Over the course of the hour, the Horn Lizard Clan and the Crimson Arc Guild stood patiently without moving.

Curious spectators were also waiting, their hearts burning with anticipation.

What would the Scorpion Clan do?

Would they fall out with the Horn Lizard Clan and charge out for a full-blown war?

Such a battle would undoubtedly shake the entire Bleeding Desert and become a legend.

Or...

Would they cower in fear and lose the prestige they had built for years?

Just thinking of the possibility made everyone restless. Every passing minute only intensified the anticipation hanging over the battlefield.

To watch the once-in-a-generation war, many did not hesitate to set up temporary tents a few kilometers from the Scorpion City wall.

As long as the battle began, they would have the chance to witness it all. Many even climbed the surrounding dunes to secure the best possible view of the battlefield.

As for those who wanted to fish in troubled waters, their excitement was even greater.

They were less than a kilometer from the battleground. As for the danger that might come from the upcoming battle.

They did not think about it.

Opportunity favored the bold.

Under the charged, tense, and anticipatory atmosphere, everyone waited calmly.

Although countless people gathered together, the battlefield remained strangely quiet, making the silence itself feel unusually oppressive.

At nighttime, people gathered in twos and threes, discussing what would likely happen during this standoff.

Some believed the Scorpion Clan would fight to the death.

Others believed they would choose to negotiate.

While both humans and Beastmen were discussing the battle that might start the following day.

Inside Horn Lizard Town, the streets were still bustling even though half of its population had gone out to watch the upcoming war.

The remaining people continued their daily routines, but almost every conversation eventually drifted toward the confrontation outside Scorpion City.

Those who stayed behind were curious and gazed toward the town gate, waiting for any information to return from the battlefield.

As the night deepened, the streets became quiet, and few people could be seen.

However, the most notable thing was the increase in the Horn Lizard Guards’ patrols around the town.

To many, this was expected.

With the war about to break out, how could the Horn Lizard King not tighten his security?

Around the King’s residence, the number of Horn Lizard Guards had doubled.

Each guard held their weapon tightly, their eyes blazing with vigilance.

Not a single guard dared relax, their sharp gazes constantly sweeping their surroundings for the slightest abnormality.

They all knew what was at stake at this very moment.

By tomorrow, the fate of the Bleeding Desert might be decided.

Under the tense and heavy atmosphere, the scene inside the King’s residence was entirely different from the outside.

While the town remained gripped by fear and uncertainty, the compound appeared unusually tranquil, as though the looming war did not concern them at all.

Even though the number of guards had also doubled, there was no lingering tension in the air.

Every guard stood at his assigned position with disciplined composure.

The desert night wind blew gently, and the few trees inside the King’s residence danced with the wind, their rustling leaves becoming the only sound breaking the night’s silence.

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind swept across the compound, and all the guards froze in shock.

They unsheathed their weapons quickly, their eyes flashing left and right with vigilance.

Every guard instinctively entered a combat stance, their sharp gazes carefully scanning every shadow within the compound.

For a moment, everywhere was deathly quiet. Each held their breath, their nerves stretched to the limit as silence completely engulfed the King’s residence.

Time seemed to stretch longer than usual.

Every passing second felt incomparably slow, while the only sound that remained was the faint rustling of the night breeze.

They waited, waiting to see if the strange wind was the usual strong desert wind or something else.

However, no matter how much they waited, the residence remained quiet, and the wind continued to blow gently.

Nothing unusual appeared.

Seeing this, many of the guards looked at each other and sighed in relief as they resumed their patrols.

Unknown to them, their somewhat tight security could not stop what was coming. The invisible danger had already stepped into the King’s residence long before they sensed anything was amiss.

Inside the King’s hall, the Horn Lizard King sat confidently upon his throne with unmatched regality and authority.

His calm gaze remained fixed ahead, showing neither surprise nor panic, as though he had long expected the arrival of his uninvited guest.

The air around him compressed to the absolute limit possible.

Visibly trembling.

A strong and intimidating aura permeated the hall, suffocating every breath of air.

The overwhelming pressure distorted the surrounding atmosphere, making even the massive hall seem incapable of containing it.

Across from him was a figure with the same regality and authority.

He stood silently without making the slightest movement, yet his mere existence was enough to rival the pressure released by the Horn Lizard King.

His mere presence seemed to shift the very air around him.

Merely staring at him was like staring at a colossal beast, causing an instinctive sense of fear to rise from the depths of one’s soul.

He stood over three meters tall, with massive muscles and scales blending together perfectly.

Every inch of his body radiated overwhelming strength, while his towering figure resembled an immovable mountain.

Torches hanging on the walls went out, unable to withstand the horrifying pressure.

Inside the hall, the sounds of clashing could be heard continuously. Deep, thunderous booms echoed one after another.

But when looked at carefully, the two figures never spoke nor left their spots. Neither of them had moved even half a step since all this began.

Yet the terrifying sounds and vibrations echoed throughout the hall. Their invisible auras collided relentlessly, causing the surrounding space to tremble.

After what seemed like forever, the Horn Lizard King opened his mouth. His deep voice broke the suffocating silence that had dominated the hall.

"Why are you here?"

****

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