High in the sky.
The sixth-rank Dwarf warrior clung to the missile's handles, his beard whipping wildly in the wind.
He narrowed his eyes and looked down.
The earth swept past at tremendous speed.
Mountains, rivers, and forests spread beneath his feet like an enormous map.
Ahead, a black region came into view.
It was the corrupted land occupied by the Demon Clan.
Black traces of corrosion spread across the ground like scars.
The Dwarf warrior's heart tightened.
"Damn it, I'm almost at the Demon Clan's blockade."
Mountain City was surrounded by Demon Clan forces, making passage by land impossible.
So earlier, Thorin had selected a remote landing site using Great Xia's satellite images.
As long as he landed safely and took the secret underground passage, he could return to Mountain City safely.
Suddenly.
Several black dots rapidly approached in the distant sky.
The Dwarf warrior's pupils contracted.
"Winged Demons!"
Three Winged Demons spread their leathery wings and lunged toward the missile.
They were enormous, with wingspans of a full ten meters.
Their sharp claws gleamed coldly in the sunlight.
The Dwarf warrior's heart raced.
"This is bad! They've spotted me!"
If they tied him down and coordinated with the Demon Clan forces on the ground, he would certainly die!
He gripped the handles tightly, his palms sweating.
The Winged Demons drew closer and closer.
The lead Winged Demon opened its gaping maw and let out a piercing screech.
Just then.
The missile suddenly accelerated!
Boom-!
Its exhaust flame abruptly intensified, and its thrust surged in an instant.
The Dwarf warrior's body jolted, and he was nearly thrown off.
He clung desperately to the handles, veins bulging along his arms.
"Aaah-!"
The missile's speed soared from eight hundred kilometers per hour to twelve hundred kilometers per hour.
The wind howled