"Such a wimp. I knew he wasn't a dragon. Real dragons don't back down from a challenge!" The former opposing dragon quickly added upon witnessing this silent exchange.
Dragovic smiled coldly, that doubting dragon would pay. He didn't know what the future held, but he'd make sure that the dragon died brutally, while he didn't want the last of their race to be killed off, using the dumb-headed dragon as a scapegoat for the others to learn from wouldn't be a bad thing.
"Alright, lead the way," Dragovic said, not wanting to reveal his strength to these ants so soon.
The Dragon grinned like a fool he was and said, "It's night, we have to camp. Venturing now to the realm door is a death wish"
No one objected, it was not that they didn't want to, but that dragon was the strongest there, and the leader before Dragovic joined the group.
Dragovic sighed and remained silent.
He could very well leave this group to themselves, but he knew he had to look after them, his father's soul wouldn't be at rest if he did not try to ensure the survival of his race.
Suddenly, he looked sharply to the side, he looked sharply left then right and muttered coldly, "Danger"
"There's none, You probably don't know of this, but we have scouted this place thoroughly, there is no other life form apart from us" The leader laughed in scorn and disdain.
"Fred, we discovered a dungeon, remember" The human female suddenly spoke up.
Prompting the dragon to glare at her, "It's safe.
Dragovic eyes twitched at how carefree the Dragon was.
"Dungeon breaks happen you know?" The beautiful human dropped a comment with a roll of her eyes.
"The dungeon was okay, with my experience, as a Great Labyrinth adventurer I can tell that the dungeon would be safe for the next twenty-four hours" Fred declared confidently.
His action prompted Dragovic to curse inwardly, 'Fool...'
The rest of the dragons frowned, now doubting their choice of bestowing leadership upon Fred
Seconds after Fred's confident declaration, the ground quivered, resembling an earthquake, yet distinct in its origin – an unnatural disturbance. The earth's tremors harmonized with the resounding thunder of hooves as if a herd of powerful creatures were sprinting in unison, amplifying the unsettling atmosphere.
Fred's face paled instantly, his earlier confidence echoing in his mind as a harsh reminder of his naivety. The group, preparing to set camp, hastily rose to their feet, scanning the horizon with fierce eyes. However, the persistent mists hindered their visibility.
Gritting his teeth, Fred muttered with a voice tinged with shame, "Get ready for battle."
Dragovic sighed and countered, "That won't work." Feeling the group's gaze, he added, "We've been surrounded."
'What?' Everyone was both bewildered and shocked, unsure of how Dragovic discerned this information. If his revelation proved true, they faced imminent doom.
Fully alert, they saw the tremors getting stronger. Their watchful eyes detected silhouettes resembling large bulls emerging from the mist, approaching from all directions.
Glancing quickly around, they confirmed Dragovic's warning – they were indeed surrounded.
Cold beads of sweat dripped down their foreheads. Given their weakened bodies, this situation spelled imminent doom for them.
"Damn it" Fred cursed out loud, clenching his hands into fists, getting into stance in readiness for a battle.
Without his order, the rest of the group, formed a circular formation, with their back pressed against each other.
Those with weapons brought it out, their heart thinking wildly, despite their firm stances, that they choose to fight rather than die, they knew that their chances of survival were low. Even from the little that their eyes and ears could discern, it was obvious that the hoard of bronze-armored buffaloes coming from them was more than what their eyes could see.
These behemoth buffaloes, initially deceiving in their resemblance to ordinary counterparts, stand as towering, muscular titans. Cloaked in an intimidating armor of robust, bronze-like skin, they exude an aura of unparalleled resilience, transforming the mundane into a formidable force.
Their synchronized grunts reverberate like a thunderous war drum, instilling bone-chilling fear in the group of survivors, unfortunate enough to find themselves encircled by the imposing bronze-armored buffalo herd...
As for their overwhelming numbers, they transcend the mere hundreds, amassing into a relentless horde numbering in the thousands, and quite possibly reaching the staggering tens of thousands—an ominous tide of power poised to overwhelm any who dare oppose them.
"The level of the dungeon is high, but this, this shouldn't be happening. Why this and why now," Fred muttered in despair, his morale almost half broken as he witnessed the sight before him.
The buffaloes grunted and bellowed once again, and they increased their speed.
Their beady eyes which were already illuminating a red glow intensified their chilling glow, glowing brighter within the mist...obviously, their anger was rising rapidly. As for why they were angry, it's completely unknown.
Dragovic's eyes twitched in surprise as he and the group saw something strange – fiery red phantoms shaped like angry buffalo heads appeared above every buffalo in the herd.
'Damn it'
"Oh no, they're activating their bloodline. But how does it work in the mist? Shouldn't the mist be draining their energy like it's doing to us?" The woman exclaimed, her eyes filled with despair as she pointed out the obvious.
The group was instantly dispirited when a coarse, beastly voice boomed in their minds...
"You dare challenge the mighty Buffalo?!"