[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-black-dragon-necromancer":3,"chapter-black-dragon-necromancer-black-dragon-necromancer-chapter-83":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Black Dragon Necromancer",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2312843,4521,"Chapter 83: War Council","black-dragon-necromancer-chapter-83",83,"\u003Cp>On November 5, 1168 of the Red Moon Calendar, the atmosphere within Skullcrusher City was unusually tense; under Emperor Sened’s orders, the entire city had been under martial law for a month, with rumors swirling everywhere, yet no official personnel emerged to deny them or provide reliable information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sakavi: “Lady Redna, let me reiterate—I cannot hold back the demons in the Salt Marshes alone. I need the allied forces’ assistance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Redna: “I won’t repeat that phrase again, Duke Sakavi. Put away your petty schemes. Without sufficient contribution, don’t dream of claiming a share of this Deep Invasion. There are no free lunches for you without our effort.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sakavi: “If that’s the case, then my troops will withdraw to the Antarath Mountains. I have no intention of exhausting my entire combat strength in this defense against the demons.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rodman: “Duke Sakavi, the demons’ iron hooves are about to trample your territory—this is an open defiance against the entire Lawful world. As a noble exemplar of the Lawful Dragonkind, defending your lands and resisting evil is your innate duty and glory. Now is the moment for you to step forward and demonstrate the power and pride of the great dragon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riman: “Honorable Duke Sakavi, remember this above all: you are first and foremost a duke granted by the Rosen Empire. Defending the empire’s borders is your supreme, inescapable duty to the Crown and its people.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sakavi: “Ladies and gentlemen, forgive my candor—we may have all overlooked a cruel reality: I am not a subject of the Red Moon Plane. Everything here, including those so-called vassals, is merely property to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It is not that I am cold-hearted, but to face a demon invasion requires absolute power commensurate to the threat—and that is precisely beyond my capacity. Your expectations of me, I can only apologize for: I am powerless in this matter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alamil: “Your Grace Sakavi, we all know the demons’ invasion will strike your domain first. Any failure here will directly impact the entire subsequent campaign. Ignoring it won’t change the fact. What we need now is your wisdom. What is your assessment of the current crisis?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sakavi: “The core plan is clear: my forces will establish three defensive lines along the Salt Marshes, trading space for time to delay the demons as much as possible. You must use this window to concentrate your main forces. The Bohe Plains will be our designated battlefield; Agrik is capable of serving as the forward anchor, firmly holding the enemy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The key to victory lies in the flanks: I require the wood elves of the Black Forest to arrive on time, traversing the Dragon Spine Mountains and descending through the Great Fang Fortress. The imperial legions must coordinate with the dwarves of Morreda, crossing the Antarath Mountains from the east. When the time comes, we will form a pincer assault on the Bohe Plains and annihilate the demon main force.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moge: “By the name of the God of Mountains and Forging, Morreda shall honor its ancient pact. Five hundred dwarf warriors will join Agrik’s defense—we shall forge a wall of steel upon the walls and stand with you against this mighty foe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sakavi: “Hey, old friend! To be honest, in my eyes, the axes you forge are more appealing than the axe-wielders you bring. Five hundred dwarf warriors are already a formidable force. I fully understand your situation—the little ones are still playing with wooden axes! As for after the war? Don’t worry—my camp isn’t a nursery. I don’t take care of children.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moge: “Hah! You’re the only one who understands me! I know, to you, a few hundred more warriors may mean little. But dwarves keep their word like nails driven into stone! The weapons you need will be flawless in quality and quantity; and these five hundred men—I will lead them myself, personally delivering me and my warriors, along with our warhammers, straight to Agrik!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sakavi: “Your Majesty Sened, to solidify the Bohe defense line, my army urgently needs food and weapon supplies. The dwarves of Morreda have pledged to forge our arms, but their forges now face a shortage of raw materials.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Therefore, I humbly beg Your Majesty to lend aid. If you can dispatch one hundred and fifty tons of iron ingots within a month, we can equip our troops in time and make the demons smash their heads against Agrik’s steel walls.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Purglin: “Your Majesty Sened, we deem this request reasonable. For this purpose, the Duchy of Modus pledges to immediately dispatch two hundred tons of wheat and ten thousand healing potions to alleviate the emergency. Furthermore, if Duke Sakavi requires it, my thirty thousand elite vassal legions are fully prepared and ready to be deployed at once—for the defense of our common front, it is our solemn duty!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sened: “I will fulfill your request. Two hundred tons of iron ingots and one thousand tons of wheat will arrive at the Elven port of Rikan within a month. You all know well that Norasien is no longer safe—the imperial navy has repeatedly detected demon traces on the Blackwater Sea.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sakavi: “Gentlemen, we must face the truth: this invasion is far more than a disturbance by low-tier demons. A demigod-level demon lord will surely come in person—and perhaps even a true god may send a manifestation. Have you considered what price we will pay if such beings wage war in our world?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rodman: “Your Grace, every gain demands an equal entrance fee. The chance to make your name echo across the multiverse lies before you—achieve the glorious feat of slaying a demon lord at Agrik. This is not merely a cost—it is proof of your strength. I am certain you see the value clearly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sakavi: “Then, if that is so, gentlemen, take your leave. We shall meet again beneath Agrik’s walls.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sakavi said no more and departed without looking back. He had long foreseen this tedious outcome—a group of self-proclaimed righteous allies who would never truly accept a black dragon. Staying would only bring more hollow pleasantries and suspicion. A cold, mocking smile curled his lips—perhaps they would eventually realize which was the deadlier threat: the demons or the black dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aquilong, order the shutdown of thirty ports including Norasien. The demon invasion has come earlier than expected. You now have full command of the Salt Marshes defense line—I will not interfere. Hold the demons for one month. I need time to deploy defenses across the Bohe Plains. Make any demands—you will have my full support.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aquilong: “Your Grace, the allied intelligence is alarming! First they said seven years, then last month said May next year, now they say next month—we have almost no preparation time. Fortunately, we’ve already stockpiled ample food and weapons.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sakavi: “You think too well of them. If Lawful Good were truly selfless as they claim, their entire faction would have perished long ago. Selflessness? That’s a luxury only gold dragons can afford. The rest of us must first consider survival.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vilna: “According to history, the Lawful faction will likely make cold calculations and turn the Bohe Plains into a trap to drain the demons, letting the lords advance. Sakavi, this is a dangerous signal—it means we will face the deadliest enemy alone. What is your backup plan? We must save ourselves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sakavi: \"My contingency is to turn the entire Bohe Plains into a trap—a final graveyard for the demons. I've ordered the deployment of destruction arrays across the entire plain, to be synchronized with Agrik's mage tower network, forming a line capable of strangling demon lords.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But defense is never the ultimate goal. We have six legends here—I wish to wrestle with that demigod… face to face. It is time for the demons of the Abyss to know who truly rules this land.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suiled: “But is this cost too heavy? The Bohe Plains are our granary, the foundation of your duchy’s survival. Turning it to ash is self-destruction—its wounds will be permanent. And the allies? They won’t compensate us with a single grain of wheat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I even fear that once the crisis passes, they will turn their blades against us, branding today’s sacrifice as a crime. Don’t forget our role in the death of the former Rosen Emperor—it remains their ready-made weapon. It will always be an excuse to strike at us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sakavi: “Having chosen to enter this game, sacrifice is inevitable. We stand at the storm’s core. Any fantasy of preserving strength will only lead to greater loss. It is cruel—but it is the optimal solution.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As for counterattacking the Abyss… that is a matter for after victory. Only by proving to all that we hold the power to decide the battle’s outcome can we one day sit at the negotiating table and redefine the distribution of interests.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Iroge: “Hah! Good! This is the Black Dragon Duke I know!” The red dragon’s massive eyes blazed with admiration. “Back then, when your wings were still young, you dared defile the Holy Symbol of the Light Church; before you became a legend, you plunged into the Abyss and returned with a devil’s head! Compared to those feats, what are these few maggots crawling out of the Abyss worth fearing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Above the conference table, silence pressed heavily; below, the commanders burned with unhidden excitement. The ogre commander Sharut sharpened his tusks, the minotaur overseer Ugru’s breath rumbled like war beacons—they stood like two blood-hungry blades, their eyes blazing with fervor as they welcomed the wild overture of war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sakavi: “Sharut, as commander of the Bohe Plains battlefield, what is your assessment of the defense?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sharut: “Your Grace, over the past three years, I have transformed the entire Bohe Plains into a vast trench warfare zone. Only those who know the paths can march freely here. In multiple hidden areas, I have prepared dedicated corridors for heavy cavalry charges.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When the siege of Agrik reaches its critical moment, the demons will discover that from a dried riverbed, a force of ogre heavy cavalry will surge forth via underground tunnels. At that moment, we will shatter their assault from the direction they least expect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sakavi: “Excellent, Sharut. As a graduate of the Agrik Military Academy, your planning has not disappointed the institution’s training—I am deeply satisfied. Perhaps I am not a ruler beloved by the masses, but producing a student like you proves I am a successful educator. Now—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black dragon’s tone shifted, his gaze sharpening instantly. “Ugru, the threat from the Black Forest to the north cannot be ignored. I have little trust in those who always stir chaos from the shadows. Tell me—what is your response?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ugru: “Your Grace, your judgment may be overly optimistic. The real danger runs far deeper! Have the gray dwarves of the Dragon Spine Mountains ever truly submitted? They are merely hoarding hatred! The drow elves? Each one is a dagger held by the Lady Ros, ready to strike at any moment!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And let us not forget your own kin lurking in the shadows, or the soul-eating dreadwyrms beneath the earth! Our territory is a sea of hidden currents! The wood elves’ threat is merely one among many.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sakavi: “So your purpose here is to unsettle me with these speculations? I understand your disappointment at not being assigned to the main front—but if you intend to mislead my decisions with unverified threats, you are playing a dangerous game. At this moment, my principle is clear: I will not open a second front.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Keep your ‘potential threats’ in the shadow court’s official reports. When such matters reach my desk, they must come with irrefutable evidence and sealed documents. Now, tell me—how do you plan to handle the wood elves’ threat? That is key to our next moves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ugru: “As you command, Your Grace. My deployment: three seasoned regular legions will form a wedge along the Ironhoof Wasteland, establishing layered depth defenses. Behind them, the newly formed minotaur legion will serve as the strategic reserve.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As soon as the wood elves move, the regular legions will advance immediately to seal the Great Fang Fortress. Simultaneously, the minotaur legion will thrust deep into their rear, swiftly securing twelve critical defensive nodes. The goal: trap the enemy main force between the fortress and the wasteland, cutting off their front and rear.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sakavi: “The plan is sound, but the critical point is restraint. The wood elves are coming to help us fight the demons. Until we catch them in a clear act of betrayal, do not alienate them prematurely—do not jeopardize the overall campaign.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But your response must be swift. Do not wait until their knives are already in your back. Your army is our core asset—save it for the counteroffensive. If you burn it all up on the Ironhoof Wasteland now, we’ll suffer a catastrophic loss.”\u003C\u002Fp>",2131,"2026-06-20T13:10:04.638Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","24a6ca495525283e2768e4208784aeab629889877205e4a2e57bb1cb2ea32a49","black-dragon-necromancer-chapter-84","black-dragon-necromancer-chapter-82",145,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fblack-dragon-necromancer-cover.jpg"]