The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne Chapter 674 Earth Dragon

"Huh, so this is Nethravel Valley. It truly matches its fame," Erkan whispered, vigilantly eyeing his surroundings.

Silence and emptiness enveloped the valley. Thick mist blanketed everything in sight, with vines snaking over the earth.

Luckily, the Thousand Faces ensured they slipped through unscathed. Without that, Erkan and his twenty thousand soldiers would have ended up as fodder for the beasts right there.

Erkan wasn't alone—the troops gazed around with keen interest too.

Known as one of the kingdom's deadliest spots, Nethravel deterred all intruders. Tales swirled about it endlessly, though truth from fiction remained unclear.

Yet, having seen its horrors up close, they conceded the legends held water.

The twenty thousand-strong force pressed onward. Now and then, beasts of varying strengths from weak to mighty crossed their path.

Fear gripped the soldiers plainly, particularly against elite monsters that could demolish their ranks in combat.

Thankfully, the protective shield cloaked them invisibly. It rendered their presence null, unseen by the creatures' senses.

'At this rate, we'll close the gap on them shortly,' Erkan thought, a subtle grin forming.

Teaming up with the Thousand Faces proved a smart move—the payoff was undeniable.

Abruptly, his face hardened. He lifted his right hand, commanding the troops to halt.

Thousand Faces creased his brow faintly and pivoted. "What's wrong?"

Erkan gazed intently ahead, murmuring warily, "An enemy lies ahead."

Thousand Faces' brows arched a bit. His senses were tied up sustaining the spell, so he detected nothing.

He directed his sight forward, squinting sharply.

Shock widened his eyes right then. "A city-level monster approaches!"

At those words, the soldiers whipped out weapons and readied for fight.

Such a city-level beast could raze a minor city effortlessly. Its might demanded respect. Across the lands, it haunted nightmares.

Erkan unsheathed his blade, thrusting it forth. Tension etched his features, breaths coming deeper.

Subtle tremors started faintly, building relentlessly second by second. After two minutes, the earth shook underfoot like an emerging quake.

Five minutes in, the beast's outline emerged afar—a towering shadow reaching ten meters.

Drawing nearer, its shape sharpened: a dragon sans wings.

Bipedal, horned twice, its hide resembled unyielding rock.

Crimson eyes blazed, unleashing oppressive force that crushed down on the troops instantly.

Nervous gulps echoed among them. The colossus dwarfed them, reducing soldiers to mere specks in its shadow.

"Fear not, all of you!" Erkan bellowed, arm aloft. "Should it strike, we counter! Form up now!"

No one slacked vigilance. Orders executed swiftly amid charged suspense.

'Earth Dragon… Never thought we'd meet one here,' Thousand Faces grumbled gravely.

These terrestrial fiends bore draconic lineage in their blood. Immensely strong and fiercely hostile, they differed from kin by lacking wings.

Legends placed their lairs in the dragon-haunted western continent. Who imagined one lurking in this gorge?

Plus, its bulk was outrageous. Typical grown earth dragons hit eight meters. This specimen towered higher, hinting at superior growth—maybe valley overlord.

"Erkan, I'm going to—"

Thousand Faces' words cut short as the Earth Dragon halted twenty meters off. Jaws parted, birthing a three-meter-wide fireball.

His eyes bulged wide. Staff upraised, he yelled, "Celestial Barrier!"

A five-meter shield-barrier sprang before him. Instantly after, the fireball streaked like a bolt, crashing against it.

Boom!

Deafening blast roared, shockwaves hurled rearward to batter the soldiers.

Impact shattered their lineup at once.

Black fumes cleared gradually, showing the Celestial Barrier had endured the strike.

Still, it fared badly. Fissures and burns marred the struck surface.

"What rotten luck this is," Thousand Faces hissed through clenched teeth. "How could a city-level monster hold such terrifying might? It defies all reason!"

Renowned for its unmatched resilience, the Celestial Barrier stood as an ancient spell that no ordinary force could breach. Not even a strike from an Earth Dragon ought to scratch it, much less fracture it.

Yet the harsh truth staring him in the face delivered a brutal blow. That barrier hovered mere moments from total collapse after just one assault.

ROAR!

A earth-shaking roar erupted from the Earth Dragon. Consumed by rage, it charged straight at the soldiers.

Thousand Faces rocketed skyward and bellowed, "Everyone, I'll hold it off as long as I can! Use that chance to take it down!"

Immediately, he surged toward the beast, unleashing a torrent of destructive spells.

Erkan jerked his horse's reins and barked, "Attack!"

"Attack!" the soldiers thundered together, their cries blazing with unyielding resolve.

And so, the fierce showdown between the Earth Dragon and twenty thousand soldiers ignited fully.

…

"Your Majesty, this is dangerous! Its attacks are growing more aggressive! Twenty-five percent of the city is already paralyzed!"

"Your Majesty, the casualty count keeps rising! Twenty thousand people have suffered severe injuries, while five hundred others have died! This is an emergency!"

"Your Majesty…"

Reports poured in from dozens of ministers, delivered in a frantic rush.

Upon the throne, Gulvar's face twisted in severity. His fists balled so tight it seemed he longed to smash something to unleash the fury and dread crushing his chest.

"Your Majesty, we've found a lead on the perpetrators! They're a relatively unknown assassination group, but they've been rising in the southwest! Please issue an order to mobilize the troops and capture them!" the Minister of Oversight urged, face taut with tension. "We must apprehend them and calm the public. Otherwise, this incident will backfire on us!"

Gulvar drew a heavy breath before answering, "It's not that I don't want to, but we don't have anyone reliable to lead the troops. Erkan is away, while Alex and Eldrin must remain in the palace to protect the royal family."

A crippling deficit of capable warriors plagued the Ancient Kingdom of Eron. This grave issue had festered without solution for a whole year.

Somber shadows fell over the ministers' faces.

Then, abrupt footsteps rang out across the hall, chased by a voice steady and bold.

"Father, let me take responsibility for this."