Chapter 214: The Situation Is Bad, We Need to Retreat.

Chapter 214: Chapter 214: The Situation Is Bad, We Need to Retreat.

Zerev still had to go back and assemble the males of the Winged Dragon Clan so he could lend a hand in case of any emergencies the next day. After exchanging a few words, he returned to the Holy Capital.

Klein rubbed Ophelia’s head. "I’m afraid it’s going to be a sleepless night. I’ll go pass the news to the clansmen.

"Laxus, take our people to prepare food. Roast all the prey we have on hand so we can replenish our energy at any time during the battle."

They no longer needed to engage in hand-to-hand combat, relying instead on ranged archery. If the battle truly turned into a stalemate, they could take advantage of the gaps in fighting to eat some dried roast meat and regain their strength. He even wanted to make some rice cakes to distribute among the clansmen, but had to drop the idea due to the tight schedule.

The fires outside the Holy Capital burned brightly all night. Wafts of roasting meat drifted into the city, keeping the residents awake in the middle of the night.

The aroma of the roasted meat blew into the Fire Phoenix Clan’s estate. The already excited males of the Fire Phoenix Clan smelled the scent, and their stomachs let out loud GRUMBLES. The tribe’s food supply had sharply decreased over the past two days; aside from the young females and cubs, adult males like them hadn’t eaten much at all. It was only after the Fire Phoenix Clan partnered with the Giant Ape Clan that the Fire Phoenix Family Master managed to borrow a batch of prey, bearing the Giant Ape Family Master’s mocking gaze. However, the thought of teaching Ophelia and Zerev a harsh lesson the next day made the Fire Phoenix Family Master feel that this brief humiliation was nothing.

The members of the Fuzu Tribe waited eagerly until the next morning, while the males of the Fire Phoenix Clan drooled as they powered through to daybreak. Yet, what awaited them were meatless bones and animal offal that no one liked to eat. The males of the Fire Phoenix Clan were somewhat dissatisfied, but they had to endure it out of respect for the Fire Phoenix Family Master’s authority.

"As long as we defeat the Fuzu Tribe today, I will reward each of you with three pieces of prey and a Green Crystal Stone," he announced.

Green Crystal Stones could enhance a male’s strength. Hearing this reward, the males of the Fire Phoenix Clan finally perked up. Thus, after eating breakfast, the crowd followed the Fire Phoenix Family Master to the gates of the Holy Capital.

As soon as they arrived at the gates, the Fire Phoenix Family Master noticed Zerev waiting there with a few middle-aged males. He took a closer look and spotted a few familiar faces among them.

"Giant Ape Family Master, Panda Family Head, Yilong Family Master, what are you..."

The Giant Ape Family Master still wore a genial smile. "Young Master Zerev of the Winged Dragon Clan invited us to watch a good show, so he had us wait here."

A good show?

The Fire Phoenix Family Master’s gaze fell on Zerev’s face. Seeing the other party watching him with keen interest, he knew that the "good show" referred to him. He curled his lips slightly. "Alright then, let’s see who ends up being the main character in this show."

The Fire Phoenix Family Master led his clansmen menacingly out of the city gates, while Zerev slowly led the others up the city wall. He had found the best vantage point and had already ordered people to set up tables, chairs, and fruit.

Seeing Zerev’s confident demeanor, the Giant Ape Family Master felt a bit uneasy. However, catching sight of the Fire Phoenix Family Master marching out of the gates from the corner of his eye, he calmed down again. He figured that no matter what happened, this had nothing to do with him.

With the Fire Phoenix Family Master leading the entire tribe out today, everyone could guess what he was planning to do.

Outside the city gates, Ophelia and Klein were already waiting, positioned about a hundred meters away. Just as the Fire Phoenix Family Master was about to lead his people closer, Klein stepped forward.

"Stop right there," Klein called out. "Did the Fire Phoenix Family Master come out of the city today to negotiate a peace with us?"

"Negotiate a peace? What are you thinking? Why would I, the dignified Master of the Fire Phoenix Clan, negotiate with lowly people from a low-level tribe like you? Impossible!"

"So the Fire Phoenix Family Master means there’s no room for discussion." Klein raised an eyebrow. This was the last chance he was giving the man; if he couldn’t grasp it, he had only himself to blame.

"The White Tiger King should take a look at what I have in my hands first before talking." The Fire Phoenix Family Master waved his hand, and his brothers lifted the animal hides in their arms, revealing crudely crafted bows and arrows.

The moment Laxus saw the weapons, he let out an exclamation of surprise. "How do they have bows and arrows? What do we do?"

Ophelia furrowed her brows, staring intently at the bows and arrows in the males’ hands, but the distance was too great for her to see clearly.

Klein narrowed his eyes, carefully inspecting the Fire Phoenix Clan’s weapons. "Don’t panic just yet. Their bows and arrows aren’t as good as ours.

"Besides, I can see that their arrowheads are rather crude; their stopping power definitely won’t match ours." Klein didn’t deliberately lower his voice; in fact, he slightly raised it.

This reassured the males of the Fuzu Tribe, who had started to feel a bit anxious.

Hearing Klein’s words, the Fire Phoenix Family Master assumed the other party was just trying to save face. He smiled disdainfully. "White Tiger King, as long as you hand Ophelia over to me and give me a Crystal Stone Mine, I can spare your White Tiger Clan."

"In your dreams," Klein scoffed. This man actually dared to covet his Crystal Stone Mine; it was pure delusion.

Klein covertly signaled to his clansmen. The archers behind him quietly readied their bows, already drawing an arrow with their other hand. On the other side, the males of the Fire Phoenix Clan mirrored their actions.

"Then it seems there’s no room for discussion."

The flames of war ignited in an instant as both sides fired their arrows simultaneously.

Laxus and Klein immediately shielded Ophelia behind them, staring tensely at the situation on the battlefield. Ophelia wasn’t afraid either; instead, she observed the Fire Phoenix Clan’s arrows. Their shooting range was similar to theirs, but across such a distance, the arrows lost a lot of their power by the time they hit.

"Laxus, go pick up a few arrows for me to look at," she instructed. "Be careful not to get shot."

Laxus nodded and bent down, gathering the arrows fired by the Fire Phoenix Clan from the side. But amidst the sky full of raining arrows, one flew straight toward him.

Ophelia’s heart instantly leaped into her throat. "Laxus, watch out!"

At that moment, Laxus was looking down and didn’t notice the incoming projectile. Thanks to Ophelia’s warning, he managed to roll his body to protect his vitals. The arrow grazed his shoulder, tearing through his animal hide clothing.

"I’m fine, don’t come over," Laxus said, raising a hand to stop Ophelia from approaching. He then stood up and returned to Ophelia’s side with an armful of arrows.

Ophelia hurriedly took out some antiseptic medicine to apply on Laxus, but upon pulling back the animal hide, she discovered that it was barely a superficial scratch.

"Uh..." Neither Ophelia nor Klein had expected this.

Ophelia pulled out one of the Fire Phoenix Clan’s arrows to inspect the arrowhead. Although their arrowheads were also made of iron ore, the craftsmanship was rough. It looked as if it had undergone some purification, but not entirely, so its power was far inferior to that of the Fuzu Tribe.

After a volley of arrows, seeing their own stockpile dwindling, the Fire Phoenix Family Master began to panic.

"How do they still have arrows? How could this be?"

He had assumed that firing a thousand arrows would leave the people of the Fuzu Tribe dead or maimed, but he never expected that his own side would end up suffering the most severe casualties.

"Family Master, why don’t we retreat!" Dale cried out, unable to bear watching his companions fall one by one.