Translator: AnubisTL
White Dragon Treacy returned to Dragon Valley after Samantha.
She hadn't encountered any unexpected incidents, but during her raid on the Bloodhoof Clan's stronghold, she noticed something different.
"The Bloodhoof Clan's defenses at the Obsidian Mine have weakened."
Treacy folded her wings and landed, reporting to Garos, who was by the lake. "This time, they not only failed to send reinforcements but also withdrew the stronghold's boss and elite warriors, leaving only a few useless guards behind."
The motion of Garos sharpening his tail paused slightly.
He stopped, dipping his scorching tail into the lake.
Hiss— A quenching sound filled the air as steam billowed and dense bubbles rose from the water.
The red-iron dragon crouched low, his hind legs bent, his tail swaying gently in the water, his eyes reflecting deep thought.
Among the Bloodhoof Clan's strongholds, the Obsidian Mine and the Armored Rhino Ranch stood out for their powerful bosses, including shamans, sorcerers, and high-level warriors.
The white and red dragons' repeated raids had caused considerable chaos at these strongholds, killing many guards.
However, the powerful bosses suffered few casualties.
In recent days, when a stronghold was attacked, other guards would reinforce it, coordinating with the bosses to defend against dragonkind assaults. But according to the white dragon, the situation had changed.
Guards no longer reinforced the strongholds.
Bosses were being withdrawn.
"The Bloodhoof Clan is abandoning their strongholds."
"They're scared and want to retreat."
The red dragon, who was eating, raised her head and asked excitedly, "Can we take over their strongholds now? They're full of wealth and resources!"
Garos glanced at her.
After their chance encounter with the hybrid dragon Deborah and solving the puzzles through clever means, Samantha's intelligence had regressed to its usual low level.
The siblings Solgorn and Samantha each had their own quirks.
The iron dragon typically displayed higher intelligence, but when the situation favored him, his primal instincts risked clouding his judgment. The red dragon usually seemed foolish, but when faced with trouble, she would actually think things through and show quick wit.
"Samantha, if you were choosing to retreat, would you leave behind anything you couldn't carry?" Garos asked.
"I'd burn it all to the ground," Samantha snarled instinctively, baring her fangs. Then, after a moment's pause, her expression shifted to one of realization.
"The Bloodhoof Clan isn't planning to retreat," Garos declared. "They're gathering their scattered forces from various strongholds, clenching them into a fist, preparing for a decisive strike."
His voice paused, and the red-iron dragon's gaze turned icy. He lowered his voice, adding grimly, "The final battle is imminent. The Bloodhoof Clan can't hold back any longer."
The minotaurs, in their arrogance, had chosen to feign weakness.
But the reckless, arrogant assault they'd anticipated from the dragons never materialized. Instead, the dragons advanced steadily, step by step, forcing the minotaurs to exhaust themselves shuttling between their strongholds.
These relentless attacks had severely weakened the minotaurs.
The white dragon Treacy suggested, "In that case, we should cease attacking their strongholds and summon our familiars to Dragon Valley for a direct confrontation with the Bloodhoof Clan."
Garos shook his head, then turned to Red Dragon Samantha.
He grinned, revealing his sharp teeth. "Samantha's idea is excellent. We should continue our attacks and seize the Bloodhoof Clan's strongholds."
The red dragon raised its head, still gnawing on a bone with meat clinging to it, and tilted its head.
"I truly am the wisest red dragon who has ever lived."
Having earned Garos's approval, Red Dragon Samantha felt a surge of excitement, her scalp tingling as if another brain was about to sprout.
"Why? This contradicts your earlier stance," White Dragon Treacy asked, puzzled.
The red-iron dragon withdrew its tail from the lake, flicking off the water droplets.
"Over the years, through my interactions with various creatures, I've come to a profound realization—"
He chuckled. "—intelligent creatures are often trapped by their own perceptions."
Dragons are inherently arrogant and self-assured.
But aren't humans and other creatures the same?
Their expressions merely differ.
They stubbornly believe dragons are arrogant and savage, with many failing to distinguish between dragons and common monsters.
Stereotypes, ingrained beliefs, and biased judgments—
They are everywhere.
"The Bloodhoof Clan's reaction proves it. They see us as arrogant and foolish."
"If that's the case, let's give them what they want," Garos said.
"They'll feign weakness to deceive us," he continued. "We can use arrogance and foolishness as our own disguise to mislead them."
With the dual bloodlines of red and iron dragons, Garos was not only an exceptional fighter but also possessed an innate strategic acumen. However, like most red dragons, he preferred focusing on honing his strength and rarely bothered with complex planning.
Yet when Garos concentrated his spirit and truly applied himself to strategic thinking, his insights often surpassed even those of the Iron Dragon Solgorn in comprehensiveness.
Reason guiding power.
This realization had struck Garos during his battle with the serpent dragon, and it had become his guiding principle.
Though he grew steadily stronger and his dragon nature intensified, he remained determined to maintain his composure and rationality.
After the red-iron dragon finished speaking, Samantha nodded in deep agreement.
"Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking too, Garos. You've articulated my thoughts perfectly."
She chimed in earnestly, her voice filled with conviction.
Garos remained silent, then began sharpening his dragon wings.
The edges of his wing bones were already naturally hard and sharp, capable of slicing through flesh and bone. But that wasn't enough. Garos focused on honing the wingtips, aiming to transform his wings into weapons that could not only slash but also pierce like lances.
These wings, Garos intended to forge into his ultimate instruments of destruction.
The next day, the red and white dragons attacked the Bloodhoof Clan's two largest strongholds. It wasn't just an attack; they slaughtered all the remaining guards, took up residence, and formally claimed the territories.
News of this swiftly reached the Bloodhoof Clan's main camp.
In the council hall, the oppressive atmosphere that had hung heavy for days finally began to lift, and the minotaurs' breathing eased.
"Their caution exceeded our expectations, but they couldn't restrain themselves in the end. They thought we had retreated."
"They want our strongholds? Let them have them."
"We'll reclaim everything we've lost immediately! With interest, plus the dragons' flesh and souls."
The minotaurs in the hall were visibly excited, each fully armed and ready for battle.
They were certain the strongest red-iron dragon resided in Dragon Valley. Their plan was to launch a full-scale assault on Dragon Valley while the weaker white dragon and red dragon were dispersed, first eliminating the red-iron dragon and then turning their attention to the white dragon and red dragon.
The Obsidian Mine and Armored Rhino Ranch were considerable distances from Dragon Valley.
Even accounting for the dragons' flight speed, it would take them some time to reach the strongholds and provide support after receiving distress calls, not counting their familiars.
During this crucial window, the Bloodhoof Clan would seize Dragon Valley.
At that moment, the old minotaur with rare white mane looked at Baal and said in a low voice, "The sacrificial ritual is prepared. We're just waiting for the sacrifice to be in place."
Among the minotaur race, those born with white manes are considered symbols of wisdom.
This belief holds true in practice. White-maned minotaurs often serve as shamans or sorcerers. The speaking minotaur was the highest-ranking shaman of the Bloodhoof Clan, second only to Baal in authority.
Under the watchful eyes of the assembled minotaurs, Baal rose to his feet. His deep, resonant voice boomed like thunder: "All bosses of the Bloodhoof Clan, follow me to war!"
"As always, we will crush all who stand in our way! Let the enemy's blood soak our hoofprints, and pave our path to glory with their bones!"
The response was a deafening roar. The minotaurs pounded their chests, their war cries sweeping across the territory like a tidal wave.
Leaving a garrison behind to defend the settlement, Chieftain Baal led the Bloodhoof Clan's bosses and elite combat units—armored rhinoceros knights, mammoth riders, and other elite forces—in a massive march toward Dragon Valley.
With the concealment and enhancement magic of shamans and sorcerers, they moved swiftly and quietly, gradually closing in on Dragon Valley.
(End of the Chapter)
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