Age of Adepts

Over a hundred holes opened above the surface of the metal fortress, and black gun barrels emerged from within.

Shockingly intense magical energies started to gather within the barrels beneath the terrified gazes of the dragonflight.

The next second, over a hundred energy beams shot out toward the dragons.

For a moment, the dragon roars continued without stop as they circled and tried their best to avoid the shots. The sky descended into chaos in an instant.

Three of the dragons did not manage to avoid the attacks in time, and seven or eight energy beams hit their bodies. Their wings were immediately injured, and blood splashed everywhere. Those dragons roared in agony and fell toward the ground.

A dozen metal doors suddenly opened at the foot of the metal fortress. A hundred three-meter-tall magical machines charged out from within and lunged at where the dragons had landed as if they wanted to execute these fallen creatures.

Naturally, there was no way the dragonflight would watch on as their brethren were slaughtered. A group of dragons immediately braved the barrage of energy beams and dove at the magical machines below.

Dong, dong, dong!

Energy pillars of various colors and attributes weaved together, forming a tight but uniform web of energy in the air near the fortress. The dragons that swooped downward grunted in pain. They forcefully broke through the suppressive fire with their tough scales and exceptional magical resistance before engaging in a brawl against the magical machines on the ground.

Dong! Dong!

One by one, the dragons descended to the ground with ferocious vigor. With the help of their downward momentum, their muscular claws pierced through the bodies of the magical machines. They then followed up with strikes from their powerful wings and tails, sending the magical machines’ broken bodies flying into the air.

A single First Grade dragon was capable of easily crushing an entire squadron of First Grade magical machines due to their massive size and powerful defense. However, even dragons couldn’t avoid damage in a direct confrontation like this.

This was especially the case given that these machines were improved ‘magical’ versions that Gazlowe had specially tinkered with. Their primary weapons were no longer the goblin rifles, which only consisted of purely physical damage. Instead, they were equipped with magic energy guns that shot out energy beams. If they didn’t hold back with their magical energy and fired all at once, the one hundred energy beams at a close distance would injure the dragons, even with their magical resistances.

Two of the First Grade dragons were immediately riddled with holes by the barrage. The remaining First Grade dragons also grunted in pain as visible holes shot through their bodies. Only the Second Grade dragons could endure such a savage attack and storm into the ranks of the magical machines to tear them apart.

Terrifying dragon breaths that extended as far as a hundred meters, and covered as much width as eighty degrees in front of themselves.

Muscular, spiked dragon tails that sent violent winds rippling through the air when they struck.

Powerful dragon wings that measured thirty meters from end to end that swept the machines to the ground with every swipe.

Sharp teeth that could tear apart even a pillar of metal.

Powerful claws that could gouge massive holes in the torsos of the machines.

For the powerful dragons, every single part of their body could become the sharpest of weapons. They were like tigers in a herd of sheep. Every lunge and every turn they made would sweep a bunch of machines to the ground.

Unfortunately, their most potent dragon’s aura of might did not affect the machines. Otherwise, their advantage on the battlefield would only increase.

While the few Second Grades were slaughtering the machines, a deafening roar rolled across the skies like a muffled thunderstrike.

“Dodge it.”

Dodge?

Dodge what?

The dragons could recognize the familiar voice; it was Fourth Grade Gold Dragon Stuart.

The problem was, what were they supposed to dodge?

The Second Grade dragons on the ground lifted their heads. Their sharp eyes immediately caught the sight of a large ball of light on the exterior of the fortress.

If the modified magical machines were playing with energy beams, then the fortress cannons were shooting energy pillars. Meanwhile, this ball of energy in front of the dragons’ eyes was several times thicker than the energy pillars of the cannons. Moreover, the inside of the energy ball contained the vicious and chaotic magical trait of the outer space.

All the light nearby had been devoured and consumed by this energy ball, causing it to appear like a massive black sun. It radiated a wild surge of magical energy that horrified even the dragons.

“Run.”

“Run, quick!”

It was obvious that charging up an attack like this was exceedingly difficult for the metal fortress as well. The colossal amount of energy gathered by the black sun was already causing visible distortions in the surrounding light and space.

If an attack like this were to land on a Second Grade dragon, they would be vaporized in an instant, let alone a First Grade dragon. Magical resistance was already meaningless at this point. If it were a Third Grade dragon, they had a high likelihood of surviving as long as they weren’t within the core radius of the black sun.

However, if the attack landed cleanly on their bodies, then this chaotic energy attack of over 1,300 points in intensity was not something that any Third Grade dragon could endure!

The Second Grade dragons that were still slaughtering the machines were immediately scared out of their wits. They shoved past the magical machines around them and started to take to the skies. Unfortunately, these sacrificial magical machines would never let them do as they pleased. They lunged at the dragons with no regard for their own well being, grabbing on to their tails and limbs and forcefully pinning the dragons to the ground.

While the dragons used all their strength to smash the machines to pieces, the fortress in the distance trembled. The black sun landed where the dragons were most concentrated, crashing like a meteor from space.

The next second; silence!

A black halo abruptly erupted from the battlefield on the ground without a single noise. It devoured all of the dragons and machines. There was no struggling, no cries of agony; only the black halo. The firm ground itself was corroded away by the violent energies wherever they traveled, forcefully shaving seven meters off the land.

The black sun first collapsed inward, sucking in all the surrounding energy particles and air, compressing and agitating them. It stood still for a single second before letting out a tide of energy that moved mountains.

The entire area caught in the blast zone was shaved clean by the destructive shockwave. The dirt on the surface was thrown into the air before being minced into minute particles by the magical energy, mixed in with all the other substances, and blown away into the distance by the blast wave.

The metal fortress, being the closest to the blast zone, was the first to be impacted by the explosion. It trembled and shivered during the massive blast. The ten-thousand-year mountain that enveloped the metal fortress started to collapse during the quaking, revealing the complete metallic form of the fortress beneath.

The metal fortress truly lived up to its name. It did not fall in the face of such an intense shockwave.

However, while it had not been destroyed, the undefended dragons faced a much more horrible fate.

Not counting the dragons on the ground, every First and Second Grade dragon in the sky was instantly killed when they were engulfed by the black halo. Even the dragons circling above the battlefield were stunned by the deafening explosion. Before they could regain their wits and flee even higher, the energy shockwave reached them.

The dragons were blown back by the violent energy. Many of them crashed into their companions, inflicting broken wings and shattered bones.

For a moment, the slightly advantageous situation was turned against them by the enemy’s murderous attack!

This one attack from the metal fortress had caused seven deaths and eleven injuries. Four of the seven dead dragons were Second Grade. The ferocity of this strike was already no weaker than a blow from a Fourth Grade powerhouse in terms of energy intensity.

The two Fourth Grade dragons watching from above roared at the same time.

They had truly never expected this to happen.

Such an inconspicuous metal fortress. No Fourth Grade powerhouse could be sensed within, yet it had managed to unleash the violent trait of chaos magic. That attack alone could have severely wounded them if they were careless, let alone lower-grade dragons.

They could no longer sit behind the lines now.

As a loud roar echoed throughout the land, the two Fourth Grade dragons beat their wide wings and dove at the fortress.

Since they were the ones leading the attack today and there were no enemy Fourth Grades, it would be a stain upon their reputation if the dragonflight suffered too many losses. Consequently, these two Fourth Grade dragons personally joined the fight just half an hour after it started.

The breaths of these two Fourth Grade dragons were easily above one thousand points in intensity. Their breaths washed against the walls of the fortress. Even after being reinforced with plenty of magical energy, the thick metal walls could not stop the breaths from penetrating it.

The outer walls started to melt like snow on a sunny day.

In the blink of an eye, a round hole two meters in diameter and four meters deep had appeared on the wall. The boiling breath entered the metal fortress and ravaged everything it contacted.

If it were goblins or adepts hiding behind the metal walls, then this blow alone would have inflicted major losses on the Crimson Clan!

However, at this moment, Greem, Gazlowe, and the split-off brain Gru were the only ones inside the fortress. They were hiding in the metal hall at the core of the fortress. The enemy had to pierce through three layers of four-meter-thick walls and multiple metal gates before they could reach them.

Beneath their feet was a simple teleportation array that had been constructed on the fly.

They would never die alongside this metal fortress that was destined to be sacrificed.

Detonating the reserve magical energy in the metal fortress and teleporting them away; this was the brilliant feast that Greem and Gazlowe had prepared for the dragonflight after a long time of planning!

As for whether the dragons could digest this meal? That wasn’t any of their concern.

Anyone who dared to invade the territory of the Crimson Clan–even a Fourth Grade dragon–would have to have a few teeth knocked out of their jaw.