Translator: AnubisTL
To select the battle group leader with the steel will, a large number of bosses had gathered in Dragon Valley. After confirming their decision to wage war against the Gold Tooth Tribe, Garos soared into the night sky.
Under the gaze of countless eyes, the red-iron dragon's wings snapped open, sending sparks cascading like a fiery rain from the friction of his scales.
"Listen well, warriors of the Ironforged Tribe!"
The red-iron dragon's roar shook loose pebbles from the cliffs. "The goblin vermin in the southeast are watching us with hungry eyes!"
"They dare to drive boundary stakes into our rivers! They dare to leave arrow holes in our strongholds! They dare to try to shackle us with taxes!"
His voice paused briefly, then surged even higher.
"I want to see the Gold Tooth Tribe's furnaces become our forges! I want to hear the goblins' screams as they beg for mercy in the flames! I want the entire Frontierlands to know that a true king is coming!"
"Now—"
"Sharpen your claws and fangs!"
"Polish your blades!"
"—Prepare to fight for your king!"
The red-iron dragon's massive wings, spanning the sky like banners, billowed defiantly. His voice, as he declared war, rang through the night air of Dragon Valley like the clang of quenched steel.
"For the glorious Lord of the Crimson Wings!"
"For the Ironforged Tribe!"
"For the King of the Crossroads!"
The warriors' weapons clashed against their shields in unison, creating a thunderous, drum-like rhythm.
Frenzied howls and roars echoed endlessly through the night.
Every warrior of the Ironforged Tribe, without exception, was warlike and ferocious. Even those aligned with the orderly factions were fiercely battle-hardened.
They did not fear war; they craved it.
A decade of confinement and dormancy had left them ravenous.
Their claws and fangs thirsted for blood.
Following the declaration, orders were issued.
The familiar bosses dispersed from Dragon Valley to their respective Ironforged Tribe garrisons.
They opened the granaries, distributed meat stores, and prepared unlimited quantities of stew with meat and vegetables. Even the lowliest Hyena-Men and kobolds could feast until their bellies bulged.
The elite centaurs and ogres received even better treatment.
High-quality meat from ferocious beasts and demonic creatures, along with magic energy-infused fruits and vegetables, became their staple diet.
After a hearty meal, they donned their iron armor, hefted their weapons, and remained constantly prepared for battle. Even during their preparations, they didn't idle, engaging in moderate training to warm up their bodies and sharpen their combat readiness.
Each warrior received their orders.
After seven more dawns, the fully prepared Ironforged Tribe warriors would launch a more ferocious assault on the Gold Tooth Tribe's strongholds, no longer limiting their attacks to the riverbanks.
The Gold Tooth Tribe's key southeastern strongholds—the mines, ranches, and grasslands—were all designated as targets.
The familiars residing in the Wind Howl Dense Forest also received their orders. The werewolf shaman used a spell to communicate with the white tiger, informing the powerful and ferocious wild monster lord that it was time to tear apart the Ironforged Tribe's enemies.
Dragon Valley.
Garos devoured the high-quality flesh of a black scale giant serpent, washing it down with gulps of 93 Black Oil to replenish his energy. After finishing his meal, he refrained from further training, focusing instead on calmly adjusting his state of mind.
These seven days were for war preparations and formulating battle strategies.
It was also the time Garos needed for his Cold Exploding Scale to fully recover and for his physical condition to peak.
Buzz!
A crystal stone lit up, its ethereal blue light outlining the form of Red Dragon Samantha.
This was a projection stone, a high-end communication device purchased from the Gemstone Merchant Guild. It could transmit real-time images and sound while resisting magical interference, making it far more expensive than ordinary message stones.
Currently, only the dragonkind of Dragon Valley and their core familiars possessed these devices.
Samantha had already received the message, but since she was stationed in the Sulfur Hills overseeing the alchemy production line and had access to a projection stone, there was no need for her to personally travel to Dragon Valley.
"If we secure the black oilfield and conquer the Gold Tooth Tribe, we can finally attempt to manufacture alchemy golems, war machines, and various medium to large-scale alchemy items," the red dragon said excitedly.
The alchemy industry depended entirely on energy.
The Ironforged Tribe's alchemy industry had stagnated, its progress painfully slow, primarily due to a severe energy shortage. Many crucial, large-scale alchemy items required black oil as fuel, which the Ironforged Tribe couldn't afford to supply.
With the black oilfield's reserves, the alchemy industry could finally flourish.
"And with the black oilfield's production capacity, we can extract and refine the higher-purity black oil you've been wanting," Samantha added, remembering her brother's fondness for the substance.
"I look forward to it," he replied.
The red-iron dragon declared, "In seven days, we will launch our attack on the Gold Tooth Tribe. Samantha, halt production of weapons and armor for now. Concentrate all your resources on manufacturing high-explosive flame orbs."
High-explosive flame orbs—these were currently the most devastating weapons in the red dragon's alchemical inheritance.
They were single-use, requiring no special skills to deploy.
The Ironforged Tribe lacked mid-tier and upper-tier combatants, but the sheer destructive power of these orbs could somewhat compensate for this deficiency. However, each orb cost as much as its weight in silver, making their use akin to burning wealth in battle.
Still...
If they could secure the black oilfield, any investment now would be a mere drop in the bucket.
"Good! Let's blast those vermin to oblivion!"
After the brief communication, Red Dragon Samantha deactivated the projection stone, eager to oversee the alchemy production line.
"Solgorn, do you have any suggestions?" Garos asked, turning to the iron dragon.
Spirit energy glowed in Solgorn's eyes as his mind raced, analyzing the current situation and formulating battle strategies.
In his mind's eye, a map of the entire southeastern and southwestern regions seemed to materialize.
The distribution of each stronghold, the strength of their defenses, and other crucial details were all vividly displayed in his mind.
Though the battle hadn't yet begun, he had already simulated countless scenarios based on the strengths and weaknesses of both sides, gradually forming a clear strategic framework in his mind.
"We and the Gold Tooth Tribe each have our own advantages and disadvantages," Iron Dragon Solgorn said. "The Gold Tooth Tribe possesses deep reserves of accumulated wealth, boasting numerous mech golems, alchemy items, and high-powered heavy cannons—formidable war machines that excel in direct combat."
"However, their people are physically weak, relying almost entirely on their alchemy industry, making them severely unbalanced."
"They tire more easily, require extensive logistical support, and are heavily dependent on resupply lines."
"The goblins themselves are the Gold Tooth Tribe's greatest weakness."
"In contrast, the warriors of our Ironforged Tribe are tireless berserkers with minimal logistical needs. Relying on their formidable physiques, they can sustain prolonged combat. Moreover, with us dragonkind present, we maintain superior mobility."
The light in the iron dragon's eyes remained undiminished.
He continued, "When we wage war against the Gold Tooth Tribe, we must avoid large-scale frontal assaults, avoid fighting in open terrain like the Fertile Plains, and avoid committing all our forces in a single battle."
"Instead, we should launch dispersed attacks on their key strongholds, engage in multi-front warfare, and focus on disrupting their logistics and supply lines."
The iron dragon spoke rapidly, yet each word was precise and clear, his explanation meticulously organized.
He laid out a comprehensive and detailed battle strategy, explaining it with practiced ease.
"The core of our tactics lies in breaking down their forces into smaller units and striking multiple targets simultaneously."
After several minutes, the light in his eyes gradually faded. He stopped speaking, vigorously rubbed his head with his clawed hand, and displayed an expression of profound exhaustion, his gaze even becoming somewhat unfocused.
The intense mental exertion of rapid strategic calculation had severely drained his spirit energy.
The iron dragon now felt a splitting headache, his mind clouded and sluggish.
"What do you think?"
He exhaled deeply, enduring the pain, and asked Garos.
The red-iron dragon nodded slightly. "That aligns with my own thoughts. We'll wage war against the Gold Tooth Tribe using this strategy." After a moment's consideration, he added, "White Dragon Treacy and Elvie can also be deployed to the battlefield."
"Hmm? You're abandoning the Fertile Plains? The abyssal rift still exists."
The iron dragon's question carried the dullness of spirit energy exhaustion.
"It doesn't matter. If necessary, we can abandon the Fertile Plains first. If the goblins want it, let them have it."
"What's wrong with letting the goblins hold it for us temporarily?"
The red-iron dragon grinned. "Let's see if they can defend it."
The iron dragon nodded in understanding. "I see."
He looked at the red-iron dragon with admiration. "As expected of you, Garos, my dear brother. Your plans are far more comprehensive than mine. Even with my Mind Mage training and mind magic, I still can't match you."
Garos nodded slightly, his expression calm. "You've also grown beyond my expectations. In time, your strategic command of the war will surpass mine."
In truth, some details of the iron dragon's battle plan had escaped Garos's notice. Yet he accepted the praise graciously. They were brothers; such minor oversights didn't need to be pointed out.
(End of the Chapter)
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