558: Blossoming at the Center
Second Prince Kreiser was resolute. After discussing with Woggi, he decided to take action.
Of course, they wouldn't commit all their resources and forces just because of a proposal from Bay Territory.
After coordinating with Chris to confirm the timing and plan, they quickly organized their troops and selected a small elite force.
They would convert most of their available resources into weapons and equipment to enhance their combat strength as quickly as possible.
If the migration plan succeeded, that would be ideal.
But even if it failed, they would have improved their overall strength without suffering significant losses.
The advanced enchanted weapons and equipment produced by Bay Territory, with their excellent quality and quick modular replacement system—
Won the favor of the second prince and his personal guard.
Magus Duncan specifically modified the weapons and armor to fit the gray dwarves' needs.
Reducing the strength enhancements while boosting speed and magic resistance.
A lightweight shield that could be thrown and retrieved after deployment.
Not only did it strengthen their ranged defense, but it also provided additional ranged attack capabilities.
Naturally, such targeted modifications required the gray dwarves to offer more rare metals and materials.
Both sides took what they needed, working toward a temporarily aligned goal.
News of Second Prince Kreiser's forces approaching the underground passage soon spread among other gray dwarf factions.
They remained highly wary of the prince's dispatched troops.
Recently, the prince had displayed far more strength than they had anticipated, making him a growing threat.
Many gray dwarf factions had already made a pact.
They planned to find an opportunity to launch a joint assault against the second prince.
When they saw his forces attacking a Bay Territory-controlled fortress, they all wore amused expressions, eager to watch the spectacle unfold.
But the outcome defied their expectations.
The Bay Territory army, which had previously caused them significant trouble—
Completely collapsed under the prince's assault. Within mere hours, they surrendered the fortress without much resistance.
This turn of events deeply shocked the other gray dwarf factions.
They became even more wary of Kreiser and his troops.
They unanimously dispatched small scouting parties to investigate the fortress at the passage.
But none returned, which only heightened their curiosity.
The more an enemy hid something, the more urgent it was to uncover it.
Several gray dwarf factions banded together, preparing to launch an assault on the passage fortress.
A probing force of 30,000 troops met a crushing defeat at the fortress walls, suffering heavy casualties.
Their ambitions of attacking were immediately replaced by caution and intrigue.
Second Prince Kreiser turned thoughtfully toward Sera, who remained silent, his eyes reflecting deep contemplation.
Bay Territory seemed to have an uncanny grasp of intelligence on other dwarf factions, predicting their every move with remarkable accuracy.
Such capability made Kreiser wary of them.
Sera, however, was indifferent. She turned her head and, in a firm tone, said:
"The first phase is complete. Now comes the most crucial step…"
Taking a deep breath, recalling the training from two days prior, Kreiser couldn't help but ask Sera:
"Does Bay Territory rehearse every battle in advance?"
What he had witnessed in Bay Territory's underground military camps had far exceeded his expectations.
He never imagined they would go so far as to construct an entire fortress just to simulate capturing one.
Not only that, but they had also recreated the enemy's defenses and attack patterns.
And that was only part of what they had revealed to him.
There were undoubtedly even more secrets hidden away.
Even so, the professionalism and overwhelming financial investment in their training felt like an entirely different level of warfare.
Wasn't war supposed to be three parts strategy and seven parts brute force? You simply gathered your troops and charged, with victory going to the stronger and more determined side, right?
But in Bay Territory, war operated under entirely different rules.
It was precisely after witnessing Bay Territory flex its military muscle that Kreiser became so "cooperative."
He still didn't understand why Bay Territory was targeting the Cole Elven Kingdom.
He even suspected that he was merely a pawn, a scapegoat in their larger scheme.
But neither he nor his gray dwarves could resist the temptation of escaping the underground world.
The increasingly dire situation left them with no alternative but to take this path.
The future was incredibly dangerous.
But they had been backed into a corner.
Sera offered no answer, unwilling to disclose any information about Bay Territory.
To her, anyone not part of Bay Territory was an enemy by default.
This was her instinctive mindset, and she had no intention of changing it.
She was willing to become Bay Territory's shadow.
To bring fear and dominance to all its enemies!
She simply turned around calmly and stated in a detached tone:
"Three hours remain. It's time to move."
"If you wish to fight alongside Bay Territory, you must follow battle commands and distribute spoils based on contributions."
Kreiser had already agreed to these terms in previous discussions and had no objections.
However, he still felt uneasy.
After all, the plan was progressing too smoothly. Could Bay Territory have laid a massive trap ahead?
With these thoughts in mind, Second Prince Kreiser gathered his elite forces and set out for the surface world's passage.