On the west shore of the Black Water River, where a silent riverbank met a sparse forest, a grim atmosphere hung in the air.
The air carried a faint chill and the scent of damp earth.
Raylo, leading his Knights and elite guards, had long been lying in ambush in the shadows at the forest's edge.
Concealed by the darkness and the terrain, only their vigilant eyes were visible as they stared toward the riverbank.
This was the very battlefield Raylo had chosen.
The terrain was relatively open, which was ideal for observation, yet it was right next to the forest, providing an easy means of concealment and retreat.
More importantly, the location wasn't far from the Iron Armor Rhino Mother Beast's usual territory, which was convenient for Ed's plan to lure it out.
Time ticked by, second by second. The oppressive silence caused some of the younger soldiers' palms to sweat, and they tightened their grips on their weapons.
Raylo's face was impassive as he waited patiently.
Finally, the sounds of rustling footsteps and something heavy being dragged broke the silence.
By the dim Moonlight, a group of figures appeared on the riverbank, dressed in simple Leather Armor and wielding Curved Sabers or Bone Staffs.
They moved furtively, their eyes darting about as they scanned their surroundings. These were the Demon Serpent's Fangs.
At the head of the group was a stooped figure in a black Priest Robe, clutching a Snake Head Bone Staff with a green Gemstone set in its tip. It was their old rival, the Demon Serpent Priest, Slack.
Behind Slack, a behemoth moved slowly, emitting a low, chuffing sound.
It was a crocodile of astonishing size, nearly six meters long and covered in thick, dark green Scale Armor that resembled solidified mud. Jagged Bone Spikes protruded from its back.
Its murky yellow eyes glowed with a cruel light in the darkness, and its massive mouth hung slightly agape, revealing the terrifyingly dense rows of Sharp Teeth within.
The ground trembled slightly with its every move.
This was a Tier Three Magical Beast, the Mire Giant Crocodile.
Just as the group was marching forward, an earth-shattering roar suddenly echoed from upstream!
"ROOOOAR—!!!"
The sound was filled with unparalleled rage and fury, making the very ground seem to tremble!
Slack and his minions froze, their heads snapping toward the source of the sound.
There, under the Moonlight, a behemoth the size of a small mountain was charging furiously toward them!
Its body was covered in a thick, grayish-brown hide, and a stout horn on its head glinted with a metallic sheen. Its limbs were thick and powerful, and each step shook the ground with a heavy thud.
It was none other than the Tier Three Iron Armor Rhino Mother Beast!
The mother beast's eyes were crimson, and it snorted jets of hot, white steam from its nostrils, its entire body radiating an aura of pure violence.
Clearly, it had been thoroughly enraged.
"An Armored Rhinoceros! Dammit, what is something like that doing here?!"
Slack's expression changed.
He had heard just how difficult Armored Rhinoceroses were to deal with.
But something even more shocking was about to happen.
A Human Knight on a fast horse, carrying a leather pouch, closed the distance with astonishing speed, arriving at the Mire Giant Crocodile's flank in a matter of moments.
The Mire Giant Crocodile had obviously sensed the threat from the Armored Rhinoceros and was warily turning to face it.
Just then, Ed's arm shot up. The leather pouch in his hand sailed through the air in an arc, landing with perfect accuracy on the Mire Giant Crocodile's thickly armored back!
"SPLAT!"
The pouch burst. Warm, foul-smelling rhino calf blood instantly gushed out, drenching the Mire Giant Crocodile's body. The rich stench of blood and the calf's unique scent immediately filled the air.
"Hrrshh?"
The Mire Giant Crocodile seemed confused, lowering its head to sniff the liquid on its body.
But to the Iron Armor Rhino Mother Beast, which was already on the verge of a rampage, this scent was like pouring oil on a fire!
That was the scent of its calf!
The blood of its calf!
"ROOOOAR—!!!"
An even more furious roar erupted!
In the mother beast's simple mind, this ugly reptile reeking of its child's blood was the murderer of its young!
All its rage and killing intent instantly found an outlet!
RUMBLE!
The Iron Armor Rhino Mother Beast's massive body shot forward like a cannonball, carrying an unstoppable force as it slammed into the still-reeling Mire Giant Crocodile!
"THOOM—!!!"
A deafening crash echoed out!
It was as if two small mountains had slammed into each other!
Although the Mire Giant Crocodile had a tough, thick hide, it couldn't withstand such a savage charge. The impact sent it staggering, its massive body sliding several meters to the side. A crack even appeared in its thick Scale Armor.
"ROAR!"
Reeling from the pain, the Mire Giant Crocodile was now thoroughly enraged as well!
It whipped its thick tail, lashing it toward the Armored Rhinoceros like a steel whip.
The Armored Rhinoceros, showing no sign of weakness, lowered its head and viciously drove its hard horn toward the giant crocodile's abdomen!
Right there on the riverbank, the two Tier Three Magical Beasts began a primitive, bloody, frenzied battle to the death!
The sounds of collisions, roars, shattering Scale Armor, and spattering mud filled the air...
Slack and his minions could only stare, dumbfounded.
They had never imagined the battle would unfold like this!
The Armored Rhinoceros that had appeared out of nowhere was fighting their own Mire Giant Crocodile!
"Wh-what's going on?" a Snake-man asked, his voice trembling.
Slack's face was ashen. He had a vague feeling that something was wrong. 'The Armored Rhinoceros's appearance is too coincidental, and it attacked the Mire Giant Crocodile with such clear purpose...'
'Could it be a trap?'
He whipped his head around to look at the forest. And just as he expected, while the two Giant Beasts' frenzied battle held everyone's attention, a thunderous battle cry erupted from the woods!
"Kill!"
Raylo was at the forefront, leading the Knights as they surged out like a tidal wave!
Their targets were the Demon Serpent's Fangs, whose formation was in chaos and who were still reeling from the battle between the Magical Beasts!
"Damn it! It's a trap! To arms! To arms!"
Slack shrieked, waving his Bone Staff repeatedly to unleash clouds of dark green poison mist and Curses in an attempt to halt the Knights' charge.
But Raylo's Knights were well-trained and perfectly coordinated.
The Knights in the front rank raised their Shields, their Fighting Spirit flaring as they brute-forced their way through the poison mist and Curses, while the Knights in the rear seized the opportunity to charge!
Behind the Knights were a hundred soldiers armed with wooden spears.
"For Black Stone Town!"
The Knight's Longswords flashed, glinting coldly as they precisely pierced the crude Leather Armor of the Demon Serpent's Fangs.
The soldiers followed close behind, using Long Spears and War Axes to cut down any who slipped past the initial charge.
The scene instantly descended into utter chaos!
On one side, two behemoths were locked in a brutal melee that shook the earth; on the other, Knights were slaughtering the Demon Serpent's Fangs, sending flesh and blood flying everywhere!
Frantic and furious, Slack tried to command the Mire Giant Crocodile to break away from the Armored Rhinoceros and deal with the Knights first.
But both Giant Beasts were already blood-crazed and paid his commands no heed.
The Armored Rhinoceros's horn gouged wounds in the crocodile's body deep enough to show bone, while the crocodile's sharp claws and lashing tail tore open the rhino's hide, leaving it dripping with blood.
Ed had long since used the chaos to retreat to the Knights' formation. He was now swinging his Great Sword, sending members of the Demon Serpent's Fangs flying as if he were scything through grass.
His eyes flickered occasionally toward the two Giant Beasts' battlefield, waiting for the perfect opportunity.
According to Raylo's plan, now that the two Giant Beasts had been successfully turned against each other, Ed's target was the leader of the Demon Serpent's Fangs: the Demon Serpent Priest.
Though the Demon Serpent's Fangs were fierce and unafraid of death, they were no match for the Knights, whose morale was soaring. They were quickly cut to pieces, suffering devastating casualties.
Seeing that the battle was lost, Slack began to think of retreating.