Deep beneath the sea, aboard a Sea-Devouring Warship, Orion and Isabella stood side-by-side. Orion held a large glass tank in his hands; inside, his friend Kraken looked out.
"Well?" Orion asked.
"Theyâre breeding faster than when we were handling them," Krakenâs voice echoed from the tank. "And theyâre growing stronger."
Orion watched the swarms of Ocean Hunters, already a formidable school, surging near the surface. He had to admit, he was impressed with Krakenâs methods.
"Itâs actually simple," Kraken explained. "You use the flesh of high-grade deep-sea leviathans, supplement it with a few alchemical growth agents, and it speeds up their development. You canât just feed these little things raw meat all the time."
As an expert on Sea Races, Kraken was the authority.
As he spoke, a single tentacle snaked out from the tank, holding a storage pouch. He placed it in Orionâs hand. It contained the agents heâd mentioned.
"Give them a little more time, then you can take this first batch to the front lines and see how they perform," Kraken advised. "If theyâre effective, Iâll divert more resources your way."
With that, Kraken had enough of the cramped tank. He flowed out of it, transforming into a massive octopus. Half of his colossal body sank into the ocean while the other half remained level with Orion on the deck of the warship.
"Iâm off to check on the troops Leonidas is rallying. I need to get them deployed properly. Use this if you need me."
Kraken tossed them two communicator conches. As long as he was in this stretch of ocean, the shells would be able to reach him.
Orion and Isabella nodded, and Kraken submerged, his presence vanishing into the depths.
"So... um..." Isabella began, a little hesitant. "After the war is over... do you think I could get some fry of these... weird fish?"
She gazed at the Ocean Hunters teeming in the water. As a cannon-fodder unit, they were the easiest and most hands-off type of Sea Race to manage. If she had an army like this, she wouldnât be completely helpless in a naval engagement.
"Oh? You have an ocean territory?" Orion asked, a teasing glint in his eye.
Isabella rolled her eyes. If Makareth hadnât already run off to join Leonidasâs squad, she wouldnât be stuck here with Orion.
"My mount is a colossal dragon," she stated. "In my world, aside from my land-based territory, I also have a few small islands. With these things, those islands would truly be mine."
Orion shrugged, agreeing to her request.
"When are we heading to the front?" Isabella asked, her impatience showing.
Leonidas and Makareth were already on their way. In the western seas, the vanguard of the Champions Alliance had already started to clash with the dragon flight. When the top-tier powers on both sides were too evenly matched to force a decisive victory, war usually devolved into a grinding contest of who could afford to lose more mid- and low-tier troops.
"Whatâs the rush?" Orion said calmly. "The war isnât going anywhere. Weâre waiting. The support units from the Deputy Commander and Arthas havenât all arrived yet."
In any war, Arthasâs undead armies were indispensable. And considering the enemy this time was dragons, the Deputy Commander was also sending a detachment of mages as support and a countermeasure to their magic.
"Speaking of which," Orion said, his tone light and joking, "since the enemy is dragons, you sure that colossal dragon of yours isnât going to switch sides?"
"It seems you donât understand dragons," Isabella shot back, glancing at Orion before lifting her head to watch her colossal dragon soar overhead.
"Besides their internal classifications, the beliefs they follow are often completely different. âDragonâ is just a generic term for this type of apex predator. In fact, many of the more dominant dragon types prey on weaker ones."
She scoffed. "The dragons from Uynting Realm are just a minor branch in the grand scheme of things."
"To my colossal dragon," she said with a sharp, predatory smile, "they are nothing more than food."
As a dragon rider, Isabellaâs mind was linked with her mount. Through their bond, they understood, respected, and cherished each other.
ROOOAR!
As if in response, a triumphant, joyous roar echoed from the sky.
Orion glanced up at the colossal dragon, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. He had initially planned to put Isabella in command of his aerial forces. With her colossal dragon, she would be a perfect spearhead for any charge.
But seeing her now...
he observed her brazen, swaggering confidence.
Sheâs a sharp arrowhead, for sure, but a reckless one.
He decided against it.
Thunderhawk Rayden has worked too hard to build up a mixed aerial army. If I handed it over to Isabella, this hothead would likely get half of them killed in a single, glorious, and utterly stupid charge. It would be a catastrophic waste.
"Letâs go," Orion said, turning back. "Weâll head back and wait for the reinforcements."
Far away, in the deep sea.
"Hahaha... Boss! With these bad boys, I can go anywhere! Sky, sea, you name it! Iâll clear a path through any enemy you point me at!"
Leonidas and Makareth were each mounted on a devil fish of the legendary peak tier. They were mid-to-high-tier assets Leonidas had summoned from one of his few ocean territories. The creatureâs massive body, its gaping maw, the rows of hook-like barbs lining its wings, and the giant, thrashing tail all screamed that it was an incredibly vicious predator.
Mounted on such a beast, ready to fight in the deep sea, Makareth felt like he could take on a low-level arch lord and give them a run for their money.
"Easy there, hotshot."
Sensing Makarethâs overconfidence, Leonidas zipped over to his side and clapped a heavy hand on his shoulder.
"I know youâre strong, kid. Youâre brave, youâre fearless, and you love a good fight. But this is a war, not a duel. It canât be won by one personâs strength."
Leonidasâs grip was firm. "When youâre in the thick of it, keep an eye on the allied troops around you. Theyâre the key to you being able to stay in the fight."
It was both a warning and a lesson. If the Demon Makareth had ever fought in a large-scale war, heâd know exactly what Leonidas was talking about.
"Donât worry, Boss," Makareth said, his grin not fading in the slightest. "Makareth isnât just a great fighter; Iâm a Demon who sees the bigger picture and knows how to play for the team!"
"Hahaha! Good! With words like that, the vanguard command is yours!" Leonidas laughed, appreciating the response.
"Heheheh... Just watch me, Boss. Iâll sweep aside any enemy that dares to show its face!"
Leonidas found himself genuinely liking this new recruitâa man of action who also had a brain. A Demon lord from the Abyss was bound to be extreme and flashy, but anyone who had survived as long as Makareth was no fool.
He knew exactly what he could and couldnât do.