The Demon Snake minions on the ground watched in terror, letting out uneasy hisses. Clutching the struggling Two-Headed Giant Lizard, the Storm Griffin King ascended rapidly until they reached an altitude of nearly a hundred meters.
The earth below grew small; the monster horde resembled a cluster of dense black dots. Leylo leaned against Tempest's back, feeling the biting wind of the high altitude and the surging power of the beast beneath him. He knew the moment had come.
"Tempest, drop!"
The Griffin King did not hesitate. It released its steel talons.
This was a tactic Leylo had seen once before when a Wyvern hunted a Land Dragon. For a flying magical beast, even if it were a tier higher, it was often difficult to quickly kill a high-defense terrestrial beast using physical strikes alone. Therefore, utilizing the advantage of flight and gravity to drop a target to its death was a far more efficient method of execution.
"ROAR—!"
The Giant Lizard's shriek rang out in the high air, only to be cut short. Its massive body fell like a boulder, gathering terrifying gravitational acceleration as it plummeted straight toward the thickest part of the minion swarm.
BOOM!
A world-shaking explosion erupted at the edge of the Emerald Swamp! The lizard's corpse hit the ground like a meteorite. Mud, gravel, and monster limbs mixed with foul blood sprayed in all directions. The horrific impact force instantly cleared a zone over ten meters in diameter.
Dozens of minions were crushed into meat paste before they could even react. As for the Tier 3 Giant Lizard, even its tenacious vitality could not survive a fall from hundreds of meters; its massive frame was twisted and deformed, its two heads lolling at unnatural angles. It was dead before the dust settled.
A single strike, lethal and dealing massive area damage!
The swarm below descended into total chaos. They let out terrified shrieks, their formation collapsing as they fled in every direction. Tempest did not stop. After circling once to confirm the leader was dead and the morale of the horde was broken, it lowered its altitude.
This time, it didn't dive. It skimmed the ground like a ghost, flying just above the heads of the panicked minions. Its wings beat at high speed, but this time the airflow was directed with intent—wind magic flowed through its pinions, creating a localized storm that scoured the earth.
Whish!
The gale plowed through the ranks. Smaller monsters were sent tumbling away, legs flailing in the air, unable to stand. Larger ones were knocked off-balance, stumbling blindly.
Buffeted by this double blow, the Demon Snake minions could no longer maintain any semblance of order. They hissed in fear and, like a receding tide, scrambled back into the depths of the Emerald Swamp, disappearing into the dark green miasma. In minutes, the horde of over two hundred was dispersed by a single bird, leaving only a mess of gore and the gruesome corpse of the Giant Lizard.
Leylo patted Tempest's neck in praise. "Beautifully done, Tempest!"
The Griffin King let out a low, triumphant cry. It didn't linger on the ground, beating its wings to return to the waiting Pegasus Knights. As Leylo landed among them, he saw only shock and awe on the faces of his men.
"The Lord is mighty!" "The Griffin King is mighty!"
The knights cheered with a fervor that bordered on worship.
"Clean up the battlefield; gather any valuable materials," Leylo commanded. "Ed, divide the Pegasus Knights into groups to patrol the border. We must keep eyes on the movements within the swamp. Also, temporarily move all villagers and hunters near the swamp into Blackrock Town. Things won't be quiet in the swamp for a while."
"Understood, My Lord!" Ed obeyed.
The Executioner Arrives
Three days later, several swift shadows cut through the sky above Blackstone. A squad of knights in silver armor, riding Iron-Feathered Eagles, landed in the central square. Behind them, First Prince Elliot descended atop his contracted Thunder Dragon.
Leylo, having received the news, stood in the square with his core members. As the ten-meter-long dragon landed, kicking up a fierce wind, Leylo greeted his brother with a faint smile.
"Brother, you have traveled far. It has been hard on you." Leylo bowed slightly.
"You did well, Leylo. Father is very satisfied with your performance," Elliot said, dismounting with crisp, practiced movements. He patted Leylo's shoulder, acting once again like the perfect older brother from the capital.
After the pleasantries, the leader of the Thunder Dragon Knights stepped forward and read the official decree in a booming voice.
"The Duke's Decree!"
"First: Baron Monde of Ironthorn, having disregarded the Duke's grace and conspired with the Blood Wolves to murder the Duke's lineage, is guilty of treason! His title is stripped, and he is sentenced to death. His crimes extend unto three generations; father, son, and grandson shall all be executed as a warning!"
The Knight Commander paused, looking over the crowd. "Second: Baron Leylo of Blackstone, for his merit in uncovering the treason, is hereby granted Ironthorn Territory. It shall be merged into Blackstone under his sole authority."
"Third: To uphold royal dignity and set things right, the execution of Monde and his kin shall be carried out personally by First Prince Elliot!"
The Commander handed the parchment scroll to Leylo. Leylo took it calmly and bowed again to Elliot. "I thank the Duke for his judgment and my brother for the long journey. Blackstone shall remember this grace and remain loyal to the crown."
He turned to Ed. "Ed, make the arrangements. At noon today, in this square, we shall hold the public execution. Furthermore, bring out all the Ironthorn captives to witness. Let them see exactly what happens to those who choose betrayal!"
"Yes, My Lord!"
Soon, a simple execution platform was erected in the center of the square. Ed directed the soldiers to segregate the Blackstone citizens from the Ironthorn prisoners, ensuring the crowd was orderly but that every captive had a front-row seat to the end of the Monde bloodline.