Chapter 657.5: Sharing Development Means Sharing a Trap
In the following days,
As Azshara Fortress gradually cooperated with the drow commanders and provided them with large quantities of ranged weapons and war resources—
The drow's previously precarious second line of defense began to stabilize.
Especially after Liya provided the other drow commanders and warlords with psychic defense devices.
With basic safety assured, the drow finally began utilizing their ability to command slaves in battle.
Using terrain and defensive structures to their advantage, they managed to hold off wave after wave of mind flayer attacks.
Even though the mind flayers used psychic control to turn waves of slave soldiers against them, it only caused minor trouble for the drow.
After all, no matter how many slave soldiers died, the drow didn't care at all.
What's more, once the drow commanders proved their value, they received even more resources and slave soldiers.
In the battle of attrition, the long-lived drow commanders were extremely patient.
As long as the psychic defense devices kept working and energy crystals remained in supply, they could hold the line indefinitely.
Even if they were still at a disadvantage—
They had managed to pull themselves up to the same level as the mind flayer army.
It was time to "ask for" more resources!
That's right—the reason these drow commanders accepted such a dangerous task and risked their lives against the mind flayers—
Aside from their failures in power struggles—
The most important reason was the immense profits hidden in it.
Members of other drow houses who didn't want to fight on the dangerous battlefield against terrifying mind flayers would have to pay a heavy price.
And part of that payment became the commanders' "compensation."
As the battles in the Underdark gradually stabilized—
Yaya and Matthew, who had remained hidden all this time, finally shifted their attention away from the battlefield.
Many of the resources acquired from the war were invested by Matthew into Bay Territory's research institutes and production facilities.
Various golem parts were produced and stored in tightly secured warehouses.
Research into magical constructs also began to move forward.
The tasks assigned by Matthew lit up every research institute in Bay Territory.
People vaguely sensed that something big was happening.
But most didn't know exactly what the big plan was.
To keep them from thinking too much, Matthew launched a summer offensive in the Death Desert.
A massive force of adventurers surged into the treasure-filled desert under the guidance of Bay Territory's mission system.
After nearly two months of clearing, even the endless wraith creatures had been mostly wiped out.
Bay Territory's expedition bases had already reached the depths of the Underdark.
Some powerful adventurer teams had started uncovering deeper secrets.
Some even vaguely saw special squads from Bay Territory sneaking into underground ruins to explore and excavate.
As the excavations continued, all kinds of discoveries started emerging like mushrooms after the rain.
Massive piles of mechanical golem wreckage.
Interesting fragments of magical artifacts.
Special goblin script and records.
Or extremely rare metals and materials.
From early excitement to numb routine—
The adventurers watched as the mysterious underground ruins slowly revealed their general shape.
They gradually realized the ruins were vast and "wealthy."
The theory of a goblin kingdom's existence was gaining traction.
However, all this exploration and combat was merely bait tossed out by Bay Territory.
The real treasures of the ruins were still firmly in Bay Territory's hands.
Deep in the Death Desert's underground space—
Leon, who had been leading the advance, looked at the swarm of mutated monsters ahead with indescribable excitement.
After dealing with these freaks for a month and a half, he finally saw the light of victory and shouted to his combat troops:
"Guys, we've found the target!"
His loud voice immediately drew the attention of the mutated creatures in the darkness.
These hideous, ravenous monsters roared in response.
Unfazed, Leon turned to the artillery troops and said:
"Fire away—it's your time to shine."
Manhammer, full of excitement, raised his hand and gave a swinging signal.
"Self-propelled magic cannons, ready!"
Clack! Clack! Clack!
The cannon units, which looked like ordinary wagons before, instantly extended various mechanical components.
Their sturdy arms anchored into the stone ground, transforming them into solid firing platforms.
Their glowing barrels slowly rose and, guided by red targeting beams, aimed at the incoming swarm.
With a shout of "Fire!" from Manhammer, the surface of the black barrels lit up with intricate enchanted patterns.
Blazing fireballs shot out with explosive force.
They spun rapidly, expanding and accelerating as they flew.
Then they hit dead center in the mutated creature horde.
Boom!
Brilliant fireballs exploded one after another, the terrifying flames consuming the grotesque creatures, burning them to cinders.
The fiery blasts lit up the pitch-black passage.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The violent explosions echoed endlessly through the narrow space.
When the fire faded, the hundred or so monsters had been reduced to charred meat.
Those witnessing the self-propelled cannon's power for the first time stared in awe.
Looking at his glowing sword, then at the smug Manhammer, Leon couldn't help but complain:
"Why bring this out now? Wouldn't it have been easier to blast our way here from the start?"
Manhammer, pausing mid-maintenance, rolled his eyes and snapped:
"Easy for you to say! Each shot from those things burns through hundreds of gold worth of energy blocks."
"That last volley from ten cannons cost us over a thousand gold. Our special ops budget can't handle that!"
Feeling the pain, Leon looked at the cannons recharging and muttered helplessly:
"Three volleys of this gold-burning gear and we'll have worked for nothing."
"No wonder it's not mass-produced—even the territory can't afford it!"
Manhammer nodded grimly, pulling out more energy blocks to recharge the cannons. Glancing at the oncoming wave of monsters, he smacked his lips and said:
"Let's not overthink it. I've got ten volleys left in me."
"You guys better build those walls and fortifications while you can."
Waving at the engineering team, Leon drew his sword, his aura flaring with battle intent.
Looking expectantly at the Dragon Warriors, he said:
"This is your final training challenge—real combat against a massive enemy force."
"You are Bay Territory's Dragon Warriors—its sharpest blade and strongest shield."
"You can destroy any enemy and eliminate any threat to Bay Territory!"
"Dragon Warriors—advance!"
The Dragon Warriors, silent until now, surged forward with unstoppable might toward the mutated horde.
Manhammer, overseeing fire support, held his fire for now, eyes locked on the battlefield.
The Dragon Warriors, with speed and strength, easily cut down the gray, shriveled monsters.
They formed a loose but unbreakable defense line in the middle of the narrow corridor.
No monster could break through.
Reinforcements arrived, and under Leon's command, began fortifying the area.
The busiest ones were the engineering teams, already scanning the terrain.
They were ready to give orders to the mid-sized golems accompanying them.
Though the monsters outnumbered the twenty-odd Dragon Warriors—
Leon didn't call for ranged support, not until larger mutated monsters appeared.
This trial was meant to be tough and dangerous.
Only those who survived and won could be chosen for Bay Territory's elite forces.
Even among Dragon Warriors, there were levels!
Thanks to their successful defense—
The Bay Territory's pioneers built a temporary outpost with walls and firing positions in just 20 minutes.
Leon didn't station everyone in the outpost. Instead, he kept the battle at the corridor entrance.
His goal was to give scouts more time and better visibility—
To collect as much data as possible on the creatures and the surrounding space.
For Bay Territory's military, information meant better strategies and more certain victories.
As Leon had just told the Dragon Warriors—they believed they could defeat any enemy!
Though the underground horde was vast—
Long without flesh and souls to feed on, they had become starved and weak.
Neither strength nor advanced mutations could be maintained by chewing rocks.
The stronger the creature, the more energy it needed—and the quicker it would die from starvation.
The ones still alive were the weakest of the bunch.
Against Bay Territory's elite, they had no chance.
And that's how it went!
Under relentless defense, mutated monsters were destroyed every second.
To ensure these ancient horrors stayed dead—
This mission came with a clear order: collect no spoils.
Raging flames consumed the twisted, dried corpses.
Waves of soldiers underwent mental evaluations and physical cleansing.
The Dragon Warrior recruits who held out the longest rotated in teams of twenty, drawing enemy fire.
The battle lasted three days and nights!
Over 100,000 mutated monsters were reduced to ashes.
Their ash—half a meter deep—was carefully collected to prevent spread.
When the last monster fell to the Dragon Warriors' blades, the grueling battle finally ended.
Leon, barely rested, immediately ordered the recruits to rest and praised them without reservation:
"As I suspected—you completed the mission almost perfectly. You are the pride of Bay Territory!"
"Go rest now. There are even harder battles ahead."
Though exhausted, the long combat had clearly tempered the Dragon Warriors.
Their spirits and momentum had obviously improved.
In simple terms, they had taken a critical step toward becoming true Dragon Warriors.
In the pitch-black space ahead, Leon felt a strange heat in the air.
He resisted the urge to send scouts and instead sent word of mission success.
But to his surprise, Bay Territory's next orders and supplies weren't due for several days—
Yet just half an hour later—
On newly laid rails in the extended tunnel—
A golem train packed with personnel and cargo rumbled in.
Leon, overjoyed, froze when he saw who was aboard. His smile vanished as he muttered:
"What are you doing here...?"
Raising his head and sniffing the familiar, dangerous scent in the air, the legendary ranger Eiris licked his lips and said excitedly:
"Because I'm the most qualified one in Bay Territory to deal with these demonic monsters!"
That tall figure in a cloak—none other than Eiris, the legendary ranger who joined Bay Territory.
Beneath his ash-gray cloak, the shimmering thunder magic armor sparked with flickers of lightning.
Leon instinctively swallowed and followed Eiris's gaze into the distance, blurting out:
"Demonic monsters? Right here?"
Eiris slowly nodded. He hadn't expected his first mission from the Lord to be a demon-related one.
Placing his hand on the warm rock floor, he said with conviction:
"Right here. A Balor at the very least."
Balor Lord—Barok!