"Russell."
Garros summoned the Dragon Vein Werewolf.
"My Lord."
The strong werewolf, covered in dragon scales as tough as iron armor, knelt on the ground.
"Lead the cavalry, scouts, and Centaur elites to scout and map out the distribution of resource points and outposts of the Bloodhoof Clan," the Red-Iron Dragon said, then looked toward the Wyvern Leader. "Tasha, lead the Wyvern swarm to harass the Bloodhoof Clan's main camp. Draw their attention to cover for Russell."
Sensing the scent of war, the Gluttony Demon Karu approached while gnawing on a leg bone.
He spoke in a gruff voice, unable to wait. "Dragon Lord, what about me? I want to taste the flavor of bull horns."
Garros: "Assemble the Star-Shattering Hammer Warband and prepare for mobilization for the upcoming war."
As time passed, orders continued to be issued either from his own mouth or via Communication Stones.
A short while later, Garros finally let out a long sigh.
Trivial matters like these should have been the Iron Dragon's responsibility, where he would organize the general situation and report directly to Garros. However, with the Iron Dragon Sorog in deep sleep, Garros had to do it himself.
He had no choice.
Red Dragons were somewhat reckless, the White Dragon's intelligence was mediocre, and the Faerie Dragon went without saying.
As for the other subordinate leaders, there were indeed some with excellent wisdom and management skills, but it was difficult for them to stand in a higher position and command the respect of the other subordinates.
"Dragon Valley is still too thin; it needs more Dragons."
Garros thought to himself.
He focused on himself and didn't want to worry too much about the territory and subordinates. Now that the Iron Dragon was asleep, the territorial management and subordinate command immediately became sluggish. Without a suitable Dragon to take over, Garros had to manage it.
"Perhaps I can learn from the Blue Dragon groups."
"Recruit, absorb, and cultivate rogue Young Dragons to build a Dragon community."
Garros was lost in thought.
Among the Chromatic Dragons, Blue Dragons are also known as Storm Dragons, representing thunder and storms. Moreover, among all Chromatic Dragons, they are the most calm and rational Dragonkin.
Blue Dragons do not abandon Young Dragons.
On the contrary, they gather Young Dragons to raise them together. Not just their own offspring; if they occasionally encounter other Chromatic Young Dragons, they will bring them back to the Family and protect them in the Family's name. As the Young Dragons grow into Young Dragons and Adult Dragons, they also become protectors of the Family.
Red Dragons are the head of the Chromatic Dragons.
But in most cases, when a Red Dragon encounters a Blue Dragon, the Red Dragon is more likely to suffer a setback because Blue Dragons travel in groups, much like Metallic Dragons.
Of course, an Evil Dragon is still an Evil Dragon.
Blue Dragon groups don't hatch Young Dragons out of the goodness of their hearts, but for profit.
Large Dragons will coldly exploit the interests of small Dragons. In some dangerous battles, it is common to let small Dragons lead subordinates to their deaths like cannon fodder. Small Dragons raised in this environment either flee midway and die young, or eventually survive to become part of the upper ruling class, exploiting Dragonkin weaker than themselves layer by layer from the top down.
"I can learn the Blue Dragons' method of absorbing Young Dragons to build the Ignas Family."
"But I don't need cruel downward exploitation."
"The future of the Ignas Family and the future of Dragon Valley should be a kingdom ruled by Dragonkin, not a narrow group like the Blue Dragons."
With the Iron Dragon Bloodline in his body, Garros was naturally inclined to establish a Dragon Empire.
He believed that if he had such an Empire as his 'logistical' support, it would be more conducive to his development and survival.
"What should I do now?"
At this moment, the White Dragon Tereshi asked.
Garros said, "Like me, conserve your energy and prepare for battle."
He stopped training and began to eat and rest, allowing his physical state to gradually recover toward its Peak.
Meanwhile.
The Bloodhoof Clan's main camp.
It was surrounded by stone walls as high as city walls, topped with strong and tall Minotaur guards. The buildings inside the walls were also entirely made of stone; low-level structures like wooden houses and camps were rarely seen.
Tauren Warlocks were skilled at harnessing the earth and manipulating soil and stone.
They were very good at construction, though the style of all their buildings was extremely rugged, with no sense of beauty to speak of.
Inside a stone hall filled with a savage and primitive aura, Bahl Bloodhoof's pitch-black eyes shimmered with an abyss-like light as he scanned the other Minotaur.
His thick bull horns curved toward the sky. He remained silent, his tower-like body seated on the highest throne.
The other Minotaur leaders were discussing what had happened previously.
"We've been discovered. Their reaction was very fast."
"The Wyvern swarm's reconnaissance was only the first step. The Dragonkin dwelling in Wyvern Valley will definitely make more moves next."
"We can't just sit and wait for death. We need to prepare."
...
The rugged voices of the Minotaur rose and fell.
They knew that there were more than just Wyverns in Dragon Valley.
Long before the Young Dragon moved against the White Mane Clan, the Minotaur of the Bloodhoof Clan had set their sights on the Centaurs. They craved further expansion and wanted to launch an attack on the White Mane Clan when the time was ripe.
However.
They hadn't even officially started the war against the White Mane Clan yet.
The scouts they used to monitor the White Mane Clan had accidentally discovered the existence of the Young Dragon. Furthermore, the Young Dragon had subdued the Centaurs of the White Mane Clan before they could.
Afterward, through scout reconnaissance and the Shaman's prophetic Spells, the Bloodhoof Clan gradually located Dragon Valley.
But because the scouts were discovered by the patrolling Wyverns,
they also realized they were exposed to the eyes of the Dragonkin.
Soon after, the Chief Shaman of the Bloodhoof Clan opened a pair of dull white eyes and said slowly in a heavy tone, "I see war and flames, I see death and blood."
"Conflict with the Dragonkin will bring danger to the clan."
After a pause, the Shaman's tone shifted. "But danger and opportunity coexist. As long as we can overcome this danger and sacrifice the Souls of the Dragonkin to the great Baphomet, the Chieftain will become even more powerful, and the Bloodhoof Clan will receive more blessings."
Minotaur were stubborn and obstinate by nature.
They were now ambitious, bent on expansion and dominating the Borderlands. They would crush any obstacle and trample their enemies into bloody mud.
"The Minotaur are unstoppable."
"Our horns are indestructible!"
"All enemies who stand before us will be crushed by us!"
Upon hearing the Shaman's words, all the Minotaur leaders let out excited low growls.
A few seconds later, they gradually calmed down and looked in unison at that tower-like figure.
Their thoughts were secondary; the key lay in the Chieftain's decision.
In the past, there were Minotaur who wanted to challenge the Chieftain's authority, but without exception, not even their bones remained.
Bahl Bloodhoof had black manes growing on him. Under his exposed skin, there was no excess fat; blocks of muscle bulged like steel, or like thousand-year-old vines entwined, tight and powerful.
His eyes were pitch black with no other colors, like a bottomless abyss.
Bahl slowly stood up, his tall body blocking the light in the hall and casting a heavy shadow.
The hall was silent; the other Minotaur felt a suffocating pressure. It wasn't until Bahl spoke that the air seemed to flow again.
"Prepare for war!"
His voice was low and raspy as he spoke.
The rugged roars of the Minotaur rose one after another.
Most of them proposed immediately gathering the clan's warriors to launch an all-out surprise attack on Dragon Valley, but they were vetoed by the Chieftain.
"Victory will surely be ours, but the enemy should not be underestimated."
Bahl ruled the Bloodhoof Clan with an iron fist, but he also possessed considerable wisdom. He said slowly, "Dragonkin are good at flying. If they feel they are no match and choose to flee, we will be helpless."
"I do not fear the Dragonkin's revenge, but merely driving them away is no different from failure in my eyes."
Bahl's voice rumbled like thunder. "I want to use the lives and Souls of the Dragonkin to forge the path for the Bloodhoof Clan's rise."
Under the gaze of the leaders, he issued his orders.
To summarize, it was to show weakness to the enemy, let the Dragonkin have their way to foster their arrogance and madness, and then, once the Dragonkin let down their guard, deliver a thunderous blow to put them to death.
At that moment, a sharp screeching sound rang out from the sky.
The Wyvern swarm had returned.
"It's still just Wyverns."
"These Bipedal Lizards are just probing; no need to pay them any mind."
Bahl said indifferently.
Subsequently, facing the harassment of the Wyvern swarm, the Bloodhoof Clan did not respond very seriously.
They possessed anti-air means but chose to hold back, only making minor counterattacks just like last time.
The Wyvern swarm also didn't take any risks, simply dropping stones from high altitudes onto the Bloodhoof Clan's territory to harass them. However, this kind of attack couldn't cause any effective damage and was entirely blocked by the Warlocks' defensive Spells.