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Chapter 554.5: The Catachan Brutes
The Bay Territory army had just endured a major battle and needed time to recover and strengthen itself.
Without determining the exact size of the approaching enemy force, the army was in no position to launch another assault.
However, the urgency of the situation made Matthew ponder deeply.
So many incidents occurring at once—there was no way this was mere coincidence.
Without hesitation, Matthew donned his gear, took Yaya, and rushed toward the Dark Forest at top speed.
As soon as Matthew arrived at the intelligence outpost, he saw hundreds of dragonized gnolls besieging the facility.
Inside the outpost, dozens of soldiers and over ten adventurers assisting in the defense were on the walls, clearing them out.
Dragon-blood creatures affected by the Mad Dragon Lock would always prioritize attacking areas where intelligent beings gathered.
Any conspicuous buildings became their primary targets.
Several months earlier, Matthew had invested tens of millions of gold coins to construct hundreds of outposts and camps along the territory's borders.
The greatest expense had gone into building these sturdy, towering walls.
This was one of the primary reasons Matthew had built these outposts.
In the future, the number of enemies would only increase, making such strongholds all the more important.
Matthew did not reveal himself immediately.
He was uncertain whether this was a trap set by an unknown enemy.
However, the outpost had not suffered any major difficulties; dragon-blood creatures lacked sufficient intelligence and could not operate siege weapons or machinery.
Against ordinary settlements, they might have an effect.
Against a prepared Bay Territory, they were merely offering themselves as easy prey.
However, if this was merely a minor skirmish, the outpost would not have issued an emergency alert.
After confirming there was no immediate danger, Matthew and Yaya slowly descended from the sky.
An indescribable and terrifying aura immediately crushed the breath from the surrounding dragonized gnolls.
The pressure on the defenders instantly lifted, and everyone stared in awe at the magnificent and imposing Yaya in the sky, unable to contain their cheers:
"Long live the Lord! Long live Lady Yaya!"
Accompanying Matthew was Elio, who had arrived via teleportation from Bay City.
She had originally planned to head to the Catachan Demi-plane to oversee its development and expansion.
However, since Fili was unavailable, Elio had no choice but to make the trip herself.
Seeing Yaya and Matthew arrive, Elio immediately grasped the gravity of the situation. She carefully reviewed all available reports before decisively stating:
"According to the intelligence officers, the incoming dragon creatures are led by a legendary wyvern!"
Wyverns were not true dragons.
They lacked extraordinary intelligence, unmatched physical resilience, and the powerful and perfect bloodline of true dragons.
As for inherited knowledge, that was entirely out of the question!
However, even so, wyverns—often referred to as the 'weakened civilian version' of true dragons—possessed far superior combat power compared to most other creatures.
They were only weak relative to true dragons, but they were still stronger than most other creatures!
Their powerful wings granted them wind-like speed.
Their thick scales and hide allowed them to withstand most attacks.
Razor-sharp fangs capable of tearing through steel and venomous glands capable of spraying deadly toxins were standard weapons in a wyvern's arsenal.
More importantly, wyverns did not face the same reproductive challenges as true dragons, allowing their population to grow rapidly.
A legendary wyvern was often the ruler of a massive nest, leading hundreds of wyverns to claim territory spanning hundreds of kilometers.
Not to mention, their legendary-tier combat strength was a nightmare for smaller factions and territories.
"That's right. Three hundred twenty kilometers from here, a legendary wyvern is leading 300 wyverns directly toward us."
Three hundred twenty kilometers?
Directly toward Bay Territory!
Hearing this news, Matthew couldn't help but smirk coldly.
What was once coincidence had now become an inevitability!
"Is the Cole Elf Kingdom really this idle? Are they seriously launching an attack on me and my territory from so far away?"
Thinking back to what the Cole Elf Kingdom's captive, Famir, had said, Matthew had initially been skeptical.
But now, after multiple assassination attempts and provocations, Matthew was starting to believe her words.
"So they're relying on prophecy… How amusing!"
Matthew recalled the many "prophets" he had encountered in the past.
The vast majority were frauds, catching glimpses of fragmented information and using speculation and deduction to pass themselves off as seers.
However, there were a select few truly exceptional prophets who had left a deep impression on Matthew.
Not only had their prophecies been frighteningly accurate, but the significance of their predictions had also been immense.
At times, Matthew even suspected that these individuals had orchestrated the very events they foresaw!
But now, the believers in prophecy were the Cole Elf Kingdom, and they were utterly convinced of their visions.
Matthew could only sigh inwardly:
"Damn… these furballs really guessed right!"
Indeed, for the sake of Bay Territory's continued expansion and to secure a broader domain for future growth,
Bay Territory was bound to develop rapidly and begin expanding outward.
The Cole Elf Kingdom was similarly ambitious, with only one or two obstacles remaining before their goal of unifying the Elven Kingdoms.
If they removed these final barriers, the entire North and all Elven factions would fall under their dominion.
At that point, their eyes would inevitably turn to new territories.
Needless to say, compared to the desolate wastelands of the wild highlands, the lands occupied by humans were far more attractive for Cole's ambitions.
When the time came, the Cole Elf Kingdom would undoubtedly wield its blade against human kingdoms and forces, just as it had done to its own kin.
Although their plans had yet to be fully realized,
Their vast accumulation of wealth and monopolization of knowledge ensured they possessed significant territory, ample resources, and formidable military strength.
In this context, the Elven Kingdom had suffered great losses and had been affected by a sinister divine influence, leading to enormous turmoil across their domain.
Ultimately, they had retreated to the northern continent, silently awaiting the arrival of calamity and destruction.
Now, as the undisputed rulers of the North, the Cole Elf Kingdom was wary of any potential rising threats.
Under such circumstances, suppressing Bay Territory's development, curbing Matthew's growth, and even attempting to eliminate him,
Were all "understandable" decisions!
Yes, Matthew could understand precisely how they were walking further down the path of their own demise.
And he now understood why they were in such a rush!
For this reason, Matthew found himself especially irritated!
His enemies kept causing trouble, yet they were determined to stay hidden in the shadows, avoiding the frontlines.
Even if Matthew wanted revenge, he couldn't find a direct target.
In reality, the Cole Elf Kingdom had many such schemes in motion—like the previous Crimson Fortress incident or the emergence of the Abyssal Rift.
As for the orcs and these dragon-blood creatures, Matthew was convinced that Cole's hand was involved as well.
Bay Territory had managed to survive these repeated attempts solely because the Cole Elf Kingdom had never gone all out.
The human realm was vast, filled with countless forces and prodigious individuals.
Thus, it was inevitable that the Cole Elf Kingdom would target them as well.
Precisely because of this, Matthew believed it was time to teach the Cole Elf Kingdom a "lesson."
They needed to learn that they could not act with impunity—there had to be consequences!
Matthew took a deep breath and calmly said to Elio, who looked slightly troubled:
"Notify the arriving soldiers to prepare more anti-air weapons."
Elio understood Matthew's words clearly and grasped his intent. She looked at the sky with some concern but said nothing further.
As Elio started making arrangements, she suddenly realized that the Lord and Yaya had disappeared without a trace.
"Roar...!"
A deafening roar echoed from deep within the distant storm clouds.
Radiating dazzling silver light, Yaya burst out of the rolling clouds, diving straight toward the leisurely flapping legendary wyvern.
The sheer pressure emanating from Yaya's presence caused the legendary wyvern to react a beat slower.
It barely managed to lift its claws in defense before being slammed downward.
The two massive beasts collided violently, spinning as they plummeted, smashing into the ground with earth-shaking force.
"Roar...!"
The legendary wyvern let out a pained howl from the impact.
It struggled to rise but found itself pinned down by Yaya, who was both larger and stronger, keeping it immobilized.
The wyvern flailed its tail and wings furiously, stirring up a storm of broken leaves and sharp screeches.
The sound of snapping branches, swirling dirt, and eerie whispers growing in intensity made Yaya increasingly irritated.
She suddenly opened her mouth and unleashed a breath attack directly at the legendary wyvern.
Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
Scorching flames instantly charred the legendary wyvern's gray-white body to a crisp.
The creature let out a piercing screech, its body suddenly radiating a twisted red glow.
Its strength surged explosively, and in a sudden burst, it managed to shove Yaya away.
"Huh? Berserk mode?"
"No, that's not it..."
Finding this intriguing, Yaya hovered high above, circling in observation.
She locked eyes on the crouching legendary wyvern below, poised to strike at any moment.
Noticing the odd modifications on its body, she fell into deep thought.
"This creature looks oddly familiar..."
"Wait, that's it! It looks like a modified experiment."
The legendary wyvern's physique was unusual.
Compared to the other wyverns, its muscle structure was significantly larger, and its limbs far more robust.
Not to mention the sharp horns on its head, pulsating with strange elemental energy.
It was clear that it had undergone some degree of modification.
As Yaya's knowledge of enhancement procedures deepened...
Her understanding of bloodline modifications became increasingly comprehensive.
She could tell that the legendary wyvern's modifications were very recent.
In fact, it was likely that its attack on Bay Territory was a direct consequence of those changes.
However, Yaya didn't dwell on it. Right now, this thick-skinned wyvern was the perfect opponent.
An excellent test for her growth and progress.
Without further hesitation, Yaya ignored the chaotic noises around her and suddenly dove from above.
Yaya's speed was incredible, and she adjusted her trajectory effortlessly mid-air.
The unprepared legendary wyvern was once again pinned down by her.
However, this time, it was ready.
With a sudden burst of strength, it used its tail to latch onto a massive tree, forcefully leveraging itself to pull its body halfway up.
Its fanged jaws lunged straight for Yaya's wings.
This legendary wyvern, despite its lost intelligence, still retained the deadly instincts of a seasoned predator.
"Such a pity... If this guy weren't under the Mad Dragon Lock's control, it would make for a perfect sparring partner."
"Then I'd have a proper punching bag every day..."
Yaya sighed as she grabbed the legendary wyvern's throat with her claws.
Wait a minute!
No, this is even better!
The thought flashed through her mind in an instant, but her claws had already moved faster than her reasoning.
Just as the legendary wyvern was struggling to stand...
Yaya slammed its neck into the ground.
The massive creature crashed down once more, letting out a pitiful wail.
This was pure bullying (for the wyvern)!
As she gained greater control over her body, Yaya could fully unleash her immense strength.
Whether in raw power, explosive force, or endurance, her body had reached unprecedented levels of might.
Of course, this came at a great cost!
At least eight hours of daily spell studies and modification procedures—effort no other true dragon would ever put in!
"You lazy bums who just sleep all day and expect to get stronger—how can you possibly match my hard work!"
With that thought, Yaya gave another smack, knocking the legendary wyvern back down just as it had started to rise.
Although Yaya's actions appeared casual, in reality, they hadn't inflicted serious damage on the legendary wyvern.
The thick-skinned beast rolled over and got back up again.
It suddenly opened its mouth, releasing a putrid, corrosive breath aimed at Yaya.
Yet, Yaya did not dodge, letting the attack hit her directly.
The legendary wyvern, delighted, immediately lunged forward, only to collide headfirst into Yaya's fading illusion.
Unbeknownst to it, Yaya had already soared high into the air and was now diving back down.
Boom!
Dominated!