"It appears I'll need to return to Evian City and take command there. No matter what, we must defend the city before the reinforcements arrive," Lance decided. With their current circumstances, the only solution to keeping Evian City safe was to rush back to the city and become commander there. Otherwise, the city would perish within two days under the fierce attack of the whole thirty thousand troops of the Timber Deity Empire. They would need at least four or five days before the reinforcements from other cities could arrive. Lance needed to buy more time for them. The current state of Evian City was akin to that of a fat chunk of meat that was half chewed and swallowed by the Timber Deity Empire. If the Crimson Dragon Army failed to defend it, then the Holy Dragon Empire would lose the battle between the two empires. What was worse was that it would mean utter defeat for the Holy Dragon Empire even though its remaining troops were more than those of the Timber Deity Empire.
"Should we order the army at the Deity Unicorn Valley to retreat?" Isis inquired quickly.
"No. Keep fighting! Withdrawing our army now would only make the army more afraid and cause further trouble. And even if we could, it would be too late to rush back and rescue Evian City. Let's not be passive and do all that we can while we're still here. If we succeed in guarding the city and breaking the Deity Unicorn Valley's defenses, then we have a chance at destroying the Timber Deity Empire's plans," Lance explained and shook his head decisively.
The Timber Deity Empire ordered thirty thousand troops to secretly attack the Holy Dragon Empire while the Crimson Dragon Army's forces were locked in the combat at the Deity Unicorn Valley. After successfully breaking through the three passes behind the Crimson Dragon Army at lightning speed, the thirty thousand troops were to attack Evian City. This left the Crimson Dragon Army in quite a predicament. However, this attack of the Timber Deity Empire proved to be a double-edged sword. While taking over Evian City would ultimately help them win the battle a
that her cousin treated men like dirt. But now, with her becoming more dependent on Rocky, she didn't know what to say.
Of course, Isis wasn't the only one who grew a liking towards Rocky. Marin admitted that even she fell in love with Rocky at one point. It was a feeling that was hard to suppress.
"I'll see to it immediately." Marin said nothing more. Her cousin had made up her mind. Summoning her war beast, Verdanim, she mounted it and flew away.
As soon as Lance and the other commanders were on their way out of the Deity Unicorn Valley, a dragon-shaped spirit-manipulated beast appeared before them. It was nearly the same in size as the dragon they rode. Its skin was tinged with orange and yellow and it moved at an amazing speed. It exuded the same aura as Lance's dragon. He suspected that both of them were beasts of the same star-level. An army of thousands of soldiers and a few warriors of the Heavenly Stage awaited from the ground below.
Riding on the back of the dragon-shaped spirit-manipulated beast was a delicate figure languidly leaning back with a noble, cool demeanor and arrogant temperament. Each move she made exuded a powerful aura. Although she didn't smile, her face alone was enough to charm even the most stubborn man.
Once Lance laid eyes on her, he immediately knew who she was: the Commander in Chief and princess of the Timber Deity Empire, Alyssa Mu.