The people who had remained in the city were, according to their mana signature, bronze-level civilians and below, so there was no reason to attack the city if all the soldiers were outside it.
Even in war, so lines remained uncrossed for him.
Dragarion smiled.
"So that was the strange mana signature I was sensing," he murmured, analyzing the war formation from his privileged position. "Such a large mobilization in the outskirts..."
His enhanced perception could read the situation like an open book. Numbers, positions, power levels, everything was visible to his dragon-enhanced awareness.
Easily 200,000 troops extended across the landscape like a purple stain covering kiloters.
For any other commander, it would have been a daunting sight, a force that would require months of siege and thousands of casualties to overco.
The sheer scale was breathtaking. An entire nation mobilized, every able-bodied warrior gathered in a single desperate gamble to protect their most crucial ’asset’.
But for Dragarion, enhanced with the power of seven ancient dragons, they weren’t important.
The distinction was harsh but accurate. Normal soldiers, no matter how nurous or brave, simply couldn’t threaten soone operating on different scales of power.
The only important ones were the few dozen energy signatures that shone like stars among the mass of common soldiers.
Power signatures that stood out from the rest like beacons in darkness. These were the individuals who might actually pose a threat, the enhanced warriors who could channel forces beyond normal human limits.
Yino also hadn’t been wasting ti, he realized.
The sacrifices to create potions had continued in secret, and now more tars had joined the exclusive club of six beasts.
The process for the last days had been horrific. Creating sextuples required resources asured in lives, not crystals. Yet they had done it, driven by the sa desperation that now motivated his own impossible assault.
They were the only ones truly capable of stopping the King enhanced with draconic power.
♢♢♢♢
In the depths of Yino’s bronze territory, Coleoran Hexenmane felt the exact mont when his counterpart crossed their borders.
The presence was unmistakable: pure, concentrated power, moving directly toward the heart of everything he had built over decades.
The sensation was like feeling a small sun approach the earth. Raw power that warped reality around it, leaving signatures that could be detected across vast distances.
"So he has dared to invade us as brazenly as the crystal predicted," he murmured, his own corrupt beasts stirring restlessly beneath his skin.
The prediction had been accurate, but intellectual knowledge was different from feeling that overwhelming presence approach his domain.
The question that had been tornting him for days finally found its answer: yes, Yano had sufficient power to justify such a direct and aggressive attack.
’Perhaps it would have been better if we ourselves had launched the attack before he used that power?’ The doubt gnawed at him, but it was too late to change strategies.
The regret was bitter but pointless. Every choice in war carried consequences, and second-guessing past decisions was a luxury he hadn’t.
The crystal had been clear in its instructions: attacking the King prematurely would, in the worst case, force him to advance his use of draconic power to that sa mont.
It was better to let him take all the ti he wanted while they prepared with more and more potions and corrupt people.
The logic had been sound, but logic offered cold comfort when facing extinction.
The crystal wanted first and foremost... to finish its objective of connecting with all possible people before attacking first.
The entity’s priorities were wider. It thought in terms of species transformation rather than individual battles.
They had waited, accumulating power while Dragarion apparently took a few days preparing his assault.
And thanks to that they now had dozens of tars with six beasts, which hadn’t been a bad result considering the limited ti.
The sacrifices had been enormous, but the results were undeniable. They now possessed warriors who could challenge even that legendary opponent.
But it remained to be seen whether it would be sufficient to stop soone who radiated power like a miniature star.
"My Lord," Ravenspire’s voice ca from one side, "the enemy approaches directly. No deviations, no distraction tactics. He’s coming straight for the crystal."
Coleoran nodded, having reached the sa conclusion.
"Of course he’s coming straight. He has the power to allow himself such simple dynamics... nothing has changed," He straightened, feeling how his six beasts responded to his growing determination. "Are the formations ready?"
The question was rhetorical. Every aspect of their defense had been planned and executed by the great crystal. Now ca the test of whether theory could withstand reality.
"All positions confird. The Silver Rank 1s form the outer lines, but..."
"But they can’t damage Dragarion," Coleoran completed with a grim smile. "I know. They’re not there to stop him."
"Hagen, take position with the other minor commanders. I’m going to intercept the King personally along with all the sextuples we brought."
The decision carried finality. This would be decided by the highest levels of power.
He rose with an explosion of purple energy, his six beasts manifesting covered his body like living armor.
The transformation was both beautiful and terrible. Corruption had enhanced him beyond human limitations, but at the cost of everything that had once made him recognizably mortal.
♢♢♢♢
Zhao sighed and looked at Victor... The King had gotten too far ahead due to his vastly superior speed...
"Like father, like son."
The observation carried both affection and exasperation. Dragarion’s tendency to charge ahead regardless of support was a trait he had clearly passed to his first children.
Dragarion saw a purple figure rising to et him long before Coleoran reached combat altitude.
His enhanced vision could track the approaching enemy perfectly.
"So you decide to face directly," he murmured. "Respectable."
There was genuine appreciation in his voice. Whatever else could be said about Coleoran, he wasn’t a coward who hid behind subordinates when the ultimate mont arrived.
The two Kings t in the air, suspended over a landscape that would soon beco a battlefield.
The rainbow light of ancient dragons faced the purple glow of abyssal corruption, creating a contrast that was visible from kiloters away.
"Dragarion," Coleoran greeted, his voice charged with the power of six corrupt beasts. "You’ve brought sothing... impressive."
His tone mixed admiration with threat. The power radiating from his opponent was beyond anything he had encountered, yet he showed no fear.
"Coleoran," Dragarion responded, even his greeting resonating with draconic harmonics. "I can’t waste ti, better turn around so I can kick your ass once and for all."
The casual vulgarity was jarring coming from soone who glowed like a living constellation, but it was pure Dragarion... direct, unpretentious, focused on the task at hand.
For a very small mont that seed eternal, the two leaders studied each other, evaluating, calculating, recognizing each other’s power with the respect that only true warriors could show.
The assessnt was mutual and professional. They were about to attempt to kill each other, but that didn’t preclude acknowledging the other’s capabilities.
The air between them began to crackle with opposing energies that repelled each other.
"Any last words before we try to kill each other?" Coleoran asked with black humor as dozens of sextuples surrounded Yano’s king.
Dragarion smiled, and for a mont he seed like the man he had been before carrying the weight of seven dragons.
"Just this: I’ll win."
"Always so eloquent and charismatic..."
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