Lord: I can see loyalty.

Chapter 274 Golden-Maned Griffin!

Outside the city, the cheers of the southern army had not yet subsided, but Vio felt a sense of unease.

Cedric lost too quickly. Although he had a numerical advantage, he was not yet in complete disarray.

He chose to retreat not because he couldn't win, but because he still had a trump card.

Vio looked up toward the direction of Snake's Den City. The city walls were brightly lit, and he could vaguely see the busy figures of soldiers, but the feeling of unease grew stronger and stronger.

"My Lord," Alec rode closer, "why not take advantage of the situation and attack the city? Their morale has collapsed."

Vio shook his head. "Cedric probably has some trump cards up his sleeve, but I don't know what they are. Attacking the city now would play right into his hands. Send the order to withdraw the troops and return to camp. We'll discuss it again tomorrow."

"Yes, ma'am."

The army in the southern border slowly withdrew to their camp. Although the soldiers were puzzled, military orders were absolute, and no one questioned them.

The camp was filled with bonfires, and the soldiers sat around them, excitedly discussing the day's victory.

The next morning, the bugle sounded again.

The southern army arrayed itself outside the city, preparing for a general offensive.

Vio stood on horseback at the front of the battle line, his gaze fixed on the city gate, the unease in his heart still lingering.

Just as he was about to order the attack, a sharp neighing suddenly came from the city wall—not a horse, not an eagle, but a sound he had never heard before.

The sky darkened.

It wasn't dark clouds, but a group of huge black shadows that rose into the sky from the city, obscuring the rising sun.

Their wingspan is over ten meters, and their feathers are silvery-gray, gleaming with a metallic sheen in the morning light. Their heads resemble those of eagles, with hooked beaks as sharp as knives.

Its body resembles that of a lion, with strong limbs and hook-like claws.

On their backs rode fully armed knights, their silver armor gleaming in the sunlight, their spears pointing straight down.

It's a griffin!

Not just one, but a whole group!

Vio's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Scatter! Scatter now!"

Before the words were even finished, the first griffin had already swooped down, its speed astonishing, like a silver-white lightning bolt, heading straight for the southern front.

The griffin rider's lance pierced a militiaman's chest, lifting him into the air before flinging him away.

Other griffins followed closely behind, their talons tearing through shields, their beaks piercing armor, and the gale-force winds whipped the soldiers about.

"Fire!" Jimmy roared.

The archers hurriedly fired their arrows, but the arrows bounced off the griffin's feathers, failing to knock down even a single feather.

Flynn's musketeers fired, and the bullets struck the griffin's body, leaving only shallow craters of blood.

Those griffins are even more terrifyingly defensive than iron armor.

Vio's magic gloves glowed blue, and a bolt of lightning struck a griffin on the head. The griffin screamed and fell from the sky, but more griffins swarmed in.

They cooperated seamlessly, moving in and out with perfect timing, clearly having undergone rigorous training.

This is a griffin knightly order.

"Retreat!" Vio shouted sharply, "Back to camp! Now!"

The southern army retreated like a tide, but the Griffin Knights pursued relentlessly, swooping down and attacking again and again.

The soldiers fled in terror; some were torn apart by claws, some were pierced by spears, and some were blown away by wings.

The fence surrounding the camp was broken open, tents were overturned, and the campfire was trampled out.

The entire camp was in chaos.

Vio, along with Alec, Jimmy, and Gina, held the rear, desperately resisting the griffin riders' pursuit.

The runes on the magic gloves flashed continuously, and lightning and fireballs shot towards the griffin in the air time and time again.

Alec swung his greatsword, forcing back a swooping griffin.

Jimmy and Gina stood back to back, battling several griffins, but they were outnumbered.

"Retreat to the main camp! Form a circular formation!" Vio roared.

The soldiers finally regained their footing, shields held together, spears pointed diagonally, and formed a circular formation in the center of the camp.

The Griffin Knights did not pursue further, but instead circled overhead, emitting sharp cries.

They don't rush to attack, as if they are toying with their prey.

Vio, panting heavily, stared at the swirling shadows, a chill running through him.

Sure enough, this was Cedric's trump card!

A knightly order composed of real griffins.

Just as I had guessed, this Golden Mane Griffin family really does have griffins!

Their arrows couldn't pierce them, their swords couldn't cut them, and even magic could only barely harm them.

How should we fight this battle?

"My lord, we can't hold out much longer at this rate." Alec's voice was low, his armor stained with blood. "These griffins are too strong; ordinary attacks can't break through their defenses at all."

"We have to fight even if we can't break through," Vio gritted his teeth. "Send the order down: the entire army retreats, holds its ground, and awaits reinforcements."

Waiting for reinforcements?

Upon hearing this news, the soldiers were incredulous. They were in the North; where would reinforcements come from?

But out of trust in Count Vio, everyone did as instructed.

As night fell, the Griffin Knights retreated back into the city.

The camp in the southern border was in a mess; tents were overturned, campfires were trampled out, and soldiers sat slumped on the ground, their faces filled with fear and exhaustion.

Vio sat in the main tent, a map spread out in front of him, his brow furrowed, his fingers tapping lightly on the table as he thought rapidly.

"My lord, perhaps we should retreat for now and wait for the forces of those smaller families in the North to fully join us—" Jimmy lifted the tent flap and walked in, his armor stained with blood. "The griffins' defenses are too strong; we simply cannot defeat them."

"Where to retreat to?" Vio looked up. "To the south? Once Cedric has reorganized his army and led the Griffin Knights south, our walls won't be able to stop him."

Jimmy fell silent.

"What should we do?" Alec walked in, his gray eyes filled with seriousness.

Vio closed his eyes, and a thought flashed through his mind.

Griffins are legendary creatures, and Vio was not unaware of creatures like them.

Dragon.

Dragon, the red dragon Draenei.

Vio recalled his last meeting with the red dragon in the Dragon's Mouth Mountains, where he had proposed "cooperation."

Although the red dragon, which had lived for hundreds of years, was furious, there was also hesitation in its eyes.

It doesn't want to be bound, but it also doesn't want to be disturbed.

If he could persuade the red dragon to join the Southern Territory, the Griffin Knights would be no threat; a single adult red dragon would be enough to crush an entire army.

The Griffin Knights!

"There's a way, albeit a desperate one," Vio opened his eyes, his gaze resolute. "I'm going to the Dragon Mouth Mountains."

Everyone was stunned.

"Dragon's Mouth Mountains—could it be? Your Excellency, are you serious?" Jimmy's voice trembled. "That red dragon almost killed you, and now you're going to find it—"

"It didn't kill me last time." Vio stood up. "This time, I won't let it kill me either. I'm going to persuade it to join us."

"Persuade a dragon?" Alec's voice was full of doubt. "Your Excellency, dragons are not human. They don't listen to anyone."

"No, dragons are very intelligent." Vio stepped outside the tent, gazing at the hazy northern horizon. "I will try to persuade it, and if I fail—"

"I will use force to make it submit."

He turned around and glanced at the crowd.

"Hold the camp until I return, and do not launch any offensive attacks."

"The Griffin Knights are strong, but they are not invincible. Their stamina is limited, and they cannot fight around the clock. Just hold the line and wait for me to return."

"Your Excellency, are you going alone?" Alec frowned.

"One person is enough." Vio put on his magic gloves and hung up his magic feather sword. "More people would just get in the way."