Manor Lord of the Elf World

Chapter 237 The Battle of Yaoxiang City

As the guards led Raven through the city gates and they stepped into Yaoxiang City, a scent mixed with gunpowder smoke, dust, and a faint floral fragrance wafted towards them.

Damaged wooden houses and collapsed walls can be seen everywhere on the streets, with bloodstains still wet on the corners of the walls.

Many civilians huddled under the eaves, holding their children, their faces filled with fear and exhaustion. Only a few scattered flowers along the roadside stubbornly bloomed amidst the flames of war.

The Serpent Lord followed quietly beside Raven, its emerald green body slightly straightened, exuding an aura of majesty that gradually calmed the previously bustling street.

The ordinary people passing by looked at this extraordinary Pokémon with a hint of awe in their eyes and subconsciously made way for it.

"My Lord Beastmaster, this way please. Our city lord is waiting for you at the city lord's mansion." The guard respectfully led the way, his tone tinged with urgency, "The city lord needs a powerful helper like you."

Yaoxiang City... should be the future Yaoxiang City.

Raven nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings discreetly.

He could clearly feel the intense fighting spirit and sorrow permeating the city, and the lingering energy from the Pokémon battle still lingered in the air. It wasn't hard to imagine how fierce yesterday's battle had been.

Before long, the group arrived at the city lord's mansion located in the city center.

Compared to the ruins in the city, the city lord's mansion, though it also had a few bullet holes and scorch marks, still maintained a dignified layout.

A middle-aged man clad in silver armor, with a resolute face, was already waiting at the door. He had a long sword at his waist, sharp eyes, and an aura of someone who had been through many battles.

"Having heard of the arrival of a magical beast envoy from afar, I am Garrot, the city lord of Yaoxiang City." The city lord stepped forward, pausing noticeably when his gaze fell upon the Monarch Serpent, and his tone became more polite. "Thank you for coming to Yaoxiang City at this time. May I ask what brings you here from afar?"

"My name is Raven, and I come from the Unova region. I am merely a traveling Beastmaster and have no intention of getting involved in the war." Raven spoke calmly, deliberately downplaying his identity. "I was just passing through this place and saw that the war in the city had not yet ended, so I wanted to find out about the current situation of the Kingdom of Carlos."

Upon hearing this, Lord Garrot's face showed a bitter expression, and he gestured for Raven to enter the hall:
"Lord Raven, please come in! Since you are a guest from afar, I will not hide anything—Carlos has been turned upside down by the invading army of Galar!"

The two took their seats in the hall, where guards served them warm tree fruit tea. The Serpent Lord quietly stood beside Raven, resting with his eyes lowered, yet remaining vigilant at all times.

"Gallar's army, with its powerful monster legions, marched south from the western coast, successively capturing several of our cities, leaving countless civilians displaced."

Garrot clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white. "We Carlos are not skilled at controlling magical beasts, and ultimately we are no match for Galar... Fortunately, our soldiers are brave enough to risk their lives to repel the enemy, but that's all."

Raven took a small sip of tea, understanding dawning on him.

History has indeed followed its course; Galar's invasion was the beginning of all the tragedies.

He asked calmly, "King Carlos... His Majesty AZ, did not lead the army to counterattack?"

When AZ was mentioned, Carrot's eyes dimmed slightly, and she sighed.
"His Majesty has been preparing troops in the capital, but the Galer's attack is too swift. The magical beasts they ride are as hard as steel and fly in the sky, so ordinary weapons can't hurt them at all."

"Under such an offensive, the defending forces in various places have been defeated one after another. A few days ago, a legion of magical beasts even dared to fly from the sky to the royal city to carry out a decapitation plan. In that battle, His Majesty's magical beasts lost their lives to protect him."

"His Majesty is overwhelmed with grief and I heard that he has been staying at home recently... There has been no news of him since."

Is the flower bud dead?
Raven frowned.

It's not hard to guess what Az is doing right now; he must be researching the ultimate weapon in the royal city!
Raven's heart sank, but his face remained calm: "Rest assured, Lord. Although I have no intention of participating in the war, I will not stand idly by while Galar's army bullies civilians. If Yaoxiang City is in danger again, I will lend a helping hand."

Carrot stood up abruptly, her eyes gleaming with surprise, and bowed deeply to Raven:
"If we can receive Lord Raven's assistance, the people of Yaoxiang City will be eternally grateful! On behalf of all the soldiers and civilians of the city, thank you!"

Just then, a sharp alarm suddenly sounded outside the city, followed by the panicked shouts of soldiers:

"Enemy attack! Galar's army is here again! They're charging in on a legion of magical beasts!"

Carrot's expression changed drastically, and she drew her longsword from her waist: "Damn it! They got here so fast!"

Raven slowly stood up, his black eyes showing no sign of panic. He looked at the Serpent King beside him and said softly:

"It seems we don't need to wait anymore."

"Monarch Serpent, prepare for battle."

"Woo~"

The Monarch Serpent raised its head and let out a clear hiss. Instantly, a faint green energy enveloped its body, and the leaves on its body unfurled slightly.

An aura of kingly authority instantly swept through the entire main hall of the city lord's mansion.

Raven strode out of the city, the sunlight casting a long, slender shadow on him.

Above the sky, dark clouds gradually gathered, and the battle cries of the Galar army grew closer and closer, instantly turning the sky black.

High in the sky, countless armored soldiers rode on Pokémon that were entirely black and looked like they were covered in armor.

That was none other than an extremely terrifying Steel-Armored Raven Legion!
Legend has it that Corviknight is an invincible Pokémon in the skies of the Galar region.

I never expected that the Galar royal family would already have the power to control Corviknights.

At this moment, Raven deeply felt that the degree of control over Pokémon varied from region to region!

However, he was not afraid.

When the enemy attacked, Lord Carrot of Yaoxiang City took the lead and climbed the city wall, where he and his soldiers used bows, crossbows and other weapons to attack the Steel-Armored Raven Legion above.

In the city, countless elderly, weak, women and children looked up at the sky with faces full of despair and fear.

Having just experienced a war, they knew all too well that Yaoxiang City was utterly powerless against the demonic beast army that had turned the sky upside down...

The Steelraven Legion had already reached the city walls, their mouths emitting an extremely piercing metallic sound, forcing the soldiers on the city walls below to cover their ears.

The Galar soldier riding on a Steel Raven swept his spear across the ground, the gleaming blade instantly piercing a soldier's chest.

The soldiers from Yaoxiang City around them looked terrified.

Just then, two whooshing sounds rang out.

The Serpent Lord's blades pierced the air, precisely striking the wing root joints of the front-line Corviknights—the only weak point of the armored Corviknights.

A crisp cracking sound rang out, and the steel-armored raven let out a mournful cry as it spun and plummeted from the sky, crashing heavily onto the ground below the city wall.

This attack instantly stabilized the collapsing morale of the Yaoxiang City defenders.

But the next second, all the Steel Ravens in the sky flapped their wings at the same time, their black iron wings stirring up a gale, and countless arrows rained down on the Serpent Lord like a storm!
"Monarch Serpent, come back!"

Raven gave a low shout, and the Serpent Lord nimbly flipped and landed on its emerald green body, breathing slightly heavily.

Lord Garrot, standing on the city wall, was deathly pale, his hand gripping his longsword trembling slightly.

"Lord Raven... there are just too many of them, we can't possibly stop them!"

The civilians below the city were already huddled together in fear, and whispers of despair spread through the crowd.

Raven looked up at the overwhelming Steel Raven Legion, his gaze remaining calm and unwavering.

He raised his hand, grasped the second Poké Ball at his waist, and with a forceful flick of his fingertips, hurled the ball high into the air.

"Come out, Dragonite!"

The moment the white light exploded, a huge and majestic orange body suddenly spread its wings, and a whirlwind swept wildly around it!

The thick dragon tail swept through the air with a deafening whooshing sound, and its clear eyes were now as cold as torches. Just by appearing, it released a terrifying pressure that surpassed all the Steel-Armored Ravens!
This is Dragonite, a Dragon/Flying type Pokémon that inhabits the Unova region and is hailed as the true ruler of the skies!
"Roar--!!!"

A roar resounded through the sky, and the once arrogant and domineering Steel Armored Raven Legion instantly became restless and instinctively retreated.

Upon seeing this, the Galarian officer riding on the back of the Steel Raven roared, "What's the panic! It's just a dragon-type magical beast! All troops, attack! Tear it apart with your steel wings!"

Hundreds and thousands of Corviknights charged again, their black armor gleaming coldly in the sunlight, their dense iron wings like a death wave, crushing down on the Dragonite!

Raven stood on the ground, his voice clearly echoing throughout the battlefield: "Dragonite, don't hold back."

"Use the storm to clear the way ahead."

"Roar!"

Dragonite flapped its wings violently, unleashing a burst of violent air currents that instantly changed the sky!

A terrifying tornado formed from its side, its wind blades carrying debris and air currents, like an invisible giant axe, smashing into the Steel-Armored Raven Legion!
Snap! Snap!
The Steelraven army's formation was torn apart by the storm, their bodies swept high into the air by the gale before crashing down.

The once orderly legion formation was instantly torn open with a huge gap, and screams of agony rose and fell.

The Galar officer's expression changed drastically: "Impossible! How could there be such a powerful dragon-type magical beast!"

The remaining steel-armored raven riders already showed signs of terror.

They couldn't help but look down at the figure that stood out from the others.

Who is that?!
"No retreat! Charge forward, all troops!" the Galar Legion roared, trying to bolster morale.

The remaining Corviknights adjusted their positions, their jet-black bodies coalescing into a deathly black rain that poured down upon the Dragonite!

"Dragonite, Dragon Star Cluster!"

Raven's instructions were swift and decisive.

Dragonite spread its wings and took flight.

"Chase after them! If this monster isn't destroyed, we can't conquer Yaoxiang City!" the Galar Legion roared.

The army of Corviknights followed closely behind the Dragonite.

Dragonite raised its head and let out a deafening roar, instantly turning the once clear sky into a deep purple, as if it were the end of the world.

Above the sky, countless burning meteorites crashed down, striking the Steel-Armored Raven Legion with pinpoint accuracy!
The explosions rang out in unison, and the flames dyed the entire sky red.

The Armored Raven army was completely shattered by the bombardment of the meteorite. One by one, the Armored Ravens, incapacitated, fell from the sky. The surviving soldiers were terrified and lost all will to fight. They piloted their Armored Ravens and tried to escape.

"Want to run?"

Raven's eyes turned cold.

"Dragonite, Extreme Speed, Finish!"

Dragonite vanished from its spot in a flash.

The next second, the orange afterimage darted through the fleeing army of Steelravens, each impact accompanied by a mournful cry.

In just a few seconds, the once-aggressive Armored Raven army was completely routed, leaving only a few heavily wounded Armored Ravens fleeing into the distance without looking back.

The sky cleared again, and sunlight pierced through the clouds, shining on the ravaged city of Yaoxiang.

The entire battlefield was deathly silent.

The soldiers on the city walls, the civilians under the eaves, the lord of Carrot Castle... everyone stared blankly at the Dragonite that was slowly folding its wings and standing like a war god in the air, their minds completely blank.

One.

Just one monster.

They crushed the Steel Raven Legion, which struck fear into the hearts of all of Carlos.

Dragonite landed next to Raven, standing on either side of him, along with Serperior.

Only then did Yaoxiang City erupt in a thunderous cheer!

"We won! We won!"

"Thank you, Beastmaster! Thank you for saving us!"

"My lord, you are the savior of Yaoxiang City!"

Lord Garrot stumbled down from the city wall, came before Raven, knelt deeply on one knee, and his voice choked with emotion:

"Lord Raven...you saved Yaoxiang City and all its people! I, Carrot, will forever remember your kindness!"

Raven gently helped the city lord up, and just as he was about to say something, a majestic voice suddenly rose in his heart.

"Something is watching you."

That was Kyurem's voice.

Raven paused for a moment, then turned to look as if he sensed something.

Then, in an inconspicuous patch of grass, they saw a creature that looked like a cell.

It is Zygard.

This guardian of order from Carlos had just watched the entire battle.

It did not appear, but merely imprinted in its mind the dragon's might that was enough to quell the flames of war, and the image of Raven unhesitatingly protecting the weak.
Raven ignored it, because it was just an ordinary cell that Zygarde used to monitor the Carlos region.

He withdrew his gaze, looked at the Lord of Garrot, who was still kneeling on one knee with a face full of reverence, and reached out to steadily help him up:

"Lord, there's no need for such formalities. I merely did what I was supposed to do. Galar's army will not let this go. In the days to come, Yaoxiang City will need to strengthen its defenses."

Lord Garrot stood up, his eyes still red-rimmed, and nodded emphatically:

"We will obey Lord Raven's orders! The entire city's soldiers and civilians will follow your commands!"

The surrounding people gathered around, holding the last of their bread, fruit, and water, and eagerly offered them to Raven, their eyes filled with gratitude and dependence.

The children hid behind the adults, curiously watching the Serpent Lord, then secretly glancing at Raven, their eyes filled with adoration for their savior.

The Serpent Lord withdrew its aura, gently nuzzling Raven's hand, its battlefield ferocity gone, leaving only loyalty to its master.

Raven politely declined the food offered by the commoners, saying only softly:
"Everyone, settle down first, treat the wounded, and repair the city walls. I will stay in the city for a few days to ensure the temporary safety of Yaoxiang City."

As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd erupted in enthusiastic cheers once again.

For the next half day, Raven assisted Lord Garrot in directing the soldiers and civilians to clear the battlefield, treat the wounded, and repair the damaged city walls.

The Monarch Serpent skillfully moved the broken stones and timber with its vine whip, while the Dragonite occasionally flew out of the city to patrol the surrounding area for dozens of miles, preventing any possibility of a surprise attack by the remnants of the Galar army.

Busy until dusk, the setting sun dyed the walls of Yaoxiang City a warm gold, the smoke of battle gradually dissipated, and finally a sense of peace filled the air.

Raven climbed the city wall alone, gazing at the darkening horizon in the distance.

He knew very well that defeating a Steelraven Legion would be a drop in the ocean.

Galar's invading army is still marching south, AZ is frantically forging the ultimate weapon deep within the royal city, and the grief brought by Flowerleaf's death is slowly pushing Carlos into an abyss of no return.

The moment the final weapon is activated, Galar's army, along with the civilians and Pokémon surrounding Galar's capital, will be instantly annihilated.

However, one thing puzzled him.

Where is the legendary King of Galar, Rachelon, now?
Could it be that He has already fallen into a deep sleep?

(End of this chapter)