Alvis sat quietly in the command vehicle, waiting.

Blood wyverns flew back from all directions, reporting that each division of the army had taken their predetermined attack positions.

"Attack!" he commanded.

The sleeping Karuk soldiers had no warning at all until the violent explosions and screams outside woke them up.

"What's going on?"

Most Karuk soldiers' first reaction was that the armory was on fire.

But soon, the most urgent alarm bells started ringing across the camp as officers rushed to open doors and rally their troops to counterattack.

The evil dragons are attacking us?

This was the first thought of the Karuk officers.

However, the scene was pure chaos. Humans had no intelligence about Alvis's enigmatic troops, do not know the dragon having such a trump card, so they scrambled blindly not knowing their enemy.

"Ah! What are those monsters?"

A squad of Karuk soldiers who had just gotten dressed and taken up arms came out only to see the majestic giant beasts approaching in the distance.

Just when they thought they were at a safe distance, one of the massive beasts suddenly locked onto them, then instantly turned into a blur as it leapt over, slamming its massive hammer-arm crashing down!

The few camps in that area were instantly demolished by the shockwave transmitting through the ground, the soldiers at the center immediately turned to meat pulp.

Those Karuk at the very edge of the hammer drake's attack range who thought they could escape were immediately struck down by uranium-tipped rounds.

Demi-human warriors hung onto the hammer drake's body or stuck close as it charged into the camp, wildly firing bowguns in all directions. This area quickly became an embattled inferno.

The Karuk camp was arranged in a staggered terraced layout, with inner areas having sturdier fortifications.

So once the hammer drakes swiftly cleared the outermost camps, they came face-to-face with rows of trenches and redoubts.

The Karuk soldiers performed beyond expectations, scrambling from their beds into defensive positions at top speed.

Boom!

Suddenly one of the hammer drakes took a concentrated mana cannon blast,the concentrated blast shattering scales and drawing blood where it struck the creature's hammer-arm. Several demi-human soldiers nearby were unluckily pierced through by shrapnel and died instantly.

"Open fire! Return fire!"

The Karuk officers in the fortifications commanded their troops to engage in resistance.

Protected by trenches, redoubts and brick walls, they pounded the massive hammer drake bodies relentlessly with bowguns and mana cannons.

Though the bowguns were only up to 4th-tier spell and the mana cannons only around 5th-tier, which the hammer drakes could withstand, the sheer quantity and rate of over 2,000 shots per minute from 400 bowguns and 50 mana cannons covering a 270 degree frontal arc forced the drakes to hunch their hardened back shells to bear the brunt, their demi-human infantry escort hiding out of the killing zones barely daring to breathe.

But the stalemate was soon broken.

One Karuk gunner operating a mana cannon from inside a redoubt in blind firing suddenly felt the whole structure shaking, then as if struck by a massive force from outside in a violent explosion. The shockwave flung him to the ground.

It wasn't just his position - many other Karuk troops sheltered in trenches and fortifications suffered surprise attacks, as energy bombs detonated amidst their ranks, reaping lives. The frontal fire the hammer drakes faced dropped significantly.

"Flanks! The enemy has mana cannons on the flanks!"

Karuk officers shouted orders everywhere: "Redirect part of the cannons, suppress the enemy artillery!"

A staff officer rushed up and grabbed the commander's clothes, arguing "We can't mind the flanks! We have to quickly neutralize or suppress those massive beasts in front or the whole line will be breached!"

The commander shoved the officer away. "How can it breach us? We have interlocking fields of fire inside too! If it comes in, it'll be stuck!"

The frantic officer explained, "No! These are Pillar Mountain hammer drakes! My great-grandmother studied at Morey's Dragonology Academy - these dragon-kin are mobile, enhanced artillery pieces! If we don't use overwhelming force to subdue them, their bloodlust will drive them into an unstoppable rampage, their wounds only fueling more rage like their dragon master!"

But the commander ignored this advice. From traditional doctrine, enemy artillery was the priority threat capable of decisively shifting the battle - not some mythical monster.

With only one voice on the line, the staff officer could not stop the order to redistribute firepower, despair filling his heart.

Sure enough, when the flanking artillery drew away part of the Karuk defensive fire, it gave the relieved hammer drakes an opening to rear up.

They still took hits from energy bolts and mana cannon rounds to the underside scales, gradually tearing bloody wounds that soaked the grassy mud.

But this only amplified the drakes' ferocity!

The thirteen drakes in the rear rank took the least fire. They raised their hammer and opened their massive jaws wide.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Then they packed their forelimbs with explosive powder charges and suddenly pulled back!

Condensing apocalyptic energies on par with 6th-tier spells, they unleashed volleys of Cinders shells!

Salvo after salvo, second, third, fourth, fifth!

"Those are…!"

The commanding officer suddenly spotted dozens of fiery doom-heralding energy projectiles filling the sky ahead, their trajectory precisely covering his defensive positions.

"Take cover!"

The commander, no longer caring about regrets over ignoring the staff officer, recklessly weaved through trenches ordering his men into the underground shelters.

"Hurry, get inside." Just as he dragged a few fresh-faced youngsters still gripping bowgun triggers into a dugout, the hammer drakes' Cinders shells came raining down.

Alvis's artillery troops first noticed the retaliatory fire they faced rapidly diminishing to nothing.

Then they realized everything around them was bathed in a red glow, followed by deafening shrieks.

A wave of scorching heat mixed with the stench of burnt flesh swept across the Karuk defensive lines.

"Cough!"

An officer had just crawled out of the underground shelter, scarcely having time to despair, when a shadow suddenly loomed overhead. With accompanying windblast and impact, a bounding hammer drake effortlessly smashed his body into pulp.

This drake then fired Cinder Shell deeper into the lines. The first volley launchers leapfrogged over it, ferrying demi-human infantry to penetrate the core of the Karuk defenses.

Exploiting their high mobility, the hammer drakes cycled through one team softening with Cinder barrages, another charging ahead to mow down survivors and level redoubts with their mouth cannons, while the accompanying infantry delivered the coups de grace and eliminated any Karuk suicide squads trying for point-blank lightning strikes to grievously wound the drakes.

"Commander Alvis, the blood wyverns report our heavily-armored vanguard has pierced through to the enemy's interior defensive lines."

The werewolf Anubis stood before Alvis's command vehicle, pointing at the map.

"Aside from that first line where the enemy reaction and firepower intensity exceeded our expectations, everything else is proceeding according to plan."

"Excellent. Have the four ground corps push into the breach as previously planned, advancing eastward to utterly annihilate the remaining foes."

"Yes sir!"

Anubis deeply admired the human commander before him. If he had been in charge, it would have simply been an uncoordinated mass charge.

This coordinated tactic - using a spearhead vanguard to first create a penetration, then funneling following corps through to destroy the enemy while still reeling in shock and disarray - represented the pinnacle of contemporary military art.

Woooo!

One after another, Ground III carrying long-rested demi-human troops poured through the breach in the Karuk line, systematically consuming the remaining defenders while advancing eastward.

The fall of Tokas Outpost was now only a matter of time.

...

On the other side, across the Morey Plains, Cornet gazed upon the massed army formations from the command airship, thinking they must seize this area with utmost haste.

Morey had committed three corps, one at reduced strength, totaling 42,500 troops.

Natteria fielded five full-strength corps of 100,000.

This immense force of 142,500 men had over 3,000 mana cannons, 1,900 gryphon knights, and six battle dragons.

"Per the original plan, the 13th and 21st Corps will remain in reserve on each flank," Cornet lit up the map on the redwood table with a daylight stone lamp as his staff officers gathered around.

"The evil dragon may try to outflank us through water routes or the Karuk Forest. Those corps will provide early warning and delay."

"The 2nd and 9th Corps will be the main thrusting spearheads, attacking the enemy's fortified works in the southern suburbs. Morey's 1st and 2nd Expedition Forces will support the flanks. The 30th and a Morey composite corps will handle logistics."

Cornet broadly outlined the strategic deployment, then waved his hand. "Alright, get to your preparations!"

Gryphon messenger knights dispersed with the orders, weaving through the dense masses of troops until reaching the forward command posts.

Akuniryas was naturally present in the army encampment.

He checked over his equipment, gazing at the circling gryphon knights and battle dragons above with a profound sense of assurance - one flight of dragons could trade blows with that dragon, two flights would ensure driving it off.

How could the enemy possibly prevail on land against the mightiest race in Mu has ever known after losing their strongest asset? The tragedy of Oakenburg's Palace Guards would never be repeated!

"But why has it made no move yet?" Akuniryas couldn't help but wonder.

Only one of the three pursuit purple dragons had managed to limp back half-dead, frightening Cornet into urgently recalling two more battle dragon flights still in the Empire to come reinforce.

At that point, Aukland's air defenses were basically nil. If Raphael had seized the timing to harass them again, it would have been total annihilation.

Yet the evil dragon had remained completely silent ever since, with no signs of activity at all. It was utterly bizarre and unlike its relentless nature to exploit any enemy weakness.

The blaring of horns shattered his contemplation - the signal to attack!

The entire army formation began slithering into motion like a great serpent.

The Imperial 9th Corps at the furthest forward position, an elite over-strength force, took on the duties of spearheading the assault through enemy lines.

But they did not rush headlong, as two squadrons of gryphon knights had just flown overhead to first probe and reconnoiter.

"All clear, no sign of the enemy. Looks like they've fled in cowardice," the knight relayed over the communication orb with a laugh.

The enemy's fortified works appeared virtually abandoned, no dragon kin anywhere - all as tranquil as a summer afternoon.

"Wait! I see a girl…looks like she's floating in midair!" another squadron leader suddenly exclaimed urgently. "Black dress, pointy triangular hat…coordinates…I'm opening fire!"

The gryphon knights broke off into dispersed wheeling patterns, lining up firing solutions from multiple angles on the strange girl.

Then a massed volley of over a hundred uranium-tipped bolts rained down mercilessly!

But the girl only coldly raised her head, unflinching before the attacks, muttering to herself:

"Saphirette hasn't done anything, why do you filthy adults always want to kill Saphirette?"

A magical barrier rapidly expanded from her body, a blue mana shield effortlessly deflecting the barrage.

"This…a Tower Master level mage?!" The disbelieving squadron leader hurriedly pulled back on the reins. "Retreat!"

Too late - a cruel smile crept across Saphirette's lips visible under her hat brim, her sharp teeth utterly ghastly.

The gryphon knights had barely flown a few meters when they felt an immense force violently dragging them backward from behind.

Looking back, they saw a crackling black void had opened in midair, its tremendous suction force inexorably pulling them in.

"Report! The enemy has a powerful mage! Like the ones from the Discord Plains! Requesting assistance! Coordinates…"

Cornet heard that much before communications cut out.

"A grand mage?" he scratched his head, using the comm orb to call the neighboring 9th Corps commander. "Coordinates…affirmative…blast her!"

Orders quickly came down the line.

Junior officers bellowed to their units: "Advance five hundred meters! Open fire, eliminate the enemy!"

In a flurry of activity, several hundred field mana cannons were laboriously hauled into firing positions, towed by the immensely strong and artillery-resistant rock drays.

The infantry leapfrogged in scattered fireteam rushes, hails of bolter fire clearing obstacles to vision like trees or ruined walls. The human frontline steadily pressed forward.

The vanguard gryphon knights who escaped flew back, while fresh squadrons charged in blanketing the area with suppressive bolter fire to clear any potential traps or pitfalls for comrades.

Saphirette hovered aloft, surveying the approaching Imperial allied army before her.

Closing her eyes, she began an incantation, complex arcane glyphs etching themselves across her face to imprint into the aether. An ominous, lurid fire-cloud manifested high above the forward Imperial line.

"Brother, what's that supposed to be?" a Natterian soldier pointed upwards to his comrade.

The other soldier's face drained of color. "Quick brother, find some cover! That looks like some kind of 6th-tier spell!"

Before the troops under the fiery cloud could react, meteors wreathed in searing emerald flames began raining down one by one!