novelraw Chapter 104: Strike First! Night Moon’s Ambush
Chapter 104: Strike First! Night Moon’s Ambush
Beneath the vast and boundless sky, the Red Iron Dragon stood silently atop the hill.
The tiny spines on his body gleamed in the twilight glow. His majestic and exaggerated wings were slightly folded, his powerful limbs and dragon tail were taut like bowstrings, and every scale on his body radiated an almost tangible murderous intent. Even the surrounding air seemed to thicken and solidify under the pressure of his dragon might.
Two Kora Giant Eagles trembled violently.
They buried their heads deep into the feathers of their chests, their strong talons unconsciously curling up, like two quails being watched by predators.
The presence and reaction of the Diamond Stone Elder made Garoth feel a serious danger.
Garoth himself was cautious by nature. Unlike ordinary dragons, he lacked arrogance and pride. He knew very well that this cautious and careful nature was, besides his evolutionary talents, a major reliance for his survival in the wilderness.
Therefore,
Facing another powerful yet cautious and suspicious character, Garoth felt an even stronger threat.
Giants were similar to dragons.
Because of their innate powerful strength, their style was simple and straightforward, favoring directness.Stone Giants were no different.
However, the Diamond Stone Elder’s unusually cautious behavior made Garoth take it more seriously.
The cautious understand the fatal danger of another cautious being best.
An enemy who is powerful yet still advances cautiously and step by step is far more terrifying than those arrogant challengers by thousands of times.
The night wind swept over the dragon’s spine, and Garoth’s pupils almost contracted into two thin lines.
He slowly spread his wings, and the fine scales on the wing membrane rubbed against each other, sparking tiny bursts of flame. The outer layer of his explosive scales opened and closed slightly. This was not the prelude to charging up for battle, but the instinctive response of a predator encountering a threat from its own kind.
When two equally cautious hunters meet on a narrow path,
The one who shows a flaw first will inevitably become the other’s stepping stone.
This time, there wasn’t even a need for faerie scale powder.
Under the stimulation of danger, Garoth’s spirit became exceptionally focused, his thoughts running as fast as lightning, calculating the next decision and response.
“My advantage lies in mobility, and more importantly, I am hidden in the dark. The Stone Giant clan has just arrived and is still unaware of my presence.”
“The longer time drags on, the clearer the Stone Giants’ investigation of the surroundings becomes, which is increasingly unfavorable to me.”
Garoth narrowed his eyes slightly.
“As for the Stone Giants.”
“Stone Giants are social beings who value kinship and group bonds.”
The Diamond Stone Elder’s cautiousness might be because it bore the heavy responsibility of guarding the clan, so it would carefully consider before acting and could not act recklessly.
“They value their clan highly and help each other, which is their strength. However, in some situations, this is also their greatest weakness and flaw.”
Strengths and weaknesses.
Sometimes the boundaries between them are not so clear, even completely blurred.
After deep contemplation, Garoth took a deep breath, restrained his emotions, and made himself colder and more rational to prepare for the upcoming attack on the giant camp.
He decided to launch a night raid on the giant camp.
Strike first!
Since delaying only worsened the situation, he would be decisive and resolute—attack the Stone Giant camp! Destroy them before they firmly establish themselves!
This Stone Giant clan had already constructed the Geosymbiotic Pool, where Colossus Sentinels were being bred. They were also openly recruiting kin, expanding their scale.
There was absolutely no time to let them develop.
Garoth grabbed the two giant eagles, broke their wings to temporarily ground them, and threw them into the Bonegnaw Clan’s camp. At the same time, he summoned the legion positioned behind the hills.
Warlord Bloodfang, the Gnoll sorcerer.
Lizardfolk infiltrators, stealthy hunters.
Giant Wolf Knights, Werewolf sorcerers.
These units gathered together, converging within the ogre territory, forming a sizable monster army.
“First, bind and imprison these two giant eagles and take them away.”
He gave a simple order.
Garoth folded his dragon wings and slowly descended onto the towering rocky platform.
His gaze swept across every upward-looking face—ogres’ cloudy single eyes, gnolls’ flickering green pupils, werewolves’ erect pointed ears—then he spoke deeply, his voice like rolling thunder rumbling over the land.
“Monsters of the wilderness! The Stone Giants have established a stronghold on the northern highlands, eyeing us covetously. War is inevitable.”
“Today, I want you to fight for me, to fight for glory.”
“Before those Stone Giants start the war, destroy them first!”
“I want your claws to gouge through granite chests, your teeth to crush every moving stone! Rip out their stone hearts! Bite them to pieces! Swallow them down!”
As he spoke, the Red Iron Dragon spread his wings like a gigantic banner.
The ogres’ roar exploded first; they struck their great shields with axes. Werewolves extended their claws, leaving bloodied slashes on their chests, howling to the sky... Different monsters responded in their own ways.
“For the great Garoth!”
“For the clan’s honor!”
They shouted together, their blood-red eyes almost merging into one mass under the night.
The four clans under Garoth’s command were respectful to him, sometimes even showing a simple, honest, and somewhat adorable appearance, but never forget, this was because they were Garoth’s kin.
In the eyes of other beings,
Lizardfolk, gnolls, Graymane Werewolves, ogres—
Without exception, all were creatures of the evil faction! Bloodthirsty, brutal, and warlike.
“Karu, you lead the entire army.”
“Warlord Bloodfang Hodge, you assist Karu.”
Garoth appointed the position of supreme commander to the fierce but meticulous Gluttonous Ogre and assigned the capable Warlord Bloodfang as his deputy. He then instructed them on the mission.
—Attack the Stone Giant camp.
As for Garoth, he would take the lead at the right moment and find a way to lure away the Diamond Stone Elder before the kin army arrived, turning the Elder’s clan into a weakness and flaw that could be exploited.
Then,
Garoth flapped his wings and soared straight into the clouds while the monster army began marching on the ground.
Several sorcerers took turns casting enhancement spells.
With the influence of the warlord’s strengthening aura, their march speed was very fast.
After a while, deep into the night,
Garoth, high in the sky, could vaguely see the highland where the Stone Giants were stationed. After confirming the marching direction with his kin, he stopped waiting for the kin army and, with a sweep of his dragon wings, flew ahead toward the Stone Giant camp at greater speed.
Meanwhile,
In the Stone Giant camp, inside the Diamond Stone Elder’s dwelling,
The Diamond Stone Elder Eibar, with his hard and heavy body, sat cross-legged on the ground, frowning slightly.
The Kora Giant Eagles had gone some time ago and had not returned.
This made the Diamond Stone Elder feel a vague unease.
At first, the Diamond Stone Elder had decided to go alone to the Bonegnaw Clan.
However,
As the strongest existing member and leader of the Stoneheart Clan, bearing the mission of continuing the clan’s lineage, his decisions affected the survival of the group. He could not be careless; he had to be cautious and careful in his actions.
So he seriously dispelled distractions, thought repeatedly, and then caught something abnormal.
The ogres’ resistance to the giants’ recruitment seemed too strong and lacked reverence.
Under normal circumstances, due to the bloodline connection and hierarchical gap, ogres always felt reverence when facing giants and were willing to submit and pledge loyalty.
Sending the strongest giant alone was a sign of respect.
No giant legacy had ever heard of an ogre clan with such a habit.
Unless it was a trap.
With the worst-case scenario in mind, the Diamond Stone Elder did not go alone but sent the Kora Giant Eagles to scout.
If there was a trap or ambush, it would definitely be today.
After the Kora Giant Eagles found more specific intelligence, he would decide whether to continue recruiting the Bonegnaw Clan or to crush it.
But the Kora Giant Eagles had not returned yet.
They had already passed the return time set by the Diamond Stone Elder.
Exceeding this time meant something unexpected had happened.
No, it was not unexpected.
There must be an ambush in the Spinebreaker Hills! One powerful enough to trouble the Wind Dancers soaring in the sky and prevent their smooth return!
The Diamond Stone Elder suddenly opened his eyes wide.
A pair of crystalline eyes shot out sharp light, filled with vigilance and caution.
“Targon!”
He called out in a deep voice.
“Yes, Elder? What’s the matter?”
The Granite Stone Giant entered the room, looking at the Diamond Stone Elder with confusion.
“Wake all the sleeping magical beast kin! You take three young clan members and patrol the defenses.”
The Diamond Stone Elder said sternly.
“What has happened to make you so serious?”
The Granite Stone Giant asked.
“I suspect there is a dragon behind the Bonegnaw Clan!”
The Diamond Stone Elder said each word carefully.
Only after seeing, or even pledging loyalty to, a dragon as powerful as the giants or other even stronger creatures would ogres lose their reverence for giants.
The fact that the Kora Giant Eagles were in trouble suggested the presence of a flying creature.
Putting it all together, the Diamond Stone Elder believed there was a dragon behind the scenes.
Wisdom and caution, along with nearly four hundred years of life experience, led the Diamond Stone Elder to guess the truth.
“You are overthinking.”
The Granite Stone Giant scratched his head and said, “Those filthy, lowly ogres are just greedy and ungrateful.”
He thought the Elder might be overreacting due to psychological trauma from the war with the Blue Dragon.
The Diamond Stone Elder said slowly, “I hope I am just overthinking.”
“But no matter what, caution never hurts.”
He said solemnly, “The Stoneheart Clan is left with only us. We bear the heavy responsibility to regroup and strengthen the clan. Any possible danger must be crushed at the bud.”
There was most likely a dragon behind the Bonegnaw Clan.
It probably did not know it had been exposed and was still considering how to respond.
This was an opportunity.
While it was still hesitating, find a way to hunt and kill it!
As for peaceful coexistence, attempts at negotiation, or living in harmony—
A joke.
Neither Garoth nor the Diamond Stone Elder of the Stone Giants ever considered this option.
“Wait, Targon.”
As the Granite Stone Giant prepared to leave with the clan members and kin to patrol the defenses, the Diamond Stone Elder stood up with his majestic, strong body and stopped him, speaking in a low voice, “I have changed my mind. If there is a dragon behind the Bonegnaw Clan, now is the best time to launch a surprise attack with the kin!”
Strike first!
The attacker always holds the initiative over the passive defender.
Whether the Bonegnaw Clan has a dragon or some other hidden creature behind it, the Stoneheart Clan must resolve it if they want to settle here.
Since the opponent did not appear immediately,
It meant it was definitely not an adult dragon-level monster, and it feared the Stone Giants’ strength.
The Granite Stone Giant thought the Diamond Stone Elder was overreacting.
But he did not question the Elder’s decision and nodded heavily.
However,
Just as the Diamond Stone Giant and Granite Stone Giant stepped out of the stone house, not yet gathered the kin and clan members to issue orders,
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound of countless blades being drawn and rubbing against each other rang out in the sky, awakening the monsters and causing the Stone Giant youths playing around to stumble and fall, their faces showing panic.
Behind, a long tail trace flickered, and a crimson ominous star streaked across the sky, tearing the night open as it rapidly approached.