Chapter 159: The Arrival of the Crimson Flame Dragon King

This was a lightning-fast assault, as the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan broke through the defenses of the Silver Dragon territory at the speed of light, heading straight for the sanctuary.

The charred corpse thrown into the Silver Dragon sanctuary served as the first warning bell, signaling the beginning of the war.

Outside the sanctuary at this moment, hundreds of giant dragons hovered in the air.

Their dragon flames ignited the entire night sky, with the constant roar of dragons echoing, and massive dragon corpses falling from the sky.

The ground battle was even more brutal. In less than half an hour, the soldiers of the Silver Dragon and the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan entered into a bloody, white-hot phase.

Magic clashed, swords clashed, and all means were used to the extreme.

The earth was stained red with dragon blood, limbs flew, flesh blurred, and as far as the eye could see, there were countless corpses.

At this moment, the sky seemed to collapse, as if it were the end of the world.

The war between the dragon clans had surpassed the limits of all words could describe in its brutality.

Ten kilometers outside the sanctuary, the head maid Anna led the elite members of the maid squad in a desperate battle.

Shirley and her cooperated, resisting several attacks from the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan.

They had not yet transformed into dragon form to fight.

Their humanoid form allowed for more precise release of magic, as well as facilitating command and observation of the battlefield; whereas the dragon form moved slightly slower and was prone to friendly fire in such intense battles.

Therefore, in ground combat, the humanoid form had a somewhat greater advantage.

Another part of the Silver Dragon guards seized control of the sky. The Silver Dragon clan had a natural advantage in speed, even if they were not as powerful overall as the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan, they could still maintain a competitive edge in aerial combat relying on their speed.

The fifth assault by the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan was repelled. Anna and Shirley leaned against each other back to back, taking a moment to catch their breath.

“Has the encirclement at the rear of the mountain been breached?” Shirley asked.

“No, they came prepared, laying ambushes for quite some time. Even the emergency escape tunnels have been destroyed,” Anna replied, wiping the blood from her face.

“What about reinforcements? Haven’t any nearby dragon clans sent troops?”

Anna bit her lip and shook her head. “They all fear provoking Constantine. No one dares to send troops to support us.”

“Fools! If the Silver Dragon Clan really falls in the end, do they think Constantine will spare them?” Shirley cursed.

As they discussed, a soldier came to report, “Head maid, Queen Isabella of the Red Dragon Clan has replied. They are aware of the situation here, but they are being held back by a portion of the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan’s forces. It will take at least three hours for them to arrive.”

“Held back by the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan’s forces…” Anna’s pupils trembled, her thoughts drifting.

She remembered His Majesty mentioning some time ago that the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan intended to attack the Wind Dragon Clan, and the Wind Dragon King sought help from His Majesty’s sister, Isabella.

However, for the past few months, the war had not erupted, only small-scale conflicts and harassment. But now, with the attack on the Silver Dragon Sanctuary and the arrival of reinforcements from the Red Dragon Clan being delayed by the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan’s forces already stationed there…

All of this was planned by Constantine!

From the beginning, he had no intention of targeting the Wind Dragon Clan or the Red Dragon Clan. He only pretended to attack and harass the Wind Dragon Clan to divert the attention of several dragon kings over there.

And then, he launched the attack on the day of Rosvitha’s childbirth, leaving the Silver Dragon Sanctuary isolated and leaderless!

While this series of plans was indeed meticulous, Anna couldn’t help but wonder about one thing: How did Constantine determine this particular day?

“Head maid, they’re coming again.”

Before Anna could ponder further, the sixth assault by the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan ensued.

She gritted her teeth and raised her sword, pointing it directly at the approaching Crimson Flame Dragon Clan. “To defend Her Majesty the Queen to the death!”

The Silver Dragon soldiers shouted and yelled as they engaged once again with the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan.

Meanwhile, inside the sanctuary, Rosvitha was still in the throes of childbirth.

Though she had experienced such pain before, the tearing sensation remained unbearable.

Several times, the sound of magical explosions came from the rear mountain, indicating that the squads dispatched by Anna were doing their utmost to break through the encirclement, aiming to secure the safe retreat of Her Majesty, the Crown Prince, and the two princesses.

Moments later, the door was opened, and a maid hurried in. She looked around and realized Anna wasn’t there.

With Rosvitha unable to issue commands at the moment, the maid approached Leon.

“My lord, we… we’ve opened a way out. All the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan forces on that route have withdrawn. Her Majesty the Queen can leave from there.”

Upon hearing this news, the maids and doctors in the bedroom all breathed a sigh of relief.

Breaking the encirclement meant they could safely evacuate Her Majesty.

However, Leon didn’t immediately instruct them to take Rosvitha away.

Frowning in thought, he murmured, “Something’s not right…”

“What’s wrong, my lord?” a doctor asked.

Leon walked to the balcony, turning back to look at the maid who delivered the message.

“Over an hour ago, the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan had the rear mountain completely sealed off. Not even a fly could get through. Now, they suddenly withdraw from the route. Clearly, something’s not right. Where did they withdraw from?”

The maid hesitated, then pursed her lips, walking over to Leon and pointing to a small path on the rear mountain.

Leon squinted slightly. “Are you sure it’s there? All the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan forces have withdrawn from that route?”

After a moment’s hesitation, the maid nodded. “Yes, I’m sure.”

Leon furrowed his brow tightly. Then, he slowly raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

In the next moment, brilliant lightning flashed above the path the maid had just pointed to. Beneath the lightning, several crimson dragons emerged from the forest, spewing dragon flames toward the source of the lightning, as if they thought it was a trap.

Unfortunately, it was just a birthday wish.

If the maids had indeed taken Rosvitha to retreat through that path just now, they would have fallen into an ambush by these crimson dragons.

Leon turned his head slowly, coldly looking at the maid. “When fighting, you must use your brains.”

The maid panicked, quickly half-kneeling down. “My lord, it’s… it’s the negligence of the subordinate… the subordinate deserves death…”

Leon ignored her, turning to walk towards his two daughters.

The other maids and doctors quieted down, looking at each other, unsure of what to say. If it hadn’t been for the cautious reminder from the prince just now, they might have made a grave mistake.

After calming their emotions, they resumed caring for Rosvitha in labor, while Leon said nothing further.

Leon didn’t understand the Silver Dragon Clan’s tactical deployments, nor was it appropriate for him to issue any strategic commands. However, he could still discern the deceitful tactics employed during battles.

The Empire once hailed him as the greatest dragon slayer, not just because of the number of dragons he had killed, but also because of his command ability, strategic planning, and deployment of troops. Leon excelled in all these aspects.

But since Anna had already arranged everything for the battle plan, he couldn’t usurp her command at this moment. Doing so might disrupt the rhythm of the entire Silver Dragon army. Moreover, Anna had some skills of her own.

In such a critical situation of sudden attack and leadership vacuum, there weren’t many better options than Anna. With his arms crossed, Leon gazed at the brutal battlefield ahead. The Silver Dragon Clan seemed to be gradually gaining the upper hand.

On the battlefield, Shirley pierced a Crimson Flame Dragon’s chest with her sword, then flung his body aside. She then glanced back at the gates of the sanctuary, realizing they had pushed forward about seven kilometers more than two hours ago.

Excellent. The encirclement by the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan was slowly collapsing. Perhaps they could really hold out.

However, just when everything seemed to be going well, something unexpected was about to happen. Shirley’s face hadn’t even had a chance to display a temporary smile of victory when she noticed the shadows on the ground growing darker and thicker.

Suddenly, she seemed to realize something, and fear exploded in her heart. Trembling all over like a rusty machine, she slowly turned around.

Somewhere along the way, the entire sky had been obscured by a pair of colossal dragon wings.

The next moment, a powerful gust of wind struck, forcing Shirley to bend down.

A deep dragon breath swept across the battlefield, and the crimson wings and long tail proclaimed the identity of this enormous dragon.

The oppressive sensation, penetrating to the marrow and soul, left all the dragons present gasping for air.

Crash…

Shirley’s longsword fell to the ground, and she lifted her head dazedly. Her silver dragon eyes gazed at the majestic and stern Dragon King, her pupils gradually losing focus.

“Constantine…”

Crimson Flame Dragon King, Constantine, had personally arrived on the battlefield.

Fear instantly permeated Shirley, and she didn’t even react until the cluster of fierce dragon flames was about to engulf her.

Fortunately, Anna reacted swiftly, grabbing her collar from behind and pulling her back from the brink of death.

Shirley collapsed to the ground, pain helping her regain her senses.

“Report back, Constantine has appeared. Full force to accelerate breaking through the encirclement at the rear mountain,” Anna ordered.

This command meant that the battle here would soon end with Constantine’s arrival. The gap in strength between a Dragon King-level opponent and elite dragons like Anna was like an unbridgeable chasm.

So, since defeat on the front lines was only a matter of time, they had to break through the rear mountain with all their might.

They might not be able to save the Silver Dragon Sanctuary, but at least they had to save Her Majesty’s life.

Anna watched Shirley’s figure, feeling somewhat relieved.

“You’re right, Your Majesty. A dragon’s life is too long. I now, like you, prefer transient beauty,” she said, then turned to face Constantine, spreading her wings behind her, transforming into her dragon form.

However, even in dragon form, she was only one-quarter the size of Dragon King Constantine.

Before him, Anna was like a praying mantis trying to stop a car. But she wouldn’t back down. Every member of the maid corps had sworn to protect Her Majesty the Queen at all costs.

Anna vibrated her wings and charged forward towards the towering enemy like a mountain. Like a moth to a flame, knowing it was a perilous journey, yet still pressing forward.

Dragon flames gathered in her mouth and erupted. Constantine’s crimson dragon eyes sneered, merely flapping his wings to shatter Anna’s full-force dragon flames.

Anna even felt the shockwave, but after adjusting her posture in the air, she launched another attack towards Constantine. Several fireballs struck Constantine’s dragon body, but seemed unable to leave a mark on his scales.

The massive body slowly moved towards the sanctuary, completely ignoring Anna and other Silver Dragon soldiers’ attacks.

Seeing that magic attacks were completely ineffective, Anna roared and positioned herself in front of the Crimson Flame Dragon King.

She vigorously flapped her wings, using her own body as a weapon, regardless of consequences, crashing into Constantine. But to Constantine, such an attack was like a flea challenging a tree.

He raised his sharp and massive dragon claw, effortlessly pinning Anna to the ground. His claw pierced Anna’s wings, blood flowing uncontrollably.

Despite being firmly held down, Anna still attempted to counterattack, struggling and continuously spewing dragon flames at Constantine.

But it was all in vain.

Realizing the absolute gap in strength between herself and Constantine, Anna was stunned.

She could hardly believe that a dragon could be so powerful.

But only a Dragon King with such terrifying power would dare to recklessly attack other dragon clans, right? Despair gradually enveloped Anna and the entire Silver Dragon army. From the moment Constantine appeared on the battlefield, everything seemed to be predetermined.

…

Inside the sanctuary, silence reigned, the atmosphere sinking to its lowest point. Muen held back her tears, burying her little face in her sister’s embrace, gripping her clothes tightly.

Noia’s hands trembled, the apocalyptic scene before her was far beyond what a child could bear. But she still held onto her sister, comforting her.

Milan and the other maids looked at Anna, ravaged and trampled, and at the unmatched Crimson Flame Dragon King, all silent. It seemed… there was no longer any need to struggle.

Rosvitha opened her eyes amidst the pain, feeling a powerful presence on the battlefield. A presence unique to a Dragon King. She knew Constantine had arrived. The dragon hero who had expanded the territory for the dragon race thousands of years ago, his strength stood out among all Dragon Kings.

“Your Majesty…” Milan lowered her head, unable to look at Rosvitha, “I’m sorry, but we probably… have already lost. No one can kill a Dragon King of Constantine’s caliber, no one…”

No one contradicted her statement, because it was an accepted fact, only Milan dared to speak it out loud.

“Kill… the Dragon King…”

Rosvitha murmured these four words, clutching the sheet beneath her as she endured the intense pain in her abdomen. “Kill the Dragon King… isn’t that someone’s specialty…”

“What did you say, Your Majesty?” The doctor nearby didn’t catch it clearly.

Rosvitha closed her eyes, a weary and resigned smile appearing on her pale face. At this point, there was no other way.

She softly called out the name of the man, “Leon…”

He responded, walking to Rosvitha’s bedside, his expression still serious as he looked at her.

“I have no choice… Leon, I have no choice…” She looked at the man who was once her adversary, her silver eyes filled with helplessness.

Leon remained silent, but Rosvitha could see his answer in his eyes.

She closed her eyes, a tear rolling down her cheek, dampening the pillow. “You know where I’ve put your things, the key is in the second drawer…”

Leon nodded, opening the drawer and retrieving a key.

Then, he bypassed the crowd and walked to Noia and Muen, crouching down halfway.

He first squeezed Muen’s cold little hand, then looked at Noia.

Father and daughter locked eyes, as if there were thousands of words they wanted to say to each other.

But in the end, Leon simply said, “Take care of your sister and mother, you can do it.”

“Daddy… you, you’ll come back, right?” Noia asked, trembling.

“Yeah, I’ll come back. We promised to go to the beach together, didn’t we?” He patted Noia’s head, saying no more, standing up and walking towards the door.

“Leon!… Leon…” Rosvitha’s weak voice came.

Leon paused at the door, half-turning back, responding in a deep voice, “I know, leave it to me.”

With that said, he didn’t linger, opening the door and swiftly leaving the sanctuary.

He arrived at Rosvitha’s secret vault, using the key to unlock the door. Stepping down the stairs, he walked towards the innermost part.

There, he found a wooden chest and opened it, revealing a set of black armor inside. As if reuniting with an old friend, Leon reached out, his fingertips gently tracing over the chest plate of the black and gold armor.

“Old friend, accompany me in madness once more.”