"This will be the first time the dragon flight formally reveals our true fangs to the wilderness."
Garros circled slowly high in the sky, his head lowered as he looked down at the creatures fighting for him.
His soldiers, his kin, were pouring out from various carefully constructed strongholds deep within the wilderness.
At first, they were scattered trickles, but as time passed, these streams began to converge, collide, and merge.
The clanging of iron armor, the dull thud of heavy footsteps trampling the earth, low battle cries, and the hissing of monsters intertwined into an oppressive sea, eventually forming a massive and fierce legion that surged toward the Quenchfire Highlands with unstoppable momentum, crushing the wilderness in its path.
The Quenchfire Highlands, this time's target, was undoubtedly a tough nut to crack.
For decades, the Duchy of Raymond had spared no expense to turn this place into the sturdiest nail driven into the Serel Wilderness. Its terrain was treacherous, with three sides as steep as if sheared by a blade, leaving only one side available for an army to deploy, making it extremely easy to defend and difficult to attack.
The Duchy of Raymond had amassed heavy troops here.
Sophisticated alchemy equipment, well-trained soldiers, and powerful city defense weapons... all formed a formidable fortress.
Of course, with the current strength of the Molten Iron Tribe, conquering it would not be difficult if they were willing to pay a certain price.
But even so, Garros still decided to take action personally.
Reasonably speaking, as a tribal lord, he should be like a blade hidden deep in its scabbard, never moving unless it was a matter of life and death or a decisive moment.
Exposing his trump cards and combat patterns too early was no different from showing his weaknesses to others.
This would give potential enemies the opportunity to analyze and target him.
However, Garros had his own considerations.
On one hand, for someone like him who had taken the class of Martial Dragon, the growth efficiency brought by intense combat was higher than daily training.
The battlefield changed in an instant, and all kinds of attacks could also temper and sharpen him, helping him adapt and improve various resistances.
On the other hand, he possessed several completely different combat forms and trump cards.
Appropriately exposing some conventional skills, such as the characteristics of a certain breath, a special fighting technique, or even a seemingly powerful defensive posture, could instead confuse and mislead opponents, preventing them from figuring out his true bottom line.
For Garros, the thing that currently needed the strictest secrecy was actually only the existence of the dragon jade.
This second life provided Garros with an unparalleled margin for error.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
High in the heavens, the violent air currents brought by the soaring dragons constantly churned the clouds, occasionally revealing their massive and majestic silhouettes.
Their huge wings, spread beneath the firmament like battle flags snapping in the wind, gave the thousands of kin marching on the ground below infinite confidence and courage.
Iron Dragon Sorog, Red Dragon Samantha, Blue Dragon Heriam, and Red Dragon Cahill.
In addition to Garros, these four dragons would also all participate in this campaign.
They were Garros's claws and the fangs of the Molten Iron Tribe.
Tonight, they would together formally announce the existence and power of the Molten Iron Tribe to this cold wilderness.
The war against the Quenchfire Highlands meant far more than seizing a strategic stronghold; it would be the tribe's battle to establish prestige, requiring a complete and unquestionable victory! Only in this way could the morale of the entire army be greatly boosted, laying the foundation for subsequent more intense and broader wars and expansions.
As for Black Dragon Serafina and Green Dragon Ludwig, the former was more skilled in necromancy and fighting in negative energy environments, while the latter excelled in communication and the life Domain.
Neither was a preferred choice for a direct frontal assault.
They did not participate in this battle to reclaim the Quenchfire Highlands, but they also bore an important mission, clearing and modifying the captured undead nest in another hidden location, striving to turn it into the core site for the Dragon-Forged Transformation Ritual and making it another important base for the Molten Iron Tribe.
"The Quenchfire Highlands is not that far from our Ximu Territory headquarters."
Iron Dragon Sorog's voice echoed in Garros's mind through the Mental Link: "At our legion's current normal marching speed, it won't take long. It is expected that we will arrive at the attack initiation position late at night in a few days."
He paused slightly and added another important piece of information: "In addition, Gorton has already sent back news."
"Crystal Princess Elena has clearly stated that she will give a generous investment to our operation and will provide us with extra support in her own way."
At the same time, the Red-Iron Dragon's mouth split into a curve that resembled a smile.
He looked into the distance, his low voice sweeping across the sky like rolling thunder:
"In any case, let the coming night burn."
Afterward, the dragon flight soared and cruised unhurriedly in the darkening high sky. Beneath their pairs of massive dragon wings, the Vassal Legion of the Molten Iron Tribe was like a tide on the earth, grand and majestic, advancing forward with unwavering determination.
Time passed minute by minute in the solemn and heavy atmosphere.
Several days later, late at night.
Quenchfire Highlands.
The night air here was cold, as if carrying a metallic, rusty scent, and was as hard as iron.
Moonlight pierced through the low-hanging clouds, spilling down and illuminating the massive city walls cast from a mixture of giant granite blocks and refined steel, reflecting a faint and hazy metallic luster on their surface.
This fortress, standing at a strategic point in the northwestern part of the Serel Wilderness, was originally just a small outpost occupied by the Duchy of Raymond when the Molten Iron Tribe retreated.
But after decades of continuous expansion and reinforcement.
It became the hardest nail the Duchy of Raymond had driven into this barbaric land.
The city walls surrounding the station were thirty meters high, their surfaces covered with sharp metal barbs and energy conduction patterns.
Every hundred meters, a bastion protruded, mounted with Magic Crystal Cannons of astonishing caliber. Deep within the barrels, eerie blue energy cores rotated slowly, like the hearts of sleeping behemoths.
On the city walls stood soldiers dressed in standard alchemy armor.
Their armor had miniature weight-reduction magic circles embedded in the joints, yet their steps were as heavy as iron. As they patrolled, they made a clanging sound on the ground, and only cold, alert eyes were visible under their thick helmets, scanning the wilderness on the outskirts of the highlands from above.
On the highest observation deck of the central main keep, an exceptionally tall and burly human figure stood by the railing like a statue.
His face was as angular as if carved by a knife and axe, his beard trimmed meticulously, and his armor was covered with various battle scars of different depths, inscribed with his merits.
Particularly striking was:
On the back of the hand he rested on the sword hilt, there was a crown pattern formed by countless tiny oaths intertwined.
Hamilton—the [Iron Wall] General, the supreme commander of the Quenchfire Highlands base.
This base was currently the largest and most heavily fortified core stronghold of the Duchy of Raymond in the Serel Wilderness. As a powerful Paladin who had sworn the Oath of the Crown, vowing to defend the royal power and territory with his life and pledging loyalty to the monarch and the law, this Iron Wall General was also the strongest person stationed within the wilderness by the Duchy of Raymond, bar none.
He rested one hand on the cold steel railing and steadily pressed the other on the hilt of the sword at his waist.
As always, like countless nights in the past, he personally stood at the highest point of the city wall on guard, his gaze like that of the sharpest falcon, cast toward the distant dark horizon that seemed to swallow all light, searching for any sign of danger.
"Reporting, General!"
An adjutant trotted forward with hurried but not panicked steps.
He looked serious, and his voice sounded somewhat low due to tension: "The sixth and seventh outer outposts failed to report back on time. It has now been confirmed that contact has been lost."
The adjutant took a deep breath and spoke faster.
"The Transmission Crystal was subjected to extremely strong unknown interference at the last moment before contact was lost. The fragment of images barely sent back were distorted and blurred, and the sound was sharp, piercing noise... but based on comprehensive analysis, it can be confirmed that a large-scale enemy is rapidly approaching!"
Hearing the adjutant's report, Hamilton's eyelids twitched imperceptibly, but no extra expression leaked from his knife-carved face, which remained as cold and hard as rock.
The adjutant lowered his voice and speculated cautiously: "Based on past experience, it could be a large-scale beast tide breaking out, or some wilderness monster clans that have lost their reason and fallen into madness are striking us during their migration."
The Iron Wall General's gaze was still fixed on the deep darkness in the distance, and he shook his head slightly.
"Beast tides and mindless monster clans do not possess the means to interfere with our communication crystals."
His voice was steady, yet carried a hint of gravity: "This time, the attackers are a type of enemy that is far more dangerous and organized."
The wilderness was never lacking in danger; powerful Vicious Beasts and monsters emerged one after another, and this was not the first time the Quenchfire Highlands outpost had been attacked.
However.
This was the first time in history that the communication crystals had suffered such effective and wide-scale interference.
This meant one thing: the attackers were by no means savage creatures acting on instinct, but opponents who possessed intelligence and had made meticulous preparations.
This attack was, in all likelihood, a premeditated operation.
Hamilton's thoughts raced like lightning.
Three seconds later, he gazed out at the deep, dark night that seemed to harbor endless danger, and issued a command in a low voice that was not loud, yet clearly reached the adjutant's ears: "Pass the order down: initiate Level 1 combat readiness! Immediately!"
The adjutant was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, a trace of obvious surprise flashing across his face.
He had not expected the General to react so intensely.
Level 1 combat readiness? This was the highest level of mobilization, meaning the outpost would enter a state of total war, and all resources and personnel must prioritize defensive operations.
Although filled with questions, the absolute obedience and trust formed over a long time meant the adjutant did not hesitate, immediately standing straight and saluting: "Yes! General!"
He then turned and hurried toward the command room.
Immediately after, orders representing the highest alert level were rapidly transmitted downward from the top of the highlands.
All soldiers resting on shift were urgently assembled, donned their heavy armor again, grabbed their weapons, and rushed to their respective combat stations. The sounds of clashing metal, rapid footsteps, and the sharp shouts of officers filled the air.
All Alchemy Golems in standby mode were activated, their engines emitting a low roar as they walked toward pre-set defensive nodes, their heavy footsteps causing the ground to tremble slightly.
All magic crystal turrets on the bastions began to charge, with deep blue energy gathering at the muzzles, emitting a heart-palpitating fluctuation, resembling the eyes of a giant beast opening, staring fixedly into the unknown darkness ahead.
The number of defenders on the city walls visibly doubled.
The soldiers gripped their enchanted crossbows or various weapons tightly, their bodies tense, breathing heavily, their eyes beneath their helmets filled with tension and determination.
The entire Quenchfire Highlands outpost was like a steel giant beast that had been thoroughly awakened, tensing all its muscles, standing ready for battle.
Meanwhile, one piece of worse news after another arrived in quick succession.
"Report! The Fifth Outpost has confirmed loss of contact!"
"Report! The Fourth Outpost has confirmed loss of contact!"
...
The air inside the outpost seemed to solidify; every message brought by the messenger added another layer to the stifling sense of oppressive silence.
The voice of the messenger even began to tremble uncontrollably.
Although no one had yet seen the exact appearance of the invading enemies, the inevitable bad news about the fall of the outer outposts that arrived every so often brought an invisible psychological pressure.
It was as if an invisible, terrifying giant beast was lurking in the thick, impenetrable night, moving its feet silently, gradually revealing its ferocious claws and fangs, approaching the Quenchfire Highlands step by step, ready to devour its prey.
"General, is it necessary to dispatch a rapid response force to attempt a sortie and support the outer outposts that might still be resisting?"
"Or at least... scout the enemy situation?"
The adjutant tried his best to keep his voice calm, looking at the tall figure that still stood like an iron tower on the edge of the city wall.
General Hamilton did not even turn his head, merely shaking it slightly.
"No."
He simply uttered a single word.
The enemy was coming fiercely and was well-prepared.
The best strategy at this moment was to consolidate all forces and firmly defend the core outpost; one must absolutely not disperse precious troops and give the opponent an opportunity to pick them off one by one.
For now, those isolated outer outposts had to be abandoned.
"Report! The Third Outpost... has confirmed loss of contact!"
The new bad news arrived quickly.
Now, only the First and Second Outposts remained, which were adjacent to the main Quenchfire Highlands outpost and could almost be considered an extension of the main city wall.
This meant that the unknown enemy was almost right on their doorstep.
After a suffocating silence.
In Hamilton's eyes, a pure and majestic light of the Oath of the Crown suddenly flared, his gaze becoming incredibly profound and sharp.
Oath of the Crown Spell — Super-Vision Insight.
From above, the Paladin's gaze, solid as substance, pierced through the heavy curtain of night, like two searchlights, suddenly casting toward the dark wilderness outside the highlands.
Instantly, his towering body jolted, and his pupils contracted sharply.
He saw it: countless armors shimmering with metallic luster! Countless raised, grotesquely shaped alien blades! Countless monsters with terrifying forms, exuding a bloodthirsty aura! Among them were even Alchemy Golems!
They were not stragglers, but were arranged in formations filled with oppression.
They converged into a boundless wave! This wave churned, crushing the bushes along the way, toppling huge rocks in its path, trampling the hard earth into mud, aiming directly at the Quenchfire Highlands, directly at the fortress beneath his feet, sweeping over.
However, what shocked him most was this.
In the high sky shrouded by the dense night, he caught a glimpse of several incomparably huge silhouettes circling leisurely!
Those were the figures of Dragons, and there was more than one!
The light in Hamilton's eyes gradually faded, returning to normal.
He took several deep, continuous breaths, allowing his heart, which had accelerated from shock, to calm down.
Immediately after, he took out an amulet from the lining of his armor without hesitation.
This was an Advanced communication item capable of ignoring most interference and transmitting information directly to the upper levels.
"The Dragon flock is leading their Vassal Legion and is about to arrive at the Quenchfire Highlands outpost. The scale of the attack is unprecedented. Requesting support!"
Hamilton finished speaking with extreme speed but clearly.
However, the communication amulet in his hand only flickered weakly, then had no further reaction, failing to transmit the information as it usually did.
His heart sank. He tried to activate the amulet again, even switching to several emergency communication codes, only to discover that all communication methods seemed to have been completely blocked and prohibited by an invisible force.
And it wasn't just his Advanced amulet.
He switched to other communication items, and even tried using others' items, then discovered with horror that all communication items within the entire outpost had become ineffective.
"This... what is going on?!"
The Iron Wall General, known for being as steady as a mountain and as firm as iron, showed an expression of shock, suspicion, and even a hint of fear on his face for the first time, unable to suppress it.
Encountering a large-scale monster attack, even if the enemy were Dragons, he could accept it and prepare to fight to the death.
But all communications being completely prohibited?
He could not imagine how the opponent had managed to do this.
Just as General Hamilton, the Iron Wall, fell into a brief moment of shock and suspicion due to the severed communications.
In the distant Lothern Royal Court, inside a heavily guarded palace filled with precise magical instruments.
Crystal Princess Elena was standing quietly before the astrolabe.
Her gaze pierced through the barriers of space, and with a perspective of overlooking that was almost god-like, she took in the Quenchfire Highlands, which was at the center of the storm on the distant Serel Wilderness, clearly.
As the astrolabe ran silently.
Above the celestial orbit, a magical satellite belonging to the Lothern Royal Court had its surface flickering with imperceptible magical light, isolating and blocking all communication between the Quenchfire Highlands and the outside world.
Compared to before, there were a few wrinkles on Elena's face, but they did not detract from her beauty.
Because she was well-maintained, and was herself an Advanced professional, her face remained exquisite, and a faint smile hung upon it.
She was not satisfied with merely being a distant bystander, watching the Dragon flock destroy targets belonging to the hostile kingdom faction for her; therefore, she had participated in this attack in her own way, giving the Dragon flock her support.