After discovering the whereabouts of the Dwarven Valley, Shadow High Priest Emi had gone to investigate.
And through overheard Beastman conversations and the furious curses of captured Dwarves, he obtained a detailed count of the Beastmen, as well as their defensive arrangements in the valley.
The most critical piece of information was that the Beastmen's tribal shaman had remained behind at the Lionmane Tribe. This major revelation directly prompted Li De to make a bold decision.
He used Kosso and Castro to draw the Beastmen together, then launched a massive composite spell for a devastating strike.
It had a bit of Viscount Berna's classic misdirection style.
For this, the Vampire casters began preparations a day early. Many of the newly turned Vampires had drained their mana dry more than a dozen times, and the cost in Mana-Infused Blood made Li De's eyelids twitch.
After countless plans and meticulous preparation, they finally achieved that brilliant moment where a Beastman army of over ten thousand was directly annihilated by the Vampires.
---
Ten minutes later.
In front of the Dwarven city.
The crimson magic cloud of destruction finally began to dissipate.
But no one was paying attention anymore. The Beastmen who could flee had fled; those who couldn't were now eternal residents of this place, fertilizer for next year's wild grass.
Charred corpses covered the ground in piles and heaps.
The stench of scorched flesh and fur, burned by fire, was carried by the night wind for miles. The entire Dwarven Valley reeked of death.
The still-burning flames lit the night sky a glowing red, but the heavy smoke obscured everyone's view.
Though the number of dead Beastmen was beyond counting, the battle still raged on.
Ten minutes after the crimson cloud cleared.
Kosso was still entangled with Craig. Although Craig's inferior equipment left him unable to inflict real damage on Kosso, he was still a powerful Level 16 warrior.
This Wolfman used a variety of skills and battle techniques that Kosso couldn't afford to ignore, forcing him to divert a good deal of energy.
But that was the limit. Kosso's high-tier gear rendered Craig's pitifully poor self completely powerless, he could only bounce around like a clown at Kosso's side.
Boom~
After hunting down two Beastmen who hadn't managed to escape, Kosso looked at the interfering Craig with visible irritation and brought his blade down again, shaking the ground.
But Craig's nimble body dodged the blow, he remained unscathed.
Just as Craig prepared to counterattack, he suddenly seemed to catch a scent. His body froze, and he turned sharply to look toward the horizon.
He had sensed an incredibly terrifying aura.
A dragon!!
Whoosh~
Illuminated by the firelight on the ground, a Bone Dragon composed entirely of white bones and radiating a thick aura of death, flapping its tattered bat wings, appeared within his sight.
"Damn bastard! Why the hell is there a Bone Dragon here?!"
The originally deep voice now carried a sharp edge.
Clearly, the appearance of the Bone Dragon had shaken Craig far more than Kosso and Castro ever had.
A dragon, an actual dragon!!
Craig's heart nearly froze. He instinctively glanced in the direction where Kap had just departed, his eyes filled with undeniable worry.
The enemy was too powerful. Though he had immense confidence in Kap, the Level 18 Beastman King, even he couldn't help but worry, now that even a legendary creature like a Bone Dragon had shown up, could something happen to Kap?
His mind was instantly filled with anxiety.
Kap was powerful, yes, but any force capable of possessing a Bone Dragon, Steel Giant, and that flying mechanical beast… how could they be judged by ordinary standards?
Craig instinctively glanced at the nearby Steel Giant, then suddenly turned, preparing to leave.
He couldn't afford to delay any longer. He had to find the king of the Lionmane Tribe, if not, the entire tribe would be destroyed by these overwhelmingly powerful beings.
No matter how many tribesmen this giant killed, revenge would still be possible. But if they lost their king, there would be no more hope.
But just as Craig was about to leave.
Whoosh whoosh~
Witherbone flapped his dragon wings and arrived.
"Wahaha~ You lowly Wolfman! Let Lord Witherbone end your pathetic fate!"
"Rooaar~"
The dragon's roar shook the heavens and earth, the entire sky fell into silence.
Immediately afterward, two Vampires flapping demon wings descended from a hundred-blade height.
Level 15 spellcasters??
Sensing their aura, Craig's expression changed dramatically. His massive wolf head contorted into a grimace.
And in the instant Craig was distracted, his intended escape route was blocked by a slender, seductive figure wielding a massive sword, her eyes fierce and wild.
At her side stood a two-blade-tall warrior whose aura was equally alarming.
Another two Level 15 elite combatants???
Craig was about to go mad. Behind him was a seven-blade-high Steel Giant in impenetrable armor. In the sky was a Bone Dragon radiating death, plus two Level 15 spellcasters. In front were two more Level 15 warriors.
Even with a Wolfman's naturally savage instincts, Craig couldn't help but subconsciously take a few steps back.
Fight?
How? Six top-tier beings, even if the Lionmane Tribe's king, the Level 18 Lionman warrior Kap himself, were here, there'd be no way to win.
Flee?
How? The Bone Dragon, the flying Vampires, and those unknown warriors on the ground, any one of them could stop him.
Craig had never felt such despair in his life. As a Level 16 Wolfman warrior, he had always been the apex predator of the Barren Plains, others groveled before him.
But now…
His long, narrow, ghostly green eyes were filled with helplessness.
He was like a death row inmate awaiting execution, agonized.
"Don't waste time. Capture him."