Chapter 353 Fish and Clam Fight, King Descends from Heaven

"The territories of the Deer King and the Eye Demon are neither too far nor too close."

"Not long ago, scouts discovered a small-scale skirmish between the two. Now, the Deer King has led his army in a full-scale attack on the Dark Forest. The two sides are locked in a fierce and intense battle."

Red Iron Dragon listened quietly to the information transmitted by Sorog.

After a few seconds of silent deliberation, he nodded his enormous head slightly and made a decision.

"Summon the legions and prepare for battle."

"However, this operation is more about quality than quantity; it needs to be fast, but there's no need for a large-scale, mobilizing operation."

His will was transmitted through the mind link: "Select a truly elite team, led by the dragons themselves, and march at full speed toward the Dark Jungle."

"Strive for a swift victory, securing the win when both sides are weakened!"

He paused slightly, then added, "At the same time, send a message to Ennus."

"Let him personally lead the team, select the fiercest and most agile elite lion beasts from Lionheart Plains, and coordinate with the Ironclad Legion to fight together, so that he can prove his worth in actual combat."

The Sel Wilderness is a vast and boundless expanse.

According to Galos' original strategy, a steady and methodical approach would be taken, gradually encroaching on and expanding the tribe's territory, and then conquering other map kings one by one. Although the process was stable and reliable, it would inevitably take a long time and resources.

Now, he's in luck, and a good opportunity has presented itself.

The two formidable map masters have begun a fierce battle, and judging from the intelligence, it seems that neither can gain the upper hand in the short term.

This is the perfect opportunity for the fisherman to profit from the conflict between the snipe and the clam.

Although Galos is by nature more inclined to a steady and cautious approach to development, when an excellent opportunity to achieve great results at minimal cost is presented to him, he will never hesitate and will seize it firmly with swift and decisive measures.

If we can take this opportunity to eliminate the two map kings in one fell swoop and annex their territories and remnants.

The expansion speed of the Ironforge will experience a qualitative leap. In the short term, there will be no need for other wars, and they can concentrate on collecting resources from the wilderness.

"clear!"

Iron Dragon Sorog responded swiftly, his voice brimming with undisguised excitement and fighting spirit.

At the same time, Galos stopped his daily training.

He stretched his massive body, and with a gentle flap of his wings, he created a powerful gust of air, soaring into the sky and climbing beneath the rain clouds to prepare for the impending surprise attack.

Thick, heavy clouds, like solidified lead, pressed low over the boundless wilderness.

Time passed slowly and steadily amidst the howling wind and rain.

After a period of time.

Dark jungle.

The sky here became even more gloomy than in other parts of the wilderness, as if even the light had been swallowed up by this greedy land.

The thick, whip-like rain violently lashed at every scorched, twisted leaf in the jungle, and every inch of muddy, blood-soaked earth.

However.

The crisp sound of rain pattering on leaves was now completely drowned out by a more cruel symphony of death.

The shrill howls of the dying beast tore through the heavy rain curtain, and the explosions caused by the violent collision of various elemental energies made the towering trees tremble.

The dull thud of heavy claws tearing flesh and shattering bones was chilling.

A fierce battle is unfolding in this jungle.

The Deer King's natural army roared.

The owl bears rose upright, their immense strength causing them to easily tear several gnoll warriors enslaved by the Eye Demon's mind to shreds with a swing of their claws; packs of ferocious bulls moved like uncontrolled battering rams, their heavy hooves sending mud and shattered flesh and entrails flying everywhere; while the savage wolf packs moved like silver-gray death whirlwinds, slicing and cutting at high speed along the edge of the battlefield, each lightning-fast pounce severing the throats of lone prey.

However, their enemies are equally powerful.

On the other side of the battlefield.

A repulsive spherical creature hovered low above the jungle, like a rotten fruit.

Its massive, spherical body is covered with deep wrinkles, constantly oozing a slippery, viscous, unidentified mucus.

Centered on the enormous main eye that occupied almost half of its body, more than a dozen thick eye stalks, each with a single eye at its end, twisted and scanned wildly in the torrential rain, like evil tentacles with independent consciousness.

Its enormous central eye is like a vortex; merely looking into it will cause any creature with a weak will to instantly lose its composure and become mentally scattered.

Its legions are a bizarre mix, not all of them wild beasts or monsters, but a large number of intelligent races warriors enslaved by its powerful psychic energy.

Human mercenaries driven only by a bloodlust; dwarf warriors with bloodshot eyes, wildly wielding their battle axes; and ogres roaring and charging forward, completely out of their minds.

They were once free creatures, but now they have become the most loyal and most pitiful cannon fodder of the Eye Demon.

Further out, there was a group of even more distorted monsters.

They are minions summoned from other lower planes by the Eye Demon using its evil knowledge; they are all monsters with chaotic natures who worship destruction and annihilation.

"A demon from another dimension! Daring to bewitch and enslave the children of nature, and to desecrate the will of life!"

"You are destined to die today!"

A clear and authoritative voice rang out from the center of the battlefield, piercing through the clamor.

The owner of the voice—the Deer King—raised its long, graceful neck and held its head high.

Although it is female, it has a pair of huge, exquisitely shaped horns on its head that curve upwards like the branches of an ancient tree. The horns themselves shine with a warm and holy white light, which is more intense and dazzling than the soft halo flowing around its body.

From its center, a sacred light spread out as if it were a tangible entity.

Bathed in its radiance, the ferocious beasts and monsters healed and recovered from all the injuries they had sustained in battle at a speed visible to the naked eye.

This is a sacred deer.

It is a naturally sacred being, possessing intelligence no less than that of humans, and is born with the ability to control and utilize pure sacred energy.

The lifespan of the Holy Spirit Deer is inherently limited compared to that of true dragons; it cannot simply become a legendary creature by aging.

However, they are not weak either.

For any Holy Spirit Deer that grows up successfully, reaching a life level of 16 or higher is a very easy thing, and the best of them can steadily step into the threshold of level 20.

Exceptionally talented individuals can also become legends.

This creature is almost the highest-ranking monster below dragons.

The Deer King knew that most of the legions under the Eye Demon's command were enslaved by psychic powers and did not truly follow him.

The fastest way to end this war and liberate those poor creatures is to behead the Beholder, who is at the core of control.

Buzzing—!

The incredibly concentrated divine energy rapidly gathered and shone between the Deer King's enormous antlers, eventually transforming into a pure white lightning bolt that tore through the gloom. In the blink of an eye, it pierced through the dense rain curtain, sweeping fiercely towards the Eye Demon on the other side with an aura that purified all evil.

"Foolish material creature! Submitting to my will is your only destiny!"

The enormous body of the beholder suddenly became illusory amidst a bizarre twist.

It appeared instantly in another location dozens of meters away, avoiding the coverage of the holy lightning. At the same time, its voice, like a cold, sharp needle, pierced directly into the Deer King's mind, disrupting his concentration.

The Deer King froze, his gaze instantly becoming somewhat dull and unfocused.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, the Eye Demon's enormous main eye suddenly lit up with a ghostly light.

A grayish-white beam of disintegration shot out from it, heading straight for the sluggish Deer King.

Before being hit, the Deer King broke free from the mental interference with his strong will.

Its four hooves suddenly burst into pure white flames, and its movements became incredibly agile and elegant. It seemed to be unaffected by gravity, galloping through the air and narrowly avoiding the edge of the disintegrating ray.

The attack missed, and the Eye Demon's main eye blinked.

The disintegration rays disappeared suddenly.

Its eyes darted around, locking onto a large griffin in the sky above the battlefield.

The griffin's body stiffened abruptly, a flicker of struggle flashing in its eyes, but it was quickly replaced by utter madness.

It let out a sharp cry, suddenly abandoned the enemy in front of it, and, brandishing its huge eagle wings, launched a suicidal charge from the side against the fast-moving stag king.

The stag leaped lightly upwards through the air, its right foreleg landing on the griffin's head.

Bang!

As if struck by a catapult, the griffin let out a mournful cry, its massive body plummeting to the ground like a cannonball, creating a wave of mud.

At the same time, the Deer King turned its head, its antlers gleaming.

Countless dense light blades appeared out of thin air at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, enveloping the Eye Demon once again like a sudden rainstorm.

The Eye Demon used the same trick again, employing [Psychic Blink] to evade, but because the Deer King's attack was faster and more swift this time, it was ultimately a beat too slow.

Several beams of light grazed the edges of its spherical body, leaving behind several charred scratches that emitted wisps of white smoke.

Thick bodily fluid slowly seeped out.

The Eye Demon was not angered by the minor injury. Instead, it calmly opened its main eye, and countless fine and strange runes appeared in its deep pupil as it stared intently at the Deer King.

—The Curse of Weakness!

As it casts the spell, its idle eyeballs also rotate, aiming at the stag king's possible evasive trajectory.

[Frozen Ray], [Scorching Ray], [Petrifying Ray]... A wide variety of magical rays with different properties swept wildly across the airspace where the Deer King was located, like a deadly laser net. They not only plowed deep furrows in the ground, but also hit the fast-moving Deer King, leaving scorch marks, frost, and petrification spots on its snow-white fur.

However, despite the intense battle and the flashes of light from the energy collisions, neither side could gain the upper hand for the time being.

In general, close-quarters combat can often determine the winner more quickly.

However, both the Holy Spirit Deer and the Eye Demon are types that are extremely skilled in mid-to-long-range attacks and control.

One wields divine energy and, though physically agile, is not a specialist in melee combat; the other focuses on psychic power and evil magic, making close-quarters combat a significant weakness.

Although the Deer King had an urgent desire to decapitate and kill the Eye Demon, he lacked a decisive, instantaneous burst of power.

The Eye Demon has been looking for an opportunity to completely control or kill the Deer King, but the Deer King's strong willpower and divine resistance make it difficult for him to succeed.

Their strength levels are roughly equal, making it impossible to resolve the battle quickly.

Ultimately, it all comes down to who has the deeper foundation and who can persevere for longer.

Their legions were also caught in a brutal war of attrition. Blood stained the soil, pooling into shocking pools of blood on the ground, which were then washed away by the relentless rain, turning into countless reddish streams that seeped into the ground.

As time relentlessly marches on, this brutal tug-of-war continues, with both sides gritting their teeth and persevering.

After some time, the Eye Demon's condition clearly worsened.

Its spherical body was covered with dense charred scratches and corroded pits. Three or four of its dozen or so eye stalks were broken and drooped limply. Even its huge main eye was constantly bleeding turbid blood. Its injuries continued to accumulate and worsen as the battle went on.

On the other side, the Holy Spirit Deer appears to be in much better condition.

Its fur remained pure white, with only a few minor scratches on its body, and it was still enveloped in a sacred glow.

Sizzle!

Another scorching ray narrowly grazed the right side of the Holy Spirit Deer's body, leaving a charred mark.

But in the blink of an eye, the wound healed and disappeared at a visible speed under the divine energy flowing around the Deer King, as if it had never existed.

It actually endured a considerable amount of attacks and damage, but it possesses extremely powerful healing-type talent skills.

This is why the antlers, blood, heart, and other body parts of the Holy Spirit Deer are all indispensable and precious materials in the most top-tier healing potions on the continent.

Although it appeared to be in good condition, it was well aware that the continuous high-intensity battles, especially the constant resistance to the mental attacks of the Eye Demon, were gradually exhausting its spirit.

The more vulnerable a creature is to the Eye Demon's various unpredictable mental skills, the more difficult it is to resist.

It may rely on its powerful healing abilities to eventually wear down the already battered Eye Demon.

However, it is also possible that if one's spirit weakens to a critical point beforehand, the Eye Demon may take advantage of the situation, gain mental control, and turn one into a pitiful slave.

Should we take our profits and make a decisive retreat?

Or should we risk everything and continue fighting until one side is completely defeated?

Based on similar weighing of pros and cons, the Deer King and the Eye Demon, almost at the same moment, began to waver and start thinking about the same question.

However, before they could weigh the final results,

The change occurred suddenly.

The sharp, urgent cries and shrieks of various eagles, falcons, and owls rose from the distant horizon and quickly grew louder as they approached.

A dark, dense flock of birds, like a burst dam, swept rapidly from the left side of the sky.

Its size was so enormous that it resembled a thicker, more active cloud, even briefly obscuring the wind and rain.

Among the countless eagles and birds, the most eye-catching was a giant firebird with a wingspan of tens of meters, its entire body composed of pure and blazing elemental flames.

It has a handsome appearance and long, gorgeous tail feathers.

Each of its feathers seems to be made of dancing flames, giving it an overall visual impact that is both incredibly powerful and dazzling.

Phoenix?!

The Holy Spirit Deer and the Eye Demon both paused simultaneously, their hearts trembling violently.

These were not ordinary monsters or demons; they were all powerful, intelligent beings with extensive knowledge and experience, and they recognized the legendary race of the firebird leader almost immediately.

The Phoenix is ​​an extremely rare, almost legendary creature in the material world!

“Holy Spirit Deer…you’re not bad looking, not bad at all.”

The phoenix lowered its burning head and looked down at the stag king.

"I can make an exception and allow you to follow me, praising and spreading my beauty and power day and night."

"This is a great honor for you."

Its sound is loud, clear, and melodious, yet it carries an innate and undisguised sense of pride.

Of course, as an immortal bird that is on par with dragons and as rare as some other dragon species in different planes, it certainly has the right to be proud and even arrogant.

The phoenix's burning gaze then turned to the eye demon below.

With just a glance, its beautiful head immediately turned away in disgust, as if it had seen something extremely filthy.

"Ugh... As for your eye demon, it looks like a rotten fruit that has been stepped on and is still fermenting in the mud."

Its voice was filled with undisguised disgust and contempt.

"Such an ugly thing doesn't deserve to live in this world and pollute my vision. You can end it yourself. I don't want to touch my claws, lest your dirty blood soil my beautiful feathers and claws."

The eye demon's round body stiffened noticeably for a moment.

ugly?

What's ugly about it?

Its main eye is large and bright, full of spirit; the wrinkles on its body are numerous and deep, full of the vicissitudes and wisdom of time; the mucus secreted by its epidermis is slippery and thick, a symbol of health; and the eye stalks are numerous, thick and strong.

These are all characteristics that make them highly sought after by the opposite sex and represent handsomeness and strength among the Eye Demons!

"Foolish and ignorant phoenix! What do you know about aesthetics?!"

The Eye Demon retorted directly, "I have always been very popular among the Eye Demons. My suitors can stretch from my main eye to the end of my eye socket."

“A strange bird like you, covered in flames and lacking even real hair and a body, is truly ugly beyond compare.”

"It makes me want to vomit!"

Meanwhile, its intact eye sockets subtly scanned the surrounding environment, its psionic energy subtly fluctuating as it calculated the best escape route and method.

Facing an arrogant phoenix, and with a troublesome holy deer beside it, the situation became extremely unfavorable.

These two could potentially work together.

In the sky.

The Phoenix was clearly enraged by the Eye Demon's blatant and vicious insults.

The flames burning around it suddenly shot up several meters high, and with a sharp, piercing cry, it prepared to swoop down and burn the ugly beholder to ashes with the purest flames.

But, at this very moment.

Whoosh—Boom!

The sky on the other side.

A sudden gust of strong wind descended, violently tearing apart the curtain of rain and pushing it to both sides.

Almost simultaneously, a dull, rhythmic rumble began to emanate from the ground, the vibrations caused by the surge of heavy units and swarms of creatures.

As they approached from afar, it seemed as if some enormous war machine was closing in at full speed.

Several map masters who were originally confronting or plotting suddenly sensed the vibration and turned their gazes toward the direction from which it came.

Under the gloomy sky on the other side.

A group of ferocious and majestic dragons became exceptionally clear, with the leading red iron dragon resembling a mountain range moving in the sky.

On the ground, smoke and dust mixed with rain and mist rose into the sky.

A powerful group of creatures is rapidly closing in on the dark jungle battlefield.

It was the Ignas dragon pack, and its sharpest minions, that arrived at this place at this delicate juncture.

(End of this chapter)