[TL/N: Read my new work - Anime Group Chat in a Doomsday World!]
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Watching the soldiers retreating in the distance, their formation in disarray, it was clear they had just been attacked by Sol's family. This broken army was in no condition to regroup effectively.
According to the initial plan, Gnar and Shyvana halted their destruction of the camp simultaneously and swiftly advanced toward the retreating soldiers.
From the very beginning, the Sol family had deliberately allowed this army to escape.
As long as there was even a sliver of hope, men wouldn't fight to the death.
They intended to use these remnants as a shield to break through the Ares family's rear camp in one decisive move.
With these soldiers in front as cover, even if Ares wanted to use explosives to block Sol's family's approach, he wouldn't be able to do so—
Unless he was willing to sacrifice his own men.
Moreover, the soldiers who had been forced to retreat in exhaustion would be in no condition to recover their combat effectiveness anytime soon. Instead, they would become a burden on the camp.
Not only would they require care and resources, but their presence would also dampen the morale of the remaining forces.
Many generals in the Ares family understood these military dilemmas, yet—
How could they abandon their own soldiers?
These were comrades they had led out from the Kingdom of Rakia—some might even be close friends or family members.
If they refused them entry, the resentment among their own troops would only deepen.
It was an open conspiracy by the Sol family. Even if the generals of the Ares family recognized the trap, they had no choice but to walk into it.
Unless they were willing to gamble with their soldiers' lives.
"Damn it, are those things even real?" The commander pointed at the two massive figures looming in the distance, his voice tinged with disbelief.
"Those two are supposedly a type of demi-human, similar to werewolves. They undergo atavistic transformations under certain conditions," one of the scouts explained helplessly.
Of course, that was merely the official statement from Sol. The guild had simply echoed it.
And that was all the intelligence the Ares family's spies in Orario had managed to uncover.
As for how reliable that information was, that was beyond their judgment.
"That's bullshit! There's no demi-human that can transform into a dragon! Damn it, they're too close—I can't make a move like this!" the commander cursed.
Standing on the platform, he looked out at the battered soldiers sprinting toward them.
Not far behind them, two monstrous figures followed leisurely—
Like a pair of cats toying with their prey.
Except these "cats" were of an unimaginable size.
For a brief moment, he was frozen in shock.
Then, before he knew it, the two colossal beasts had reached within two kilometers of their camp.
For ordinary soldiers, that distance would take time to cover.
But for those creatures, it was just a few steps.
He couldn't afford to let them get any closer.
Humans have always harbored an instinctive fear of colossal beasts. Once these two giants broke into the camp, chaos would be inevitable.
Not to mention that Ares, the god of their own familia, was still at the heart of the camp and had yet to evacuate. And what about the supplies stacked at the rear?
Those had been purchased at a steep cost, and Renata had not confirmed when the next shipment would arrive.
Without supplies, how could they continue this war?
The scale of this battle was immense—if they handled it carelessly, it would bring great shame to their familia.
"Light cavalry, assemble immediately! The rest of you, ready your bombs and prepare to engage the enemy!"
The commander on the watchtower reacted swiftly. Upon receiving their orders, the soldiers around him, as if finding their backbone, moved with purpose.
Even with the strength they possessed—and even with the concoctions provided by Renata—it was unrealistic to rely on brute force to stop those two monstrous creatures.
However, if the cavalry could use their speed and maneuverability to divert the beasts' attention, they might buy enough time for the retreating soldiers.
As long as they could separate the monsters from their troops, they could safely use explosives to keep them from advancing toward their camp.
After all, they lacked the kind of powerful adventurers who could single-handedly turn the tide of battle. Against overwhelming might, their only hope lay in their equipment.
In past wars, the Ares familia typically stocked up on magic swords and heavy siege weaponry. But with Renata's affordable, high-quality bombs at their disposal, they had cut their magic sword reserves by more than half.
Their budget was not infinite. After multiple supply purchases from Renata, they no longer had the funds to acquire more magic swords.
By the time the soldiers had hauled all the bombs and defensive equipment onto the city walls, the light cavalry was already assembled and ready to deploy.
They, too, saw the dire situation unfolding outside.
But to save their comrades, someone had to step forward.
"Listen up! Our objective is not to kill the enemy. Our only goal is to distract those two monsters! Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir!"
After a brief yet rousing pre-battle speech, the soldiers' spirits surged in response to their commander's sharp commands.
Even their horses pawed anxiously at the ground, sensing the tension in the air.
The camp gates creaked open.
With a crack of their whips, the cavalry charged out, dust kicking up in their wake.
To avoid colliding with the retreating soldiers, they deliberately took a wide route around them.
"Someone's coming," Shyvana murmured, noticing a few dark figures emerging from the camp in the distance.
Several members of the Sol familia sat on her back, though her massive frame concealed them from sight.
Hearing her words, they peeked out cautiously to observe the approaching riders.
But a handful of light cavalry alone wasn't enough to draw their attention.
On the battlefield, as the cavalry closed in on Gnar and Shyvana, a suffocating pressure settled over them.
The riders hesitated, their instincts screaming at them.
Even the horses, far more attuned to impending danger than their human masters, grew uneasy.
Before them stood a dragon—Shyvana, the being at the peak of the food chain.