Anna’s face turned as pale as a sheet and she quickly nodded.
As a noble young lady who was discovered to have a surprising talent for magic, when had she ever been treated like this?
With just a minor threat from Rose, who pressed the blade lightly against Anna’s face leaving a white mark, Anna spilled the location of Riverside’s Barrier hub and how to control it as quickly as spilling the beans.
Anna led Rose to the bottom of the Magic Tower, in front of a giant magic circle.
She took a large Magic Crystal from the center of the circle and handed it to Rose, saying, “This Magic Crystal is the heart of Riverside’s entire defensive Barrier. Without it, the Guardian Barrier of Riverside cannot operate.”
“Do we have any backup for this Magic Crystal?” asked Rose.
“No,” Anna shook her head. “This kind of Magic Crystal is only produced in a special secret location within the Sunset Empire. Only a few are produced each year. When Riverside built the Magic Tower, it took many years just to queue up for this Magic Crystal.”
“I see.”
Rose took the hub core that activated the Barrier.
Once she confirmed that the Barrier couldn’t be activated again, she nodded satisfactorily.
Her mission this time was a resounding success.
“Well, Miss Anna, you’re now my prisoner. Come with me,” Rose patted Anna’s face lightly and led her out of the Magic Tower.
“Don’t give yourself away, or I can’t guarantee your safety,” she warned.
With Anna in tow, the two of them smoothly left the Magic Tower.
After returning to the Black Rose’s base, Rose immediately locked Anna in the dungeon.
…
On the other hand, Samuel Jenkins successfully met the city’s commanding general, Mark Cooper, with his subordinates, and received the task of guarding the city gate.
Mark Cooper, a tall and well-built middle-aged man, was renowned for his many military achievements.
His status within Riverside was second only to the city lord himself.
Although Samuel Jenkins was instantly given the task of guarding the city gate, it was clear that Mark Cooper did not trust outsiders.
He personally entrusted the most critical defense tasks to his own trusted soldiers.
“We mustn’t rush… There’s still time before the agreed time tonight. We’ll act accordingly then,” thought Samuel Jenkins, as he and his men prepared patiently.
As night fell, it was soon the agreed-upon time.
Rose stood on the roof of the guild building and lit the prepared red flare.
A massive firework exploded in the sky above Riverside, drawing the attention of all the residents.
Just as they started to wonder if there was some kind of festival happening, panicked shouts erupted from the city walls.
“A dragon, it’s a dragon!”
The soldiers guarding the walls were thrown into chaos.
General Mark Cooper got the news immediately and, shaking with rage, demanded, “Are you sure what you saw is a dragon? Or is it that damned drunk fool hallucinating?”
“General, it’s a real dragon! It’s flying straight towards Riverside!”
“Is it that cursed Black Dragon again? Didn’t the lord trap it in the Mist Forest? How did it appear here? What the hell are the front line soldiers doing?”
“Sound the level one alarm! All residents should take shelter immediately!”
“Mobilize all the heroes in the city and gather all regular troops. Tell them, the dragon is coming!”
With a calm and composed demeanor, General Cooper issued one command after another.
He had faced off against the cunning Black Dragon several times and was well acquainted with its tricks.
Under normal circumstances, the Black Dragon would only make a feint attack, leaving a pile of bodies on the city wall before arrogantly departing.
Gathering the troops and heroes was just a safety measure, in case the Black Dragon really decided to attack the city.
However, everyone understood that it was more often than not just a formality…
But when Mark Cooper reached the city wall, his expression immediately changed.
“No… It’s not the Black Dragon…”
“Light the wolf smoke, the red wolf smoke!” Mark Cooper quickly ordered.
The lighting of the red wolf smoke was a measure that could only be taken when a city of the Sunset Empire was facing a life or death situation.
In the history of Riverside, it had never been lit.
As the red wolf smoke slowly rose into the sky, the residents of Riverside, who were in the process of orderly evacuation, instantly fell into chaos…
As citizens of the Sunset Empire, they were all too aware of the meaning behind this signal.
…
Under the gloomy sky, the city was enveloped in a stifling atmosphere.
Suddenly, a massive dragon shadow covered the city wall.
Its massive body cast a large shadow that sent shivers down the spine.
The dragon’s scales glimmered with golden light, and its golden vertical pupils were filled with deadly menace.
“Defend the city!”
“Hold it back, attack, attack!”
The city’s defense forces, following past drills, launched an attack on the dragon.
But the dragon in the sky didn’t pay them any mind, flying directly over the city walls and into the city itself.
“Where is the Barrier? Where is the Riverside Guardian Barrier?” Mark Cooper’s angry roar echoed on the city wall.
In all the previous defenses, the main reason they were able to repel the Black Dragon was the Riverside Guardian Barrier.
The Black Dragon had been repeatedly repelled because it had no way to deal with the Barrier.
In the end, it could only kill some soldiers on the wall to vent its anger.
But this time, a different dragon came, its aura more terrifying…
And the Barrier of Riverside, didn’t seem to be working.
The dragon swooped low over the city, diving towards the residential area.
City dwellers ran in terror, their screams and cries echoing through the streets.
They desperately sought shelter, trying to escape from the catastrophe.
But the presence of the dragon filled them with endless despair.
There was nowhere to hide.
The dragon opened its massive mouth and spewed out scorching flames.
Buildings were instantly consumed, and the streets were reduced to scorched earth.
The city’s defenders hastily rallied, suiting up for the imminent battle.
With weapons and shields at the ready, they faced the terrifying assault of the dragon with unflinching resolution.
Upon the city wall, Mark Cooper was quick to respond.
He gathered his men, for their priority now was to halt the rampaging beast.
At this crucial moment, Samuel Jenkins seized the opportunity to step forward.
He declared, “General, stopping the dragon is a matter of utmost urgency. You may be the only one in Riverside capable of halting the beast…”
“I, Samuel Jenkins, swear on my life to hold this gate. While I stand, the gate shall not fall!”
Mark Cooper glanced at Samuel Jenkins, patting him on the shoulder and nodding in affirmation. “The city gate cannot fall. The lives of millions in Riverside rest on your shoulders… I’m entrusting this to you.”
General Mark Cooper, leading a group of soldiers, arrived at the front line.
His gaze swept over his men, his eyes radiating unyielding determination and resolve.
“Today, we fight to the death!”
“Protect our home!”
Leading his men to form a circular formation, Mark Cooper took the initiative to charge towards the dragon.
Ethan, the dragon, could have ignored these men.
After all, the ability to fly gave him a significant advantage over the soldiers.
But since the siege was designed to wear down Riverside’s defenses, and he could move freely at his will, he didn’t mind playing with these men.
“Roar!”𝔬𝗏𝓵xt.𝚌𝒐𝔪
Ethan roared, diving towards the city’s troops.
With the dragon’s roar, the battle officially commenced.
Scorching dragon breath spewed from its mouth, quickly flooding the defensive line.
Soldiers struggled to evade but to no avail.
Within moments, the fiery breath claimed many lives, their screams disappearing into the inferno, leaving nothing but chaos and despair behind.
Despite the soldiers’ courageous counterattacks, the dragon’s power was simply too overwhelming.
It swatted its enormous tail, shattering the defensive line instantly.
Soldiers were knocked to the ground, their pained moans echoing across the battlefield.
Upon seeing this, Mark Cooper, heedless of his own safety, charged at the dragon.
With his sword held high, he let out a rousing battle cry.
“Charge!”
His gaze locked onto the dragon’s eyes, he was determined to strike a deadly blow.
As his sword flashed, Mark Cooper leaped up, fiercely thrusting towards the dragon’s head.
However, the agile dragon dodged Mark Cooper’s attack.
It roared in fury, blasting a stream of powerful flame from its mouth.
Mark Cooper was unable to evade in time and was engulfed in the fire.
His armor was scorched, his skin seared.
He moaned in agony as he rolled away, extinguishing the flames after covering dozens of meters.
Seeing Mark Cooper’s condition, the soldiers felt a surge of despair.
To buy him time to attack, they kept launching their assaults, trying to distract the dragon.
But their efforts were in vain.
The dragon effortlessly crushed their attacks.
Struggling to rise, Mark Cooper could feel the pain of his burns, but his will remained steadfast.
He took a deep breath, igniting the last spark of fighting spirit.
He knew that if he didn’t act, countless people would die at the hands of this dragon.
“Prepare to die!”
Mark Cooper roared, his body radiating terrifying energy.
His sword pierced the sky again, transforming into a blade of light.
ƥαṇdαs ηθνε| Like a bolt of lightning, he charged towards the dragon, focusing all his strength.
Once again, he aimed for the dragon’s eye, and without any hesitation, he plunged his blade down.