A colossal Dwarf mothership sailed across the sky, casting a massive shadow upon the ground below.
Surrounding the mothership, dozens of auxiliary ships of various sizes and functions orbited like stars encircling the moon, providing full-range protection to the fleet's advance.
Their ranks were orderly, their presence overwhelming. Any creature on the ground that caught sight of this scene from afar would immediately flee in terror.
Before this steel torrent, no race below the higher beings could hope to resist alone.
Inside the mothership's command center, the supreme commander was marking critical points on a strategic map, verifying the mission's progress.
"Looks like this expedition will take less time than originally planned."
Gazing at the last blinking enemy signal stubbornly resisting on the map, the commander curved his lips into a smile. "All the strongholds in the southwest have already been cleared. Once we eliminate this final base, the mission will be complete."
The grudge between the Dwarf race and the Forest Elves had lasted tens of thousands of years.
Perhaps it began as a mere conflict of interests, but it had evolved to the point where both sides now sought to annihilate each other at all costs.
Though the animosity had endured for ages and the war had never ceased, the scale and frequency of battles had dramatically increased in recent millennia.
Especially notable were the Dwarfs' frequent offensives. Eight hundred years ago, they even assembled an unprecedentedly large army to march on the Elven capital, intending to launch a final decisive battle.
However, the Elven chief at the time had already seen through their battle plan. Using a counter-strategy, the elves lured them into a trap—resulting in the Dwarf army's complete annihilation.
That catastrophe set the Dwarfs' strength back by millennia. Only now were they barely beginning to recover.
The only consolation was that the Forest Elves didn't come out unscathed either.
For reasons unknown, they somehow provoked a Flügel race member, who responded with a single [Heavenstrike]—utterly obliterating the Forest Elf capital. Most of their magical knowledge and arcane traditions vanished in that single blow.
That battle sent both races back to square one.
"But this time, we are fully prepared."
The supreme commander brimmed with confidence in the Dwarfs' meticulously planned operation.
Their advance had been swift and unexpected, striking the elves like a thunderbolt and toppling several strongholds with ease.
Next, they only had to eliminate this final medium-sized base to perfectly complete the first step of their strategic plan.
"As long as we secure the entire southwestern warzone and cut off the elves' last connection to the south, the southern region will become a safe and secure rear base." The commander thought proudly. "Then, we can begin the test detonation of the Marrow Bomb. After final adjustments, the Dwarf race will dominate the world!"
Just as the commander was fantasizing about global domination, a sharp alarm suddenly echoed through the command room.
A Dwarf soldier, tasked with detecting elven mana concentrations and magical fluctuations within a thousand-mile radius, stared at the sudden red blip on his monitor, stunned.
He immediately pulled up the feed for that direction, extending the detection spell to its limit—and soon, a dazzling figure appeared on the screen.
"A Flügel?!"
The commander's expression turned serious. Straightening from his relaxed posture, he immediately issued an order: "Notify the entire fleet to change course and avoid the Flügel at all costs. Do not engage."
"Yes, sir."
The communication officer quickly relayed the directive to the rest of the fleet.
Thus, the massive Dwarf fleet shifted course in unison, abandoning the shortest route of their invasion.
They weren't being cowardly.
If the Dwarf race's entire army were present, or if they were already armed with the Marrow Bomb, perhaps the commander would risk a confrontation.
But now, they only had one mothership and a few dozen escort ships—barely a warm-up for a Flügel.
"Why is a Flügel here...?"
After issuing his orders, the commander fell into contemplation.
First off, it was unlikely that the Flügel had come for them.
The Flügel only cared about powerful high-ranking races. The ongoing battle between the Dwarfs and elves was nothing more than child's play to them.
Unless there was a special reason, they wouldn't even glance in their direction.
Still, that worked in the Dwarfs' favor.
Thanks to the indifference of the Flügel, the Dwarfs had managed to grow this powerful—and even secretly created a god-slaying weapon.
Perhaps this was just a coincidence?
Although their main territory was the continent of Elyella, the Flügel weren't confined to it.
When they failed to find a worthy prey there, they would occasionally visit Lucia Continent for a change of pace.
However, just as the Dwarf fleet altered course and prepared to advance in a new direction, multiple red dots suddenly appeared on the surveillance screen.
"So many Flügel?!"
Following the appearance of the first one, more and more Flügel began entering the surveillance range.
The commander was visibly shaken.
In his entire life, he hadn't seen even half as many Flügel as were on the screen now.
What was even more terrifying was that their numbers were still increasing.
Before their eyes, the red dots on the monitor quickly crossed into the double digits.
"What on earth is happening..."
The commander swallowed hard. Even though he knew the Flügel wouldn't care about them, a wave of fear still crept up in his heart.
Then his pupils suddenly contracted.
Because right there, floating in the sky above the Elyella Continent, was that Sky City—it had also moved to the Lucia Continent.
Until now, he had merely suspected that the arrival of these death angels was for a massive hunt, and they would leave after it concluded.
But now, seeing their stronghold, Avant Heim, also relocated—everything changed.
"Contact headquarters immediately!" The commander slammed the table in alarm. "Report everything that has happened here in full detail. Do not leave out a single thing!"
"Then, Commander, what about our original objective...?"
"Abort the mission," the commander said grimly. "I'll take full responsibility. The appearance of Avant Heim likely means the Flügel are preparing for long-term deployment on the Lucia Continent. The Marrow Bomb cannot be tested under their watchful eyes."
Ultimately, the Dwarfs hadn't created the Marrow Bomb just to destroy the Forest Elves.
Defeating the elves was merely a convenient secondary goal.
The true purpose of developing the Marrow Bomb was to deal with the Flügel—and their god, Artosh.
Although the Forest Elves were their sworn enemies, it was the Flügel and Artosh who posed the greatest threat to their world domination.
Not daring to linger, the once-determined Dwarf fleet—ready to strike at the last elven base—turned tail and fled in haste.
High above the sky, Origami Tobiichi observed this scene and retracted her gaze.
"Thank you all. With your presence here, I can continue executing my secret mission."
With the Flügel and Avant Heim now fully relocated, her objective had been achieved. Origami bid the others farewell.
"If I need anything else, I'll return to find you."