"Alex, I have a task for you," Leylo said.
"Take a squad and capture that female Armored Rhino that's been coming around to check on its calves. Tonight, I'll have Moonlight personally tame it."
Alex was briefly stunned, but he quickly grasped Leylo's intent. That female rhino possessed significant strength; if successfully tamed, it would be a major asset to the territory's defenses.
"Yes, my Lord!" Alex replied crisply.
As he watched Alex depart, Leylo quickly calculated the territory's current military strength.
On the ground: once the mother rhino was tamed, combined with the two growing calves and the twenty newly reinforced Heavy Knights with Earth-Dragon bloodlines, he would possess an indestructible sledgehammer. Add to that the freshly subdued Mammoth herd and the existing Earth-Dragons...
Leylo was almost certain that in terms of raw land-based shock power, he stood head and shoulders above any other lord of his level.
In the air: led by the Storm Griffin King, "Tempest," his Griffin squad and the burgeoning Pegasus Knight Order ensured absolute air superiority.
However, he couldn't afford blind optimism. His forces still had a glaring weakness: long-range units and magical support. While his knights trained in mounted archery, it was a secondary skill, not a professional long-range corps. In a massive theater of war, the lack of suppressive fire would be a costly disadvantage.
But fixing that isn't an overnight job, Leylo mused. He decided to set the issue aside for now and focus on polishing his current land and air assets into a cohesive force.
Less than a month remains, Leylo thought. The impending war with the Sun Kingdom would be the first true crucible for Blackstone Castle. He had to convert these resources into reliable battlefield power within that window.
Managing the Territory
That afternoon, shortly after lunch, Moonlight vanished out the window in a silver-white blur. Leylo watched her disappear before turning back as Borin strode in.
"My Lord," Borin bowed. "A party of Mermen has been discovered in the lower river valley of the Blackwater. Their numbers are around two hundred. It appears to be a scouting force for a larger tribe."
Leylo raised an eyebrow. The Deepwater Mermen had finally arrived. "Two hundred just for a scouting party? That suggests a tribe numbering in the thousands."
Mermen were average in individual strength; the strongest among them rarely exceeded Tier 3, and most were unranked—weaker even than a trained knight apprentice. However, they survived in the wilderness through sheer numbers and terrifying reproductive rates. Once they took root in his territory, they would be like a persistent skin disease—endless trouble.
"Yes, my Lord. Scouts report they are poorly equipped but move with discipline. They aren't just a disorganized rabble," Borin added.
Leylo nodded. "Borin, mobilize the Blackstone Knight Order immediately. Also, notify Instructor Barrett. Have him lead the apprentices from the Knight Training Camp to the Blackwater River."
Barrett's apprentices had undergone high-intensity training and were fueled by ample resources. Many were on the cusp of becoming Tier 1 Knights. They needed real combat to sharpen their edges, and these Mermen were the perfect whetstone.
"Remember," Leylo emphasized, his voice cold. "This isn't just a relocation. I want you to inflict as much damage as possible. Give them a lesson so painful they lose any desire to settle near Blackstone. Make them understand that our land is not for them to covet."
"Understood!" Borin's eyes flashed with a harsh light as he saluted and hurried out.
Next, Leylo summoned the Minister of Agriculture, Lady Martha.
"Martha, I need you to focus on a few things," Leylo said warmly. "First, the breeding of the Pegasuses and Earth-Dragons. They are vital to our future. Select your best handlers and provide the finest forage. I want them to adapt and start producing offspring as soon as possible."
Martha nodded seriously. "My Lord, I have already hired over fifty locals specifically to tend to these beasts. However, their reproductive cycles are long; I will do my best to create optimal conditions."
"Also," Leylo added, "find a suitable location to establish a Gray-Headed Goose farm. I'll have Borin capture a flock for you in a few days."
"Gray-Headed Geese?" Martha was momentarily confused, but she quickly remembered the Lord's pet "cat" and its obsession with roasted poultry. "Understood, my Lord."
The River Valley Skirmish
By late afternoon, Leylo estimated that Borin had engaged the enemy. Though it was only a scouting force, he decided to fly out to observe. He wanted to ensure everything went smoothly and, more importantly, evaluate the performance of his apprentices.
He walked out and called for Tempest. The Griffin King let out a low screech and hopped over, wings unfurled. Leylo vaulted onto his back.
"Let's go, Tempest. To the Blackwater River."
Screee! Tempest beat his wings, kicking up a gale, and shot into the sky like an arrow.
Twenty minutes later, the winding Blackwater River appeared like a dark green jade ribbon on the horizon. The valley was lush, but the usual tranquility was shattered. Faint shouts of battle, the clashing of steel, and the high-pitched, screeching cries unique to Mermen drifted up from below.
Leylo guided Tempest into a high-altitude circle, looking down at the unfolding battlefield.