It became evident that people often reach their full potential when pushed to the limit, and the dwarves were no exception.

  Under the looming threat of the Hot Sand Consortium, the dwarf craftsmen in Giant Sand City promptly suspended all ongoing projects and dedicated themselves wholeheartedly to forging armor for the ogres.

  They were acutely aware that once hostilities commenced, the ogres would be the vanguard, so they meticulously crafted each piece without the slightest attempt to cut corners.

  The completed heavy armor was so massive that the dwarves could barely budge it.

  Previously, forging a single set of ogre armor had taken five days, followed by another five days for travel.

  This time, however, they managed to produce three sets of ogre armor in just eight days. Additionally, they fabricated three rectangular shields, each measuring three meters in length, two meters in width, and ten centimeters in thickness, for the ogres.

  These three sets of heavy armor were temporarily distributed among three other ogres who wielded flame weapons. Along with Nu, they formed an imposing squad of heavily - armed ogres.

  Nu carried his massive bone hammer on his back and held the three - barreled machine gun firmly in both hands.

  The other three ogres, clad in heavy armor, brandished a large bone hammer in their right hands and an iron shield in their left.

  When the ogres donned their full gear, even the dwarves were astounded. Without hyperbole, these four ogres possessed the might to completely upend their entire Giant Sand City.

  Nu surveyed his imposing self and his equally impressive companions on either side and, quite uncharacteristically, exclaimed, "Good!!"

  With that, the expeditionary force set out. The dwarves mustered two hundred elite warriors and five hundred militiamen. Their steam tanks and airships were once again readied for action.

  This time, a large number of tracked vehicles joined the procession, loaded with water, provisions, and ammunition for both their own troops and the ogres.

  The dwarves had truly gone to great lengths, as this deployment represented half of the city's total defensive strength.

  All this continuous mobilization was taking a toll on the dwarves of Giant Sand City.

  The dwarf leader was determined to once and for all eliminate the threat posed by the Hot Sand Consortium.

  The army marched forward in a grand and imposing manner. Throughout the journey, the Dog Captain appeared rather sullen.

  He and Karin were seated within one of the dwarves' tracked vehicles.

  "Hey, what's gotten into you? You've been moping around for days, looking as if you've lost your mother," Karin remarked bluntly.

  The gnoll, sprawled on the supplies, muttered, "My mother was eaten ages ago..." He then abruptly sat upright.

  "Wait a minute... Are you crazy?"

  "You're a mage, but you never mentioned it? You, a succubus mage, trying to commiserate with a no - good gnoll like me? What a complete waste of sentiment!"

  Karin rolled her eyes. "Who said I'm a mage? Strictly speaking, I'm a warlock."

  "Besides, you never asked. Why are you flying off the handle?"

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  The gnoll ground his teeth in frustration.

  "I thought you were in the same boat as me. One's a lowly watchdog, and the other... well, you know. We were both in a sorry state. "

  "But I never imagined you were a warlock in secret?!! You really ought to be punished!"

  Karin lashed the Dog Captain with her tail.

  "What's wrong with you? What's so remarkable about being a warlock? Most succubi are warlocks. "

  "I only know three spells, and they can't even scratch an ogre. What use are they? I still have to rely on serving the chief to make a living."

  "You know three spells!"

  "You actually know three spells!!"

  The Dog Captain lay back down and turned his back to Karin.

  After days of traveling together, the succubus and the gnoll had grown quite familiar with each other.

  "You also have that flame weapon given by the chief. Besides the ogres, you're the only one with it. Did I say anything?"

  "Heh~~" The Dog Captain scoffed. "I'm not going to converse with the high - and - mighty spell - caster."

  Karin rolled her eyes again. "Idiot..."

  Twelve days passed before the group finally reached the Hot Sand Consortium city that had been initially overrun.

  Some goblins were already there, herding slaves to clean up the area and attempting to restart production.

  The combined might of the Dragon's Lair Tribe and Giant Sand City was so overwhelming that it could not be concealed.

  The goblins, in a state of panic, began to hastily gather and prepare for evacuation.

  "What's your call?" The dwarf leader, perched on the steam tank, turned to Karin.

  "Wipe them all out! We can't let a single one escape to spread the alarm!"

  As soon as the battle loomed, Karin's demeanor turned solemn.

  "Lord Nu, lead your tribesmen into battle!" Karin bellowed.

  "Roar!!!" Nu, clad in heavy armor, astride a Kodo beast, gripping the three - barreled machine gun, opened his massive maw.

  "Waaaaagh!"

  "Waaaaagh!!!"

  The other ogres joined in the thunderous roar and charged forward, their footsteps shaking the ground.

  At the vanguard was Nu on the Kodo beast.

  The Kodo, as large as a massive rhinoceros, could achieve astonishing straight - line speeds once it got up a head of steam.

  Bang bang bang~~~

  The three - barreled machine gun spun, spitting out a continuous stream of flames.

  "Go!!!"

  Karin muttered incantations under her breath and then let out a sharp cry.

  An eerie, evil - looking magic circle materialized on the sandy ground before her, and a half - man - high hellhound emerged, charging forward with a ferocious snarl, following Karin's command.

  "Dispatch the Ibex Riders! Leave no survivors!"

  The dwarf leader, eager to prove himself, issued the order.

  Ten Ibex Riders surged forward.

  The dwarf riders on their backs each clutched a square hammer in one hand and a blunderbuss in the other.

  They emitted a series of sharp whistles as they formed a wedge - shaped formation and pursued the enemy.

  There were only twenty Ibex Riders in Giant Sand City.

  These ibexes boasted large, curved horns and broad hooves, ideal for galloping across the arid desert and rugged gobi. Even light plate armor adorned their chests.

  The goblins and their accompanying slaves were being rapidly eradicated.

  "Destroy all the goblins' machinery and vehicles," the dwarf leader commanded.

  The remaining dwarves spread out in groups of three.

  They retrieved small mortars from the tracked vehicles and quickly assembled them.

  While it was relatively simple to make these mortars operational, achieving pinpoint accuracy was an entirely different matter.

  The dwarves of Giant Sand City had yet to master that level of precision and could only manage to make the mortars function in a basic capacity.

  The mortar shells arced through the air and exploded among the remaining goblin contraptions.

  "Within five minutes at most, we'll be able to clear the battlefield and resume our march," the dwarf leader estimated, gauging the battle's progress and relaying the information to Karin.

  "Excellent. We must conclude this battle swiftly.

  We can't afford to give the Hot Sand Consortium time to prepare. We need to catch them completely off - guard."

  Karin surveyed the battlefield. This was a novel and challenging experience for her. Prior to this, she had been nothing more than a succubus eking out a living through her wiles.

  Now, she was in a position to directly influence the outcome of a major goblin city. It was truly... exhilarating.

  In contrast to the ogres, the dwarves' combat approach seemed somewhat elaborate. The ogres' attacks were simple, direct, and utterly devastating.

  They charged headlong into the fray, and the large bone hammers in their hands were harbingers of death.

  Their overwhelming strength meant that a mere graze from their weapons could severely wound the goblins or slaves, and a direct strike was invariably fatal.

  Nu was the most conspicuous figure on the battlefield.

  Riding the Kodo beast, clad in heavy armor, he was even more imposing than the steam tanks.

  The three - barreled machine gun in his hands tore the goblins to pieces.

  The same three - barreled machine gun that had been thwarted by Horne was now turned against the goblins, and they finally grasped just how terrifying the destructive power of goblin technology could be when used against them.