Emerald Ridge Mountains, spanning the northern part of the Theo Kingdom, stretches 1,200 kilometers from east to west, with an average altitude of more than 4,000 meters.
It is not a simple Mountain Range, but a dangerous place composed of a series of interconnected dangerous peaks, deep valleys, cliffs, and dense forests. The entire Mountain Range is nearly 100 kilometers deep from north to south. It is surrounded by clouds and mists and has a strange climate. It has been a natural chasm that separates the north and the south since ancient times.
In the entire Emerald Ridge Mountains, there are only three natural passes that connect it from north to south.
Two of them were completely sealed by the Theo Kingdom hundreds of years ago with huge construction projects. Countless workers and alchemy machinery spent thirty years pouring billions of tons of rock and concrete into the depths of the pass, and then permanently solidified it with layers of magic Magic Array, eventually turning it into a deserted place that even birds could not cross.
The only pass left, and the most dangerous one, is "Noldon Pass".
It is a natural passage between the two main peaks Emerald Ridge Mountains, Sky Pillar and Endless Cliff, which are thousands of meters high. The narrowest point is only 120 meters. It is flanked by towering vertical cliffs. The rock mass is exposed and there is no grass. The bottom of the passage is not a flat road, but a steep slope that slopes upward. It is winding and rocky. The steepest point is close to 60 degrees. It is difficult for infantry to climb, let alone heavy equipment.
The terrain here is already severe, and Theo Kingdom has continued to carry out engineering transformation for hundreds of years.
They dug out steps and anti-slip grooves on the slope, embedded dense shooting holes and magic amplifiers in the rock walls on both sides, and built fortifications at the top. The attackers could only attack upward along the narrow steep slope. Above their heads were the Theo defenders' prepared arrow rain, rolling stones, hot oil and magic bombing.
And even if they pay a heavy price to reach the top, what awaits them is not an open space, but a majestic pass embedded in the mountain.
The original name of this level is no longer important.
Since Aura founded the country in the wilderness and the dragon flag flew to the north, Theo people have given it a new name full of realistic meaning.
Dragonbreaker Pass!
It is intended to cut off Dragon Kingdom's southward path and firmly block its ambitions to the north of the Emerald Ridge Mountains.
March 15, 344, at dusk.
The towering Sky Pillar and Endless Cliff were dyed dim golden red by the setting sun, and the protrusions on the rock wall reflected the last light of the sky.
Mountain Range Under the shadow, a long and silent team was winding along the mountain road at the northern foot.
This is the defeated army of Theo that retreated from Unbreakable Wall.
Most of the soldiers in the team have broken armor and dirty bandages. Many of them need to support each other to move. Their eyes are empty, and their faces are eroded by fatigue and fear. Only occasionally when they look towards the southern pass, a faint light will flash through their eyes.
The auras of several Legendary Realm powerful men enveloped the team, driving away any Aura scouts and magical prying eyes that might be following them.
It was precisely because of their protection that this army was able to retreat all the way here without encountering an annihilating pursuit.
"Open the gate--!"
Loud orders came down from the wall.
Dragonbreaker Pass The heavy two-meter-thick gate, which is made of a variety of magic metals, slowly rises upward amid the rumble of the alchemy machinery inside and the chanting of the spells by the mages. The bottom edge of the gate rubs against the stone groove on the ground, making a dull creaking sound, and the brightly lit passage inside the door is gradually revealed.
The defeated troops silently quickened their pace.
When they staggered through the doorway, the scene inside the pass made many people feel dazed for a moment.
Warm, dry air blew towards the face, carrying the aroma of hot soup and toasted bread; medical warlocks in white robes walked among the crowd, chanting healing prayers in a low voice, and a soft healing light lit up from time to time; the neatly lined up guard soldiers stared at them in silence, with no contempt in their eyes, only the same solemnity.
All of this, and the Northern Frontier plain behind him, shrouded in war and death, seemed like a world away.
The command podium at the highest point of the pass is a stone platform carved out of the rock mass of the main peak and suspended ten meters outside.
[Unyielding Shield]Whitan Yat stood with his hands behind his hands, looking down at the defeated army that was pouring in like a swarm of ants.
This Legendary Warrior is over four meters tall and towering like a mountain.
He is not a Giant hybrid. He was born with such a strange appearance. His whole body is covered with gray-white heavy plate armor. There are no gorgeous patterns on the surface of the armor. There are only Defense Rune lines that penetrate deeply into the metal, flowing with an obscure glimmer in the twilight.
His face is square and firm, his jawline is as sharp as an axe, and his pair of dark gray eyes are as calm as an ancient well, showing little emotion.
Until a familiar figure stepped onto the podium with the support of the adjutant.
Rodrigo·Crown's shirt was stained with dust and dried blood, his left arm was fixed with a splint, and his face was pale after magic treatment. Only his eyes remained sharp and awake.
The two "shields" of Theo looked at each other.
After a moment of silence, Whitan Yat spoke first, with a deep and deep voice. "What's the loss?"
Rodrigo walked to the edge of the platform, holding on to the cold rock railing, and looked at the soldiers gradually gathering inside the pass.
His voice was hoarse due to exhaustion, and he said, "The frontline legion suffered more than 120,000 casualties, of which about 80,000 were confirmed dead, more than 40,000 were seriously injured and lost combat power, about 30,000 were captured, and the missing... are countless."
He paused and continued, "As for the Legendary Realm, Balna was captured by War Warlord of the Aura Kingdom. Aiweim was slightly injured. Hawthorne failed to attack the royal city. Sky-Eye Satellite... has been taken away by Red Emperor."
"Red Emperor..."
Whitan Yat repeated this title that has caused heart palpitations recently.
The Dragon Emperor of Aura, who personally led the expedition, is now depicted in Romanian States as a conqueror wrapped in flames and steel.
He didn't make any further comments on the performance, he just stretched out his huge rock-like palm and gently patted Rodrigo on the shoulder.
Although it was a light pat, it made the latter shake slightly.
"Thank you for your hard work, little Rod." Whitan Yat's voice softened a little, "Next, I will fight side by side with you. This barrier is our common shield."
The full name of Whitan Yat is Whitan Yat·Crown.
Like Rodrigo, he comes from the most prominent military family of the Theo Kingdom, Crown family, and has similar blood flowing in his body.
If calculated strictly according to the genealogical generation, Whitan Yat is the uncle of Rodrigo.
Rodrigo nodded, his eyes still on the pass.
He saw the exhausted warriors gradually sitting around the fire after receiving food and treatment. They were wrapped in blankets, drinking hot soup, and their empty eyes gradually gained a little life.
It was not a renewed fighting spirit, but something more primitive and stubborn.
An irreversible desire to survive.
"A defeated army often has two endings."
Rodrigo said slowly, "A collapse of thousands of miles, the whole country will fall apart; or... a sad army will win, Desperate Counterattack."
His voice was very low, as if he was talking to Whitan Yat, or he was speaking to himself.
Whitan Yat followed his gaze, and after a moment, nodded slowly.
Yes, a group of mourning soldiers.
Satellite Heavenly Eye was lost, the border defense line that had been in operation for many years was lost, many comrades who fought side by side were lost, and even the dignity of a soldier was severely worn in the defeat.
They have nothing left, only the home they need to protect behind them and this majestic gate in front of them.
And such an army, if it can be controlled well, can sometimes be more terrifying than elites with high morale.
Because they were already standing on the edge of a cliff, any retreat would be a fall. They could only go forward, not backward.
As long as we give them a glimmer of hope so that the tight string does not break, the defense line formed by these soldiers will be more stubborn than imagined, and the prepared military formation will be more effective than usual.
"The command here is given to you."
Whitan Yat turned to Rodrigo and said in a deep voice, "You are good at commanding an army and grasping its morale."
"With Noldon Pass's natural protection, Dragonbreaker Pass's fortifications, and my domain... this place will become a bone that Aura cannot break."
"We will break their dragon teeth here and nail their protruding claws to the mountain front."
Hearing this, Rodrigo took a breath and looked up at his burly uncle, feeling a slight sense of relief.
Theo's Shield and Unyielding Shield are the most famous "Twin Shields" of Crown family.
Unlike Rodrigo, who is good at command and dispatch and famous for his legionary combat, Whitan Yat's reputation is entirely based on his incredible personal defense capabilities.
Under normal circumstances, promotion to the Legendary Realm will not change a person's racial characteristics.
But Whitan Yat is an exception.
He is a pure-blood human, but he was born with a physique like Giant.
When he was only eight years old, his height was already higher than that of an ordinary adult. He could tear apart tigers and leopards alive. His strength far surpassed that of ordinary people, and he continued to grow. When he became an adult, he would reach a height of four meters.
His number of bones is five times that of ordinary people, and the density and toughness of his skin and muscles are not within the human range.
People once called him a giant dragon in human skin, a giant monster in human form, etc., and they were respected and feared.
In order to fully utilize his talent, Whitan Yat embarked on a dual path.
He also practiced Life-Flow Path of Monk to strengthen his life toughness and recovery ability; at the same time, he went deep into Watchman Path of Paladin to master the oath of guardianship and the power of guardianship.
He put in unimaginable efforts to push both paths to the Legendary Realm level.
Fate-Flow level 23, watch level 24.
Although neither of them has broken through the threshold of level 25, the superimposed effect brought by the dual Legendary Realm paths has allowed him to reach a level of defense and lasting combat power that no one can match with the Theo Kingdom.
During the First Civil War period, Unyielding Shield fought against the siege of many Legendary Realms one by one without wavering. There was even a Advanced Legendary Realm among them. In the end, at the cost of serious injuries, he was dragged to the reinforcements. He quickly recovered and returned to the battlefield not long afterward.
It is worth mentioning that.
Advanced Legendary Realm, refers to the Legendary Realm above level 25.
Although Red Emperor of Aura is not up to the standard, he has already been treated as a powerful Advanced Legendary Realm.
No one dares to underestimate this giant dragon.
Legendary Realm above level 30 is called Crown-Rank Legendary, which means that Legendary Realm has reached the level of an ordinary king. Power itself is its crown.
Legendary Realm who is above level 35 is respected as Destiny Rank Legendary!
It means that an idea like Destiny Rank can change the situation in a single thought.
If Deity comes to Material Plane, unless they dare to ignore the risks and come in their true form, those clones, incarnations and the like may not necessarily be Destiny Rank Legendary's opponent.
Lothern Saint-King is Destiny Rank Legendary.
Apart from him, Legendary Realm of Romanian States, the strongest person in history is only Crown Rank, and no Destiny Rank exists.
Theo There is no strong Crown Rank in history. In modern times, the one with the highest apparent level is Percival.
If "Fang of the Mountains"Percival is Theo's sharpest spear, then "Unyielding Shield" Whitan Yat is Theo's strongest shield.
Unlike Rodrigo who rushed to the front line of Northern Frontier early, Whitan Yat had been guarding the western frontier of the kingdom.
His mission was to guard against possible raids by the Goblin Kingdom [Matena]. He never participated in the early battles against Aura, nor did he guard Unbreakable Wall, after all, Theo Kingdom's territory is unstable in all directions, and it is impossible to concentrate all its efforts on one place like Aura, who has solved the problem of the ice sheet long ago and only relies on Coldwater Ocean.
It wasn't until Aura's cavalry broke through the border and the front line was in emergency, while Goblin Kingdom in the west was fighting Dwarf Kingdom [Cambrook] and had no time to go east, that the royal family finally transferred Whitan Yat to Noldon Pass.
"If I had been present when Unbreakable Wall was attacked, the situation might have been different."
Whitan Yat looked towards the direction of the royal capital, with a hint of dissatisfaction in his voice.
"These are not peaceful times. The life and death of soldiers on the front line depend on one shot, but our king is still busy checking and balancing his ministers and guarding his family, even at the expense of the safety of the front line... He is really short-sighted, narrow-minded, and un-monarchy."
Whitan Yat is an outspoken critic of the king.
In fact, the threat level of the Goblin Kingdom is not high. There is only a small friction in Western Xinjiang, and there is no decent war at all. As early as the Aura border friction escalated, Whitan Yat took the initiative to request Ying to go to Northern Frontier to assist Rodrigo in consolidating the defense line. However, the request was rejected by the king on the grounds that "Western Xinjiang also needs a new general to take charge."
The reasons are high-sounding, but the essence is self-evident.
The royal family does not want to see the two "shields" of Crown family merged into one place, forming a military center of gravity that is difficult to check and balance.
In recent years, due to frequent border wars, Crown family, who holds real power, has gained increasing prestige in the military.
The name "Twin Shields" is known to everyone in Theo, and many soldiers trust them even more than their loyalty to the royal family and the king.
And it has always been a taboo in the kingdom to be a master of great achievements.
To this end, the contemporary king Theo used many methods.
After First Civil War ended, Twin Shields was immediately transferred to the two farthest defense lines; important members of Crown family were promoted and secretly promoted to various places; secretly supporting other generals in an attempt to balance Crown's influence...
Whitan Yat has long been dissatisfied with this.
Aura That Red Iron Dragon Emperor took the lead and led the army in person. Just by showing up, he boosted the morale of the entire army and penetrated the border defense line. On the other hand, the king of Theo is sitting in command. In the deep palace, in order to consolidate their power, nearly one-third of the powerful Legendary Realm were allowed to stay in the royal capital. As a result, Legendary Realm on the front line lacked strength and were penetrated by Aura with one blow.
When talking about this matter, Rodrigo also frowned deeply.
But in the end, he didn't answer. He just shook his head and brought the topic back to reality.
"It is an indisputable fact that the front line has been breached. The most important thing is to hold on to it now. I will first familiarize myself with the defense layout."
Whitan Yat said no more and turned to face the vast mountains outside the pass.
He knelt down on one knee, placed his giant hand on the cold stone surface of the podium, and slowly rang out a low and firm oath.
"Take my blood as a contract and my soul as an alliance."
"My body coexists with this place, and my life coexists with this place."
"Mountains and rocks are bones, and barriers are skin. The enemy will never retreat, and life and death will never leave."
As the oath was completed, Whitan Yat's body faintly resonated with the pass under his feet. The runes on the gray and white heavy armor lit up one by one, gradually synchronizing with the energy fluctuations of Magic Array's defense throughout the pass.
He deeply integrated his life and domain with Noldon Pass's defense system.
When one is prosperous, both are prosperous; when one is lost, both are harmed.
The defense of the pass will be strengthened by his presence, and he will also gain nearly infinite protective power from this land.
This is one of the powerful skills possessed by the Legendary Realm level Watchman Paladin.
On the other side, after a short rest, Rodrigo held a defense meeting at the pass command post. Participants included the original defenders of the pass, officers in the defeated army who still had command capabilities, and representatives of the mage group accompanying the army.
Without lengthy nonsense, Rodrigo directly issued a series of instructions.
"First, all retreating troops rest for three days. After three days, they will participate in the defense rotation according to the reorganized sequence. Medical resources will give priority to the seriously injured, and the lightly injured will use magic and medicine to speed up their recovery."
"Second, all defense facilities in the pass, including heavy turrets, magic amplifiers, and flamethrowers, will be comprehensively inspected and recharged. The ammunition, oil, and magic crystals in reserve will be inventoried and the consumption and inventory will be reported daily."
"Third, the three main mage towers have entered a wartime state. The detection range has been expanded to seventy kilometers north of the pass. Focus on monitoring the movements of the Aura Legion and high-altitude magic fluctuations. Don't ignore the underground. Send out all available reconnaissance magic eyes. I want to know the specific time when the main force of Aura arrives at the foot of the mountain."
"Fourth," he paused slightly and glanced at everyone, "Contact the royal capital immediately and report the current status of the front line and the Dragonbreaker Pass defense plan. We need more reinforcements - not only materials and soldiers, but more importantly, Legendary Realm strong men, at least two."
Hearing the last sentence, the adjutant beside him looked embarrassed.
The adjutant whispered, "Commander, Legendary Realm over at the royal capital... I'm afraid he won't listen easily. Your Majesty, he..."
Rodrigo's eyes were slightly cold, and he interrupted the adjutant's words, raising his voice a little higher to ensure that everyone in the command post could hear clearly, "Tell the royal capital that I, Rodrigo Crown, will not command a war that is destined to fail."
"Noldon Pass is a natural hazard, but it is not insurmountable."
"If Aura Emperor comes in person and cooperates with his subordinate Legendary Realm and the dragon, this place will be destroyed."
"If Legendary Realm from the royal capital cannot come, then let the royal capital immediately ask for help from the allies, especially Cambrook and Ribos. They do not want to see Aura break through the Emerald Ridge Mountains and threaten the entire south wing of Romanian Plains."
"Otherwise, if Noldon Pass falls due to lack of strength, the war will no longer be limited to the borders, and Aura Legion will march straight into the heart of the kingdom."
"If there is no possibility of victory, then instead of letting countless warriors die meaninglessly and be buried in the mountains, it is better to abandon this place directly. By then, it will be up to them to weigh whether the Legendary Realms who stay in the royal capital can still sit in the tower."
This is almost a naked threat.
The adjutant's face turned pale, he hesitated for a few seconds, and finally nodded heavily, turned around and walked away quickly.
After the meeting, Rodrigo stayed alone in the command post.
He slumped down in the hardwood chair, looking up at the stone ceiling, the fatigue between his brows no longer concealed.
Outside the window came the orders of the soldiers in the pass and the hammering of craftsmen repairing equipment. These sounds were intertwined, but made the room seem even quieter.
"Aura, Theo...Two-Ao War."
He murmured in a low voice, a complicated and unspeakable feeling welling up in his heart.
Frankly speaking, he was intimidated by the high degree of cohesion displayed by the Aura Kingdom, and at the same time he felt a little bit of unspeakable envy.
That Red Iron Dragon Emperor was able to lead a military expedition in person, break into battle in person, and all his generals and soldiers were willing to die for him.
The entire Dragon Kingdom, under the unified will of Red Emperor, operates extremely efficiently.
Looking back at Theo, there are internal factions, the royal power and the generals are suspicious of each other, and resource allocation is hampered at every turn... If we can unite as one and use the kingdom's heritage and accumulation to deal with the emerging Aura, why is it so embarrassing?
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as reality.
Now it is they, Theo, who have been penetrated through the front line and retreated to the natural danger.
At the same time, Aura Kingdom, High Mountain Dragon Court.
Red Iron Dragon Emperor of Aura is standing in the palace with calm eyes, studying the image in the magic projection in front of him.
Those are four Dragon Egg.
Their shells exhibit highly similar features.
The main color is dark red, with steel-like cold black textures scattered on the surface, interspersed with some silvery white and bronze patches and stripes.
This multi-colored shell means that both parents have multiple bloodlines.
Although his life breath cannot be sensed through the projection, Garos knows that there is his direct descendant who is slowly taking shape.
Under each eggshell is a new life that will be connected to his bloodline, and is also the cornerstone of Aura Dragonkind's future.
"My dear Garos, your feat of reaching the stars even reached Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm. It's a pity that I couldn't see that scene with my own eyes."
A light and laughing voice came from the projection.
Red-Silver Dragon walked closer, her slender neck bent gracefully. She picked up two Dragon Egg and played with them slowly in her paws, her eyes flashing with narrowness and pride. "Take Satellite and descend from the sky... Tsk, tsk, you are indeed the dragon I fancy, majestic, and now I am sure that other female dragons will like it even more."
Hearing this, Garos turned his head, a trace of doubt flashing across his eyes.
"This incident happened only half a month ago, and the news has already reached Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm?"
He knew that his story of capturing Satellite was spreading rapidly in Romanian Plains, and was becoming more and more exaggerated and bizarre. Some people even said, "Red Emperor took a stone and smashed Satellite down in space."
However, Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm is far away in the sea, separated from the plains by thousands of mountains and rivers, so the information transmission should not be so fast.
"Oh, Alberto said it when he was summoned to his father."
Red-Silver Dragon said, "Alberto said that he and Aura Emperor fought side by side, advancing and retreating together, killing indiscriminately on the battlefield, the emperor reaching for stars, and he also guarding order and winning glory."
Garos:
He snorted in a low voice, not sure whether it was helplessness or amusement, and then shook his head slightly, without actually exposing Alberto's lies, and simply said, "Well, he played a lot of roles."
In the previous war, Gold Dragon Alberto was the only Metal Dragon that directly participated in the war.
He ignored Metal Dragon's rules and regulations, and even without Garos's orders, he said that Theo Kingdom intended to expand Abyssal Rift, and that it was his duty to guard order and fight against the evil country, and then volunteered to join the war.
His sister, Gold Dragon Nasha, is stationed in the royal city. Although she did not directly participate in the war, she is also a heavy insurance.
For example, if Amethyst Dragon Iseramathus completely abided by the principle of neutrality and ignored the royal city, the enemy Legendary Realm would have to consider the consequences of taking action against a Gold Dragon. If Nasha encountered danger, he would directly call Old Gold Dragon who was far away from the Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm.
Garos turned his attention back to Dragon Egg in the projection.
After a moment of silence, he slowly said, "Normally, Dragon Egg takes one year to gestate and two years to hatch."
"My heir may be born special. It takes three years to gestate, or it may take five or six years to break out of the shell. But before that, I will let the dust of this war settle."