The cold wind of the Northern Land is no longer bone-chilling.

Although there was a bountiful harvest from fishing not long ago, the elder Catman Priest still dared not be careless. He began directing the elderly, women, and children of the Catman tribe to cultivate land along the river. It was an extremely primitive farming technique; first, they set a fire, picked up stones, slightly tilled the soil, then scattered seeds, leaving the harvest to fate.

They could only plant once a year, not knowing if anything would grow.

As the weather gradually warmed, the activity range of the Catman tribe began to expand. They explored the surrounding areas; it seemed the Catman Priest was looking for the next settlement. The entire Catman race surely consisted of more than just these people, and the elder priest was likely trying to persuade other tribes to migrate.

At this time, animals had entered their mating season.

On the edge of the towering Northern Ridge mountains, a small Catman team also explored this vicinity.

The leading Catman hunter had gray-and-white stripes. Their names were simple, single-syllable sounds; translated, it was Meow One, Meow Two, Meow Three. Usually, female Catmen named their young in order, or, for those slightly more cultured, after flowers, plants, mountains, rivers, etc.

The reproductive capacity of the beast race was slightly stronger than that of humans, but the survival rate of their young was not high.

"Are there really moose around here? Meow!"

A young Catman hunter hunched over and asked the companion behind him, "Feels like we've gone a bit too far."

The leading gray-white Catman squatted down, sniffed, and looked at the footprints in the mud, seriously saying, "Yes."

"The prey isn't too far away."

At this moment, a female Catman hunter beside them said, "Even if we hunt the moose, we still don't have treasures to offer the Giant Dragon, do we?"

The Juvenile Dragon had gotten tired of eating fish.

It had been a while since it descended to the Dragon Stone Altar to enjoy the fish offerings from the Catmen.

The leading Catman hunter opened his palm, revealing several shiny gems that looked a bit like cat's eyes and amber stones. He said gravely, "Look."

"As long as we capture a fat moose and offer these gems to the Giant Dragon."

"Perhaps we, too, can receive the dragon's favor."

"Even if it's just one person."

This Catman hunter was filled with ambition and a thirst for power, which was normal. In this dangerous Barbaric Era, the pursuit of power was a commendable act.

The companions were immediately persuaded.

A small team of Catman hunters wouldn't worry too much if they didn't encounter any powerful monsters. Hunting Big Horned Moose wasn't considered dangerous. Moreover, the Priest had tasked them with exploring the surrounding areas and marking a rough map.

"Shh!"

An experienced hunter crouched down, gesturing to look ahead, indeed spotting prey.

They coordinated well, with some preparing to notch arrows and others cutting off escape routes. The Catmen had strong bursts of power, able to catch up over short distances. Cats were highly agile, and according to Dungeons and Dragons attribute rules, ordinary cats had nearly fifteen points of base agility. Catmen were far more agile than other races, specializing in stealth, allowing them to get very close to their prey.

"We should be able to hunt more than one!"

"We can make a leather jacket for the young when we return. The remaining meat will all be offered to the Giant Dragon!"

"Maybe two hunters will receive favor."

The thoughts of the Catmen were simple: the Giant Dragon wouldn't bestow power without reason. Offering treasures and sacrifices was necessary for a chance to receive favor, depending on the dragon's mood.

Whiz!

A sharp arrow pierced the air.

An arrow struck the Big Horned Moose in the abdomen. This large animal was still somewhat dangerous, given its strength and the ability to pierce them with its horns. But fortunately, they were experienced hunters, first wearing down the prey's strength and then attacking at close range, throwing short spears when it lost too much blood.

Before long.

They had taken down two moose, but because they were very heavy, they had to cut and find a way to carry them.

"This should please the Giant Dragon!" a Catman hunter said happily.

A faint bloody scent spread.

At some point, a slight noise came from the distant forest. The leading gray-white Catman hunter alertly perked his ears and then said intently, "There's some movement."

"Take the things and go!"

The others quickly moved, directly abandoning some prey. They trusted the captain's instincts, as it had saved them several times.

But it was already too late.

A blurry silhouette emerged in the darkness, followed by a sharp arrow piercing the air, directly through the throat of the female Catman.

Blood spurted!

The slender female Catman clutched her throat and fell, her body slightly convulsing. The sharp arrowhead had already penetrated, shooting through the trachea.

"Dark Elf arrow!"

"Not good!"

"Retreat quickly!"

The leading striped Catman instantly drew his weapon, signaled for others to leave quickly and vanished into the shadows. His figure became blurry, eyes narrowing, locking onto nearby movements and searching for potential lurking enemies.

Dark Elf archery hunters!

They excelled in stealth and had incredible marksmanship, feared by the beast races.

Whiz!

The sound of something breaking the air was heard.

A fleeing Catman hunter was hit by a flying dagger, its surface a dark green, seemingly poisoned. The Catman hunter quickly foamed at the mouth.

Shameless!

The Dark Elves were also masters of poisoning, possibly having encountered the most ruthless blood hunters rumored.

Clang!

Sparks exploded.

The leading Catman hunter pounced out, the feline instinct unleashing astonishing speed. In the crisscrossing pounce, the Dark Elf pursuer in the front trees stiffened completely. The Catman hunter landed and rolled; his abdomen already seeping fresh blood, while the Dark Elf behind him had his throat slit, and a spray of blood sent up a white mist.

"Blood Raven is dead." (in Dark Elf language)

"There's a Catman stealth assassin."

Noises echoed from all around, leaving only three alive from the Catman five-member hunting team. A slender figure, covered in finely crafted dark red armor, appeared. She drew a blood-colored war blade and mercilessly chopped off the head of the Catman hunter hit by the poisoned dart.

The dark elf executioner, who seemed to be the captain, crouched down, picked up the Catman's weapon, and said in a deep voice: "It's the weapon of the hunter and the slave capture team."

"They killed our people."

The weapons of the dark elves don't easily fall into the hands of other races.

At this time, another Catman hunter was hit by three arrows, and a dark elf assassin pierced his heart on the spot, killing him instantly.

Whhh! Whhh! Whhh!

The only surviving Catman hunter's eyes were blood-red. Without hesitation, he broke out of the siege, never looking back, and frantically sprinted toward the direction of the tribe.

He must return alive.

Inform the others!

The butchers of the dark elves have already started expanding towards the Northern Land, and it won't be long before they find the location of the tribe.

"Chase!"

"He won't get far."

Soon, more than a dozen figures appeared within the forest, all clad in dark red armor, some adorned with exquisite iron armor, others with lightweight leather armor. But even the iron armor, crafted with superb dark elf forging techniques, did not hinder their movements in the slightest.

Blood dripped continuously on the ground. That wounded Catman hunter was hanging on with sheer willpower, uncertain of how long he had been running until the Dragon Stone Altar on the hillside appeared ahead.

A sharp alarm sounded.

Quickly, fully armed Catman warriors rushed over from a nearby sentry post, grabbed him, and sprinted towards the direction of the elder priest.

"Hurry!..."

"Inform the others...dark elves..."

The Catman hunter's breath gradually weakened, pupils dilating, until finally, his heartbeat slowly ceased.

An arrow whizzed through the air.

The formidable Catman warrior rolled to evade, but was still hit in the left shoulder. Without hesitation, he pulled out the arrow and let out a sharp howl, immediately causing chaos throughout the Catman tribe.

Dark elf hidden bowmen!

These are the nightmares of all other races. They are not only elite infiltrators but also extremely dangerous archery masters.

A desolate horn sound echoed.

As the Catman tribe quickly responded, dark elf figures began to appear from all directions, the executioner in the lead slightly squinted his eyes, wore a ruthless and merciless expression, and waved to command: "Eliminate their warriors."

"Leave the rest to the slave capture team."

"If they dare resist, kill them all."

Five or six dark elves wearing dark red leather armor drew their elf war bows from their backs, marked with a blood-red pattern that seemed to possess a touch of magical power. Other dark elves in dark red armor drew their blades, their bloodthirsty gazes like they were watching a group of lambs to be slaughtered, charging without hesitation.

They fought their way from the south to the north, conquering every race they encountered along the way, and no one could stop the rise of the Dark Elf Empire.

The direction of the tribe.

The elder Catman priest had a pale face and sprinted rapidly towards the Dragon Stone Altar, galloping on all fours, murmuring as if summoning something.

Poof!

An elf arrow pierced his abdomen; the Catman priest staggered, his blood spilling onto the sacrificial stone.

"What's this?"

"A dragon?"

The leading female dark elf's eyes were astonished, looking at the pattern on the sacrificial stone, her expression playful: "Unexpected surprise!"

"Don't kill them all just yet!"

"There seems to be a big fish that hasn't taken the bait, bleed them out."

The blade slashed.

This female dark elf directly severed the right arm of the Catman priest, grabbed him with one hand, soaking his blood into the sacrificial stone, her eyes slightly squinted as if observing the changes in patterns above and the flow of magical power.

"It seems to have been sacrificed for a while." The dark elf was very delighted.

There really is a dragon here.

Because the sacrificial stone has a magical response, the giant dragon responded to the Dragon Stone Altar.

Meanwhile.

On a distant cliff, the Juvenile Dragon, who was slumbering, suddenly opened its eyes, its icy vertical pupils emanating a dangerous gleam. It abruptly interrupted its sleep and forcefully awakened because it had already smelled a trace of blood and even faintly heard the wails from the Catman tribe.

Dimension Space.

At the moment the Juvenile Dragon awakened, Duncan's consciousness also entered the Dimension Space, and a line of blood-red alerts appeared on the projection page.

"The vassal Catman tribe is under attack by the Dark Elf Blood Hunters!"

The wind howled!

The Juvenile Dragon's figure dove from the Dragon's Nest, then soared skyward, streaking through the air like an arrow, heading toward the Catman tribe.

The strategic map opened, and a series of blood-red marks appeared from a god's-eye view.

You are courting death!

The Juvenile Dragon's rage froze the air into frost, accompanied by the howling sound as it rushed through the skies. The giant dragon's figure dove straight down, targeting a dark elf hidden bowman lurking in the shadow.

Crush!

Blood and body parts exploded.

The dark elf, half-crouched, was directly crushed into a mass of flesh, its entire spine shattered, blood and innards sprayed, and even its skull was pierced by its own spine, leaving barely a trace of humanoid form visible.

Dragon wings flapped.

A gust of wind rose, deflecting incoming arrows, though one still pierced through the right dragon wing. However, the Juvenile Dragon had already taken flight once more, out of their range of arrows.

The look of death stared at them.

The icy blue vertical pupils contained the suppressed fire of fury, as the giant dragon took a deep breath, and a Dragon Breath swept over the ground in a cleansing sweep!

..........

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