Chapter 69: Inspection

Above the expansive, ancient canopy of the Jeju Forest, a thunderous roar reverberated across the firmament, shattering the morning silence.

A massive, obsidian shadow tore through the low-hanging clouds like a silent specter of doom, casting a long, ominous darkness over the emerald woods below.

Descending from the sky with effortless, predatory grace was Dark Sister, her colossal wings beating against the cold air currents. Seated proudly upon her iron-hard scales was Craig von Darkstar.

The wind whipped violently against Craig’s face, causing his vibrant crimson hair to flutter madly.

His dark golden eyes narrowed into sharp, reptilian slits as he observed the sprawling layout of the Jeju Forest from his lofty vantage point.

With his heightened senses active—amplified by the mystical, rhythmic pulse of his awakened Dragon’s Heart—Craig’s perception reached superhuman levels.

He was no longer bound by ordinary human sight or smell.

He could catch the faint metallic scent of monster blood from hundreds of meters away and pinpoint the smallest movements of living creatures concealed beneath the thickest foliage.

From atop his dragon’s back, he held total, absolute vision over the entire domain.

As Dark Sister’s massive form glided over the canopy, hundreds of 1st-Tier abominations scattered across the outer woods went wild with terror.

Mutated beasts, blood-crazed Three Headed Rhinos and Red scaled deers, and corrupted forest stalkers ran helter-skelter through the dense timber, trampling bushes and breaking branches in a desperate attempt to save their lives.

Their primal survival instincts screamed at them simultaneously.

A true predator had arrived in their sky.

Every monster in the forest had already experienced the catastrophic destruction Dark Sister had unleashed during the previous days of the festival, and none wished to be incinerated in her wake.

Craig looked toward the heart of the forest, his voice echoing in the guttural, majestic tongue of his bloodline.

"Teg’zael, Dark Sister. Khor’l centaria mor’vash..." Craig commanded smoothly.

(Glide quietly, Dark Sister. Encircle the central area and take me there...)

Dark Sister let out a low, vibrating growl of acknowledgment.

Flapping her massive, leathery wings, she adjusted her vector and flew directly toward the central region of the Jeju Forest.

As they drew closer, Craig’s dark eyebrows furrowed into a tight frown. He sensed something suffocating from above.

The central region of the forest was blanketed by massive, centuries-old ironwood trees whose interlocking branches formed an almost impenetrable wooden ceiling.

It was nearly impossible to see what was lurking beneath the shadow of the canopy with the naked eye.

However, Craig did not need physical sight alone to understand what lay within.

Through his heightened dragon perception, he could feel a dense, nauseating surge of heavy Abyssal mana shrouding the central zone.

The energy felt dark, stagnant, and inherently violent—a clear, undeniable signature.

This was absolute confirmation.

A powerful 2nd-Tier Abomination—the hidden Alpha Red-Scaled Deer—was indeed hiding within the central depths.

Realizing that descending blindly into the thick ironwood canopy atop a massive dragon would compromise her mobility and ruin the tactical ambush, Craig gave another firm instruction in the ancient tongue.

"Kryzor, Dark Sister. Vael’sor kalmal..." Craig ordered, leaning close to her neck.

(Calm your spirit, Dark Sister. Soar high and turn away...)

With a powerful sweeping bank, Dark Sister turned her massive frame in mid-air, ascending higher into the clouds and flying away to circle the perimeter, maintaining aerial dominance while waiting for the ground forces to close the gap.

Meanwhile, several kilometers away on the dirt highway leading to the entrance of the Jeju Forest, the Myrain Viscounty’s ground vanguard was advancing with unstoppable momentum.

The ground trembled violently as dozens of heavy, armored war stallions galloped in tight, military formation.

Leading the charge at the very front of the armored column were the territory’s five strongest figures:

Ser Hughway, General Gunther, Ser Hetos, Ser Merlyn, and Ser Damian Blacksun.

Ordinarily, a newly recruited Sword Runner like Ser Damian would have been relegated to the middle ranks or tasked with rear-guard security alongside the foot soldiers.

However, since Craig had publicly bestowed upon him supreme authority over the private Crimson Dragon Order and designated him as the primary sword of the Viscount, Damian rode proudly alongside the veteran commanders.

Even in the presence of esteemed figures—three elite Sword Sages and a veteran Sword Master.

The young First Dragonknight was treated as a full operational equal.

Ser Damian looked up with a genuine smile breaking across his face as he observed the open sky.

Far above the treeline, he could clearly see the gigantic shape of Dark Sister flying around.

Her thunderous roar echoed crisp and clear across the valley, filling his heart with intense morale.

Seeing that they were officially crossing the boundary into the Jeju Forest, Ser Hughway raised his armored right gauntlet, his booming voice echoing clearly over the thunderous sound of galloping hooves.

"Attention, vanguard!" Ser Hughway addressed the troops, his voice reinforced by mana so that every mounted knight heard him over the noise.

"We are heading directly for the central area to eliminate the primary target! However, that does not mean we will turn a blind eye to the threats along our path!

You are to hunt down and subdue every 1st-Tier abomination that dares to cross our advance! We must clear the necessary pathway for the main legion behind us!"

Ser Hughway turned his armored head, his cold eyes sweeping over the ranks of knights with stern gravity.

"Hear me well! Do not allow yourselves to sustain careless injuries against minor beasts!" Ser Hughway warned sternly.

"Our main hunt today is the 2nd-Tier Abomination in the central depths! Keep your guards up, conserve your stamina, and be prepared for absolute violence!"

"HOOOAH!"

The vanguard knights let out a synchronized, bloodthirsty roar of excitement.

Drawing their long swords and lances from their scabbards with a deafening metallic chorus, they let out a massive battle cry as the cavalry crashed into the outer tree line of the Jeju Forest like an unstoppable tidal wave of steel.