Several hours later, as Leylo and his mount flew over the border between the Emerald Marsh and the Blackstone Mountains, his brow furrowed. The sky below was no longer peaceful. On the distant horizon, a dark mass, like rolling thunderclouds, was moving toward them at a staggering speed.
Upon closer inspection, it wasn't a cloud at all—it was a massive swarm of flying magical beasts!
"Tempest, lower our altitude! Watch the distance!"
Leylo acted decisively, patting Tempest's neck. The Storm Griffin King understood, tucking its wings and diving silently like a streak of light. It took cover on the shaded side of a jagged peak at the edge of the Blackstone Mountains, peering out with only half its head to watch the distant horizon.
From his high vantage point, Leylo saw the truth. At the head of that "cloud" was a terrifying dragon!
The dragon was nearly a hundred meters long, covered in scales as dark as obsidian that shimmered with a cold, metallic light. Its savage head bore a pair of curved horns glowing with an ominous red light. Its wingspan blotted out the sun, and every beat sent violent gales screaming across the land. Even from a kilometer away, a faint scent of sulfur drifted in the air.
A Black Dragon!
Behind the Black Dragon marched thousands of Gnolls. These monsters had hyena-like heads on upright bodies, wielding crude bone clubs and stone axes, their eyes glinting with bloodlust. They were driven by some overwhelming force, forming a black flood of ground troops pushing frantically along the border of the mountains and the marsh.
Hovering above the Gnoll army were swarms of flying monsters: an ugly Bat-Dragon with a twenty-meter wingspan, dozens of Wind-Blade Griffins in mottled colors, and massive clouds of croaking Magic Crows acting as scouts and harassers. Within the ground forces, heavily armored Land-Drakes let out muffled roars, acting as heavy shock units.
This was a highly organized, aggressive army!
What is their target?
The question had barely formed in Leylo's mind when the answer revealed itself. From the direction of the Emerald Marsh, an equally terrifying aura of slaughter erupted!
"Hiss!"
A piercing, scalp-numbing screech echoed through the clouds. A gargantuan creature reared its head from the dense forest deep within the marsh.
A Three-Headed Hydra!
Standing twenty meters tall, its three heads—dark green, murky purple, and reddish-brown—towered over the trees. Thick scales covered its body, reflecting an unsettling, oily sheen. Behind it, over a thousand Naga warriors surged out of the swamp, wielding spears and scimitars.
The sky above the marsh was equally occupied. Poisonous Feathered Serpents with vibrant colors, swarms of sharp-mouthed Giant Gnats, and various grotesque marsh-fliers shrieked as they collided with the Black Dragon's air force.
On the ground, Marsh Monitor Lizards and Giant Crocodiles joined the Naga in a head-on collision with the Gnoll army!
"BOOM!"
A deafening impact shook the earth. Leylo held his breath, his eyes wide with shock. This was a true War of Monsters!
The Fall of the Hydra
The battle was catastrophic. The Black Dragon's air force tore through the Feathered Serpents, while on the ground, the Gnolls and Naga slaughtered each other in a spray of flesh and bone. The Land-Drakes rampaged through the Naga lines, only to be dragged into the depths of the mire by Giant Crocodiles.
The two commanders—the Black Dragon and the Hydra—clashed in the center. The Black Dragon breathed out destructive Shadow Dragon Breath, turning everything to ash. The Hydra fought back with all three heads: one spitting corrosive acid, one releasing toxic mist, and the third breathing fire. Its massive tail swung like a siege hammer, sending mud and stone flying.
The slaughter lasted for hours until the sky turned a murky crimson. Finally, the Black Dragon gained the upper hand. Seizing an opening, its massive claw slammed into the Hydra's reddish-brown head with a sickening crunch. Blood sprayed, and the head hung limp.
The Hydra let out a pained shriek. Realizing the tide had turned, its remaining two heads roared in frustration, and its massive body began to retreat into the depths of the Emerald Marsh. The surviving Naga and marsh beasts followed, vanishing into the foliage.
The Black Dragon did not pursue. It was heavily injured itself, with scales ripped and dark red blood flowing from several wounds. It hovered in the air, letting out a roar of victory before leading its depleted army—and the carcasses of high-tier fallen beasts—back toward the Blackstone Mountains.
The Scavenger's Opportunity
At the edge of the battlefield, Leylo noticed a chaotic corner. A magic beast about the size of a hound, covered in dark green slimy skin and covered in oozing pustules, was struggling to crawl out of the mud.
It was a Tier 4 Illusionary Poison Toad, famous in the Emerald Marsh for its lethal toxicity. The Black Dragon's Shadow Breath had caught it in the periphery; its toxic barrier had been torn like paper, its back was charred, and several pustules had burst, leaking foul green fluid.
Leylo's heart skipped a beat. The Poison Toad had lethal venom, but its physical defense and direct combat ability were not top-tier for Tier 4. In its current crippled state, this was a golden opportunity.
When the Hydra's broken army retreated, Leylo didn't hesitate. He patted Tempest's neck, signaling him to stay low and follow. Tempest glided just above the canopy, keeping his aura at a minimum.
The wounded toad limped into a dark, moisture-laden grove, eventually stopping before a cave half-hidden by vines and rotting wood. It panted wearily, checked for pursuers, and crawled inside.
Leylo waited patiently, like a seasoned hunter. He knew the toad would be exhausted and would drop its guard to nurse its wounds. After fifteen minutes, he gave the order.
"Go!"
Tempest's wings unfurled, and he struck the cave like a bolt of lightning!
"BOOM!"
Tempest's talons smashed through the vines and rotting wood. Before the toad could react, the Griffin King's head lunged into the cave, and his sharp beak clamped down precisely on the toad's mangled back!
"QUACK!"
The toad let out a short, agonizing shriek. It tried to spit venom, but Tempest's raw strength pinned its head down. In the next instant, Tempest dragged it out of the narrow cave.
"Take it high!" Leylo commanded.
Tempest beat his wings, soaring toward the clouds. The toad struggled, but Tempest's claws were locked into its spine. Once they reached a hundred meters, Leylo looked down.
"Drop it!"
Tempest released his grip. The toad fell like a lead stone, screaming in despair before hitting the hard ground with a sickening "thud."
Leylo leaped off Tempest's back and approached the mess of flesh. A Tier 4 beast, once a terror of the marsh, was now a pile of broken bones. He ignored the stench, sliced open its belly with his sword, and pulled out a pigeon-egg-sized, water-blue Tier 4 Magic Core.
"Good work, Tempest."
Leylo tucked the core away and patted the griffin's leg. Tempest let out a low rumble of excitement. Clutching the mangled carcass of the toad in his claws, he took flight toward Blackstone Castle, bathed in the fading light of the setting sun.