The Dark Event didn't occur in this stage either.
[??? skips their turn.]
[No Dark Event will be triggered in this stage.]
Following the last stage, the unidentified enemy skipped their turn again. The intention behind this move remained unclear, but one thing was certain.
At least in this stage, the foe wasn't plotting any underhanded moves.
Whoosh-!
The Scorpion Legion, without any tricks up their sleeve, simply crawled on the ground.
And the Dragon Lady - Dusk Bringar and her personal guard, found such ground-crawling creatures barely worthy opponents.
"Wo-hahahahahat!"
With a booming laugh, Dusk Bringar, followed closely by four knights clad in red armor, charged.
Together, the party of five Dragon Knights relentlessly assaulted the side of the Scorpion Legion.
Clip-clop! Clip-clop! Clip-clop-!
Crunch! Snap!
They tore through the legion's ranks, breaking from one side and emerging from the opposite end in a breath-taking maneuver.
Dusk Bringar, at the forefront, unleashed her mighty magical prowess, and the four knights brandished their weapons with violent force. Their steeds were Dragonblooded Warhorses - 1.5 times the size of a regular warhorse with three times the power. They were monstrous mounts that likely also had their own levels.
Following the Dragon Knights' breakthrough, these mighty warhorses trampled over the Scorpion Legion. The torn chitin and flesh of the scorpion monsters scattered everywhere.
"..."
Witnessing this shocking scene, I glanced sideways. My own heroes wore expressions of disbelief.
"Uh, um... Should we go support them, senior?"
Evangeline asked hesitantly, to which I slowly shook my head.
"No. They seem to want to show off their skills."
Matching the monsters' entrance, they'd appeared as if waiting for the perfect moment to flaunt their might. This couldn't be a mere coincidence.
'The Duchess seems to want to have her fun. Let's let her have it.'
I gestured, and a scout brought a telescope to me. Looking through it, I chuckled.
"Let's watch and see just how strong the last knights of the Bringar Empire are."
***
After punching a significant hole through the Scorpion Legion's ranks,
"How exhilarating! Crushing these insects without a sweat isn't usually my taste!"
Dusk Bringar laughed, revealing sharp, shark-like teeth. Splatters of the black blood from the scorpion monsters stained her fair cheeks.
"'A battle I cannot lose' has been too long overdue! It's immensely satisfying! Ahahahah!"
"My lady."
An elder knight with a neatly trimmed white beard addressed her.
"The monsters are encircling us."
"Oh?"
Dusk Bringar raised an eyebrow in amusement, surveying her surroundings.
"So these bugs do know some tactics?"
The scorpion monsters quickly reformed their ranks, seamlessly filling in the gaps left by their fallen comrades.
Simultaneously, in the blink of an eye, they spread across the ground, intending to encircle the five Dragon Knights.
"How would you like to proceed? Break through before we're encircled? Or..."
"Whether they encircle us or lay a trap, let them do as they please!"
Dusk Bringar turned her massive steed's head towards the thickest cluster of monsters and bared her teeth with a fierce grin.
"It's been a while since I've enjoyed a battle on a whim!"
"We'll simply follow your lead, my lady."
The elder knight nodded after a quick glance behind him.
"Follow!"
"Yes!"
"Ha!"
Clip-clop! Clip-clop! Clip-clop-!
The five Dragon Knights began their charge again, not towards the thinnest part of the encirclement, but straight into the heart of the enemy forces.
The scorpion monsters readied their sharp pincers and tails, assuming a defensive stance as if preparing for an onslaught,
"You fools! Do you really think you stand a chance?"
Dusk Bringar's thundering roar, the Dragon Roar, left them paralyzed with fear.
It was the Dragon's inherent ability, a power that instills an overwhelming fear simply by its presence, commonly termed as Dragon Fear.
The Scorpion Legion, nearly void of any resistance to this fear, trembled and lowered their weapons before her might.
Underneath the heavy hooves of the warhorses, they were trampled.
Crushed.
Once again, the Scorpion Legion was effortlessly overwhelmed by the five Dragon Knights, pierced and torn apart.
Dusk Bringar led the charge, unleashing waves of her fierce magic to pave the way.
Immediately behind her, the elder knight with white hair and the middle-aged knight swung their long swords to assist.
Two young Dragon Knights expanded their formation like spreading wings and finished off any remaining monsters with their spears.
In a V formation, they breezily cut through the Scorpion Legion.
"Move aside if you don't want to die!"
At Dusk Bringar's roar, the monsters parted to either side, reminiscent of the Red Sea parting before Moses. It might have been just the Dragon Fear, but it seemed as though they understood her words.
"Of course, moving aside won't spare you! Ahahaha!"
Laughing gleefully as she trampled the flattened monsters, Dusk Bringar's gaze caught something.
Far behind the retreating Scorpion Legion stood a gigantic monster exuding a menacing aura.
It looked like a monstrous hybrid, with the lower half of a scorpion and an armored humanoid upper body. Atop its armored helmet, sharp venomous spikes protruded like a crown.
The Scorpion King.
The ruler of this Scorpion Legion and the boss monster of this stage.
"Aha! There's their leader!"
Exhilarated, Dusk Bringar spurred her dragon-steed, which responded with a fiery snort, accelerating forward.
"Quickly! Faster! Hurry! Hurry up!"
However, despite Dusk Bringar's urgency, the dragon-steed's speed didn't increase dramatically.
Unable to wait any longer, Dusk Bringar, in her frustration, propelled herself off the saddle.
"Fine, I'll go ahead! You all catch up at your own pace!"
"My lady, wait...!"
Before the elder knight could stop her, Dusk Bringar leapt into the air, amassing magic behind her, propelling herself forward like a rocket.
Whoosh-!
The energy field forming behind the Duchess looked like wings attached to her back, flapping.
Dusk Bringar darted across the sky, making a beeline for the Scorpion King. The beast let out a defiant roar.
"You mere half-dragon! I've lived in the same era as your ancestors, and-!"
"Oh? The monsters here can speak?"
Her round, surprised eyes quickly filled with mischief.
"Ahahaha! This is fun! No wonder the third prince wanted me here!"
"Be silent, half-breed dragon! I am the great ancient..."
Before the Scorpion King could finish, drawing two venomous stingers from its tails like sabers, its gaze was drawn to the unfolding spectacle in front of it.
Roaaar!
A massive torrent of magical energy converged between Dusk Bringar's hands.
At first, the magic glowed red but soon blended with a pumpkin hue, eventually radiating a brilliant crimson.
Reminiscent of the hues of a sunset.
The energy began to take shape in Dusk Bringar's petite hands.
"Materializing magic, is...?!"
The Scorpion King muttered in shock.
Shaping the energy released from oneself into a different form was an endeavor not even the greatest magicians of ancient times would attempt.
Clearly, this was a feat only someone possessing the blood of a dragon could achieve. It's an extravagant waste of power, the epitome of inefficiency. Definitely not a technique recommended for real battles. But...
"Isn't it cool?!"
It was cool.
And that was reason enough for her to use it.
Harnessing that power, Dusk Bringar fashioned a large sword made purely of energy, larger than her own frame.
"I don't care who or what you were in the past."
With a fiendish grin, Dusk Bringar growled.
"I'm here and now, ready to prove myself on this monster frontier! You know what that means!"
"Wha, what...?"
"It's the perfect time to leave a lasting impression during my initiation!"
Having closed the distance between them unnoticed, Dusk Bringar raised her energy sword high.
"So- make sure to die spectacularly, monster!"
With a resounding slash, the sword of energy descended.
The Scorpion King's elite guards stepped forward, holding up their armored shells as shields. Still, the blazing heat emanating from the energy sword instantly melted their defenses.
The immense surge of magic struck vertically, engulfing the Scorpion King and his elite guards in a blinding flash and intense heatwave.
"Kyaahaaak!"
The guards, attempting to protect their king, exploded in a burst, shattering and scattering in all directions.
Clank!
The twin venomous stingers of the Scorpion King, held crosswise, shattered like fragile glass, and
"You half-dragon...! This can't be...!"
With a loud thud, the enormous form of the Scorpion King split from head to tail.
Boom!
The aftershock of the attack ravaged the ground, creating a storm of dust and debris.
Moments later, emerging from the settling dust, Dusk Bringar could be seen catching her breath, her slender shoulders rising and falling rapidly. Her small hands looked as though they had suffered burns, a deep red hue replacing the glow of the magic, which now dissipated like a mirage.
"Heh, even if I'm a half-dragon, a dragon's still a dragon."
Looking down at the fallen Scorpion King, Dusk Bringar smirked with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"You're nothing more than an insect compared to me."
Clatter! Clatter!
The other dragon knights and her dragon-steed arrived behind Dusk Bringar, albeit belatedly.
"...That was an impressive strike, my lady."
Gazing at the devastation left behind from her attack, the elder knight spoke slowly.
"But it was quite wasteful."
"Hmph. I had to assert dominance."
Of course, Dusk Bringar wasn't referring to the monsters but to Ash and his subordinates who were watching the skirmish.
"As a newcomer throwing my lot in with the southern frontline, I need to show how formidable and useful I am."
And moreover, she had promised Ash a one-on-one showdown for control of this southern frontline.
Making a bold entrance was essential. Maybe it was a bit of an overkill, but...
"This should do."
There was no need to deal with the remaining monsters.
Having dispatched their leader, she could leave the stragglers to Ash and his crew.
With that decision made, Dusk Bringar gracefully mounted her dragon-steed.
The five dragon knights then slowly steered their mounts towards the forward base where Ash was located. The monsters, trembling in fear, steered clear of their path.
"Yawn."
Having expended so much energy, she felt a tinge of fatigue. As she let out a stretchy yawn, she glanced towards the forward base.
"...! ...! ...!"
Ash, standing atop the ramparts, was frantically waving his arms, shouting something. It wasn't just Ash; all the soldiers around him were also raising their arms, yelling out. A smirk formed on Dusk Bringar's lips.
"Haha, there's no need to welcome me with such enthusiasm..."
As they got closer, she could faintly hear Ash's shouts.
- Don't come this way! Turn back...!
"Huh? Turn back?"
Dusk Bringar tilted her head in confusion. Why?
And then, it happened.
Suddenly, the ground trembled.
Dusk Bringar's dragon-steed stepped on something, and the sound of machinery echoed.
"Huh?"
She glanced down at the ground beneath her.
There it was, a mechanical device emitting an ominous blinking red light.
Dusk Bringar blinked her large eyes and, with a cold sweat breaking out, uttered tersely.
"What's this?"
It was a landmine.
One of many Ash had installed in front of the forward base, specifically to counter the scorpion monsters.
Boom!
In the next instant, both Dusk Bringar and her steed were engulfed by an explosion, sending them spiraling into the air.