Chapter 306: Proclamation
Chapter 306: Proclamation
The outskirts of Northwind Fortress.
The Ember Kingdom’s army stretched across the entire expanse of the wilderness.
Many among them bore crimson scales, sharp claws, draconic bone spurs, and even golden slit-pupiled eyes.
Hobgoblins, tieflings, and humans carried freshly manufactured semi-automatic rifles, their bodies clad in finely crafted chainmail. These were the Kingdom’s most elite infantry, each soldier sharp-eyed and exuding murderous intent.
Ogre artillery units dragged massive cannons. The metallic black barrels stretched nearly six meters, their one-meter-wide muzzles resembling monstrous gaping mouths ready to devour everything.
And such cannons—there were hundreds of them within the army ranks.
The Dragon-Oath Paladins, clad in heavy plate armor, carried massive shields engraved with the Ember Kingdom’s sigil and wielded gleaming spears and greatswords. A faint flame aura flickered around their armor, making it shimmer brilliantly. Their very presence caused the surrounding temperature to rise sharply, heating the ground beneath them, while lesser soldiers dared not approach this formidable phalanx.
Kobolds and goblins filled the ranks of irregular troops. Clad in tattered clothing scavenged from who knew where, they wielded outdated muskets and flintlock guns. Their yellow eyes gleamed with manic excitement. These ragtag soldiers numbered in the tens of thousands, forming a chaotic, multi-colored tide.
Further away, massive beasts the size of hills stirred across the plains. These tundra land-dragons were clad in near-impenetrable armor, their heavy breaths forming clouds of white vapor, resembling mobile steel fortresses.
In the skies above, wyverns and chimeras swarmed together like ominous storm clouds, their disordered wings obscuring half the sky. Even these beasts were heavily armored, their vital spots shielded by lightweight yet sturdy iron plates. From their claws hung chains bearing incendiary bombs and explosives.
Nearly one hundred thousand monsters and humans were gathered here.
Under normal circumstances, such a diverse mix of races in one place would descend into chaos, if not outright slaughter.
But now, these armies stood in disciplined formations, eerily silent. Across the vast wilderness, only the sound of their heavy breathing could be heard, though they even worked to suppress that noise.
They were simply waiting.
“Roar—”
A long, resonant roar echoed from afar.
A colossal red shadow emerged over the wilderness, its presence casting a dark shroud over the earth below.
Soldiers lifted their heads in unison, their breathing quickening with excitement and fervor, their eyes filled with fanaticism, like worshippers gazing upon their god. The wyverns landed in tandem, bowing their heads low to the ground.
It was Cassius, the Ember King, whose wings blotted out the Anzeta skies and whose fury brought annihilation like a purgatorial catastrophe.
Amidst the inconspicuous human formations, George looked up, his eyes locked onto the colossal figure. His hands trembled as they gripped his rifle.
Though he had seen the King before, no matter how many times he witnessed this sight, he couldn’t help but feel stunned and deeply awed by this pure, oppressive power. How he longed to be one of the “big men” worthy of the King’s personal favor.
Among the chaotic swarm of wyverns, a pure white dragon stood out, as conspicuous as a snow-capped peak amidst a range of mountains.
Tinia gazed blankly at the sky, stretching her neck as far as it would go. Her pale blue slit-pupiled eyes overflowed with rapture and reverence.
“Cassius, my master. ”
“So strong…”
She thought to herself with admiration. The white dragon swatted away a nearby wyvern that had claimed a better position, taking it for herself. The displaced wyvern let out a pitiful whimper but reluctantly slunk away after recognizing the white dragon.
“Boom! ”
The ground trembled, stones scattering as dust billowed into the air.
The thirty-meter-long crimson dragon descended onto the hilltop, its shadow rendering all life on the plains below insignificant and fragile.
Cassius gazed down upon his personal army, spreading his wings to blot out the sky as he spoke:
“If they want war…”
“Then I shall grant them war. ”
The words had barely left his mouth when the wilderness erupted into a roaring frenzy, like flames unleashed to consume everything.
“For the Ember Kingdom! ”
“War! Make them pay in blood! ”
“For the Great Red Dragon! ”
“For His Majesty Cassius! ”
“For the grand vision of the Dragonblood Empire! ”
Hobgoblins raised their rifles, ogres beat their chests, humans let out resounding cheers, and the wyverns craned their necks, unleashing ear-piercing shrieks.
Despite military orders, some hobgoblins fired their guns into the air in their excitement, and one particularly dim-witted ogre nearly launched a cannonball in his fervor, only stopped by his comrades just in time to prevent disaster.
Years of unbroken victories and accumulated prestige had elevated the Red Dragon to a status akin to—or even surpassing—the gods in the hearts of his followers.
He required no elaborate speech or rallying cry. Simply standing there and uttering a few words was enough to ignite an unrivaled frenzy, elevating morale to a height no mortal general could hope to achieve.
And the Red Dragon knew this well.
Surveying the fervent army and gazing out over the vast expanse of his territory, Cassius’s vision seemed to stretch across the entire Feanso Continent and the world of Erezaghe beyond.
“It is time. ”
“Nearly ten years of planning, and at last, the North shall fall into my grasp. ”
“But once all of this is done, my true journey will begin—demons, devils, gods, and ancient evils… many still threaten me in this world. ”
Cassius exhaled a sulfurous breath, his thoughts calm and resolute.
The Red Dragon stepped forward, extending his monstrous claws, gradually clenching them as though seizing the entirety of the Anzeta Wasteland.
“Crush them. ”
Cassius gave the order in an indifferent tone, as if stating a trivial fact.
Instantly, the wilderness erupted once more.
Amid the chaotic cheers and roars, countless red banners bearing the sigil of the slit-pupil eye and flame flapped violently in the sulfur-laden wind.
“For the Ember Kingdom! ”
“Awoo~~!”
“Crush them completely and unify Anzeta! ”
Inside the Iron Dragonwing Palace.
The Red Dragon sharpened his claws using a force-field spell, honing them to an even deadlier edge. Though such details made little difference in high-level combat, it was a way to pass the time.
Suddenly, Langpu’s message arrived. With a thought, Cassius removed the restriction, revealing Langpu’s unsightly face in the magic mirror.
“Master, an unexpected guest has arrived at Northwind Fortress. They claim to be your ally. ”
“Oh? ”
“An ally of mine? How unusual. ”
“I’m curious to see who wishes to ally themselves with the infamous Red Dragon. ”
Cassius slowly lifted his head, the faint light gleaming in his pale gold slit-pupiled eyes.
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