Chapter 365| That Wasn’t Amateur. That Was High-Level Mechanical Engineering Execution Under Extreme Duress.

The first roar rolled in like thunder creeping through the mist.

It wasn’t just the howl of the wind sweeping the limestone cliffs. It was an ear-splitting, high-pitched vibration, interwoven with a trembling hiss from the rock crevices. The sound echoed from the east, crashing against the half-destroyed Eastern Mountain Forward Outpost of the Iron Empire.

Instantly, the courtyard exploded into a panic.

The soldiers in dull gray uniforms who had just been lying limply on the ground instinctively scrambled in every direction. Some tripped over rotting planks, while others snatched up their steam rifles with trembling fingers.

"THEY’RE HERE! THE MONSTERS ARE BACK!"

The hysterical scream of a single soldier sparked a fatal wave of chaos.

The Outpost Commander—his head wrapped in bloody bandages—froze in the middle of the courtyard. His bloodshot eyes stared up at the ashen sky. His voice caught in his throat. He had completely lost control.

In the midst of that storm of panic, Roland Sudrath walked calmly.

His dark blue diplomatic robes were stained with dust, and the wound on his shoulder throbbed dully. Yet, his gray eyes radiated absolute tranquility. He didn’t draw a weapon. Nor did he attempt to forcibly seize command.

Roland landed his right hand on the trembling commander’s shoulder.

"Commander. Take a breath," Roland called out. His intonation was clear, steady, and mesmerizing, effortlessly cutting through the surrounding hysteria.

The commander jolted.

"Panic will only make you an easy target in this open area," Roland continued firmly, maintaining his diplomatic boundaries. "Get a grip. Pull the wounded behind the barricades! Order your shooters to take positions at the remaining walls!"

Those words acted as an anchor. The outpost commander wiped away his cold sweat, then bellowed at the top of his lungs.

"ALL MEN! FALL BACK TO THE STEEL BARRICADES! COCK YOUR RIFLES!"

At the same time, Riven marched to the front line.

The colossal man tore off his black wolf-fur mantle in a single swift motion, tossing it over a boulder. He rolled his military shirt up to the elbows. Riven stood like a tower of stone, his gaze locked onto the movements behind the thick mist.

Beside him, Captain Thorne moved quickly to coordinate the infantry. Meanwhile, Selene closed her pale blue eyes, sensing the sudden, drastic drop in atmospheric pressure.

Behind the collapsed pillar of the watchtower, Rianor took up a safe position.

The Architect had no intention of joining the physical brawl. He crouched, removing his glasses for a moment to wipe away the condensation, before putting them back on. His fingers pressed against his arm.

Whirrr... click!

The Adamantite circuits hummed. A blue holographic screen pierced through the thick sulfurous smog.

"Hmm... three massive thermal emission signatures," Rianor murmured coldly. "Two mid-tier, and one colossal-scale lagging behind."

Yara crawled closer. The girl’s cheeks were smeared with soot and her apron was torn, but her hands still clutched her tool bag tightly. Her brown eyes stared in awe at the blue projection.

"They aren’t... flying at random," Yara whispered, recognizing the cliff routes on the screen.

"Of course they aren’t," Rianor replied flatly. "These two Wyverns are maneuvering a pincer attack from the north and east. A herding tactic. They’re forcing the troops in this courtyard right into the Alpha Wyvern’s strike zone on the ridge."

"Wyverns are sensitive to blinding light!" Yara pointed at the steam searchlight tower hissing dead at the edge of the courtyard. "Rianor! The valve connection pipe is loose! If we fire it up, the high-pressure steam gas will blind them!"

Rianor glanced at the route. "Tch. That pipe sits directly beneath the strike path. It’s too risky."

Yara straightened her posture and fixed her hair tie. "I’m a mechanic, Rianor. Risk is what I eat for breakfast."

WHOOSH!

A savage gale bit through the air! The first Wyvern burst through the mist. The eight-meter-long, spine-winged reptile went into a steep dive. Its steel-like claws shredded the outpost’s roof, blasting limestone debris into the sky.

Yara didn’t care about the rain of falling rocks around her.

The girl crawled swiftly across the dust. Her breathing was ragged. Her leather-gloved hands trembled as she laid eyes on the severed copper pipe. Scalding steam pressure hissed violently—Ssssshh!—ready to blister skin upon contact.

"It’s just a loose clamp..." Yara murmured, suppressing her racing heartbeat.

She dug into her bag, pulling out a double-lever iron clamp and a wrench.

BAM!

The swipe of the second Wyvern’s tail smashed into the cliff directly above her head! A shower of limestone dust cascaded over Yara.

Yet, the mechanic’s fingers didn’t waver. With the precision of a seasoned dockworker, she slipped the clamp into the pipe’s gap. She cranked the fastening bolt with every ounce of strength she had left.

Krk... CRACK!

The leak stopped. An airtight seal.

Yara pushed herself up, grabbed the massive brass valve wheel, and spun it fully clockwise.

PSSSHHH... WHUUUMMM!

The reactor inside the tower roared! The giant searchlight blazed to life! A golden-white beam of thousands of lumens slashed through the fog, shooting straight into the eyes of the diving first Wyvern!

GWAAARRRK!

The Wyvern shrieked hysterically. It was blinded instantly. Its wingbeats turned chaotic. The colossal beast lost its balance, skidding low and nearly crashing into the courtyard!

"NOW!" Riven roared.

The Grand General of Northreach launched himself forward. Freed from the weight of his mantle, Riven’s speed was lethal. He vaulted off a boulder, landing squarely on the nape of the disoriented Wyvern.

BOOM!

Riven forced the reptile’s neck down until it slammed against the limestone floor. The monster thrashed wildly, violently whipping its barbed tail.

Riven locked his stance. His left hand balled into a fist, and he drove an elbow clad in pure kinetic energy straight into the nerve cluster at the base of the monster’s neck!

CRUNCH!

The sickening sound of shattering bone echoed out. The Wyvern let out a short, choked groan before going limp and lifeless.

However, the second Wyvern dove erratically from his blind spot. Its razor-sharp talons slashed across Riven’s ribs!

SLASH!

Riven’s black shirt tore open. Fresh blood sprayed. Riven winced, but his eyes flashed with pure predatory wrath.

"Get down here, you oversized lizard!" Riven snarled hoarsely.

Before the monster could take flight again, Selene stepped gracefully into the center of the courtyard.

The Arcanum Master extended her palm. The ambient temperature, thick with steam condensation, instantly plummeted to absolute zero!

CRACK... CRAAACK!

Thick layers of ice rapidly flash-froze across the membranes of the second Wyvern’s wings. The sudden weight completely destroyed its aerodynamic lift. The monster was dragged down from the sky, crashing violently into the steel barricades.

"HOLD YOUR FIRE! PULL THE WOUNDED BACK!" Thorne’s command rang out, leading the evacuation under a hail of covering fire.

But war always demanded a toll. Near the gates, a young soldier lay dead with his chest torn open, his blood already turning black against the pale limestone earth.

SKREEECH...!!

An infrasonic shriek pierced through the chaos.

From behind the highest ridge, the Alpha Wyvern revealed itself.

Its size was twice as massive. Its black scales were riddled with battle scars, and its eyes burned with an unnatural, misplaced intelligence. It unfurled its wings, staring down at the blood-soaked courtyard.

Roland, Selene, and Rianor stood shoulder-to-shoulder. Riven gripped the hilt of his sword, bracing to face the king.

But their prediction was off.

The Alpha Wyvern didn’t attack. Its crimson eyes stared at the corpse of its kin, then shifted to Yara’s blazing searchlight.

The monster flapped its colossal wings, unleashing a long, resonant roar laden with tactical instructions.

GWAAARRRRKK!!

The second frozen Wyvern forced itself up, limping backward up the cliffside in retreat. The Alpha pivoted its body in the air, soaring across the mountain ridge until it vanished into the fog.

They didn’t retreat out of fear. They were bringing back data.

"They aren’t wild animals," Selene whispered, staring at the empty cliffs. "They’re attacking with disciplined formations."

"Those monsters..." Rianor shut off the glow on his arm, "...are purely being controlled by someone behind these mountains. They retreated to report back to their master."

Roland stroked his chin, a faint, chilling smile gracing his lips. "Hmm... and that means our real battle has only just begun."

The gloom of battle swallowed the dawn. The stench of gunpowder and fresh blood still hung heavy in the air. Yara’s steam searchlight valiantly cleaved through the mist.

In the corner of the barricade, Yara slumped down, hugging her knees.

Her gloved hands were still trembling, battered by an adrenaline crash. She stared at her palms, unable to believe that her simple iron clamp had just saved an entire military outpost.

Rustle.

Rianor emerged from the shadows. His shirt was already neatly adjusted. His right hand offered a tin cup filled with warm water.

"Drink," Rianor ordered flatly.

Yara looked up hesitantly, then accepted the cup with shaking hands.

"R-Rianor..." Yara whispered after taking a sip. "Was... what I did earlier just a reckless, amateur move that caused you trouble?"

Rianor adjusted his glasses and leaned against the stone wall.

"You installed that iron clamp with absolute pressure tolerance precision," Rianor said without looking at her. "That wasn’t amateur. That was high-level mechanical engineering execution under extreme duress."

Yara was stunned. "Wait, are you... praising me?"

"Tch, that wasn’t a compliment, Yara." Rianor glanced down at her through his lenses. "That is purely a statement of fact. Your expertise saved a lot of lives tonight."

Yara bit her lip, a warm smile carving through the soot on her face. The Architect’s validation settled deeply in her chest.

Not far away, Roland leaned against a steel barricade. The diplomat watched the exchange with a peaceful smile. The ironclad doubts sown by enemy doctrine were finally beginning to crack on this soil.

Riven approached, tying a gauze bandage over his torn arm.

"Whoever is controlling those Wyverns..." Riven grumbled heavily. "...is definitely a commander who understands infantry tactics."

Roland crossed his arms over his chest. His robes fluttered gently in the wind.

"They tame monsters to systematically cripple the empire’s vital chokepoints," Roland replied, his eyes glinting sharply. "And we... have just received their formal invitation."