It wasn't until the two Dragon Kings had died that all the Evil Dragons finally reacted, scrambling up in a panic and staring with eyes wide in utter terror.
What exactly had happened in that instant?
Why did Acnologia's magic power surge so much? Had he been hiding his strength all along?
Killing two Dragon Kings in an instant!
How on earth did he do it?
None of the Evil Dragons could understand it, and the human soldiers in the rear were also terrified; even though the magic power wasn't directed at them, it still pinned them firmly to the ground, unable to move.
In that moment, it felt as if the sky had collapsed!
The remaining fifteen hundred-plus Evil Dragons were scared out of their wits, their will to fight completely gone as they unfolded their wings one by one to flee for their lives.
He was a monster they simply couldn't kill; staying behind only meant waiting for death!
"Stop the Evil Dragons for me!"
Acnologia roared at the soldiers behind him, flapped his wings, and chased after the Evil Dragons to slaughter them.
"Kill!"
"Brothers, let's all charge together!"
A glimmer of light finally appeared in the soldiers' despairing eyes; they hadn't expected that Lord Acnologia would truly carve out a path to survival for them!
At this moment, Acnologia was the god in their hearts!
No!
Even a god fell far short!
The Dragon Slayer Mages no longer needed to provide support or protection; their eyes turned blood-red as they charged forward frantically. Now that the Evil Dragons didn't dare to stop, it was the perfect opportunity for dragon slaying!
Although the Evil Dragons were desperate to escape, they still swung their sharp claws to counterattack fiercely when faced with the Mages' obstruction.
However, the combined power of the Mages was not weak. They used various types of magic, attacking as violently as a storm; while it was difficult to deal lethal damage, they could still manage to protect themselves and keep the dragons cornered.
One side fled while the other pursued, and a fierce battle broke out between them.
Acnologia was the most frenzied, his magic power overwhelming. Not a single Evil Dragon he caught up to was spared; now that the Dragon Kings were dead, no Evil Dragon could stop him!
After two days and two nights of pursuit, the two thousand Evil Dragons were finally almost completely wiped out, with only about two hundred dragons possessing special survival abilities managing to escape.
As the morning sun rose, Acnologia and the soldiers stood there, the sunlight spilling over them; no one could hide their exhaustion and joy.
"We won!"
"We won! We've defeated the Evil Dragons!"
As someone let out a loud laugh, the soldiers also looked up at the morning sun, their faces filled with the smiles of victory. They threw away their weapons, discarded their blood-soaked clothes, and let out joyful cheers.
They had survived!
Acnologia looked at the cheering soldiers, a faint smile appearing on his face as he felt a greater sense of identification with the humans of this era.
Even he was exhausted from this battle, his magic power severely depleted. If that group of Evil Dragons hadn't lost their nerve, even he would have been in mortal danger.
Fortunately, they had won!
Looking across the distant horizon, his voice spread throughout the battlefield: "Rest for a day, then return to your respective kingdoms."
"Yes, Lord Acnologia!"
When everyone looked at him, their eyes shone with the light of hope. This war was won entirely because of Acnologia, and his terrifying presence filled their hearts with adoration.
Some Dragon Slayer Mages even felt that Dragonification wasn't so unacceptable, as long as they could have such heaven-defying power to turn the tide.
At night, the soldiers began to pack their bags, preparing to embark on the journey back to their countries.
They said their goodbyes, thanking each other for the help and support during the battle, and many shed tears; perhaps after this parting, many comrades would never see each other again... Dragnof Kingdom.
Recently, the kingdom had suffered several sieges by Evil Dragons; although they were repelled every time, the casualties were heavy.
In the palace hall, the Number One Dragon Slayer General stood before the throne, listening to a soldier reporting on the war situation.
By now, his body was already partially dragonified. Because of the promise he made to Lord Acnologia, he personally took to the battlefield every time the Evil Dragons besieged the city.
Having gone through many battles and bathed in dragon blood, his strength had improved by leaps and bounds.
Although the sudden Dragonification made him uneasy, he was relieved that he wasn't the only one, and with Lord Acnologia leading the way, he was able to accept it.
The Number One Dragon Slayer General frowned and asked, "How is the situation on the front lines?"
The Minister gave him a fearful look and lowered his head, saying, "Originally, the various kingdoms only hoped the front lines would send back a portion of the Dragon Slayer Mages and Good Dragons, but Lord Acnologia sent back all the dragons and half the soldiers. The battle situation there is currently unknown."
To say it was unknown was actually just to maintain a shred of hope; it was highly likely they had been completely wiped out, and even Acnologia might have... "Understood. With Lord Acnologia there, the front lines will be victorious. Our task is to guard the kingdom well."
The Number One Dragon Slayer General saw many people looking at him with fear, but he didn't care. Faced with the Evil Dragon sieges, the kingdom could not do without the power of the Dragon Slayer Mages; even if people thought they had become monsters, no one dared to question them at a time like this.
He suddenly asked, "Has the Defensive Magic Circle been repaired?"
"Half the work is still remaining."
During the last Evil Dragon siege, the Defensive Magic Circle was shattered by a Roar, and dozens of Formation Mages died on the spot. Now, those who could repair the magic circle were very few.
"Is that so..."
The Number One Dragon Slayer General fell into silence, feeling immense pressure; he had no confidence in whether the kingdom could continue to withstand the next Evil Dragon attack.
Although he now held great power, he actually missed the days when Queen Irene and Lord Acnologia were around.
Back then, he didn't have to worry about anything; he just had to follow orders. Now, he felt like his head was going to explode, and he had lost quite a bit of his flowing hair.
The Minister continued, "The kingdom's food supplies are also running low; even with Mages working hard to accelerate the ripening of crops, they can't keep up with consumption. Many people have already starved to death in the streets."
Now, even trees and turf were being fought over by residents, and various riots occurred from time to time. Some thugs even broke into the homes of the kingdom's Ministers to burn, kill, and pillage.
The same was true for finances. Magic Crystals had been exhausted, making it difficult for many Mages to recover their magic power; even if they went to the battlefield, they could only charge with blades and spears.
The fact that the soldiers could still fight desperately was entirely due to their passion and determination to protect their homes.
The Number One Dragon Slayer General sighed. It was now a matter of life and death, and there could be no more room for mercy.
His gaze swept across the many Ministers, and his voice was cold: "Now is the time for you to do your part. Bring out your money and food. I know you all still have quite a bit of wealth stashed away. Bring it all out and distribute it to the soldiers so they can eat their fill and recover their magic power."
"As for the commoners... don't worry about them for now. If necessary, send them to the battlefield; they can still be of some use by drawing the attention of the Evil Dragons."
Right now, the commoners were just a burden. Letting them die would also reduce food consumption. As long as the kingdom did not collapse, he was willing to use any means necessary.
One Minister suggested, "We can ask the Phylos Kingdom for help. They were the first to propose going to war with the Evil Dragons. In this situation, they should bear half the responsibility!"
"Enough!"
The Number One Dragon Slayer General frowned: "Still saying such things? The Phylos Kingdom is the primary target of the Evil Dragons' attack. Their situation is even worse than ours; they have no time to help us."
"Do exactly as I just said. Don't force me to seize your estates!"
"Yes, General!"
The Ministers nodded. Although they were unwilling, they had no other choice; if the kingdom was destroyed, they would have no way to survive, and no amount of money could be spent in hell.
As for the lives of the commoners, they didn't really care. None of those who could reach their current positions were anything but black-hearted.