Chapter 275: Leone’s Battle Regalia
After chatting a bit more with Tianna and Jason, Leone finally decided to return to his home within the mountain.
Upon arriving at the entrance of the cave, he found Yuni waiting for him.
"Have you cooled your head?" Yuni asked.
"A bit," Leone replied.
"Still feeling anxious?"
"A bit."
The young lady smiled faintly as she took his hand. Standing on tiptoes, she whispered something in his ear.
"I’ll help you cool your head," Yuni whispered.
"Which one?" Leone asked in a teasing tone.
"Where do you want it?" Yuni bantered, mimicking the teasing tone her lover used.
Leone couldn’t help but smile as he intertwined his fingers with hers. For a while, the weight that had been pressing against his chest since morning eased up, even if only a little.
Whatever burdens tomorrow would bring, he knew that tonight, Yuni would be by his side. And that alone was enough to let him rest.
A few hours later, at the crack of dawn...
————
[Territory Mission 2]
[Requirements to upgrade to Rank 3: 1/10]
[Second Mission: Defend Aslan Soleil For Seven Days!]
[Difficulty Rating: Hell Mode]
[Remaining Defense Time: 28:39:00 Hours]
————
Yuni abruptly woke up from her sleep.
Leone lay by her side, his head still resting on her chest. His hands were wrapped around her body, holding her like a pillow in his sleep.
Had she awoken in a normal situation, Yuni would have closed her eyes and gone back to sleep. However, Rio had sent her a distress signal. She couldn’t sleep now even if she wanted to.
"Leone, wake up!" Yuni shook her lover. She even lightly tapped his face with her hands due to the urgency of the situation. "Some of the monsters are only a few hours away from the mountain."
Her words were akin to ice-cold water poured on his head, instantly waking him. He immediately got up and put on his clothes in a hurry.
"How many are there?" Leone asked as he pulled up his pants. "How much time do we have before they arrive?"
"The vanguard of the monster army has increased their speed to their limit," Yuni replied. "Rio said they will arrive in a few hours."
"Understood." Leone was just about to leave the door when Yuni stopped him.
She hastily fixed his disheveled clothes and used her hands to brush his hair. Although this was an emergency, she didn’t want others to see their chieftain looking unkempt as he made his announcement.
Though, since the matter was of the utmost importance, Yuni only spared him two minutes before giving him the go signal to leave.
"I’ll follow you as soon as I am properly clothed," Yuni said before kissing Leone’s cheek. "Stay calm, okay? They are still a few hours away."
"Thank you." Leone kissed her forehead in thanks before leaving the door.
As soon as he left the house, Daedalus flew to his side.
"What’s wrong?" Daedalus asked. "It’s still too early for you to wake up."
"Inform my vassals that the vanguard of the monster army will arrive in a few hours," Leone ordered. "Rio gave Yuni an emergency message. She woke me up because of it."
"I see... very well." Daedalus nodded and immediately passed the young man’s orders.
As Leone headed to the entrance of the cave, Daedalus strapped itself around its master’s waist.
The moment Leone set foot outside, he ordered his men to sound the bells for battle.
Soon, the tolling of bells echoed throughout the mountain.
The members of the other tribes, who were in the middle of sleeping, immediately woke up. The Aslan Tribe had already briefed them about the signal bells.
Not long after, the bells from the fortress of the Darkmane Tribe also began to ring, forcefully waking Troy and Jafar from their slumber.
"Kael, head to the Darkmane Tribe’s fortress. Tell them that our scouts have detected the vanguard of the monster stampede," Leone ordered. "Let them know that our enemies will arrive in just a few hours. You can ride on Arion so you can inform them promptly."
Without missing a beat, Leone pressed his fingers over his lips and whistled.
The Pegasus, who was already awakened by the tolling bells, descended from the peak of the mountain to answer its master’s call.
A minute later, Kael and the Pegasus took off to the skies to warn the Darkmane Tribe of the upcoming danger.
On the other hand, the chieftains and the high-ranking officers of each respective tribe quickly looked for Leone, wanting to better understand the situation.
The moment he told them that the vanguard of the monster army was charging toward them at full speed, their faces turned solemn.
"At the earliest, they will be here in three hours," Leone said. "Eat first. Once you’re done, make your final preparations before they appear before us."
After hearing the young man’s words, the cooks immediately started preparing breakfast for thousands of people.
They might no longer have a chance to eat once the battle started, so they had to eat now while they still could.
As the cooks prepared the food, the warriors assigned to operate the ballistas and repeating crossbows began to head to their stations.
They made sure to arrange their own defenses. That way, even if flying monsters were to attack them, they could still protect themselves just fine.
An hour later, the Kobolds sought out Leone, who was currently busy eating some bread and porridge.
"We want to join the battle," Caius, the Chieftain of the Red-Scale Tribe, declared. "We might not be as strong as the Orcs, but we will do our best to fight and protect this place."
"Are you sure?" Leone asked. "The Red-Scale Tribe has already suffered many losses. You can just stay inside the mountain and wait until the battle is over."
"We are grateful for your concern, but the Red-Scale Tribe will not be able to look the Aslan Tribe in the eyes if we don’t fight alongside you," Caius said firmly in return. "You accepted us when we had nowhere else to go. If we decide to continue hiding while everyone else is risking their lives, then we do not deserve the shelter you have given us."
Titus, the leader of the Kobold Warriors, nodded in agreement.
At that moment, their expressions were resolute. Although they had only recently escaped the horror of the Ravage Tribe, none of them intended to cower inside the mountain while others bled to protect it.
Leone looked at the weathered faces before him and understood what this meant to them.
This was no longer about repaying a favor.
It was about preserving their dignity.
After a brief moment of silence, Leone nodded in agreement.
"Very well," Leone replied. "However, I won’t have you throw your lives away just for pride alone."
The young man then pointed toward the western section of the mountain wall.
"The Red-Scale Tribe will reinforce the defenses on the western side of the mountain. You will be facing off against flying monsters, so bring plenty of ammunition for the archers. Also, bring the Rockeaters with you. Those rock golems will also serve as your defenders."
""Yes!""
Caius and Titus replied with determination, then hurried inside the cave to tell their warriors to get ready for battle.
A minute after the two Kobolds had left, the young man heard the grimoire’s voice inside his head.
"Leone, I left the clothes you will wear inside the house," Daedalus said.
While Leone was sleeping with Yuni, Hassan had summoned his three subordinates.
He also gave the blueprints his subordinates held to Daedalus, allowing the grimoire to craft special armors for a selected few.
Logan, Khan, Brann, Boris, Ulric, Jason, Hassan, and Astravor all received Runic Armors from Daedalus, which boosted their physical defenses and fighting strength.
Aside from that, the grimoire also crafted a battle regalia for Leone. Unlike the metal armors, the young man’s clothes were made from Aetherium and Mithril Threads.
Daedalus had asked Leone to buy the Mithril from the shop because it planned to craft armor for him and Yuni.
Naturally, Leone didn’t hesitate to give the grimoire what it asked for since he knew that Daedalus only wished the best for him.
By the time Leone finished eating, he returned to his house just as Daedalus had instructed.
There, Yuni and Aria were already waiting for him.
They bathed him as if purifying him for the upcoming war. They didn’t frolic, nor did they make any attempt to do something naughty in the bathroom.
After all, the monsters were already on their way. It was not an appropriate time for leisure.
Once he was thoroughly washed, the two ladies helped the young man wear his battle regalia.
A few minutes later, he emerged from the depths of the cave, clad in the clothes that Daedalus had made for him.
The young chieftain wore a royal-blue tunic embroidered with intricate golden patterns, alongside a pristine white cloak resting behind his back.
Golden cords and ornaments adorned his chest, while an azure sash and a finely crafted sword hung proudly on the side of his waist.
Every piece of attire spoke not only of nobility, but also of authority. It was as though it had been woven for a king destined to lead his people through fire and blood.
Gone was the young man who had been sleeping peacefully in Yuni’s embrace only moments ago.
Instead, there now stood the Chieftain of the Aslan Tribe, ready to face one of the greatest battles of his life.
Comments