Looking at Tempest's smug expression, Leylo shook his head helplessly. He had spent so much effort agonizing over how to subjugate this pride, only for Tempest to settle it using the most primitive and effective method possible.
Sometimes, he had to admit that these high-intelligence magical beasts were far more direct than humans and understood the rules of their own kind much better.
"So, you're the new boss of this Stone Forest now." Leylo gazed at the quiet, dormant griffins in the distance, feeling a surge of emotion. "Thirteen Tier 3 subordinates at once... Tempest, you've truly given me a massive gift."
This meant Blackstone Territory's aerial power had undergone a qualitative leap. A formation of fourteen Storm Griffins, led by a Tier 4 King, was a force powerful enough to make any hostile faction think twice.
The Defeated Knights
Leylo returned to Blackstone Castle covered in the dust of travel. As he entered the main hall, a knight rushed to meet him, clearly having waited for some time.
"My Lord, you're finally back!"
"What happened? Why the panic?" Leylo asked, raising an eyebrow.
"A dozen knights have arrived outside the castle. They look like remnants—broken equipment, everyone wounded, extremely disheveled. They claim to be under Baron Barton the Great Rock and are requesting entry to rest and regroup."
Barton the Great Rock? Leylo's interest was piqued. "Take me to them."
Outside the castle, around a temporary campfire, a dozen knights sat or lay dejectedly. Their armor was covered in deep gashes and dents, some still stained with wet blood. The air was thick with the scent of herbs and iron.
"No need for formalities, you've had a hard journey," Leylo said, waving off their attempts to salute. "I am the Lord here. What happened? Where is the Count?"
A knight who appeared to be a squad leader, sporting a fresh wound on his face, spoke bitterly. "My Lord... we—we were defeated."
"Defeated?" Leylo's heart sank. Barton was reckless, but he was strong. The northern coalition, backed by the Domain Knight, Kahn the Sunderer, shouldn't have fallen this quickly or this miserably.
"Yes," the knight's voice trembled. "We hadn't been in the Emerald Swamp for a day when we were ambushed by the main warband of the Lizardmen. Those green-scaled monsters rose out of the mud like ghosts. Their numbers were far beyond our imagination!"
"It was a nightmare!" a younger knight interjected, terror etched on his face. "Their coordination was perfect, and those Giant Swamp Crocodiles... our warhorses couldn't move in the muck. They became liabilities rather than assets."
"And Kahn the Sunderer?" Leylo pressed.
The squad leader looked even more somber. "Lord Kahn... his status is unknown. Dead or alive, we don't know."
Unknown status. Leylo fell silent. It seemed the "Poison Fang" Lizardman warband was far more formidable than anticipated.
"And Lord Barton?"
"The Count was escorted by his personal guards, breaking out toward the southeast. He ordered the scattered units to find their own way. We wandered aimlessly until we reached Blackstone."
Leylo looked at the broken spirits of these knights. Their courage had been ground away, leaving only the dazed relief of survivors. "See to it they are fed, given clean clothes, and treated by the physicians," Leylo ordered his subordinates.
News from Redleaf City
The next morning, a messenger arrived from Redleaf City. The man wore the crimson-and-gold livery of the Sykes family and knelt before Leylo.
"Greetings, Lord Baron. I come on behalf of the new Count, Lord Gawain."
"New Count?" Leylo caught the phrasing immediately.
The messenger bowed his head. "Old Count Sykes passed away peacefully three days ago. His eldest son, Gawain, has officially inherited the title."
Leylo nodded. With the old Count gone and Gawain rising during a crisis, internal politics in Redleaf City would likely be turbulent.
The messenger presented a wax-sealed letter. "Count Gawain invites you to Redleaf City in seven days to attend his succession feast and discuss the affairs of the North. He also specifically asked me to convey his deepest gratitude. He says your timely military aid saved him and his kin, proving your true friendship."
"Tell Count Gawain I offer my condolences for his father," Leylo replied. "I will attend the feast in seven days."
Aerial Retribution
Over the next few days, the atmosphere in Blackstone grew heavier. More remnants trickled in from the swamp, bringing horror stories. Worse, Alex sent word that the swamp creatures were becoming restless.
"My Lord, Alex reports that the things in the swamp are pushing back," the messenger gasped. "They've driven herds of magical beasts to charge our defensive lines three times now. The scale is increasing, and we are taking casualties. Common knights can barely pierce the hides of these beasts."
Leylo stood up and looked toward the swamp. Half an hour later, he and Moonlight mounted Tempest and soared into the sky.
At the Stone Forest, Tempest let out a series of resonant shrieks. Thirteen Storm Griffins shot into the sky, answering their King's call. Over the past few days, Leylo had visited them frequently with food and basic training. These Tier 3 beasts were intelligent enough to follow Tempest's lead.
A formation of fourteen griffins streaked toward the Emerald Swamp.
As they reached the border, the smell of rot intensified. Below, several massive shadows emerged from the murky water. Rot-Hide Monitor Lizards, over five meters long with scales like decaying bark, led the charge. Behind them were Giant Swamp Crocodiles with bone-spiked backs, and a mass of Bony Swamp Frogs—black-skinned amphibians that spat corrosive acid.
In the center of the mass, Leylo could see the silhouettes of Snake-men wielding bone weapons—the minions of the Nine-Headed Demon Snake.
"Tempest! Take the pride and target the beasts in the swamp!" Leylo commanded.
"ROAR!"
Tempest dove like lightning. He didn't strike the armored backs; instead, his talons shredded the soft throats and underbellies. One Rot-Hide Monitor had its neck torn open, spraying dark green blood as it collapsed.
The other griffins fanned out, using their aerial advantage to dodge acid spit while diving to tear at the monsters.
Leylo urged Tempest forward. The Griffin King beat his wings to blow away the toxic mist, then dove, sinking his talons into the neck and spine of a Rot-Hide Monitor. He hauled the massive beast a hundred meters into the air and let go.
Tempest acted like a precision bomber, dropping the lizard directly onto a Giant Swamp Crocodile below. Both monsters were instantly crushed into a pulp of gore.