Chapter 782 - 531: The Hill Giants’ New Settlement
Chapter 782: Chapter 531: The Hill Giants’ New Settlement
The spatial rift slowly closed behind him.
Back in Black Stone City.
Avril held the Demon Serpent’s Eye, examining it curiously.
She was studying Spiritual Magic under Mage Delin, so her perception of this Quasi-Divine Artifact was keener than Raylo’s.
"Such terrifying energy..."
Avril’s fingertips gently brushed across the Eye’s cold surface. She could clearly sense the terrifying power lurking within, a power capable of tearing a soul apart.
"It’s like a volcano that could erupt at any moment."
"Elder Gu has already erased the residual will within it. It’s safe now."
Raylo picked up a cup of black tea and took a small sip.
"Safe?"
Avril shot him a look.
"An item like this is inherently one of the most dangerous things in existence. In the hands of someone with wicked intentions, it would be a catastrophe."
Raylo smiled.
He understood his wife’s concern.
But this Quasi-Divine Artifact was extraordinarily significant to him—and to all of Black Stone Territory.
Especially for Avril.
"With this, your Spiritual Magic training will advance by leaps and bounds."
Raylo set down his teacup and looked at her seriously.
"Its Tier is too high. My current Power isn’t enough to wield it."
A warmth spread through Avril’s heart. She handed the Demon Serpent’s Eye back to him.
"Besides, you need it more than I do. The enemies you face are far more troublesome than any I’ve encountered."
She knew full well what Raylo was about to face.
Raylo didn’t refuse this time, putting the Demon Serpent’s Eye away safely.
He truly did need this power.
Just then, the sound of footsteps approached from outside the door.
"My Lord!"
It was Ed.
The door was pushed open, and Ed strode inside.
"My Lord!"
"We’ve won a total victory in the Jade Swamp!"
Raylo stood up.
"Give me the details!"
"With the help of the Black King’s Magical Beasts Army, our forces launched an attack at dawn this morning, raiding the Fiery Sun Kingdom’s expeditionary camp."
Ed’s face was flushed with excitement.
"And the result?"
Raylo pressed.
"Total annihilation!"
Ed’s voice was firm and resonant.
"The Fiery Sun Kingdom’s twenty-thousand-strong expeditionary force was almost completely wiped out! Only about a thousand managed to flee in disarray!"
"We’ve captured a huge amount of Military Supplies and Magical Beasts!"
Ed pulled a detailed battle report from his tunic and presented it with both hands.
Raylo snatched it and his eyes scanned it quickly.
The numbers on the list made his breath catch.
"Captured 863 Pegasi..."
"Captured 37 Griffins and 563 other miscellaneous Magical Beasts..."
"Seized 1,200 sets of standard-issue Magic Armor and nearly 2,000 Enchanted Weapons..."
"Captured nearly 8,000 soldiers of various ranks from the Fiery Sun Kingdom."
"Various Magic Items, Potions, and Military Supplies... piled up like mountains!"
’We’ve struck it rich!’
This was an absolute windfall!
Especially the 800-plus Pegasi and over 30 Griffins!
This meant the scale of Black Stone Territory’s air force would multiply several times over!
His Griffin Knights and Pegasus Knight Order could be expanded immediately!
"Well done!"
Raylo nodded.
"What were our casualties?"
"Our casualties were minimal."
Ed answered immediately.
"The Hill Giants were the main force, holding the front line and absorbing over ninety percent of the enemy’s counterattack."
"The Black King’s Magical Beasts and our Earth Dragon and Mammoth Knights flanked them from both sides, completely crushing their counterattack."
It was a perfectly coordinated battle.
The Hill Giants were the indomitable heavy infantry.
The Earth Dragons and Mammoths were the heavy cavalry that shattered the enemy lines.
And the Black King’s army supplemented them with sheer numbers.
Raylo could already picture the magnificent scene of the battle in his mind.
"Ed, you’ve worked hard."
Raylo clapped him on the shoulder.
"Relay my orders: reward all soldiers who participated in the battle!"
"Yes, My Lord!"
Ed replied, his voice filled with excitement.
"Also, have all captured supplies immediately inventoried and stored. And assign specialists to care for the Pegasi and Griffins in particular."
"Understood!"
Ed accepted his orders and withdrew.
Only Raylo and Avril remained in the room.
"Raylo, Black Stone Territory’s army is growing more and more powerful."
Avril remarked softly.
The victory in the war was a huge morale boost for everyone, while the mountain of spoils kept the logistics department busy and off their feet.
Raylo tasked Ed and Mage Marlin with expanding the air force.
He, on the other hand, focused all his energy on another important matter.
Finding a new home for the Hill Giant Race.
Inside the council hall of the Lord’s Castle.
A sand table stood in the center, depicting the detailed terrain of the entire Black Stone Mountain Range.
A Pegasus Knight Captain was reporting the results of the last few days of reconnaissance to Raylo.
"My Lord, as per your request, we have screened the central and eastern regions of the Black Stone Mountain Range and identified three locations most suitable for the Giants to inhabit."
He extended a finger and pointed to three locations on the sand table.
"The first, we call ’Wind Language Valley.’ The water and grass are abundant there, the terrain is open, and it’s home to a fair number of Magical Beasts."
"The second is ’Anvil Highlands.’ It’s a vast highland, easy to defend and difficult to attack. It’s the largest of the locations, and preliminary surveys have confirmed it has rich iron ore deposits. However, the altitude is too high, making water relatively scarce, and there are fewer Magical Beasts to hunt."
Raylo nodded slightly, signaling for him to continue.
The captain pointed to the third location, a massive valley encircled by mountains.
"The third... is the ’Giant’s Sleep’ valley."
The captain said.
"This valley is almost perfect. It’s immense, with its own self-contained ecosystem, complete with rivers and forests. Furthermore, the surrounding mountain walls contain a variety of rich mineral deposits."