Giant Dragon Lord: Starting from Daily Intelligence

Chapter 534: Chapter 411: ”Windburn Mountain,” Clash of the Light Holy See and the Red Dragon Empire

A person wearing a gray cloak, their entire face hidden in the shadow of their hood, stood respectfully before Raylo’s desk.

He was the secret envoy from the Fiery Sun Kingdom.

”Count Raylo, I have come on His Majesty Karachi’s orders to convey his respects to you.”

The envoy’s voice was hoarse.

Raylo said nothing, merely lifting the black tea from his desk and taking a small sip.

The envoy took out a Sheepskin Scroll from within his robes and presented it with both hands.

”This is the letter His Majesty Karachi asked me to deliver to you.”

Raylo set down his teacup and took the letter.

He unrolled the sheepskin. The letter was written in Karachi’s own hand.

The letter’s contents were simple.

”...I have dispatched a twenty-man Griffin Knight Squad from the Fiery Sun Kingdom’s Divine Hall of Light to conduct ’reconnaissance’ on the border of the Thunder Dragon Duchy. Their current encampment is located at the border between our two nations, beside a river called Whispering Creek. This Griffin Knight Squad will remain there for half a month.”

Reading the contents of the letter, the corner of Raylo’s mouth curled into a smirk.

’This Karachi is a clever man.’

The letter mentioned nothing, yet it said everything.

Twenty Griffins.

That was a significant number. Black Stone Territory currently had just over thirty Griffins.

Raylo quickly located Whispering Creek on the map in his mind.

It was an inconspicuous little river, located about two thousand kilometers southeast of Black Stone Territory as the crow flies.

For infantry, it was a long journey that required detouring around several mountain peaks.

But for Flying Cavalry, a round trip would take a week at most.

”I understand.”

Raylo put the letter down and looked at the envoy before him, speaking calmly.

”Go back and tell Karachi that I have received his sincerity. As for the next batch... I hope to see them before the arrival of Frosty Winter.”

”Yes, Lord Earl! I will be sure to relay your words to His Majesty.”

The envoy bowed, took his leave, and departed.

After seeing the envoy off, Raylo immediately summoned Ed and Alex.

”Alex.”

”Here, my Lord!”

”Go at once and inform Sun. Have him lead the Sun Knight Order and depart immediately for Whispering Creek.”

Raylo’s finger tapped on the map.

”Their mission is to receive a special ’shipment’.”

”The Sun Knight Order?”

Alex was taken aback for a moment.

The Sun Knight Order was the most unique of Raylo’s three Knight Orders.

”That’s right.”

Raylo nodded.

”The shipment this time is twenty Griffins. Sending Sun is the most appropriate choice.”

As fellow sovereigns of the sky, the might of a Giant Dragon was enough to suppress those proud Griffins.

”I understand, my Lord!”

Alex accepted the order and turned to leave.

”Wait.”

Raylo stopped him.

”Have Monk go with them.”

Monk, a Tier Three Earth Knight, was a steady and reliable man.

Alex was a little confused.

”My Lord, with Lord Sun present, surely there won’t be any problems?”

A helpless expression appeared on Raylo’s face.

”I’m not worried about problems. I’m worried that guy Sun will get lost.”

Soon, a resounding dragon’s roar echoed across the castle plaza.

A golden Giant Dragon soared into the sky. Behind him, a formation of six Sky Dragons and one hundred Pegasus Knights followed closely.

Watching their retreating figures, Raylo’s gaze turned to Ed.

”Ed, now it’s time for us to get to the real business.”

”Yes, my Lord!”

For the next three days, Raylo devoted all his energy to reorganizing the Black Stone Army.

It was an incredibly complex, yet crucial, task.

He assigned every new Knight to a unit based on their strength, special skills, and the combat style they had displayed in the previous tournament.

Over six hundred new Knights had joined. Three hundred were assigned to the Moonlight Knight Order, Black Stone Territory’s main fighting force. One hundred were assigned to the Sun Knight Order, and the remaining two hundred-plus were integrated into the Black Stone Knight Order.

Through this reorganization, all three Knight Orders were bolstered by a great deal of new blood, and their strength increased significantly.

And on the day after the reorganization was complete, a grand event was about to begin in the plaza of Black Stone Territory.

「On the Knight Plaza of Black Stone Castle.」

The air was thick with a tense and fervent atmosphere.

An unprecedented Magical Beast contract ceremony was about to be held here.

Over a thousand Knights of Black Stone Territory, clad in neat Armor, stood silently in stern formations across the plaza.

Their gazes were all focused on a huge, specially cleared area in the center of the plaza, their eyes filled with excitement, envy, and an undisguised longing.

ROAR!

Following a series of low, powerful roars, one hundred massive Earth Dragons, their bodies covered in thick Scale Armor, were led out of the Beast Cages by Knights.

The ferocious aura of a Sub-Dragon Species washed over them, causing many Knights seeing them for the first time to turn pale and their breath to quicken.

Next came fifty Mammoth Giant Elephants, like small, moving mountains.

They strode slowly into the plaza with heavy steps.

Their enormous tusks reflected a cold light under the torchlight, and with every breath, they exhaled two thick plumes of white vapor.

One hundred and fifty powerful War Giant Beasts were gathered in the plaza.

The shocking scene sent a shiver down the spine of every Knight present.

Raylo stood on a high platform overlooking the plaza, watching everything below.

Beside him stood Ed, Alex, Bolin, and the other core commanders of Black Stone Territory.

”My Lord, the one hundred and fifty Knights who have earned the right to form a contract are all ready.”

Ed reported in a low voice.

Raylo nodded.

These one hundred and fifty slots had been finalized only after several days of repeated screening and discussion between him, Ed, and the others.

Some of them were the top performers from the recent Knight tournament.

The rest were veterans of Black Stone Territory who had rendered distinguished military service in past battles and whose loyalty was beyond question.

He had not arranged for all the Earth Dragons and Mammoths to be contracted with Knights.

The reason was simple.

The opportunity to form a contract with a Magical Beast was too precious.

Such a boon could not be given away without reason.

Every reward had to make it clear to everyone that it was earned through loyalty and valor.

At the same time, leaving a portion of the Magical Beasts uncontracted was also a way to give the other Knights something to hope for, something to strive for.

It let them know that as long as they fought bravely for Black Stone Territory and offered their loyalty to him, their Lord, the chance to contract an Earth Dragon or a Mammoth would one day be theirs as well.

It was the most direct and effective form of motivation.

”Begin.”

Raylo’s voice rang out.

At his command, one hundred and fifty Knights stepped out from their ranks.

Each of their faces held a solemnity and excitement akin to that of a pilgrim on a sacred journey.

They walked up to the Magical Beasts they were about to contract and, following the method they had been taught, cut their fingertips and let a drop of blood fall onto the Magical Beast’s forehead.

Then, they placed a hand on the Magical Beast’s head, closed their eyes, and slowly extended their Spiritual Power into the creature’s mind.

The contract ceremony officially began.

The entire plaza instantly fell into a strange silence.

Only the CRACKLE of burning flames and the heavy breathing of the Giant Beasts echoed in the night sky.

Moonlight stood on the high platform, its eyes glinting with silver light. It released its draconic might, suppressing the wills of the Mammoths and Earth Dragons to help the Knights complete their Magical Beast contracts.