Turning the Offensive

Time sped by.

In truth, Caesar had guessed one thing wrong. Roy had never considered splitting off troops to deploy behind the cavalry. He had already judged that a force of thirty knights and one Archmage was strong enough; so long as nothing went wrong on their end, dealing with the orcs' ambush would be as easy as turning over his hand. Even if the black dragon returned to attack from both sides, they could still withdraw safely.

So Roy chose to launch a direct raid on the black dragon's lair.

He had made up his mind to win back a round. Given the current situation, splitting his forces was the best choice he could think of. The ideal outcome now was for both fronts to blossom: the cavalry would defeat the ambushing orcs, while he led his men to wipe out the black dragon's reserve forces.

The old, weak, women, and children among the orcs could more or less be counted as a threat as well. In this kind of mobile warfare, one had to fortify each step and calculate every detail. He intended to clip away the enemy's wings as thoroughly as possible.

Besides, the black dragon's lair could not possibly be far from the Stone Crow Clan.

That dragon appeared to be at least an adult. A black dragon so sinister and vicious would possess wealth that, even if it could not be called rich enough to rival a nation, was far greater than that of other dragons of the same age.

With that money, he could completely recoup his previous losses.

Roy's wishful calculations crackled away in his mind, but when he truly arrived at the Stone Crow Clan's settlement, he could not help flying into a towering rage.

The once-prosperous Stone Crow Clan was now a scene of utter devastation, as though it had already been stripped clean. Aside from discarded stone tools and tattered banners still fluttering in the wind, there was nothing in sight.

Clearly, the orcs had migrated away and abandoned this place.

"Damn it!"

No matter how well-bred Roy was, his face turned livid at this moment, and he could not stop himself from cursing aloud.

His trusted subordinate looked around. After confirming there was no ambush nearby, he picked up a chipped stone bowl from the pile of discarded tools not far away, pinched its rim between thumb and forefinger, and lightly wiped it.

"My lord."

Looking at the dust on his hand, the subordinate said quietly, "They have not been gone long. They only left recently."

"That bastard."

Roy clenched his fists, gritting his teeth as he forced out each word through them. "It calculated all of this long ago. It had already foreseen this step."

The orcs would never migrate for no reason. There was one and only one possibility: they had received the black dragon's orders and knew it would be dangerous to remain here, so they had left ahead of time.

He had rushed here full of confidence, only to find this sight. Roy was so furious he nearly spat blood. In twenty-four years of life, he had always been the one humiliating others. Now, for the first time, he felt the pain of being crushed in intellect.

That bizarre-looking black dragon possessed a mind even more meticulous than his own.

"My lord, do we... still need to search for the black dragon's lair?"

Seeing Roy's expression worsen, his subordinate asked cautiously after choosing his words.

"No."

Roy answered stiffly, his face dark. "Those dragons who value wealth as much as their lives have always put their treasure first. Since even the orcs have left, its riches must have been moved long ago."

The subordinate acknowledged the order and stepped back.

"However..."

He pondered beneath the sunlight for a while, then changed his mind and gave the order. "Leave ten men here. Even if this place has become ruins, keep a close watch on it for me. Something unusual may appear. The moment you discover anything, report it immediately."

"Understood," the soldiers answered in unison.

For some reason, that uneasy premonition surged up in his heart again beneath the blazing sun. Roy froze, then swung himself onto his horse. "I know you are tired, but now is not the time to rest. Return with me, quickly!"

In the end, Roy led the bulk of his troops away from the place, returning empty-handed.

On the other side of the Wilds, the orcs had silently crept to the battlefield where the black dragon had clashed with the army.

"This is as far as we can sneak. There are human soldiers patrolling ahead."

Luna hovered before the group of orcs, flapping her wings. Her little face was flushed red, and the hair on her forehead was stuck together with sweat, making her look rather bedraggled. Clearly, she had pushed herself to the limit on the way here and was exhausted.

"There are still at least several hundred meters between us."

Gar, the orc commander, raised a hand before his eyes and gestured twice, then stared at the humans patrolling in the distance. "These little ones are formidable. Their defenses are tight, and there are very few gaps in their patrols. Slipping in is almost impossible."

"We have to hurry. Caesar said the enemy could return at any moment. We must act immediately."

Little Luna urged them on, anxiously darting up and down through the air. "He has to hold back that cavalry unit and may be in danger. The human Archmage is very powerful."

"If that is the case, then we can only charge through."

Gar tightened his grip on his iron warhammer and slowly crouched.

Just as the nearly two-meter-tall, powerfully built orc was about to rush forward, the old shaman in robes stopped him. "Do not rush. Let me."

The old shaman Sifu motioned for Gar to remain calm, then smiled kindly at the Forest Fairy. "Little one, it seems Caesar needs your help. Your task here is complete. Leave the rest to the orcs."

"Alright!"

This was no time for politeness. Hearing that, Luna answered and immediately turned to leave, beating her wings as she flew back.

At the same time, Sifu gently raised the bone staff he had kept at his side. That staff, covered in cracks as though it might shatter the next moment, finally began to show its true purpose. Ripples of magical radiance spread outward.

Shadow Following.

The reason spellcasters held such lofty status in Eladia was their unfathomable abilities. They could accomplish feats ordinary creatures could scarcely imagine, and were used as strategic weapons.

Just like now.

Under the wondrous effect of Sifu's magic, every orc present began to fade. Even their breaths gradually merged with the air as they entered a state of invisibility.

Even the clanging sounds made by the armor on their bodies were completely concealed by the magic.

"Go, children. Remember your objective." Sifu pointed his staff forward.

The air beside him began to move, wind whistling as it swept past his ears. Clearly, the orc warriors had begun their operation.

They remained silent and soundless, infiltrating the human camp step by step.

However, their enemy possessed astonishing military discipline. In truth, this army was Earl Brando's most important tool for realizing his ambitions. Setting aside its numbers, it was likely even stronger than the Northern Allied Army of old, worthy of being called the elite among elites.

Earl Brando had sent them out this time purely for routine training, never expecting them to encounter such a tough foe and collide with the equally formidable black dragon.

Though their bodies could be hidden and their sounds masked, the abnormal movement of the air and the distinctive scent unique to orcs could not be erased.

Relying on such details alone, this powerful army discovered the orcs before they could reach their objective.

"Enemy attack! They have a spellcaster!"

With that long roar, even before the soldier had finished shouting, the human position rang out in unison with the sound of longswords leaving their sheaths and hand crossbows being drawn.

"Kill!"

The instant the humans raised the alarm, Gar roared as well and burst into view. His iron warhammer smashed through the breastplate of the nearest soldier.

"For the Stone Crow Clan!" One orc warrior after another emerged from the air, unleashing beastlike roars.

At the same time, dark clouds suddenly gathered across the clear sky.

Lightning Storm!