Translator: AnubisTL
Beneath the vast, boundless sky, the red-iron dragon stood silently atop the hill.
The small spines on his body glinted in the twilight, and his formidable wings were slightly folded. His powerful limbs and dragon tail were taut as bowstrings, and every scale on his body radiated a tangible aura of killing intent, making the very air around him seem thick and heavy with his dragon might.
Two Kora Giant Eagles trembled in fear.
They buried their heads deep in their chest feathers, their thick talons curling involuntarily, like two quails stalked by a predator.
The presence and reaction of the Diamond Elder filled Garos with a sense of grave danger.
Garos was naturally cautious, lacking the arrogance typical of dragonkind. He knew that this careful nature, combined with his evolutionary talent, was one of the key reasons he had survived in the wilderness.
Therefore, facing another being who possessed immense power yet remained cautious and suspicious, Garos felt an even greater threat.
Giants were similar to dragons.
Born with innate strength, they tended to act directly and straightforwardly, preferring to cut to the chase.
Stone giants were no exception.
However, the Diamond Elder's uncharacteristic caution only made Garos take the situation more seriously.
The most cautious understand the fatal flaws of their own kind.
An enemy with immense power who still treads carefully is a thousand times more terrifying than any arrogant challenger.
The night wind swept across the Dragon's Ridge, and Garos's pupils contracted into narrow slits.
He slowly unfurled his wings, the fine scales on the membranes rubbing together and sparking. His explosive scales on the outer layer of his body opened and closed slightly, not as a sign of battle preparation, but as an instinctive reaction of a predator encountering a rival threat.
When two equally cautious hunters meet head-on, the first to reveal a weakness will inevitably become the other's stepping stone.
This time, not even fairy scale powder would be needed.
Stimulated by the sense of danger, Garos's mind raced with lightning speed, his thoughts darting through possible strategies and countermeasures.
"My advantage lies in mobility, and more importantly, in my concealment. The Stone Giant Clan is new to this territory and unaware of my existence."
"The longer I delay, the more thoroughly they will investigate their surroundings, which will only work against me."
Garos narrowed his eyes.
"As for the stone giants..."
"They are a social group that values kinship and group cohesion."
The Diamond Elder's caution likely stemmed from his heavy responsibility of guarding the clan. Before acting, he would carefully consider every angle, unable to act rashly.
"They deeply value their clan and mutual support. This is their strength, but in certain situations, it also becomes their greatest weakness and vulnerability."
Strength and weakness.
Sometimes, the boundary between them is not so clear, or even completely blurred.
After deep contemplation, Garos took a deep breath, suppressed his emotions, and calmed himself to become more rational, preparing for the upcoming assault on the giant camp.
He decided to launch a surprise attack on the giant camp that very night.
Strike first, strike hard!
Since delay would only work against them, he would be decisive and resolute. Attack the Stone Giant Camp before they could establish a firm foothold and destroy them!
This Stone Giant Clan had already constructed an Earth Vein Symbiosis Pool, where stone giant guards were being cultivated. Moreover, they were openly recruiting chosen and expanding their forces.
They could not be allowed to develop further.
Garos carried two giant eagles, broke their wings to prevent them from flying temporarily, and left them at the Bonechewer Clan's camp. Simultaneously, he summoned the legion stationed behind the Cracked Spine Hills.
Warchief Bloodtooth, the hyena-man sorcerer.
Lizardfolk infiltrators, stealthy hunters.
Giant Wolf Knights, werewolf sorcerers.
These units converged, encircling the ogre territory, forming a considerable monster army.
"Secure and imprison these two giant eagles. Take them down."
With a simple command, Garos folded his dragon wings and landed slowly on the towering rock platform.
His gaze swept over the upturned faces below—the ogres' murky single eyes, the hyena-men's flickering green eyes, the werewolves' erect, pointed ears—before he spoke in a deep voice that rumbled across the land like distant thunder.
"Monsters of the wild! The stone giants have established a stronghold in the northern highlands and are eyeing us with hostility. War is inevitable."
"Today, I demand you fight for me—for glory!"
"Before those stone giants launch their assault, we will crush them first!"
"I want your claws to rend their granite chests, your teeth to grind their every moving stone! Dig out their stone hearts! Crush them! Swallow them!"
As he spoke, the red-iron dragon unfurled his wings, like a massive banner.
The ogres' roars exploded first, their axes clanging against their massive shields. Werewolves sprang forward, their claws leaving bloody gouges across their chests as they howled at the sky. The different monsters responded in their own ways.
"For the great Garos!"
"For the glory of the Clans!"
Their voices rose in a blood-red tide, their eyes merging into a single, crimson mass in the night.
The four clans under Garos's command showed him utmost reverence, occasionally even displaying a simple, almost endearing loyalty. But never forget: this was because they were Garos's chosen.
To other creatures,
Lizardfolk, hyena-men, graymane werewolves, ogres—
Without exception, all, all were creatures of the evil alignment! Bloodthirsty, brutal, warlike.
"Karu, you will command the entire army."
"Bloodtooth Hodge, you will assist Karu."
Garos entrusted the position of Grand Commander to the rough-yet-clever Gluttony Demon, assigning the equally skilled Warchief Bloodtooth to assist him. He then laid out their mission:
—Attack the Stone Giant Camp.
As for Garos himself, he would advance ahead of the familiar army at the opportune moment, luring the Diamond Elder away. By doing so, he would turn the Diamond Elder's own clan into its weakness and vulnerability.
Then,
Garos spread his wings and soared into the sky, while the monster horde began its march across the land.
Multiple sorcerers took turns casting enhancement spells.
The warlord's aura also amplified their speed, allowing them to march swiftly.
As night deepened, Garos, soaring high above, could faintly discern the Stone Giants' encampment on the highlands. Having confirmed the direction for his chosen, he no longer waited for his monster retinue. With a flap of his dragon wings, he accelerated toward the Stone Giant Camp.
Meanwhile, within the Stone Giant Camp, in the Diamond Elder's dwelling...
Diamond Elder Abaddon, his massive, stone-like body coiled on the ground, frowned slightly.
The Kora Giant Eagle had been gone for some time without returning, causing the Diamond Elder a growing sense of unease.
Initially, Abaddon had considered going alone to the Bonechewer Clan.
However, as the strongest and leader of the Stoneheart Clan, responsible for the clan's survival, his decisions carried immense weight. He could not act rashly and must proceed with utmost caution.
He focused, clearing his mind, and pondered repeatedly until he detected something amiss.
The ogres seemed overly resistant to the giants' recruitment efforts and lacked the proper reverence.
Normally, due to their shared ancestry and the inherent hierarchy between ogres and giants, ogres would always feel awe toward giants and willingly submit to their rule, offering their loyalty.
The strongest giant was sent alone, a gesture of respect.
In the giants' inheritance, no ogre clan had ever been known to practice such a custom.
Unless... it was a trap.
Preparing for the worst, the Diamond Elder did not go alone. He dispatched a Kora Giant Eagle to scout ahead.
If there was a trap or ambush, it would be today.
They would wait for the Kora Giant Eagle to gather more specific intelligence before deciding whether to continue subjugating the Bonechewer Clan or crush them outright.
But the Kora Giant Eagle had not yet returned.
It was already past the time the Diamond Elder had set for their return.
Exceeding the deadline meant something had gone wrong.
No, not just something.
There must be an ambush in the Cracked Spine Hills! An ambush strong enough to trouble the wind dancers soaring through the sky, preventing their safe return!
The Diamond Elder's eyes snapped open.
His crystalline eyes blazed with vigilance and caution.
"Targon!"
He called out in a deep voice.
"Elder, what can I do for you?"
The granite stone giant entered the chamber, looking at the Diamond Elder with a puzzled expression.
"Wake all sleeping members of our monster retinue! Take three young clan members and patrol the perimeter together."
The Diamond Elder said gravely.
"What has happened to make you so serious?"
The granite stone giant asked, "I suspect a dragon is behind the Bonechewer Clan!"
The Diamond Elder spoke each word deliberately.
Only ogres who had either seen, or even sworn fealty to, dragonkind—creatures as renowned as giants—or other more powerful beings would lack reverence for giants.
The fact that the Kora Giant Eagle had been troubled made a flying creature the most likely culprit.
Synthesizing these clues, the Diamond Elder concluded that a dragon was operating behind the scenes.
His wisdom, caution, and nearly four centuries of life experience allowed the Diamond Elder to guess the truth.
"You're overthinking this," the granite stone giant said, scratching its head. "Those lowly, filthy ogres are just greedy and disrespectful."
It believed the elder might be overreacting due to lingering trauma from the war against the blue dragon.
The Diamond Elder replied slowly, "I hope I'm just being overly cautious."
"But in any case, caution is never misplaced," he stated solemnly. "With only the Stoneheart Clan remaining, we bear the heavy responsibility of regrouping and restoring our clan's strength. Any potential danger must be nipped in the bud."
There was a high probability that a dragon was behind the Bonechewer Clan.
It might not yet realize it had been exposed and was likely still contemplating its next move.
This presented an opportunity.
While it hesitated, they should hunt and kill it!
As for living in harmony, attempting negotiations, or coexisting peacefully...
Ridiculous.
Neither Garos nor the diamond giant elder had ever considered such a choice.
"Wait, Targon."
As the granite giant was about to depart, leading his clan and familiars on patrol, the diamond elder rose to his feet, his massive, powerful body commanding attention. "I've changed my mind," he said in a deep, resonant voice. "If there's a dragon behind the Bonechewer Clan, now is the perfect time to strike with our familiars!"
Strike first, strike hard!
The attacker always holds the initiative over the defender.
Whether the Bonechewer Clan's backer was a dragon or some other hidden force, the Stoneheart Clan had to eliminate it to secure their settlement.
The fact that the enemy hadn't revealed themselves immediately suggested it wasn't a mature dragon or a creature of that caliber, and that they feared the Stone Giants' power.
The granite giant felt the diamond elder was overreacting.
But he didn't question the elder's decision, merely nodding solemnly.
However...
As the diamond and granite giants stepped out of the stone hut, before they could gather their familiars and clan members or issue orders...
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound of countless blades being drawn and grinding against each other echoed through the sky, startling the demonic beasts and causing a young stone giant playing nearby to stumble and fall, his face pale with panic.
A crimson star streaked across the night sky, leaving a long, fiery trail as it tore through the darkness, rapidly closing in.
(End of the Chapter)
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