Chapter 558: General Enrick
Chapter 558: General Enrick
"Boom!"
Due to the broad area of effect and the double-layered Dawn Strike, the ancient Goblin General Enrick was instantly hit, his form enveloped by the intense Blaze Tornado and sent flying into the air.
Rayne's eyes narrowed as he carefully observed the enemy.
Although the dense black mist provided protection, the double-layered Blaze Tornado did not cause significant damage. However, the hit had two important effects.
First, the intense battle between the black mist and the flames significantly weakened the black mist, drastically reducing the enemy's defenses.
Second, the attack by Og and Otto created an opening for the other three fire-element Dawn Wizards from the Federation.
The three of them immediately unleashed their prepared fire-element Dawn Strikes.
"Flame Wing Strike!"
A pair of fiery wings, each over ten meters wide, struck General Enrick in the air like lightning.
"Inferno Barrage!"
Following that, a continuous barrage of hundreds of fireballs, like a torrential rain, rained down on Enrick.
"Lava Fissure!"
Finally, a large area of molten lava appeared on the metal floor beneath Enrick, and a column of scorching flame mixed with liquid lava shot up from below, striking Enrick head-on.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
As the three fire-element Dawn Strikes hit their mark, a powerful surge of fire energy spread outward!
The blaze's explosion almost suffocated the Federation's squad of soldiers and researchers, who were over a hundred meters away.
Rayne, along with Otto, Og, and the other three Dawn Wizards, also caught their breaths.
After all, for most mid-Dawn Wizards, performing two to three Dawn Strikes was already a significant feat. Each Dawn Strike consumed a lot of psi energy.
However, at this moment, all of them wore relieved smiles.
"His Grace Rayne, it's thanks to your timely reminder that we were able to execute such a coordinated attack", Otto said with a smile.
"Yes, we finally took him down."
"What a stubborn Vile Demon!"
The others also chimed in in agreement.
"Everyone, be cautious. The battle has only just begun", Rayne said, his eyes narrowed as he stared ahead.
"What! He's still alive?"
The group quickly refocused their attention, and their faces turned to shock the next second.
Through the smoke and flames, they saw the Goblin General Enrick, who had been hit by five fire-element Dawn Strikes, in a terrible state. His distinctive double braids of beard were completely burned off, and his once nearly intact high-ranking Goblin military uniform was now completely destroyed. His body was red and still seemed to be scorched by the intense Blaze, but the black mist inside him continued to flow out, repairing his body.
In other words, as Rayne had warned, the enemy was not dead.
"Wasn't he supposed to be vulnerable to fire magic?"
"How is he still not dead?"
Before anyone could figure it out, Enrick turned his stiff neck and scanned the group with his pitch-black eyes, clearly furious.
"Mortals, you have wounded me!"
"Feel my wrath! Soldiers, obey my command and—"
"Smack!"
A giant claw, glowing with a silvery metallic sheen, suddenly descended from the sky, slamming Enrick into the ground and cutting off his words.
It was Dorick the Steel Dragon, who had struck from behind.
However, Enrick's words still had an effect, and several shadowy figures appeared around them—dozens of Mechanical Raptors.
Rayne quickly thought for a moment and ordered the two dragons to deal with these subordinates of Enrick.
Facing the mysterious Vile Demon, if Methys the Black Dragon or Dorick the Steel Dragon were to become infected, the situation would become complicated, and Rayne would risk losing one of his dragons.
Therefore, Rayne preferred to take out the enemy with long-range fire magic.
"What are you waiting for? Keep attacking!"
Swordsaint Tyrion roared, and with a quick step, he shot forward like an arrow, heading toward General Enrick.
"Wait, His Grace Tyrion."
Tyrion was pulled back by Rayne.
Suddenly, a Dark Silver Metal Disk shot out from behind Tyrion, slicing through the air and passing through the middle of Enrick's body as he stood up.
Instantly, Enrick's body stiffened!
A dark red line appeared on his forehead, running down his nose, mouth, neck, and continuing down the middle of his body to his hips.
Goblin General Enrick was split in two by Rayne's Dawn Strike, 'Fang Disc.'
"His Grace Rayne, you're amazing", Swordsaint Tyrion sighed in relief, praising him.
"Don't let your guard down. Everyone, prepare. Once the black mist forms, immediately use fire magic", Rayne said, his eyes narrowing and his expression more serious than before.
Seeing Rayne's expression, the group was momentarily at a loss.
Wasn't it over?
Suddenly, two clumps of black mist began to seep from the two halves of General Enrick's mutilated body. They quickly intertwined, forming a larger, violently churning black fog.
"Everyone, keep attacking!" Rayne immediately urged.
Seemingly aware of the impending lethal assault, the black mist formed more rapidly than it had during Rayne's previous encounter in the Prison.
However, the fire-element Dawn Wizards, forewarned by Rayne, finally reacted. Five fiery Dawn Strikes, one after another, bombarded the churning black fog.
"Screech!!!"
A piercing, agonized scream erupted from the black mist, accompanied by black, sharp claws that tried to break through the flames but were gradually melted away.
This scene sent shivers down the spines of most present!
The burning continued for a long time until a foul odor permeated the area. Rayne's expression finally relaxed. "It's over. We've killed it!"
"Phew~"
"Finally, it's dead!"
"Indeed, it wasn't easy."
Everyone heaved a sigh of relief.
Performing the Dawn Strike twice in succession had been a significant drain on the five fire-element Dawn Wizards. Sweat now beaded on their foreheads, and they had little energy left to cast another Dawn Strike.
Although they had won, Rayne's mood was not entirely light.
The opponent had been far more tenacious than the Ancient Minotaur in the Prison. It was clear that if the B3 Level was this challenging, the B4 Level and B5 Level would be even more so.
Moreover, who could be certain that the ancient goblin military camp on the B3 Level contained only one Mechanical Dread Dragon King? There might be other high-ranking goblin commanders on Enrick's level.
This meant that the upcoming exploration would involve a series of intense battles.
Of course, the most crucial point for Rayne was the choice of location for his advancement.
"It seems I need to delve deeper into the B3 Level. The Vile Demons there might pose a significant threat to a deity's incarnation", Rayne mused to himself.
As Rayne pondered, Helm approached with a conflicted and somewhat embarrassed look. "Lord Rayne, could you ask Lord Dorick to change his meal?"
Huh?
Rayne looked up and couldn't help but laugh.
Steel Dragon Dorick was feasting on the remains of the Mechanical Dread Dragon King, which explained Helm's conflicted expression. The Mechanical Dread Dragon King was the pinnacle of ancient goblin combat puppets and an excellent subject for research. With the help of blueprints, the Federation Mechanical Institute might soon be able to create a replica.
"Of course."
Rayne gestured to Dorick, who gave Rayne a somewhat resentful look before abandoning the remains of the Mechanical Dread Dragon King and turning to a nearby Mechanical Raptor.
"Lord Rayne, I'm truly sorry. The remains of the Mechanical Dread Dragon King are incredibly precious. Later, I'll arrange a rare metal feast for Lord Dorick", Helm said apologetically.
"Lord Helm, you're too kind", Rayne replied with a smile.
Helm was indeed considerate.
For Dorick, it wasn't the complex wiring that he enjoyed, but the rare metals within the remains of the Mechanical Dread Dragon King. Now, with Helm, the dean of the Federation Mechanical Institute, personally arranging a rare metal feast, it would be even better for Dorick.
"Go, bring ten kilograms of mithril and adamantine for Lord Dorick to try. See which he prefers, and then bring out the entire stock."
"Huh?"
The researcher looked hesitant. Some of these minerals were so rare that the entire Federation produced very little. Feeding them to this behemoth would be...
"Do as I say", Helm's face turned serious, and he waved his hand.
"Yes, sir", the researcher immediately complied.
Meanwhile, the Dawn Wizards began to whisper among themselves. After a while, they spoke to Swordsaint Tirion.
Soon, Tirion's brow furrowed, and he walked over with a grave expression. "Lord Rayne, should we return and discuss our next steps before exploring the next level?"
They had all truly experienced the power of the Vile Demon. Although they had ultimately defeated it, the shock of the battle lingered heavily in their minds.
Before this, they had never encountered such a formidable enemy!
Ordinary beasts, if their weaknesses were recorded in ancient texts or known in advance, could often be handled by a single person.
But now, facing the Vile Demon, the five of them had to use their ultimate techniques, like the Dawn Strike, repeatedly, nearly exhausting themselves, just to take down one Vile Demon.
And that didn't even count the time they spent conserving their strength while the Mechanical Dread Dragon King was being dealt with.
The psychological impact was immense.
"Really? Can the Federation gather more powerful allies?" Rayne asked with a hint of sarcasm.
"Hehe, Your Excellency Rayne, you jest. The five fire-element Dawn Wizards we have here are almost all the Federation could muster", Tyrion replied, somewhat awkwardly.
"Your Excellency Tyrion, if the Federation won't be gathering more allies, I suggest we continue our exploration after a brief rest", Rayne said after a moment of thought.
"Discussion won't make us any stronger, but as the Energy Tide intensifies, the Vile Demons in the Floating City Ruins will become more active. I'm sure you've all noticed this."
"In other words, the longer we delay, the more disadvantageous it becomes for us", Helm immediately understood.
He had originally planned to spend months repairing the Mechanical Dread Dragon King to use as an ally, but it seemed time was running out.
"Yes", Rayne nodded.
Rayne's words made the Federation's experts present think deeply.
Indeed.
The intensification of the Energy Tide was making the Vile Demons in the Floating City increasingly unstable.
"Also, we need to at least see what's happening below. Otherwise, without understanding the situation, what meaningful plans can we make?"
Rayne's words resonated with many.
"I agree with Your Excellency Rayne", Otto nodded.
"I agree too", Og also nodded in agreement.
Soon, they reached a consensus to explore the lower levels, with their initial target being the B3 Level, to gain a detailed understanding of the lower levels of the ruins.
Thus, the group entered the B1 Level directly through the fissure created by the Mechanical Tyrant Dragon, while on the surface, a group of elite soldiers, under a Deafening Spell, began to move the remains of the Mechanical Dread Dragon King.
When Rayne entered the B1 Level, he noticed that there were more goblin army combat machines, such as the Mechanical Scythe Claw Dragon and the Mechanical Scream Dragon.
Of course, these levels of combat machines posed no threat to Rayne and his companions, and were quickly defeated, serving as a small snack for Dorick the Steel Dragon.
"No second Mechanical Dread Dragon King found", Swordsaint Tyrion reported after a cautious search with the others.
"Alright, let's continue down."
As they entered the second level, they immediately noticed that the number of combat machines increased, and their strength was greater, with more powerful units like the Mechanical Tyrant Dragon appearing frequently.
"Hmm? They seem to be coming from the direction of the Prison?"
Rayne quickly noticed that the combat machines were not evenly distributed, and appeared to be concentrated in one direction.
"Could it be that the ground on the B2 Level was damaged during my battle?" Rayne couldn't help but wonder.
"Let's head in that direction and see."
Meanwhile, in the Dragon Empire, Tamriel.
At the entrance of Cologne Cathedral, sixteen silver-armored elite Paladins stood guard in two rows.
Suddenly, a young man in fine attire, his head lowered and his steps slightly stiff, approached them.
"Sir", the Paladin captain, noticing the man's noble attire, did not immediately drive him away but politely approached to inquire.
But the next moment, the captain's face turned pale, and his words froze mid-sentence.
What a face!
The man had once had a young and handsome face, but now, the skin on his face was deeply cracked, with black smoke seeping from each crack.
It was as if he were made of ceramic, with countless cracks, and then forcibly glued back together by some force.
What terrified the Paladin captain even more were the man's black-red eyes, which seemed to want to devour everything in sight, more brutal and ferocious than the most savage creatures he had ever encountered!
"Everyone, be—"
The Paladin captain was about to shout "be on alert" when a thick black smoke, like a python, wrapped around his body, and with a "crack", deformed his hard silver armor.
The Paladin captain died on the spot!
"Enemy attack!!!"
The remaining Paladins, realizing what was happening, shouted in horror.
"Thud! Thud!"
In the next instant, the remaining fifteen elite Paladins met the same fate as their captain, dying simultaneously.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
