novelraw Chapter 180: Ominous Star Sweeps Across the Land
Chapter 180: Ominous Star Sweeps Across the Land
The eastern sky had just begun to show a faint glimmer of dawn, though the gray-blue hues of night still dominated the heavens.
By this point, the Molten Iron followers had destroyed the last totem pole, having slaughtered nearly all resistance. Only a few trembling captives who had surrendered remained as they finished mopping up operations.
Suddenly, an earth-shaking cloud of dust rose from the horizon.
The ground began to tremble violently.
It was as if some ancient behemoth was awakening from slumber.
Garoth's vertical pupils contracted slightly as he focused on the land below, spotting the vast Bloodhoof forces sweeping across the plains like a sandstorm, kicking up debris in their wake.
"Finally arrived," murmured the red iron dragon coldly, his gaze locking onto the most oppressive presence among the Bloodhoof ranks.
It was a minotaur whose massive frame dwarfed even the dragon-blooded gluttonous ogres by several times, making the mammoth he rode seem like a mere pony in comparison. His bulging muscles coiled like ancient pythons, while two enormous curved horns jutted skyward from his head as if seeking to pierce the heavens. His pitch-black eyes resembled unfathomable abysses, revealing no emotion, while his entire being radiated a terrifying aura of chaos and evil. His life level defied clear assessment.
"True demonic ancestry indeed, and with remarkably high demon blood concentration," Garoth observed as the stench of the abyss carried on the wind. He sensed genuine danger from Bloodhoof Balor - this was no opponent to underestimate. Any ordinary young dragon encountering him would do best to flee.
Balor immediately detected the gaze upon him.Looking up, his dark eyes pierced through the distance and clouds to meet those of the red iron dragon circling high above.
Of the three dragons in the sky, the white dragon was largest in size, yet Balor paid it no mind. His attention remained solely fixed on the red iron dragon whose entire body seemed engineered for destruction.
Instinctively, Balor understood - this was the true mastermind behind everything.
"I've been misled by common knowledge," Balor thought impassively. "Dragons aren't all arrogance and stupidity. Some possess both wisdom and power."
From birth, Balor's rise hadn't been smooth. His unusual appearance and aura compared to other minotaurs had earned him scorn and discrimination since childhood.
He'd suffered multiple defeats.
But unlike arrogant fools, he learned from each failure.
Every setback that didn't kill him only made him stronger.
"This time will be no exception."
The plains surrounding the stronghold trembled as Balor led the Bloodhoof forces in a full-speed charge, their dust trail coiling like a dragon.
Meanwhile...
Among the captured minotaurs who had surrendered and prostrated themselves...
One warrior felt the ground shake and smelled his kin's approach. Battle lust reignited in his bloodshot eyes as he suddenly leapt up - only for a nearby ogre to decapitate him with one axe swing.
"Leave none alive!"
The Dragon Lord had decreed - victory was the sole priority in this war. All else could be discarded.
With the Bloodhoof forces returning for the decisive battle, keeping prisoners who might rebel was too risky. Better to eliminate them all.
The Molten Iron Clan comprised almost entirely savage, bloodthirsty creatures - except for the centaurs.
And even the centaurs were fierce warriors who showed no mercy to enemies.
Monsters of all kinds raised blades to slaughter any resisting captives, turning the ground red with blood.
On the opposite end, the Bloodhoof forces drew nearer.
"Warriors of Molten Iron! The battle isn't over yet - form ranks!"
The gluttonous ogre spat out a broken horn fragment and roared skyward.
The Starbreaker Maul units stirred first, massive figures in steel plate armor stomping forward to form a wedge formation at the ruins' center.
Like interlocking bricks, they rapidly assembled into an iron wall. The Iron Will gnolls and kobolds under Hodge's command filled the gaps, coordinating with ogres like iron spikes protruding from a battlement.
Centaurs, giant wolf knights, hyena knights, and giant lizard knights -
The highly mobile Crimson Iron Riders took flanking positions, their lances and arrows glinting coldly.
Finally came the Annihilating Eye - sorcerers, shamans and spellcasters from various tribes positioned at the rear. Though fewest in number, their role was critical, ready to unleash spells at any moment.
The Bloodhoof forces and Molten Iron army charged toward each other.
Like two colossal beasts, they closed the distance with thunderous steps, clashing almost instantly.
Balor led the vanguard.
Leaping from his mammoth mount, he crashed down with earth-shattering force.
His hoofstrike sent out a visible shockwave that hit the ogre phalanx like a meteor strike. Three of the mightiest ogres went flying with caved-in armor, crushing rows of gnolls behind them.
"Kill!"
Karu bellowed, plowing through several minotaur warriors before hurtling toward Balor like a cannonball, his diamond-spiked wolf tooth club swinging horizontally.
Balor stood empty-handed.
His ears twitched as he pivoted and punched.
The lightning-fast fist connected with Karu's chest before the club could land.
Unstoppable force erupted like a tidal wave.
Karu's scaled armor exploded as his chest caved in violently. The massive ogre was lifted meters off the ground, sent flying like a ragdoll to carve a long trench in the earth.
White Dragon Trixie roared, wings beating as she dove toward the Bloodhoof chieftain.
"Ancestral spirits, grant me strength!"
The White Mane Shaman pounded his chest and stomped his hooves. His formerly frail body ballooned like a filling sack, muscles bulging until he transformed into a twelve-meter-tall monstrosity covered in intricate tattoos and totems.
Before Trixie could reach Balor,
The minotaur behemoth hurled earthen projectiles with the force of cannon fire, intercepting the white dragon and engaging her in brutal combat.
The two armies ground against each other like mills of flesh.
Battle cries, roars, and the clang of weapons against armor rose and fell continuously beneath the sky.
Elvy raced through the air, firing explosive magic arrows at the minotaurs.
But before reaching their targets, the projectiles were intercepted by earthen barriers erupting from the ground. The shattered debris sprayed like bullets, indiscriminately striking minotaurs and Molten Iron followers alike.
Several vividly lifelike giant eagle spirits summoned by minotaur shamans took to the skies, their ten-meter wingspans carrying them swiftly to attack the hybrid centaurs.
Dragon-vein werewolves crossed claws with a minotaur champion wielding a greatsword in fierce combat.
Both sides' spellcaster groups continuously unleashed magic - strengthening allies while weakening or directly attacking enemies. Beams of energy, curse marks, and elemental flames crisscrossed the chaotic battlefield.
The assembled Molten Iron forces were formidable, but the Bloodhoof boasted equally numerous powerful warriors and shaman-sorcerers - perhaps more.
Molten Iron commanders found themselves pinned down.
Especially with Balor's presence.
He proved unstoppable, crushing any enemy in his path mercilessly.
Red Dragon Samantha, witnessing this, let wisdom prevail over valor.
Rather than approaching Balor directly, she targeted other minotaur leaders to relieve pressure on her forces.
Balor wasn't invincible - flying dragon claws had left several gashes across his body.
Yet these wounds healed instantly as Balor drew deep breaths, absorbing some energy from the battlefield. His aura even seemed to grow slightly stronger.
"He grows through battle... or perhaps harvests death energy?"
"No wonder the Bloodhoof Clan has been conquering relentlessly since he took power."
Realizing his forces were only fueling Balor's strength rather than depleting it, Garoth knew the time had come to intervene personally.
As Balor reduced a troll before him to bloody mist, he suddenly froze mid-motion and looked up sharply.
The red iron dragon streaked downward like a crimson meteor, the shriek of his wingblades slicing air drowning out all other battle noises. Locked onto the Bloodhoof chieftain, he became a living weapon hurtling toward impact.