Chapter 297: United

I bellowed out my command, my dragonic voice ringing out across the battlefield like thunder, "Retreat! Leave this side of the battlefield to me! Regroup with the Northern army first!" The generals accompanying me hastened to carry out my orders, the soldiers retreating in a somewhat organized fashion despite the chaos of the ongoing battle.

We had finally reached the pre-arranged meeting location, but it was apparent that the Northern army had already arrived before us and was under siege by a horde of Shades. Their numbers were greater than any we had previously encountered, and we had just barely arrived in time to join the fray.

The battleground was a flat expanse, encircled by four imposing mountains from all directions. The Shades continued to pour in from beyond the western mountain, while we arrived from the south. The Northern army was fighting valiantly, but it was evident that they were gradually losing ground.

As my army, retreated, I stood before the western mountain, facing a horde of savage monsters with crazed eyes that seemed to lack any hint of intelligence. I knew that something or someone was controlling them, for no matter how many I killed, more rose to follow.

My soul space constantly shuddered as I hurled Water spells, Earth spells, and even used my cosmic mana to clear out the entire battlefield, alas that only bought us a few minutes of respite before the tenacious bastards crawled out of their holes once more. I was going through my mana reserves at a speed almost impossible.

For the first time, in a very important long time, I began to worry if my mana would be enough. My soul space carried a large number of elements, alas it was not infinite. The location of the battlefield and the corruption caused by the Shades made it difficult to replenish my lost mana. So, I had to rely on my own physical strength, using my claws, teeth, and tail to rip through the ranks of the enemy.

My army regrouped with the Northern troops and resumed their advance. I led the charge at the front, taking on as many Shades as I could. My massive frame provided a natural barrier against their attacks, and I used my sharp claws and powerful tail to sweep through their ranks. The humans behind me took advantage of the brief respite to catch their breath, regroup, and fortify their positions.

Despite my efforts, a few of the more agile Shades managed to slip past me and make their way toward the humans. But they were quickly dispatched by the skilled human fighters. A part of me couldn't help but feel impressed by their combat prowess, especially since they were not as physically imposing as myself.

"Now if only these suckers would disappear already!" I growled as I swept through another batch of Shades causing their bodies to explode in a puff of dark smoke.

The entire battle was akin to fighting against countless ants that try to drown you with their numbers. Extremely unpleasant. The endless swarm of Shades kept coming, and I fought them off tirelessly. Their numbers seemed to be endless, and my patience was wearing thin. Every time I took one down, two more would take its place. It was as if the Shades were endless, and that thought alone made me want to roar in frustration.

And so I did.

My bellowing roar echoed across the battlefield, shaking the very earth beneath our feet. It seemed to have caught the attention of both friend and foe alike, as the humans behind me stumbled and paused in shock and awe.

But the Shades, they were not deterred.

In a fit of anger, I unleashed a massive dragon breath, engulfing the western mountain and the horde of Shades in a furious inferno. The battleground was momentarily illuminated by the searing heat and blinding light, as my breath pierced through the mountain and extended far into the distance.

For a moment, there was silence.

But then, the sound of rock and debris crumbling filled the air as the mountain collapsed under the weight of my attack, burying the horde of Shades beneath it. I used my earth magic to stop the damage from reaching this way causing the humans behind to cheer, their spirits lifted by my display of power.

But I knew that it was far from over.

Just as expected, it didn't take long before the bastards appeared as the debris cleared. They were like cockroaches, only a hundred times more resilient.

'Should I teleport the entire area off to space?' I briefly entertained the idea before shaking my head. By now, I was quite certain these small fries had someone controlling them from behind the scenes. The problem was, whoever it was, the bastard was slippery. The thought of the enemy being able to manipulate and summon such a large number of monsters with such ease was concerning, and I knew that finding the bastard was critical if we wanted to end this battle.

The aura of the horde was enough to mask his own, making it harder for me to pinpoint his exact location. I knew he was there, but where, I wasn't sure yet. I kept scanning the battlefield with my sharp eyes, trying to locate the source of the horde's power.

Progress was slow, but it was there. Every time I killed off a large wave of Shades, I would sense a strange energy emanating from a particular area beyond the eastern mountain. It was faint, but it was definitely there. The bastard was trying to hide closer to the sea, but he wasn't invisible to me. I didn't glance in his direction lest I scare him away.

Instead, I turned my gaze to the human army, who were now pushing forward, determined to claim victory. They were fighting hard, but their stamina was starting to wane as the Shades kept coming. I knew I had to do something before it was too late. I was confident in ending this fight by myself, but I was trying to save the mortals as well, hence my predicament.

'It seems like the bastard is forced to use his power every time I kill a large number of the bastards. This gives me a few minutes before their numbers are replenished, a few minutes to leave and try to catch him off, guard before he could run off. The army?' I thought as I once again stared at the determined humans, 'They'll have to manage by themselves for a while,'

With my mind set I took a deep breath and prepared for my plan.