The horns blew a long, resonant call.

Except for the Black Stone Knight Order, which had to remain stationed at the northeastern border of the Jade Swamp, every main military unit in the territory was mobilized.

The heavy footsteps of the Mammoth Giant Beasts sent tremors through the earth. Earth Dragons pawed restlessly at the ground as their Knights gripped the reins tightly, soothing their agitated mounts.

In the sky above, a vast formation of Griffin Knights and Pegasus Knights blotted out the morning sun. The wind from their beating wings converged into an unseen torrent.

Raylo’s objective was clear: the Black King. Now that the conflict with the overlord of the Black Stone Mountain Range had begun, he would use the swiftest sword and the most ruthless means to sever the claws it extended toward him.

By the time the grand army reached the Northern Border, a black tide of Demons had already spilled forth from the mountain pass.

Jackal-Wolf Folk, Kobolds, Ogres...

Countless twisted figures merged into a nauseating ocean, squirming slowly but surely toward the heartland of Black Stone Territory.

"My Lord, the terrain here..."

Ed came to Raylo’s side, his brow deeply furrowed.

The terrain at the edge of the Black Stone Mountain Range was rugged and complex, a mess of jagged rocks and crisscrossing ravines.

In terrain like this, the devastating charge that human cavalry prided itself on would be severely weakened. It was, instead, the natural home ground for Demons accustomed to mountain warfare.

Raylo didn’t even spare the battlefield a glance. His eyes swept over the plains in the distance.

"Relay my order. The entire army is to fall back ten kilometers and form up on the open ground."

"Yes, sir!"

The order was quickly relayed, and the disciplined formation began an orderly withdrawal.

The maneuver caused a stir among the Demon host that had just poured out of the mountains. They clearly hadn’t expected their enemy to retreat voluntarily.

After a brief hesitation, an even greater roar erupted from the Demon ranks. The black tide surged from the valley at an accelerated pace, giving chase to Raylo’s army.

As the aggressor, it was impossible for the Black Dragon to simply cower within the Black Mountain Range.

Ten kilometers away, the land opened into a wide, flat plain.

Black Stone Territory’s army halted its retreat here, swiftly and efficiently deploying into formation.

Fifteen Hill Giants stood like a mountain range at the very front of the army.

Behind them, forty Mammoth Knights and twenty Earth Dragon Knights formed a heavy ground assault group, like an insurmountable bulwark.

Farther back were the ranks of the Pegasus Knight Order, the largest contingent in the army. Their Long Spears glinted coldly in the sunlight, ready to take to the skies at any moment and deliver a fatal blow from any angle.

Raylo was mounted at the front of his army. His Storm Griffin King, Baofeng, grew restless, its tawny Iron Feathers rustling slightly.

The black tide finally came.

It rolled in from the distance, bringing with it a suffocating stench and a cacophony of roars, a disorderly mass that filled the entire horizon.

At the same time, the sky darkened.

A black cloud composed of thousands of Fire Demon Crows bore down on them, letting out harsh, ear-piercing caws.

In the center of this black cloud, the Black Dragon glided slowly.

Its entire body was covered in a suit of Ink-Colored Metal Dragon Armor. The Armor was crudely forged but boldly designed, its shape savage and terrifying.

It was flanked by dozens of Bat Dragons and Wind Blade Griffins, forming an elite aerial escort.

The Black King. It had come in person.

"Sun."

Raylo merely murmured the name.

A golden beam of light shot toward the heavens, instantly piercing the dark cloud of Fire Demon Crows.

Sun’s hundred-meter-long body unfurled in the air. Its resplendent golden Dragon Scales seemed to have condensed true sunlight, creating a stark contrast with the deep darkness in the sky.

It held its head high, its golden eyes like two molten stars, facing off against the distant Black King.

The clash of Dragon Mighty made the very air grow hot.

"ROAR!"

The Hill Giant, Kado, standing at the front of the formation, pounded his chest and let out a deafening roar at the surging Demon horde.

The roar was filled with primal provocation and contempt. The sound waves rippled outward as if tangible. Its Domain Level pressure threw the Jackal-Wolf Folk and Kobolds at the vanguard into disarray. Fear overwhelmed their bloodthirsty instincts, and their advance ground to a halt.

Raylo’s gaze traveled over the black ocean of monsters to meet the eyes of the Black King high above.

’With my current Power,’ he thought, ’with my two Domain Level combatants, Sun and Kado, plus the Divine Weapon Broken Flow, the Soul Horn, and my Giant Puppets, it wouldn’t be impossible to kill this Black Dragon, even in the midst of its own army.’

But his thoughts drifted to the far-off Jade Swamp.

’According to our intelligence, an ancient Nine-headed Demon Serpent slumbers in the depths of the swamp. That creature is the most lethal threat not only to Black Stone Territory, but to all the surrounding powers.’

’If that monster were to awaken, its power might even break through the limits of Tier Six Celestial Calamity and reach the legendary Tier Seven World Destruction Level, a power capable of annihilating civilizations.’

’Compared to that, this greedy Black Dragon, the Black King, almost seemed like a lesser evil.’ 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Raylo’s thoughts grew complex.

’Leaving this Black Dragon alive could make it a potential ally against the Nine-headed Demon Serpent in the future.’

’Even if an alliance isn’t possible, a powerful neighbor would effectively divide the pressure from the Jade Swamp, preventing the Nine-headed Demon Serpent from focusing all of its attention on Black Stone Territory.’

’So, the goal of this battle isn’t to take its life.’

’It’s to use the sharpest sword, the heaviest axe, to sever—once and for all—the ambition and the claws it’s extending toward Black Stone Territory. To make it hurt down to its very bones.’

’To make it understand that Black Stone Territory is one bone it can never chew.’

Raylo slowly raised his hand and drew the Long Sword at his hip.