Giant Dragon Lord: Starting from Daily Intelligence-Chapter 191 - 185: The Arrow is Nocked
Knight Luke was the soul and pillar of the Northern Alliance Army, their unyielding, iron-blooded battle standard against the wind.
If he were to fall, especially if assassinated during the decisive battle against the enemy commander, Aston the "Blood Lion," the blow to the Allied Army’s morale would be devastating.
Once their morale shattered, the so-called Allied Army would be nothing more than scattered soldiers, ripe for the slaughter.
The army of the Fiery Sun Kingdom would surge forward like a tide and utterly overwhelm them.
Raylo’s mind raced.
"Ed."
Raylo called out, his voice grave.
"Present, my lord."
Personal Guard Captain Ed, already fully attired, immediately stepped forward upon hearing his name.
"What’s the status of the troops?"
"Reporting, my lord. We’ve finished breakfast. All men are in formation, ready to march at any time."
Ed’s voice was firm and powerful, without a hint of hesitation.
"Very good. Remain on high alert."
Raylo nodded. Without another word, he turned and strode purposefully toward the Allied Army’s main camp.
That was where the tent of Commander Knight Luke was located.
The army camp in the early morning.
The cooks were extinguishing the last of the kitchen fires. The aroma of porridge and roasted meat still lingered in the air, but a more potent, unique smell of leather, metal, and earth prevailed.
Squad after squad of Knights led their mounts past, their heavy, iron-shod hooves striking the ground with a sound like muffled thunder.
The soldiers silently polished their weapons, their faces grim with the gravity of the impending battle.
Raylo wove through the gaps in this torrent of steel, finally stopping before the most conspicuous and heavily guarded tent in the camp.
On the tent’s flagpole, a blood-red battle standard snapped in the morning wind.
"Baron Raylo of Black Stone Territory, requesting an audience with Commander Luke."
Raylo said to the Knight guarding the tent, his voice low and serious.
The Knight dared not delay and immediately went inside to announce him.
A moment later, the Knight returned and pulled back the heavy tent flap.
"The Commander will see you."
Raylo stepped inside.
The atmosphere inside the tent was even more tense than outside.
A massive sand table occupied the center of the tent, densely packed with flags representing the various army units.
Knight Luke stood before the sand table, clad in a suit of dark red Heavy Armor, but without his helmet. His short hair was as stiff as steel needles.
He was surrounded by several other armored military strategists, and they were arguing heatedly over the sand table.
"...The left flank is under the most pressure! I suggest we move the Knight Order from Iron Pine Territory to the left, to act as a spearhead and tear open their lines!"
"Impossible! The forces from Iron Pine Territory suffered heavy losses in the previous battle. They’re at less than half their former strength and are no longer fit to serve as a spearhead!"
Luke did not join the argument. He just listened quietly, his hawk-like gaze sweeping over every detail on the sand table.
Only when he saw Raylo enter did he raise a hand, silencing the strategists’ discussion.
"Baron Raylo. What brings you here so early? An urgent matter?"
Luke’s voice was low and deep.
"Lord Luke."
Raylo gave a slight bow before getting straight to the point.
"I have some urgent military intelligence that I must report to you privately."
Luke glanced at him, then waved a hand at the officers at his side.
"You are all dismissed. Prepare according to the plans we just discussed."
"Yes, Commander!"
The officers accepted their orders and left, leaving only Raylo and Luke in the spacious tent.
"Speak. What is it?"
Luke turned to face him.
Raylo didn’t beat around the bush.
"Lord Luke, my Storm Griffin Knights made a crucial discovery yesterday while on a high-altitude reconnaissance mission." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎
He chose his words carefully, packaging the information from his ’system’ in a plausible manner.
"Deep within the Fiery Sun Kingdom’s military camp, they sensed an extremely powerful yet subtle presence. The sensation was fleeting, but my Knights are certain it belonged to an expert of at least Tier Five."
Luke raised an eyebrow.
Raylo continued.
"According to my Knights’ descriptions, this expert... possessed an extremely pure Light Power. And he appeared to be in the vicinity of the tent of the Fiery Sun Kingdom’s Prince, Karachi."
"Someone from the Light Holy See?"
"It’s highly likely."
Raylo nodded.
"A Tier Five Light Element Knight, infiltrating the camp in secret on the eve of the final battle... I doubt his objective is merely to spectate."
Luke fell silent.
He walked slowly to the edge of the sand table and reached out, his hand gently brushing over the flag that represented his own Central Legion.
Raylo didn’t press him, knowing Luke needed time to process this information.
After a long moment, Luke finally spoke, his voice tinged with a cold, self-deprecating tone.
"Karachi... that wet-behind-the-ears brat has more brains than his father, who only knows how to roar. He knows he can’t win against me on an open battlefield, so he resorts to these dirty tricks behind the scenes."
His finger pressed down hard on the flag representing the enemy commander-in-chief, Aston the "Blood Lion."
"During the final battle, I will inevitably face Aston with my full strength. At that moment, both of us will have pushed our Domains to their absolute limit, and our concentration will be total... It’s truly the perfect opportunity for an attack from the shadows."
He looked up at Raylo, his expression complex.
"It seems they’re coming for me."
A grim smile touched Luke’s lips.
"Trying to take my life in the midst of a battle of thousands."
"Baron Raylo, do you have a solution?"
Luke asked.
"The arrow is already nocked; it must be fired. You are the banner of the Allied Army. You cannot retreat."
Raylo didn’t answer directly. Instead, he unfastened something from his belt.
It was a horn carved from ivory, ancient in design and covered with intricate, mysterious Magic Patterns. In the center of the Horn was an embedded Tier Four Magic Core that emitted a faint glow.
It was the Soul Horn.
"Lord Luke, you may remember this."
Luke’s gaze fell upon the Horn, first in confusion, then his pupils contracted sharply.
His mind instantly flashed back to the battle in the Jade Swamp, when he and Raylo had helped the Golden Dragon fight the Evil Eye Legion.
He could still vaguely recall the sound of that distant horn blast, followed by the appearance of a knightly figure stepping out of the void, clad in Star Armor and wielding a Meteor Iron Heavy Sword.
A Tier Five Domain Knight.
"Starfall."
"This is..."
Luke said.
"The Soul Horn."
Raylo held the Horn out to him.
"It can summon a powerful Tier Five heroic spirit to aid in battle. The Knight, ’Starfall,’ whom you saw last time, was summoned by this Horn."
Luke reached out, but his movements were hesitant.
He understood the value of this item better than anyone.
It wasn’t just a powerful Magic Artifact; at this critical juncture, it was a trump card that could mean the difference between life and death.
"This is too valuable,"
he said in a low voice.
"Nothing is more valuable than your safety, or the victory of this war."
Raylo’s tone was calm.
"I am lending it to you. Perhaps it can be of some assistance."
Luke no longer refused. He took the Soul Horn, which felt cool and heavy in his grasp.
