Chapter 427 205: Routed at the First Strike

One by one, the Dogmen fell, filled with resentment. They fought desperately to slow the Dragon Lizard Cavalry's advance, but even their deaths did little to harm the enemy.

The Dogman were a peaceful people who avoided conflict with other Tribes. They never imagined they would be so brutally slaughtered. To their dying breath, they couldn't fathom why these Dragon Lizard Cavalry had attacked them. Why would such a powerful force bother with their relatively small Tribe?

Their crude weapons, even when swung with all their might, could barely pierce the Dragon Lizard Cavalry's Armor. Beneath the Armor lay hard scales, making it impossible to harm the Dragon Lizard Cavalry in the slightest.

Despair enveloped every Dogman.

The Dragon Lizard Knights coldly slaughtered the Dogmen one by one, looting any supplies they could find. For them, raiding the Dogman Tribe was just a routine mission, nothing worth mentioning. They paid the Dogmen no mind, considering them mere pushovers who could be crushed with a wave of the hand.

After casually dispatching a Dogman, the Dragon Lizard Knight Captain hissed to his companions, "Hurry it up. Gather the resources, then we'll check the surrounding Tribes. For the glory of our great Lord!"

"For the glory of our great Lord!"

The Dragon Lizard Knights roared their assent, redoubling their efforts to plunder supplies.

The Dragon Lizard Knight Captain sensed something, turning his head to peer out at the darkened Wasteland. He felt the ground trembling. Something was approaching—and in large numbers.

He dismounted his Dragon Mount, knelt, and pressed his ear to the ground, listening to the vibrations from below.

A few dozen seconds later, the Dragon Lizard Knight Captain stood up, his face grim. 'It's Cavalry. Cavalry is on the way.' He vaulted onto his Dragon Mount and bellowed, "Enemy attack! Cavalry approaching! To arms!"

The Dragon Lizard Knights abandoned the Dogmen and gathered around their captain, forming a cavalry formation. Seizing the opportunity, the surviving Dogmen scrambled back to their old Clan Leader's side. Their eyes, fixed on the battle-ready Dragon Lizard Cavalry, showed a mixture of terror, vigilance, and relief.

The Dogmen had also heard the Dragon Lizard Knight Captain's shout. No matter who the approaching Cavalry were, they were their saviors. If not for this unexpected turn of events, they all would have been killed.

"Clan Leader..." a Dogman stammered, watching the formidable Dragon Lizard Cavalry. His voice was a barely audible whisper. "Let's flee."

The old Clan Leader glanced at him, then looked toward the direction where the women and children had fled. In an equally quiet voice, he replied, "No. The women and children haven't gotten far enough away. If we run, what's to stop them from giving chase?"

The Dogman's voice grew urgent. "They won't chase us! There's cavalry coming—they'll be held up."

The old Clan Leader shook his head, his voice firm. "It's too risky. The women and children are our hope. We have no idea who is coming. You've all seen how strong those Lizardmen are. There's no guarantee the newcomers can hold them back. We cannot take that chance."

The old Clan Leader's words were sound. Seeing that his mind was made up, the Dogman sighed. He silently tightened his grip on his Weapon, his eyes growing sharp once more. 'If we can't escape, then we fight to the death. If the arriving Cavalry is willing to help, we'll wager our lives on one last fight!'

In the dark of night, under the moonlit sky, shimmering blue lights appeared like stars upon the Wasteland, steadily approaching the Dogman Tribe's village from afar.

The Dragon Lizard Knight Captain urged his Dragon Mount slowly forward, out of the village. The other Dragon Lizard Knights followed in formation, assembling in the open space beyond.

They were Cavalry; they needed room to Charge to unleash their full combat potential. The buildings and clutter within the village would only hinder them, so it was only natural to move out into the open.

As for the Dogmen? Hmph. The Dragon Lizard Knights looked on with utter disdain. Let those pathetic Dogmen try to launch a sneak attack. So what if they turned their backs? They were vassals of the Dragon Race, possessors of Dragon Blood. Why should they care about a pack of Dogmen?

The approaching, eerie blue lights, however, were what warranted their full attention. Though still distant, they could already sense a formidable aura, a pressure that felt as if a mountain had fallen from the sky to press down upon them.

The blue lights drew closer, and the Dragon Lizard Cavalry could just make out what appeared to be Human Cavalry. The simplest kind: one man, one horse. Their numbers were about the same as their own, around a hundred riders.

'Humans...' the captain thought. 'Perhaps there's no need to worry after all. Their presence is certainly strong—they must be some type of elite Cavalry. But so what? They're only Human.'

The Dragon Lizard Race disliked Humans. Although their Lord was also a Human, the Lord was the Lord, and Humans were Humans. Humans were always clamoring to slay dragons, which infuriated them. Giant Dragons were such magnificent creatures; how dare such insignificant Humans even think of slaying them!

The Dragon Lizard Knight Captain raised the Great Saber in his hand and swung it forward. His Dragon Mount immediately broke into a run, charging toward the Knights ahead. Seeing their captain's Charge, the Dragon Lizard Knights behind him followed suit, letting out a cacophony of hisses and cackles. Their Dragon Mounts shrieked in a frenzy, and the air filled with chaos.

The Skeleton Knights, who had been advancing at a slow pace, saw the enemy begin to Charge. They drew their Knight's Lances and spurred their Soul Warhorses from a trot into a gallop.