At this moment, in the city of Kolo, the Dark Dragon King continued to hold his position. Under the craftsmanship of thousands, if not tens of thousands, of draconian craftsmen and high laborers, the damaged parts of Kolo City were quickly rebuilt. In just a few days, not only was the city fully restored, but it had even become more robust than before. The Dark Dragon King was very satisfied with the efficiency.
However, at this very moment, the Sky Drake Archpriest Sun Liu rushed in to report.
"Your Highness! We have intruders!"
"Several entities with immensely powerful auras have suddenly entered from outside Kolo and are currently moving in various directions!"
Upon hearing this, Long Yi immediately took it seriously. After the Demon King's arrival in Kolo City, they had covertly constructed five Detection Towers in the Kolo region. The highest level one had already reached Level 4. The axiom that "obvious threats can be evaded, but covert ones are challenging to fend off" rang true. Large-scale enemy operations could hardly remain concealed, especially with the Dragon Shadow Heroes having established an intelligence network deep within enemy territory. What was concerning was these small-scale or lone wolf-type operations that were hard to predict and prevent.
The cities had only recently pledged allegiance to the Demon King's rule. If they were subjected to repeated attacks and disruptions, it would undoubtedly erode people's confidence and, consequently, weaken the Demon King's authority. The time had come to bolster their surveillance and detection systems. After all, hadn't they just detected the presence of these intruders?
Sun Liu promptly reported, "There are three to four groups of people. One group consists of two individuals with extremely formidable strength, likely at least Level 5, possibly even reaching Level 6."
Upon hearing this, Long Yi's expression turned grave. With so many experts launching a surprise attack, even he could not afford to be careless. Long Yi immediately issued orders, saying, "We will split up! You will go and intercept the other several targets. As for the two strongest opponents, I will personally handle them!"
"We must not allow them to attack our cities, causing panic and losses. Make sure to keep them at a safe distance!"
Sun Liu replied, "Understood!"
The Dark Dragon King did not waste any time. He transformed into his massive dragon form, shrouding the entire sky in darkness. Countless dark clouds covered the once-blue sky, and crimson lightning crackled relentlessly.
He locked onto the two intruders who were rapidly approaching and, using his terrifying aura and presence, initiated an interception. Eventually, he halted them roughly three hundred miles away from Kolo City.
"Who dares trespass in my territory? Insolent intruders!"
The Dark Dragon King released a barrage of lightning upon their arrival. Their thick cloaks were torn to shreds within moments, revealing their true appearances concealed underneath. One of them was a female mage around her forties or fifties, dressed in a radiant robe, holding a staff emitting a holy light aura. The other was a warrior clad in crimson armor, wielding a massive crimson sword. His red hair and eyes matched the color of his armor. He immediately stepped forward, using his sword to block the attacks.
"You're the fearsome Dragon Demon King of the Thunder Empire?"
"Tsk tsk, your reputation precedes you!"
"This power is simply brutal!"
"No wonder Yan Qianjun suffered a setback!"
"This trip wasn't in vain!" The red-haired warrior spoke while deflecting the incoming lightning with his colossal sword.
The mage in her white robe raised her staff, summoning a radiant barrier that imprisoned the massive dragon within. Such strength! Long Yi's expression subtly shifted. Both of them wielded the power of Level 6 overlords, and they were no less formidable than the previous hero, Yan Qianjun.
Long Yi quickly deduced their identities. "Are you Heroes here to die too?! Just like that Undying Phoenix Hubert?" He had figured it out. These two were most likely Heroes.
Indeed, that was the case. The red-haired warrior, Xiang Nanfeng, was the legendary mercenary Russell, renowned as the "Sword of the Burning Sky" and serving as the Grandmaster of the Mercenary Guild in the Thunder Empire's southern regions.
The white-robed mage, Hong Xia, held the esteemed position of Chief High Priestess Marcia at the headquarters of the Radiant Church in the Thunder Empire, a status equivalent to a regional bishop.
Both of them were heroes and members of the Thunderous Society.
"We're not quite in the same category as him," Hong Xia stated coldly. "I advise against resistance. While you are undoubtedly formidable, attempting to confront the two of us alone would be a futile endeavor."
The Dark Dragon King paid no heed to the radiant barrier seal and burst into scornful laughter. "Hahaha! Just the two of you? You dare to utter such grandiose words?"
The next moment, the radiant cage shattered under the dark force, and a powerful domain enveloped a radius of a kilometer, engulfing the two heroes.
[You're under the effect of "Dark Domain". All stats have decreased by 12%. A rank skills are weakened by 10%, B rank skills are weakened by 20%, skills below C rank are sealed. You will continuously lose 18 MP per minute!]
"Is this the legendary monarch's domain?"
"It's indeed very formidable!"
The Dark Dragon King's domain may not have direct killing power, but once you enter it, not only will you be subjected to the domain's suppression, but your MP will also be drained at an astonishing rate. In just a few minutes, your MP will be exhausted, and you'll ultimately become vulnerable.
The Chief High Priestess Marcia of the Radiant Church remarked, "This is the most terrifying entity I've ever encountered. If it were just a native creature, it would be less vexing."
"Exactly!" Xiang Nanfeng agreed, "He's not just a native; he's a Demon King. His potential for growth is too frightening. We must eliminate him now. If he continues to grow unchecked, it could become a serious problem."
Clearly, both heroes held the Dark Dragon King in high regard. An entity of this strength was indeed a rare find in the world. However, the two heroes remained undaunted. While the Demon King was a one-in-a-million terror, they were equally rare as Heroes. The outcome of this battle was still uncertain.
"Prepare to meet your end, Demon King!"
"You're quite audacious to challenge us with just a Domain skill! But you're gravely mistaken if you think that will be enough to suppress the two of us. Today, I'll show my might!"
In the midst of their conversation, Xiang Nanfeng unleashed scorching Qi, forming a fiery tornado that soared into the air. It eventually transformed into two massive battle Qi wings on his back.
With a thunderous boom, he broke the sound barrier, reaching the Dark Dragon King at an astonishing speed. Xiang Nanfeng's greatsword suddenly changed shape, morphing into a burning sword dozens of meters long, fiercely cleaving toward the formidable Demon King. Simultaneously, Hong Xia also took action. She cast a divine spell on Xiang Nanfeng's burning sword, causing the fiery blade to shift from crimson flames to pristine white flames.
Long Yi immediately felt a significant threat. This strike, if it landed, could injure him even with his formidable defense. He swiftly moved to evade the attack.
Missing his initial strike, Xiang Nanfeng promptly executed a Shadowstep, becoming a blur as he circled to the other side and launched another rapid slash. At the same time, Hong Xia summoned hundreds, if not thousands, of radiant spears that sealed off the Dark Dragon King's maneuvering space, launching an onslaught akin to a furious storm.
These two heroes were truly terrifying. They were on the same level as Hubert! Furthermore, they had evidently prepared extensively and even rehearsed for this battle. They had gathered a wealth of knowledge about the Dark Dragon King's attributes and abilities.
The High Priest of Radiance excelled in light-based magic and divine spells, which had potent suppression effects on creatures of the dark. As for Xiang Nanfeng, he excelled not only in swordsmanship but also in raw offensive power, surpassing even Yan Qianjun's capabilities. His superheated sword was not just composed of ordinary flames; it contained an incredibly powerful fire-based Qi, capable of directly inflicting harm on the true dragon.
Moreover, when combined with the divine spells of the Radiant God, the damage against dark creatures was doubled. Regardless of battle energy or divine spells, the dragon's magical immunity proved ineffective.
Over dozens of rounds, the battle raged fiercely. Although there was still no clear victor, the two super Heroes coordinated exceptionally well. One dealt damage, the other controlled, one absorbed damage, and the other provided healing and recovery.
The situation for the Dark Dragon King did not look good. He had already sustained numerous wounds, and blood flowed freely. While these wounds were far from fatal, it was evident that he was falling behind.
"Hahaha! How does it feel? Even with all your strength, what can you do?"
"We came prepared!"
"Look at you, causing such chaos in this borderland for so long. I bet you've never been in such a sorry state before, have you? This world is much more complex than you think!"
"As a Demon King, you should have kept a low profile and developed quietly in the early to mid-stages. Yet you've actively provoked the Empire! It's utter foolishness!"
"A Demon King who's as audacious and flamboyant as you can only meet one end - death!"
Xiang Nanfeng grew increasingly excited as the battle progressed. This operation had originally been a mere probing mission, but it had turned out to be much smoother than anticipated. The Dark Dragon King was indeed incredibly powerful, stronger than any opponent he had ever faced. However, it was evident that he was being suppressed. Given the circumstances, why not finish him off directly? It would save time and effort. But just then, several figures entered the domain.
"Your Highness! We're here!"
Two Abyssal Dragons, two Earth Drake Grand Marshals, and the Sky Drake Archpriest Sun Liu, among others, had arrived just in time.
"Damn it! We were so close!"
Xiang Nanfeng realized he had missed an opportunity. He had not expected the Dark Lord's subordinates to arrive so quickly. Nevertheless, it did not matter. His objective had already been achieved. This encounter had not only tested the Demon King's abilities but also severely dampened his spirits.
"Hehe!"
"The infamous Demon King turns out to be nothing special!"
"Consider yourself lucky. Today, we'll spare your life, so you can live a few more days in fear!"
With that, Xiang Nanfeng stepped back. Hong Xia took out a magical crystal ball and, upon activating it, released a surge of domain power, tearing a rift in the Dark Domain.
"Let's go!" In an instant, with a wave of her radiant scepter, the two of them were teleported away.
Sun Liu exclaimed, "What was that? How did they manage to escape from the monarch's domain?"
Domain abilities had a spatial lockdown effect. Getting into one was easy, but getting out was much more difficult. Spatial abilities typically could not directly transport someone out of a domain. It was generally believed that there were only two ways to escape a domain: defeating the domain's master or forcing them to close the domain, or using another domain's power to counteract it.
Long Yi responded in a solemn tone, "There's nothing strange about it. They came prepared and used a temporary magical item to create a domain."
"You're actually injured, and not lightly!"
Several high-ranking draconians were extremely surprised. The fighting prowess of the Dark Dragon King was well-known. Among the monarchs they had known, in terms of combat ability, he was on par with the Elven King and slightly stronger than Zhang San and Li Si. However, they had not witnessed Han Kexin in action.
"It's not surprising. They came prepared. All of their methods were specifically tailored to counter me."
In this situation, it was indeed challenging for Long Yi to defeat these two Level 6 overlords. But if it came down to a life-or-death struggle, he could still take them down with him. This battle could be considered a victory for the Heroes. Right now, these two heroes must be feeling quite pleased with themselves. After all, it had been proven that the formidable Dragon Demon King was not invincible. With proper preparation, just the two of them could handle him.
However, wasn't this exactly the baiting effect that their master had wanted to achieve? It seemed that this time, they had already baited at least two big fish. They wondered if these fishes would be enough to satisfy their master's needs.
......
Not long after, Xiang Nanfeng, Hong Xia, and their entourage arrived in the territory of Marquis Kregi, entering the vast encampment of the imperial army.
"This time, the Empire and Duke Bachor have really spared no expense," Xiang Nanfeng commented as he gazed upon the impressive sight of over eight hundred thousand fully organized imperial official legions.
They promptly revealed their identities and were soon summoned to the presence of Marquis Kregi. Marquis Kregi, Sir Bard, as well as three counts and several viscounts, were all present, having made preparations for the upcoming assault.
"You've already engaged with the Dark Dragon King in advance?" Marquis Kregi asked incredulously.
Hong Xia tossed a memory crystal to him, saying, "We've recorded the Dark Dragon King's abilities and tactics here. Our conclusion is that, although he's very powerful, he's not a concern."
Seeing the memory crystal, Marquis Kregi was elated. This was incredibly valuable information. They had not even begun the war, yet they had already gained such a significant advantage!
Marquis Kregi laughed heartily and said, "Excellent, excellent, excellent! You truly live up to being Thunderous Society's Heroes. Initially, this battle was already well within our grasp, and now, with the support of the Mercenary Guild, the Radiant Church, and both of you, it's almost certain. The Dark Dragon King has played all his cards; he's at his wit's end! This time, it will be difficult for us to lose!"
The nobles present showed expressions of joy. Almost everyone felt that this was a surefire victory."