“Michael, look over there!”
Then Eve called everyone's attention. A large crowd of people was seen approaching from the direction of the ruined Dandelion.
“Your Highness!”
“Village chief!”
The Dandelion residents thought they were the first to be attacked and annihilated as soon as Ambroxa woke up. However, many survived unharmed.
The village chief Helione bowed to Eve and Michael in the intermediate homunculus that followed. Eve looked at Helione, asking what had happened. Helione explained.
“Ambroxa had been experiencing symptoms for several days before he woke up. The ground shaking and the storm was so severe that he was staying in the underground facility that the Princess had created for him.”
“But if you had been hit by the breath, it would have been difficult to survive..."
“Yggdrasil’s self-defense barrier has greatly reduced the power of the breath. Although the surface has been devastated, the underground is comparatively unharmed.”
“Thank goodness. I’m so thankful.”
“It’s all thanks to the Princess’s grace. The underground bunker and Yggdrasil were gifts that the princess gave to this land.”
Helione bowed deeply in gratitude. Then she looked towards the volcano and asked.
“By the way, what happened when the Ambroxa that had flown far away suddenly fell back down?”
"That..."
Now it was Eve's turn to explain. She shared the Imperial Dragon War strategy using the warp gate.
“I’m sorry. I brought the dragon back to use your land as a battlefield.”
“Please stop talking. You have attracted the future of the Magical Mind, so our descendants will be grateful.”
Eve was also the one who cared the most for Dandelion. Her resentment was unjustified.
That was when.
Kookoo gugu gung! Kookdududuk!
“Earth, earthquake...?!”
The ground shook so much that he lost his balance. It was an earthquake accompanied by a giant body kicking the ground to stay afloat.
Soon a black silhouette was visible rising above the ridge of the dead volcano.
“It looks like the Ambroxa side has also finished reorganizing.”
It's time to start fighting again.
Helione swallowed dry saliva and opened her mouth.
“Then how can we hold out until the next group arrives..."
“No, you have to be prepared to do it.”
The one who spoke was Michael. The Dandelion Army roared at his simple words.
“With this number of people?”
“Without even a tactical weapon?”
The situation was the same for the advance party of the knights. They had expressions on their faces that said they had never dreamed that their King would think such things.
Michael calmly explained the situation.
“The Imperial strategy presupposes the sacrifice of the Vanguard Knights and the Dandelion Army. They already know that it is impossible to survive for 12 hours against the Demon Dragon. If it means tying the Dragon’s wings, then the sacrifice will have tactical value. However, I can confidently say that if we allow this force to become a war of attrition, not only will we be annihilated, we will not even achieve a tactical victory.”
It was simply foolish to follow a strategy that was certain to result in defeat and risk one's life. Michael had no intention of sending himself and everyone else to their doom. His tone was firm.
“The vanguard and the Dandelion Army must not engage in a war of attrition while waiting for the rearguard. Everyone must fight with the determination to subdue Ambroxa.”
There was silence. It was broken by Eve's voice.
“I think so too. Forget the royal orders and follow Michael.”
In the meantime, some had finished organizing their thoughts. Sylvestian gave Michael a slight scolding.
“You’re going too far. Are you only telling me this now?”
“I was afraid you’d get scared if I told you in advance.”
“Thank you for your consideration. Anyway, when you mention such a far-fetched plan, I feel like it might not be completely impossible.”
Elijah and Snorret also had a word each.
“What the heck. I was going to prove my loyalty to my brother by fighting for a while and dying at the same time, but my plan went awry.”
“Lord Halsten, please.”
“Oh, you said you would work hard. Sir Wint still doesn’t know me?”
The advance guard's knights were already in the position that Michael's will was their will.
While Helione was still hesitating, the intermediate homunculus behind him all saluted and shouted.
“I will follow the King’s will!”
Helione was startled. She realized that their loyalty was directed to Michael, not Eve. Eve smiled and said,
“Michael is a bit special. I don’t have time, so I’ll explain in detail later. Please make a decision first.”
“Oh, I understand. We will fight together. We are ready to subdue it.”
“Yes. Then take care of the rear support and protection. I’ll join you too.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Dandelion, whose ground had been swept away, lost its function as cover.
They decided to take advantage of the coniferous forest terrain. Everyone hurriedly built a front line.
The distance to Ambroxa has become closer.
[I can smell it! The filthy alchemist's watchdog! An ugly, ugly being!]
“I can tell from the way you can smell it that the dog is over there. Vanguard, up!”
As the thirty homunculus emerged, Ambroxa became even more enraged.
[You were there! You foolish creatures are urging orders! How dare you drag me back here! I will not let even one bug live on this land! I will take the life of every living thing and cover this land with death! And then I will destroy the ugly world full of alchemists and watchdogs!]
The long cry of the dragon shook the sky.
It was a roar that interfered and instilled fear. Fortunately, the stability magic stone offset it.
"Attack!"
With Michael's shout, the thirty-man vanguard knight corps moved.
Ambroxa also opened his seven mouths. When everyone was tense, Michael reassured his allies.
“It’s not a breath that shoots with full power!”
Boom! Bam! Kwaaaaang!
It was just as Michael had predicted. Short bursts of breath attacks with multiple bursts but low power were fired in succession.
However, its power is also low compared to the Plain of Lemanas.
It was called a demon dragon. Each and every step was like a top-level attack magic.
Boohoo! Boohoo!
As the advance guard evaded, the missed breath became a disaster on the ground.
The mad destruction caused the land to corrode and melt, creating fields of black lava.
The Yggdrasil land became a hellish land where not only the body but also the soul would be destroyed upon touching it.
The homunculus knights belonging to the advance party attacked Ambroxa while evading or defending at a level where the path was not disrupted.
“Damn it! The wings have too much magic resistance! A reptile that claims to be a flying beast protects its wings!”
“The wind pressure is too strong. I can’t approach. My sword will be useless!”
It wasn't just that they were fighting an aerial battle several kilometers above.
The dragon maintains its floating power by using both flight magic and physical flight abilities.
An updraft strong enough to lift a large body has a deadly effect on its surroundings.
Since blades were swirling everywhere around, it was obvious that even a homunculus would be torn to shreds if it got swept up in the wrong place.
“Respond by keeping a distance! Destroy them from the tail as planned!”
"Yes!"
The long-range combat continued for a long time. Ambroxa's breath and wide-ranging magic struck without pause.
Kwakwang! Kwakwakwakwang!
The magical attacks of the dragon, which manipulated mana through will alone, were no less than its breath.
Whenever a power close to omnipotence shook the world, extreme situations were created where the sky burned, the earth melted and rippled, and the wind froze. Such was the power of a transcendent being.
“Ugh, ugh..."
As the battle lengthened, stamina depleted and some people became injured.
The situation became increasingly dire as the mid-level Homunculus of the Dandelion Army were deployed to the front to supplement their strength.
'As Michael said, a war of attrition is nothing but suicide.'
Eve was supporting from the rear, doing things like setting up barriers to protect the areas where thunderclouds were falling and giving potions to those who were exhausted to help restore their stamina.
The results of the battle, which lasted for hours, were sadly minimal.
Out of the 14 wings, only two had holes here and there.
Homunculus are both wizards and swordsmen, but most of them are more inclined towards the latter. This was natural since swords were rendered useless.
Michael looked around the situation and made a cool-headed judgment.
'It's not working after all. There's no chance of winning.'
Even though he foresaw an unfortunate future, Michael did not despair.
His calm demeanor made it seem as if he had been testing something and just observing.
It was then that Michael gave a new order.
“Elijah and Snorret, distract the dragon. Sylvie, prepare to lead it into the canyon when I give the signal.”
It was an order unrelated to the flow of the battle. Elijah quickly asked back.
“What do you do, brother?”
“I’ve tried as many times as I can, but it seems that tactics using knights don’t work.”
“That’s the power difference..."
Elijah's expression darkened. Of course, he hadn't said it to discourage him.
“If tactics don’t work, just show a fighting power that overwhelms the tactics.”
"Yes?"
Sreung!
Michael said, pulling out the night ray.
“Ride on the back of the dragon. Cut off its tail.”
Michael added calmly as he looked at Eli, who was glaring in surprise.
“This was the plan from the beginning.”
It was like this in his past life too. On the contrary, things were better now that he had colleagues who fought systematically together with him.
Of course, Elijah's reaction to Michael's words was immediate.
“Are you crazy, bro?”
“No. Then I’ll leave it to you.”
“Ah, bro!”
Michael left without saying much. He wanted to sneak up on Ambroxa and approach it from behind.
“Ha, really.”
Elijah clenched his fists as if he wanted to smash anything in sight and shouted.
“1st platoon, follow me!”
Elijah followed Michael's orders faithfully. His tactical nature of being squeamish and provocative also worked significantly, and he attracted the attention of five of Ambrox's heads. The remaining two were taken care of by Snorret.
Meanwhile, Michael successfully approached Ambroxa's blind spot. He quickly dodged the blade-like whirlwind and landed on Ambroxa's back.
[What the heck! What the heck is that leech! Get off! Get off! Kyaaaaah!]
“Keep your distance from the dragon army!”
Michael ordered his allies not to be drawn into the battle. Hearing his voice, Ambroxa began to rampage.
[King of Homunculus!]
Three of the seven heads were forcibly bent and pointed towards the back.
Michael also greeted him.
“Long time no see, the ugliest dragon in the world.”
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