Chapter 532.5: Thunder Warriors
Cerulean steel, often called the "metal of the goddess,"
was considered a divine gift from the Goddess of Magic.
Without it, several of the Netheril Empire's most important strategic weapons would be left in a "frozen" state.
Thus, upon hearing this rumor, the spellcasters throughout Sevinton were elated.
Key details:
New Continent, Grey Mountains, super-large open-pit mine.
Everyone was a spellcaster; just as Bay Territory would secretly use constructs to mine, others would too.
If this was just a rumor, it might cause a stir for a few days before fading away.
But in the following days, more detailed information emerged.
"From the City of Heroes on the mainland, head south 30 kilometers to reach the Frozen Valley, then proceed 362 kilometers southeast to find the super-large mithril vein…"
"The quality is exceptionally high and can be sold and used directly after simple refining…"
"The quantity is immense, abundant everywhere. Apart from being wary of ratmen, the Grey Mountains' frost trolls are also a significant challenge…"
Various circumstances were laid out in these updates, tempting countless spellcasters.
Especially those who were territorial spellcaster lords capable of raising armies and armed forces—they couldn't resist sending personnel to investigate.
Some powerful extraordinary arcanists even sent their established forces on the New Continent to verify the mithril vein's existence.
Interestingly, the rumor quickly proved true: that region indeed contained a high-quality super-large mithril vein.
Yet within a few days, almost all news of it vanished.
An overwhelming power suppressed the spread of this information.
The spellcasters were no fools; they quickly sensed that something was amiss.
Consequently, tickets for voyages to the New Continent immediately rose by a third, with prices continuing to climb.
The pirate groups that had been blockading Bay Territory's port also quietly "disappeared" after one final round of cannon fire.
Upon receiving the news, Matthew looked at the "calm" Sevinton and the still "stubborn" territories. He murmured softly:
"Rather than future infighting, why not unite against the demon horde and contribute to the material plane's progress?"
Matthew could already foresee that when the Netheril Empire's major spellcaster lords, Sevinton's council, and even other kingdoms and organizations
deployed more troops, resources, and wealth than ever before to develop the resource-rich Grey Mountains,
they might not abandon the New Continent's development this time, leaving its northern regions to fall to the demon tide.
"I hope they'll be willing when the time comes."
Just two days after the pirates left,
Bay Territory installed 20 magical cannons—purchased for 2 million resources from the Dwarven Kingdom—at its harbor entrance.
Thousands of engineering personnel.
Dozens of large engineering constructs.
In just ten days,
they built a massive coastal fortress at the harbor entrance.
Matthew named it "Ocean Sentinel."
With the Damocles Sword above their heads gone, Bay Territory quickly began flexing its military power.
November 25th.
Bay Territory.
Mist Swamp.
In its deepest center.
Endless reeds swayed gently in the breeze.
Occasionally, pools of water and patches of low grassland were visible.
Flocks of birds flew down from the north, settling in the tranquil pools.
Tens of thousands of gray-brown wild cattle leisurely passed through the reeds.
They were heading toward the southeastern plains to graze on lush new grasslands and reproduce.
These bison were exceptionally strong. Each adult male weighed over a thousand kilograms.
Almost no predator dared to stand in their way.
"Hiss…!"
A terrifying, majestic hiss threw the previously calm herd into chaos.
Instinctive fear, ingrained over millennia, drove them to scatter.
The once-impenetrable formation fell into disarray, with the strongest adult males leading the charge.
They fled the deathly marsh at top speed.
Behind them, the old and weak became entangled in confusion.
Only then did the cold-blooded predators hidden in the muddy swamp reveal their fearsome fangs.
The sound of water splashing erupted.
A massive head emerged from the mire.
Its gray-green scales glistened under the sunlight.
A mouth full of jagged teeth exuded a dizzying stench.
Its long neck rose three to four meters high, with muscular lines as thick as half a bison.
A true beast of the swamp had appeared.
One, two, three...
A total of six heads blocked dozens of bison.
They all opened their jaws and spewed murky green acidic liquid.
The strong bison didn't even have time to escape or struggle; just a bit of the acid made them collapse in agony.
The terrifying slaughter lasted only a few dozen seconds.
The slit-pupilled eyes greedily watched the fleeing bison, hesitated for a moment, then lowered again.
Several heads surrounded a bison weighing hundreds of kilograms and together tore it into pieces.
They worked together, quickly ripping it into chunks.
Murky blood and viscera spilled out, turning the mud red.
Each head swallowed hundreds of kilograms of meat, but they weren't satisfied. They continued to feast on the fallen bison.
Most of the bison weren't dead yet, trembling and crying out in vain.
The corrosive pain and paralyzing venom left them no chance of escape; all they could do was await death.
More than ten bison were devoured by these terrifying heads, leaving the once slender necks swollen beyond recognition.
The remaining bison wouldn't die quickly.
Once this food was digested, the hideous heads would begin their next feast.
This was the ruler of the Mist Swamp, the apex predator at the top of the food chain: the six-headed dragon lizard.
Taking a deep breath and fixing her gaze on the heads about to retreat into the mud, Sera drew her bow without hesitation.
As the bowstring was pulled back, the surrounding environment seemed to slow down.
The swaying reeds appeared to move in slow motion.
Full draw!
Release!
The spinning arrow shot out.
It sped like a gray lightning bolt, piercing through one of the dragon lizard's eyes before it could react.
Pfft!
The arrow twisted and tore through the surrounding flesh, creating a horrifying wound.
Meanwhile, the "paralyzing" venom inside the arrow quickly spread through the torn tissues and blood.
"Roar...!"
Overwhelmed by the excruciating pain, one head slumped into the mud, splashing water everywhere.
The other five heads roared furiously, turning toward the direction of the arrow.
They saw Sera and, driven by intense pain, the heads flailed wildly.
The ground heaved as the massive body supporting the six heads struggled to rise.
Whoosh!
Chunks of mud and filthy water slid off the dragon lizard's enormous body.
Its limbs, covered in black-green scales, moved quickly through the muck.
With its powerful, webbed claws pushing off the ground, the mountain-like creature slid forward through the soggy terrain.
Its speed was even faster than the bison's frantic gallop.
Feeling the immense threat closing in, Sera calmly continued to draw her bow.
The slowed surroundings indicated Sera's unique ability.
This time, Sera aimed not at the eyes but at the swollen neck of the dragon lizard.
The six-headed dragon lizard, now on guard, demonstrated exceptional evasive skills.
The massive body couldn't dodge, but the shifting heads were quite agile.
Twang!
The bowstring snapped.
The arrow zipped like lightning, piercing the dragon lizard's neck.
Its thick, sturdy scales failed to provide any defense, as they were forcefully punctured.
However, compared to the vulnerability of its eyes, a pierced neck barely slowed the dragon lizard down; it swung its head around as if unbothered.
It locked its gaze on Sera's position.
In the past, Sera would have turned and run, relying on ranged attacks to wear it down from a distance.
But now, things were different.
"Thunder Warriors, attack!"
With that clear command, Sera put away her bow and sprinted forward.
She ran directly at the six-headed dragon lizard as it prepared an acidic breath.
Bang!
Bang!
Armor-piercing bolts shot into the dragon lizard's sides, catching it off guard.
Thunder surged around the bolts as they struck.
The unsuspecting dragon lizard shuddered violently.
Seizing the opportunity, Sera drew her curved blade and closed in.
She moved swiftly, her dark green armor not hindering her at all.
As soon as she reached the dragon lizard, she slashed without hesitation.
The dragon lizard, recovering from the lightning's effect, was enraged at this puny creature daring to come so close.
Its fury and pain surged, but it stood still, allowing Sera's blade to strike its chest.
Meanwhile, it opened its massive jaws wide, aiming a deadly attack at the airborne Sera, who had no place to dodge.
This tenacious beast was skilled at trading injuries for lethal blows.
But it underestimated Sera.
The dark green armor released a series of leaping arcs of electricity, channeling through the blade's wound.
"Roar...!"
The dragon lizard, enduring the electric pain, didn't have time to react.
At that moment, four or five hidden figures suddenly emerged from the reeds, each wielding sharp weapons to strike the dragon lizard's legs.
Their armor pulsed with surging electricity, shocking the enormous creature in an unprecedented manner.
Slowed again, the dragon lizard suddenly lost sight of Sera, a strange fear gripping it.
Pain shot through its neck as a sharp orichalcum blade sliced through its scales, lightning arcing from the wound.
Sera could feel the rhythmic contraction and quivering inside the massive beast's body.
The surging thunder converted into her controlled power, paralyzing the creature repeatedly.
As the paralysis began to fade, more figures emerged from the reeds.
Surrounded by crackling lightning, they struck the defenseless dragon lizard in a brilliant display of electric light.
Watching this, Ash narrowed his eyes slightly, running his hand over his new Thunder Armor, a wave of questions crossing his mind.
How were they generating electricity?
How were they storing the lightning?
Could it be that the territory had fully deciphered the secrets of his Thunder Armor?
Impossible!
These thoughts didn't slow Ash's efficient movements.
The dragon-slaying ballista, which typically required at least two people to operate, roared once more.
Crack!
A spinning, massive bolt struck the dragon lizard's leg.
This once-menacing creature was now critically wounded and immobilized.
Seizing the moment, Sera yelled sharply:
"Now!"
More Thunder Warriors emerged like lightning bolts.
Armed with spears, they lunged at the dragon lizard's neck.
Furious, the dragon lizard twisted its heads, trying to unleash a deadly acidic breath to eliminate these cursed pests.
But Sera and her Thunder Warriors had waited until it was full before attacking.
They knew the bloated neck made it difficult to maneuver quickly and aim properly.
Agile Thunder Warriors leaped and dodged while the dragon lizard's gaze lingered on them, sensing their mocking defiance.
"These damned creatures! How dare they!"
A shadow darted past, evading the dragon lizard's swinging heads and positioning itself perfectly.
In that brief moment, both Sera and Hartel swung their blades simultaneously.
Pfft!
Blood sprayed, staining the dragon lizard's vision red.
Three open-mouthed heads dropped to the ground.
Foul-smelling acidic fluid gushed from the severed necks, spilling onto the dragon lizard's back and emitting noxious blue smoke.
With only two heads remaining, the dragon lizard fearfully watched Sera, surrounded by crackling thunder, and Hartel as he sheathed his blade.
It sensed the palpable aura of dragon-like authority from them, meekly lowering its heads.
Fury was futile; it just wanted to survive!
As Sera sheathed her blade, she thought back to Hartel's stunning appearance and sighed in relief:
"The first battle of the Thunder Warriors, victory!"