You promised to wreak havoc on the dungeon, but instead you've got Dragon Slime!

He stared at the sentence for a long time, then turned around and stuffed the note into the brazier to burn.

Claudia emerged from the tent and asked him, "Another move?"

"Yes, there are troop movements starting in the Ironbone Wasteland."

“They’re not stupid. They know that if Snake Bone Valley can’t be defended, Rift Rock Fortress will be next.”

"And I happen to want Riftstone Fortress."

"What a coincidence."

He tugged at his cloak and started walking towards the valley entrance.

"ready to go."

"We won't wait for them to come."

"This time, we're taking the initiative."

The location of Rift Fortress is very difficult to attack.

From the outside, the place looks like a stone knife stuck into the mountainside, with natural rock walls on both sides. The main road in the middle is 30 meters wide, and the ground is all hard bluestone. You can't even find a bit of soil that could be used to bury mines.

There's a narrow slit overhead, exposed to the sun from morning till night; it's hard to find even a shady spot to step in, let alone fight.

Ron stood on a raised stone platform, glanced ahead, and didn't even blink.

"They're telling us to crash into them head-on."

Viser stood to the side, looked around, and clicked his tongue: "Ripped Rock Fortress was a major military stronghold during the establishment of the old imperial capital. It contains some of the supplies that couldn't be moved back then, as reported by the previous spies."

"Judging from the current situation, the other side is planning to hold out to the death."

"It doesn't look like a random team; it's the main force of the outer realm alliance guarding the area."

Ron nodded.

He spread the map on the stone and pondered, fidgeting with his knuckles.

"There are two key points about this place."

"One, dual cores."

“This fortress is not an ordinary city; it is a layered military fortress with two control points—one on the top of the main fortress tower, which controls external operations; and the other in the underground rock veins, which is the core of the internal circulation.”

"If we break one, the other can destroy the front line."

Viser nodded, his gaze darkening.

"We have to fight on both sides."

"Then we need to split up."

Ron pointed to the map: "I'll launch a ground attack to draw the main firepower. You take your men down from the southeast corner of the valley, find that crevice, and dig in."

“They will definitely set poison traps. Take the Snake Bone Clan with you. That clan leader is not bragging. He said they know the terrain well. Let them bring out some real stuff.”

Viser nodded and made a note of it.

“Also,” Ron added, “don’t rush into battle, find a location to deploy the demolition team first.”

"The foundation of this fortress has been hollowed out. If you blast it accurately, you can collapse half of the tower."

Meanwhile, inside Rift Fortress.

A commander wearing a black cloak sat on the roof of the main building, looking through binoculars at the increasingly clear troop lines on the mountain road.

"coming."

A guard standing behind him whispered, "It's confirmed to be Ron himself."

"The vanguard, consisting of Bone Serpents, Wasteland Cavalry, and Illusion Groups, numbers around 1,500 for the time being. But judging from their well-organized formation, this isn't reconnaissance; they're preparing for a direct frontal assault."

The commander didn't reply, but slowly lowered his binoculars.

"He's crazy."

"Are you really going to fight us to the death here?"

“We have laid out thirty-seven secret passages, six fireproof structures, and twenty trap wells in this place. Even if he brings ten times the number of soldiers, he will be in serious trouble.”

"But this person..."

He paused at this point.

"What I fear most is that he might actually dare to hit me."

The guard asked, "Should we strike first?"

"Not urgent."

"Let him take the lead. I want to see what he's prepared this time."

The battle line was pushed forward by 300 meters.

Ron held the tactical deployment map in his hand, glancing at the time—it was dusk.

The sun will set in two more hours.

The large temperature difference at night will cause winds to rise in the mountain pass, making it difficult for torches to illuminate the enemy's position, which will be useful for the illusionary troops.

"Torch team, prepare," he whispered.

"The main attack will remain stationary, while the illusion troops will advance to create a false impression and lure their vanguard out of their positions."

The adjutant was taken aback: "The main attack isn't moving?"

"Correct."

"No fighting tonight."

"We're just acting."

At 10 p.m., the illusionary troops lit fires at the mountain pass, and two hundred men charged straight at the fortress in three ranks, shouting battle cries and beating drums incessantly.

As expected, the vanguard of Rift Rock Fortress panicked. A row of archers had just poked their heads out, ready to fire arrows, when they were swept away in one swift motion by a bone serpent tail that flew out from the side of the mountain path.

That breath extinguished the torches of the two observation posts behind it.

The entire vanguard formation was in complete disarray.

But Ron didn't move.

He stood on a high point in the rear camp, watching the distant firelight flicker without even lifting his eyelids.

"Let them cause chaos."

"Let's finish the chaos before we start fighting."

Early morning hours.

Viser rolled up from the other side of the valley, covered in mud and grime, and crawled back down.

"found it."

“Where is the core?”

"The fourth underground level is locked."

"The key should be with the lord of the castle."

"You can try to blow it up, but it won't be precise. It's best to use a key."

Ron nodded.

"Then let's take him down."

"Prepare for a surprise attack."

Viser took a breath: "This time, are we really going to do it?"

"Let's really do it."

"We've been in Outland for so long, it's time to pull out this thorn in our side."

Ron watched as the sky gradually brightened in the distance, golden light filtering through the mountain crevices and falling on the outer walls of Riftrock Keep, reflecting a deep red glow.

"Riprock Fortress".

"I want you to collapse."

As soon as it was light, the first order to attack was issued.

Ron stood on the high ground at the front, staring at the lifeless fortress outside the mountain pass. He raised his hand and said calmly, "Start the battle."

There were no slogans, and no mobilization.

Bone Serpent led the charge, with thirty riders at the forefront, heading straight for the fortress's main gate.

The wasteland cavalry flanked the main force, switching formations and covering the central advance. Mirage soldiers and demolition squads followed behind, advancing in three stages at a relentless pace.

This is not a test, but a full-scale attack.

The enemy reacted quickly as well.

The rain of arrows from the fortress descended almost simultaneously, dense and numerous. The arrows, coated with oil, fell from the sky, scattering sparks as they hit the ground, creating a dense, net-like spray that effectively blocked the thirty-meter-wide open space in front of the main gate.

The bone snake charged forward through a hail of arrows, its front two ends stuck with oil, its body ablaze, yet it still pushed forward.

The demolition soldiers in the back row took the opportunity to rush up, put three explosives under the gate, lit them, and retreated.

boom--!

The explosives detonated, cracking the gate and sending dust flying everywhere.

Ron squinted as he watched the door sway, but it didn't collapse.

"Hard enough."

"continue."

Meanwhile, on the other side, at the bottom of the valley.

Viser and his squad had already entered the underground passage of Riftrock Fortress.

The passageway wasn't wide, but it was very deep, with one layer after another. It was a stone defensive structure left over from the old capital, and you could see many old landmarks inside, such as power supply wells, dispatch towers, and rest areas... Unfortunately, they had long been abandoned, and there was still activity only at the very bottom.

It took them more than an hour to reach the fourth underground level, where they could see a black iron door in the distance.