Chapter 263: Land Dragons and Wyverns

Air supremacy was a decisive factor in warfare. When two nations of equal might clashed, securing total control of the skies granted a massive advantage. An air force could monitor troop movements, and once an army grasped its enemy's every maneuver, victory was virtually assured.

The addition of the Harpies cemented White Castle's authority over the skies and drastically enhanced the army's combat power. The vast majority of kingdoms on the Nordhill Continent stood absolutely no chance against them. Even against a weaker empire, White Castle could now put up a fight.

But to a formidable empire like the Bolton Dynasty, a Harpy air force was a joke. In the face of a Floating Tower, anything short of a High-Tier Legend was useless.

Because of this, Orbis Lutherd, commander of the Sun-Setting Legion, paid the Harpies little mind. His own side's overwhelming strength was one reason; the other was simply that the Harpies flying before him were far too weak, as most were merely intermediate-tier professionals.

The White Dragon Lord was quite helpless regarding the Harpies' path as professionals. Since they lacked hands, they could not wield most weapons. More critically, their racial talent for cultivating qi was severely limited, and their reproduction rate was poor.

Over the past few decades, even with food and shelter provided and allied races like the gnolls eager to serve them, the Harpy population had hardly grown. Their total numbers barely exceeded eighty thousand today.

They suffered from both poor cultivation talent and a low population base.

This led to the current spectacle. Out of the hundred Harpies participating in this highest of celebrations, high-tier professionals made up only ten percent. They were, without a doubt, the weakest contingent in the entire procession.

However, this did not mean the Harpy race was entirely inferior, as the procession flying above did not represent their true strength.

Perhaps as compensation for their lack of combat talent, an exceptionally high number of Harpies possessed spellcasting potential, reaching an astonishing ratio of one in fifty.

For context, only one in five hundred humans had spellcasting talent, and even the elves—renowned worldwide for their magical affinity—sat at a ratio of one in thirty. The Harpies' magical talent eclipsed the vast majority of races in the world.

Because of this, the Harpies contributed over a thousand mages to White Castle's forces. Although the vast majority were novice mages unfit for heavy responsibilities, every single one of them could fly.

The White Dragon Lord had deliberately organized these Harpy mages into a specialized military unit. The commander of this unique legion was Della Blood Feather, who was both the chieftain of the Harpy clan and the only Master Tier spellcaster in their entire race.

On the battlefield, over a thousand flying mages would serve as a devastating trump card. And just like the Savage Murlocs and the Magic Murlocs, the White Dragon Lord had intentionally kept this trump card hidden.

After all, fully exposing one's combat power to the world was pure stupidity.

As the Harpies flew away, the gnoll commentator's voice rang out once more.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the next legion will leave an impression you will remember for the rest of your lives! They are—"

"The Land Dragons!"

Roar!

Outside the city gates, fierce, overlapping dragon roars echoed through the air. The roars brimmed with excitement and primitive brutality, making the crowd instinctively sense danger. Adrenaline surged, muscles tensed, and hearts pounded wildly.

Under the crowd's terrified yet expectant gazes, a massive Land Dragon poked its head out from the shadows of the city gate.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Accompanied by powerful footsteps, the Land Dragon steadily stepped out, allowing everyone to witness the terrifying creature in its entirety.

In the chill of early spring, the frightful armored behemoth cleared the gates. Above a massive maw lined with razor-sharp teeth, two thick streams of white mist snorted from its heavy nostrils.

Land Dragons were a sub-dragon species that closely resembled a Tyrannosaurus rex. Their bodies were covered in thick, earth-yellow crystalline scales. Hard and heavy, this natural armor provided a tremendous defense that rivaled even True Dragon scales, leaving many predators stronger than them completely helpless.

Their primary method of attack was brutal close-quarters combat. Hook-like claws, ghastly white teeth, and thick tails all served as deadly weapons. A few individuals would even leap into the air to attack enemies with the sharp talons on their feet.

Aside from physical brawling, they possessed crude spellcasting and breath abilities. However, Land Dragons vastly preferred using their powerful bodies to crush their foes, savoring the thrill of enemy blood sliding down their throats.

The innate creature level of a standard Land Dragon was Level 13, though exceptional individuals could surpass Level 15. The beast standing before the crowd was undeniably one of those exceptional specimens. Measuring twelve meters long and seven meters high, Oqi City's massive gates were only just a perfect fit for it.

The Land Dragon lumbered onto Royal Capital Avenue. Its crushing weight stepped onto the stone slabs with heavy thuds, while the sharp talons on its massive feet clicked crisply against the paved road.

Beasts rarely followed the rules like intelligent creatures. It eyed the surrounding crowd as it marched, thick strings of clear liquid slipping through the gaps in its teeth and hanging from its jaw.

The terrified onlookers tensed up and collectively shrank back, deeply afraid the colossal beast might suddenly attack.

Behind the first, three more Land Dragons marched out in single file. They plodded down Kingdom Avenue step by step. Despite their slow pace, their enormous strides allowed them to quickly reach the latter half of Royal Capital Avenue.

The gnoll commentator's voice rang out at the perfect moment.

"These Land Dragons were once the reigning overlords of Kumlinge! They are proud and powerful, for the bloodline of True Dragons flows through their veins. After His Majesty arrived on this land, they chose to follow in a True Dragon's footsteps. Even the strongest knight order on the continent could not withstand a head-on charge from the Land Dragon legion!"

"Unfortunately, due to limited space, the Land Dragon legion cannot demonstrate the breathtaking spectacle of their full charge today. For this, I am deeply sorry."

The gnoll commentator's tone swiftly pivoted.

"But fret not! Even if we cannot witness the Land Dragons' charge, we still have the Wyverns!"

Roar! Roar! Roar!

A chorus of draconic roars rang out, weaving into one.

In the distant sky, a dense black mass flew toward Oqi City, resembling a swarming flock of bats.

Gradually, the Wyverns drew closer. They slowed their speed, yet even then, they easily caught up to the Land Dragons ahead of them.

The crowd tilted their heads back, mouths agape in perfect "O"s, watching the Wyvern flock soar above Royal Capital Avenue.

Although the Wyverns flew with absolutely no formation, the sheer shock they inspired vastly eclipsed the other legions.

A single Wyvern stretched over ten meters in length. With more than three hundred Wyverns gathered together, their massive wings formed a thick black cloud that blotted out the sun. A sprawling shadow fell over the crowd, with only occasional beams of sunlight piercing the gaps in a shifting dance of light and dark.

At this sight, even the esteemed guests watching from the viewing platform could no longer maintain their composure.

A Wyvern possessed an innate creature level of Level 16, making it the equivalent of a human Master Tier professional. Furthermore, Wyverns boasted gargantuan physical bodies and lethally toxic breath. In a one-on-one duel, a human Master Tier powerhouse had very little chance of winning; it would require at least three Master Tier professionals working together to slay one of these ferocious sub-dragons.

In other words, the combat power of a single Wyvern equaled at least two Master Tier powerhouses. That meant these three hundred Wyverns brought the combined might of over six hundred Master Tier powerhouses.

Against such a terrifying flock, even a legendary practitioner would be forced to flee.

The Wyverns came and went quickly. Upon reaching Kingdom Square, they didn't linger. Splitting into two separate contingents, they flew off under the lead of two exceptionally robust Wyvern leaders.

Seeing those two Wyvern leaders—both nearly half again as large as ordinary Wyverns—the crowd gasped in shock. These two Wyverns were likely merely a hair's breadth away from the Legendary Rank.

A heavy tension settled in the crowd's hearts. If the earlier contingents represented standard military might, these Wyverns were a strategic deterrent. Outside of the royal capital and a scant few major cities, no ordinary city could withstand an assault from this flock.

Most crucially, their ability to fly granted them unmatched mobility. Under the command of a master strategist, this Wyvern flock alone could paralyze the majority of kingdoms.

Even Orbis Lutherd turned serious. Over six hundred Master Tier equivalents might not mean much to the mighty Bolton Dynasty, but they could fly...

To confront this flock of Wyverns, the Bolton Dynasty would have to deploy squads of legendary practitioners to hold the line. And if they wanted an overwhelming victory, they would have to mobilize their Floating Towers.

Yet when the cannons roar, ten thousand taels of gold are spent. Should a Floating Tower be mobilized, merely calling it "burning money" wouldn't begin to describe the exorbitant costs involved. There was a very good reason the price of elemental crystals always remained astronomical in the Council's trade catalogs.

Beside the White Dragon Lord, Elena glanced from side to side as the two Wyvern leaders gradually flew into the distance.

"Well done, Ala, Scarlett."

Indeed, those two near-legendary Wyvern leaders were the animal companions raised since childhood by the Druid Dragon Elena: Ala and Scarlett.

Truthfully, Elena was a rather irresponsible master. She had always treated them as pets, and when she left for the Nine Eyes Alliance, she hadn't bothered to bring them along.

It was fortunate she had left them behind; otherwise, the two Wyverns would have spent their entire lives as mere pet dragons.

Through the White Dragon Lord's rigorous training and resource investment, Ala and Scarlett had become Wyvern leaders capable of standing on their own. Both of their creature levels had reached Level 19.

A wild Wyvern's creature level was generally only Level 16. Only exceptionally gifted individuals could reach Level 19, which served as the absolute biological ceiling for ordinary Wyverns.

After all, cases like the Land Dragon leader were rare. Species limitations were not easily shattered, especially at the threshold of the Legendary Rank.

Barring some miraculous encounter, Ala and Scarlett were fated to be stuck at Level 19 for the rest of their lives.

This was the primary reason Elena didn't value her two animal companions. True Dragons naturally stepped into the Legendary Rank upon reaching adulthood. In battles between legendary dragons, two Wyverns could provide very little assistance; it was better for them to remain pets for life.

But Ala and Scarlett were incredibly lucky to have the four dragons as their masters. In the upcoming Bloodline Advancement Ritual, the two Wyverns had already been secured spots as designated supporting roles.

The Wyverns flew away, and the Land Dragons marched off with heavy steps, disappearing around the corner.

However, the lingering shock they left on the crowd was far from over.

In the front rows lining the street, a middle-aged human woman clamped her hands over her chest, her forehead slick with sweat.

"Gods above, the Land Dragons and Wyverns were so massive! They scared me to death!"

Beside her, a plump woman, still paralyzed by fright, nodded mechanically.

Because the Wyverns had flown past too quickly for anyone to catch a clear look, the Land Dragons instead became the main topic of conversation.

Up on a rooftop, a gnoll with a longsword and shield strapped to his back fantasized about the thick, earth-yellow crystalline scales. He turned to his Murloc companion.

"If I could get my hands on a Land Dragon's scales to forge a shield, how great would that be?"

The Murloc nodded in agreement.

From a second-floor seat, a muscular man harbored the same thoughts, though he actually planned to take action. He asked the elderly human beside him.

"Scholar Mula, can a Land Dragon scale shield really rival True Dragon scales?"

The white-bearded old man stroked his beard with a smile.

"From the perspective of physical defense, Land Dragon scales are indeed no worse than True Dragon scales. However, they have a flaw: they are too heavy."

Having spoken, the scholar looked at the man's strong muscles.

"But for you, Commander Obupa, this is actually an advantage."

The mercenary commander, Obupa, nodded. He was a shield warrior skilled in shield bashing; for him, the heavier the shield, the better.

Scholar Mula continued.

"In terms of magical defense, Land Dragon scales fall slightly short of True Dragon scales, but in terms of cost-effectiveness, they are much cheaper. All things considered, a Land Dragon scale shield is very suitable for you."

Obupa lowered his head in deep thought, wondering where to get his hands on Land Dragon scales.

At this time, the gnoll commentator's voice rang out again.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the military parade concludes here. It has been an honor to be with you... I look forward to our next meeting."

The gnoll commentator stepped down from the high platform, and the magically constructed platform gradually melted into the earth, disappearing from sight.

On the high platform above Kingdom Square, the guests and the White Dragon Lord put up a soundproof barrier and began to converse.

Denise Clive, the second-in-command of the Northland Witches' Council, had some rapport with the White Dragon Lord. She sent a direct mental transmission to him.

"Lord Amos, why didn't I see those dragon beasts you collected? I was looking forward to seeing them."

Hearing the female mage's half-joking, half-probing tone, the White Dragon Lord was secretly rendered speechless.

White Castle's mass purchase of dragon beasts was an impossible secret to keep; most major factions were well aware of it. While the matter of bringing True Dragons back from the Madilan World had not spread, the dragon beasts alone were enough to worry many factions. After all, a fully grown dragon beast possessed greater combat strength than an adult Wyvern.

The White Dragon Lord feigned a hint of anger.

"How could I possibly allow those disgraces of the dragon race to participate in the military parade?"

Hearing the White Dragon Lord's slightly irritated transmission, Denise Clive was momentarily stunned. She had only considered that adult dragon beasts were stronger than Wyverns in battle, entirely overlooking the fact that they were a scar upon the dragon race.

Poking directly at someone's scars naturally gave the White Dragon Lord every reason to be angry.

Having made the White Dragon Lord a bit unhappy, Denise Clive was too embarrassed to continue probing for information.

Anyone who tried to fish for information regarding the dragon beasts consistently hit a brick wall with the White Dragon Lord.