novelraw Chapter 178: The Red Dragon's Wisdom, War Begins
Chapter 178: The Red Dragon's Wisdom, War Begins
White Dragon Trixie returned to Dragon Valley after Samantha.
She encountered no unexpected incidents, but during the assault on the Bloodhoof Clan's stronghold, she noticed some differences from before.
"The Bloodhoof Clan's defense of the obsidian mine has weakened," the white dragon reported to Garoth by the lakeside, folding her wings as she landed. "This time they not only sent no reinforcements, but even withdrew the leaders and elites from the stronghold, leaving only incompetent guards behind."
The grinding motion of his tail paused momentarily.
Garoth stopped, extending his scalding draconic tail into the lake water.
Sizzling sounds erupted as steam billowed up, dense bubbles rising from the water's surface.
The red iron dragon crouched low, hind legs slightly bent, his tail swaying gently in the water while his eyes gleamed with contemplation.
Among the Bloodhoof Clan's strongholds, especially the obsidian mine and armored rhino pastures, there had always been powerful leaders present - shamans, sorcerers, high-level warriors.
The repeated assaults by the white and red dragons had caused much chaos at these locations, killing many guards.
But casualties among those formidable leaders remained minimal.In previous days, attacked strongholds would receive reinforcements from other guards who, under the leaders' command, would defend against draconic assaults. But according to Trixie's report, the situation had changed.
No more reinforcements came.
The leaders had been withdrawn.
"The Bloodhoof Clan intends to abandon their strongholds."
"They've grown fearful and want to retreat."
The red dragon, who had been eating, lifted her head excitedly. "Does this mean we can take over their strongholds? These are all sources of wealth and resources."
Garoth glanced at her.
After their encounter with the hybrid dragon Deborah, where Samantha had demonstrated wisdom in solving the puzzle, her intelligence seemed to have regressed to its usual low state.
The siblings Sorog and Samantha each had their peculiar traits.
The iron dragon typically displayed higher intelligence, though when circumstances favored him, he risked becoming irrational due to his nature. The red dragon usually appeared foolish, but in troublesome situations would actually engage her brain, showing quick wit.
"Samantha, if it were you retreating, would you leave behind anything you couldn't take?" Garoth asked.
"I'd burn everything to the ground - destroy it rather than leave it for the enemy," Samantha answered instinctively, baring her fangs. Then she paused momentarily before realization dawned on her face.
"The Bloodhoof Clan isn't preparing to retreat," Garoth stated. "They're gathering their forces scattered across various strongholds, consolidating them into a fist, preparing to strike hard."
After a brief pause, the red iron dragon's gaze turned icy, his voice deepening: "The decisive battle approaches. The Bloodhoof Clan has run out of patience."
The minotaurs, thinking themselves clever, had chosen to feign weakness.
But the reckless, arrogant draconic attacks they'd anticipated never came. Instead, the dragons advanced steadily step by step, wearing them out as they scrambled between strongholds.
These days of draconic assaults had genuinely weakened them.
Trixie suggested: "In that case, we should cease attacking their strongholds, gather our followers at Dragon Valley, and face the Bloodhoof Clan head-on in open battle."
Garoth shook his head, then looked toward red dragon Samantha.
He grinned, saying: "Samantha's idea is excellent. We should continue attacking and occupy the Bloodhoof Clan's strongholds."
The red dragon lifted her head, a half-gnawed bone still clamped between her teeth, tilting her head quizzically.
"I truly am an unprecedented genius among red dragons," Samantha thought excitedly upon receiving Garoth's approval, feeling her scalp itch as if her brain were growing larger.
"Why? This contradicts your earlier position," Trixie asked, perplexed.
The red iron dragon withdrew his tail from the lake, shaking off water droplets.
"Over these years, through interactions with various creatures, I've learned a profound truth—" he said cheerfully, "—intelligent beings often become trapped by their own perceptions."
Dragons were born arrogant and self-assured.
But weren't humans and other creatures the same?
They simply manifested it differently.
They stubbornly believed dragons to be prideful and savage, with many failing to distinguish dragons from common monsters.
Stereotypes, fixed notions, prejudiced perspectives—they existed everywhere.
"The Bloodhoof Clan's reactions prove they consider us arrogant and foolish."
"Very well then, we'll give them exactly what they expect."
Garoth declared: "They feign weakness to deceive; we'll use apparent arrogance and stupidity as our disguise to mislead them."
Possessing dual heritage of red and iron dragons, Garoth excelled at combat while naturally sensitive to strategy—though like red dragons, he typically preferred not to overthink things, focusing more on enhancing his strength.
But when Garoth concentrated and thought seriously,
his insights often proved more comprehensive than even iron dragon Sorog's.
Harnessing power with reason—
this was the enlightenment Garoth had gained battling serpent dragons, and the standard he held himself to.
No matter how much stronger he grew, no matter how his draconic desires expanded, he would never lose his calm rationality.
After Garoth finished speaking, Samantha nodded deeply in agreement.
"Indeed, I thought exactly the same. You've spoken my mind, Garoth," she asserted with great seriousness, echoing his words.
Garoth had no response, instead beginning to sharpen his wings.
The edges of his wing bones were already hard and sharp enough for slashing attacks, but not sufficient. Garoth focused on honing the wingtips, aiming to make them capable of spear-like thrusts in addition to slashes.
He intended to forge these wings into his deadliest weapons.
The next day, the red and white dragons assaulted the Bloodhoof Clan's two largest strongholds—not merely attacking, but slaughtering all remaining guards and occupying the positions permanently.
This news quickly reached the Bloodhoof Clan's headquarters.
In the war council chamber, the oppressive atmosphere that had lingered for days finally lightened somewhat, the minotaurs breathing more easily.
"Their caution exceeded expectations, but ultimately they couldn't resist. They think we're retreating."
"Want our strongholds? Let them have them."
"We'll soon reclaim everything we've lost—with interest, paid in dragon flesh and soul!"
The minotaurs in the chamber grew excited, each fully armed and ready for battle.
They confirmed the strongest red iron dragon remained at Dragon Valley. Their plan was to attack the valley in full force while the weaker white and red dragons were dispersed, eliminating the strongest threat first before turning on the others.
The obsidian mine and armored rhino pastures lay considerable distances from Dragon Valley.
Even at dragon flight speeds—disregarding their followers—it would take substantial time to receive distress messages and return to assist.
During that interval, the Bloodhoof Clan would conquer Dragon Valley.
At this moment, an elderly minotaur with rare white mane turned to Balor, murmuring: "The sacrificial ritual is prepared. Now we only await the offerings."
Among minotaurs, those born with white manes were considered symbols of wisdom.
This held true—white-maned minotaurs typically served as shamans or sorcerers. The speaker was the Bloodhoof Clan's highest-ranking shaman, second in prestige only to Balor himself.
Under the gathered minotaurs' watchful eyes,
Balor rose, his deep, resonant voice booming like thunder: "All Bloodhoof Clan leaders, march with me!"
"As always, we'll crush all obstacles! Let enemy blood soak our hoofprints, their bones pave our glorious path!"
Deafening roars answered him as minotaurs beat their chests, battle cries surging like tidal waves across the territory.
Leaving some forces to guard their base,
Under Chieftain Balor's leadership, the Bloodhoof Clan's numerous leaders mobilized their combat units—elite forces like armored rhino cavalry and mammoth riders—advancing toward Dragon Valley in massive formation.
With the shamans' and sorcerers' concealment and enhancement magics,
They moved with astonishing speed and minimal disturbance, gradually closing in on Dragon Valley.