Twenty kilometers outside the Silver Dragon border, atop a towering observation post, a man approached *Ravi*, the Star-Dragon King.
“I told you, scaring Leon Cassmod with intimidation won’t work. Your little ‘ghost’ trick didn’t frighten him at all. Instead, it only made him even more cautious, and he started preparing defenses based on those small clues.”
A few days ago, Ravi had used his spatial magic to silently take out a hidden sentry in the Silver Dragon forest.
The plan had been to rattle the opposition and see what kind of adversary they were up against.
But as expected, Ravi had underestimated his opponent’s keen attention to detail and his quick reaction skills.
The same night the sentry was eliminated, the Silver Dragon Clan had removed all independent sentry posts, replacing them with five-man mobile patrols.
Each patrol maintained a twenty-meter distance between members, forming a hundred-meter line, making it impossible for any “ghost” to slip through unnoticed.
Ravi could no longer act recklessly with his spatial magic.
But despite the man’s hindsight criticism, Ravi responded with a cold snort.
“And how are you so sure Leon Cassmod was the one who came up with the counter-strategy?”
The man shrugged nonchalantly. “It’s a tactic he used during his time serving the Empire. It’s one of his classic counter-ambush strategies.”
“Your spatial magic has a limited range, and his patrols are spread a hundred meters apart, with each member watching the other. There’s no way you could penetrate that.”
“Heh... Honestly, from the start, we should’ve just sent *Stah*.”
*Stah*, the King of the Radiant Dragons, was a figure whose rank in the dragon hierarchy even surpassed that of Constantine.
Ravi slowly shifted his gaze from the Silver Dragon territory back to the man beside him. His voice lowered, carrying a hint of menace.
“Nacho Salaman, remember, the Empire and the Dragon Clan are merely cooperating. This is not a hierarchy. Don’t presume to order Stah around as if he’s at your beck and call.”
It was clear that Ravi held great respect for Stah.
But Nacho wasn’t fazed.
He merely chuckled coldly. “I’m not the one summoning Stah. That’s an order from *that person*.”
When mentioning ‘that person,’ Nacho’s face turned reverent, as if the very mention of this individual demanded complete devotion.
Ravi’s brow furrowed slightly.
He knew that Nacho, as a mere messenger, dared to speak so boldly to a Dragon King only because he had the backing of ‘that person.’
Ravi himself was here supervising because of ‘that person’s’ instructions.
The order had been clear: while Stah was undoubtedly powerful, it was wise to have a backup plan.
And that backup was Ravi.
But Ravi couldn’t comprehend how any human could be a match for Stah.
So what if Leon Cassmod defeated Constantine? He still had a long way to go before he could claim to be unbeatable.
Humans… such a short-sighted race, Ravi mused.
“Speaking of which, Ravi, you and Brai, Jaggus, and the others should have completed that secret weapon by now, right?” Nacho asked.
“If it weren’t ready, do you think ‘that person’ would have me as Stah’s backup?” Ravi’s voice remained low and calm.
Nacho knew the temperament of the Dragon Kings—they all had terrible tempers and viewed most humans as mere ants.
But Nacho enjoyed this dynamic—being someone they couldn’t stand yet dared not dispose of.
So, he pressed on, casually continuing the conversation.
“By the way, when you were summoned back here, weren’t you still in the Northern Expanse? How’s the situation there?”
Ravi’s patience was wearing thin, but he still answered the irritating messenger, “It’s going smoothly. I’m the only one in the Northern Expanse who can use spatial magic. Even if I delay things here, no one will suspect me.”
“That’s good.”
Nacho exaggerated a sigh of relief, acting as if it truly concerned him.
Ravi glared at him. How could someone like Nacho, a mere messenger, act as if this was any of his business?
“I heard that the team in the Northern Expanse is full of talents, even Angelina Ouellet.”
“Of course. After all, they’re dealing with *that thing’s* seal,” Ravi replied slowly.
Nacho had just mentioned ‘that person,’ playing riddles. So, Ravi returned the favor by referring to ‘that thing,’ leaving Nacho hanging.
Nacho glanced at Ravi, knowing he wouldn’t say more, and quickly changed the subject.
“Actually, for *that thing’s* power, Leon Cassmod would make a suitable ‘vessel.’”
Ravi raised an eyebrow, finally asking the question that had been nagging at him. “Do you really think Cassmod is that strong?”
“Believe me, Ravi, he’s stronger than anyone realizes.”
Nacho narrowed his eyes, staring off into the distance with a serious expression.
“That’s why we need to use methods beyond the ordinary to defeat him. That’s also why ‘that person’ sent you here. You’re not just Stah’s backup—you’re the unexpected key to victory.”
Ravi’s vertical dragon pupils trembled slightly.
Since when did the human race produce a monster so powerful that even several Dragon Kings working together needed to rely on an “unexpected” tactic to take him down?
Ravi shook his head, pulling himself out of his wandering thoughts.
He followed Nacho’s gaze.
In the distance, a man in golden armor was slowly approaching the Silver Dragon border.
And at the gate, where Constantine’s head still hung, two figures were walking toward him.
“Rosvisser Melkavi... She’s joining the fight herself?” Ravi murmured.
“This is going to be interesting,” Nacho agreed with a grin.
At the border, Silver Dragon soldiers and maids lined up in formation, with Anna and Shirley standing at the front.
Unlike the last time Constantine invaded, the soldiers were no longer sacrificial pawns in the first wave.
This time, the battle would start with a clash between Dragon Kings.
“*Stah*, the Radiant Dragon King... Do you think it really requires both Her Majesty and the Prince Consort to deal with him?” Shirley asked anxiously.
Anna slowly shook her head. “Constantine was already beyond anything I could comprehend. I can’t even imagine how powerful this Stah must be... Shirley, don’t you think we’ve been fighting a lot more battles lately?”
Shirley hesitated before responding with a humor-laced sigh. “The Silver Dragon Clan has been thriving for a thousand years. Maybe the world has finally noticed how valuable our beautiful land is, and everyone wants a piece.”
Anna chuckled softly. “If that’s the case, we might need to expand the border’s entrance.”
Shirley blinked, confused. “Why?”
Anna glanced at Constantine’s head, still hanging at the border.
“There’s not enough room to hang all the heads.”
They are here