Austin's destination was the lake where the Kobold first appeared within his territory to rest.
Back then, the Kobold's instincts weren't wrong; beneath the seemingly calm surface of that lake lay great danger, hidden were a group of fierce Ghost-headed Crocodiles.
These crocodiles have faces as ghastly as evil spirits, hence they are called Ghost-headed Crocodiles.
One to two meters long, the Ghost-headed Crocodiles lurk underwater, and whenever large herbivores come to drink, they suddenly burst out from beneath the surface with rows of enormous, hideous teeth. Their powerful jaws can snap the prey's neck in one go, dragging it into the water.
Even though Austin and this hard-trained group of Kobolds, dubbed an "army," are no match for such fierce underwater Hunters.
Diving straight into the water recklessly, with only seven Kobolds and a still juvenile Blue Young Dragon, or even more Kobolds and Blue Young Dragons, would merely be like dropping meat pies from the sky for the Ghost-headed Crocodiles, gobbling them up without leaving any bones.
Naturally, Austin is not foolish enough to lead this team of Kobolds into the water to fight these fierce beasts head-on.
No creature is perfect; even the mightiest beasts have their weaknesses.
These Ghost-headed Crocodiles are no exception.
The Ghost-headed Crocodiles can lurk beneath the surface for hours without emerging, but they are not fish, they are amphibians. They can only stay underwater for a bit longer than other creatures, unlike fish which can truly live underwater, so they need to come to the surface periodically to breathe and sneak up onto the shore to rest in hidden corners.
Moreover, these Ghost-headed Crocodiles have a very fatal weakness - they are easily angered and vengeful.
Once, when Austin was desperately hungry, he tried to snatch a Ghost-headed Crocodile's prey, and as a result, the angry crocodile chased him all the way to the Dragon's Nest. Had the Dragon's Nest not been built on a sheer cliff, making it impossible for the crocodile to climb, it might have continued the pursuit.
Even so, the Ghost-headed Crocodile lingered beneath the cliff for hours before leaving.
Now, this weakness has become Austin's best weapon against them, and the source of his confidence in dealing with those creatures.
Of course, Austin would never admit that his choice to pick these Ghost-headed Crocodiles as the Kobolds' first combat target was due to the grudge with that particular crocodile from before.
"There are at least a hundred Ghost-headed Crocodiles in this lake. If they can all be wiped out and the crocodile meat turned into jerky, this alone would meet the Kobolds' food needs for over a month. Moreover, clearing these Hunters would make the lake a major food source in the depths of winter."
Austin gripped the branch of a large tree by the lakeshore with his claws, standing on it, watching the calm lake below, secretly contemplating in his heart.
This trip wasn't just for avenging the past insult but also to prepare food for the cold winter and for future planning.
Not to mention the meat of those hundred Ghost-headed Crocodiles, the fish beneath the lake itself is a rich resource.
When the cold winter arrives, ice and snow will freeze the lake's surface. Just by making a hole in the ice, the oxygen-deprived fish underwater will naturally swarm, becoming an easy food source for Austin and his subjects.
Moreover, eliminating those Ghost-headed Crocodiles will turn the lake into Austin's crucial fishery, continuously providing him with fish meat in the future.
Austin stood on the tree trunk, overseeing the lake from above while his trained Kobold team was hidden below, each gripping their Wooden Spear, somewhat nervous.
Time slowly ticked by, and the lake remained calm, occasionally with schools of fish swimming through the semi-transparent waters.
Austin wasn't at all anxious; according to the Ghost-headed Crocodile's routine, this was their hunting time. Patience would eventually lead to those crocodiles surfacing to "breathe."
Sure enough, not long after, a surge of murky water suddenly emerged at a spot on the lake's surface.
"Here they come!"
Austin immediately perked up as he watched the water splash, and a terrifying-looking head emerged, spraying white mist from its nostrils.
Most of its body remained submerged, with only its head visible on the surface, breathing.
After breathing for a while, the Ghost-headed Crocodile leisurely paddled towards the shore, slowly crawling out of the lake into a corner obscured by waist-high wild grass, disappearing into the vegetation.
Seeing this, Austin sneered, signaled the Kobold behind to prepare, flapped his wings, landed on the ground, and picked up a rock weighing a pound or two, then flew up again.
He circled once in the air and then dove towards the patch of grass!
Whoosh!
The gale whipped up, causing even the trees to bow. After calculating the distance, Austin released the rock from his claws, hurling it into the grass with immense Power.
Inside the grass, the Ghost-headed Crocodile had just lain down to rest when a rock fell from the sky, hitting its head squarely.
In a bewildered daze, another rock fell from the sky, striking it again.
"Roar!!!"
The Ghost-headed Crocodile, now aware that something was messing with it, burst out from the grass in a fit of rage.
Not far ahead, a Blue Young Dragon stood facing it.
Its forepaw raised its middle finger, beckoning it provocatively.
"Come and get me if you can!"
Though the Ghost-headed Crocodile had no idea what the damned Blue Young Dragon's provocative gesture meant, its infuriating demeanor fueled the already furious crocodile's rage, making its eyes turn blood-red.
Rumble!!!
The Ghost-headed Crocodile, eyes bloodshot, charged with all its might, kicking up a cloud of dust, barrelling towards Austin like a tank.
Its eyes blazed with fury, its presence like a god slaying when facing gods, and a Buddha vanquishing when facing Buddhas!
Yet as it closed in, Austin swiftly flapped his wings, conjuring a whirlwind to lift himself into the air,
shouting loudly:
"Stab!"
The Ghost-headed Crocodile barely had time to react, unable to halt its momentum, as several sharp Wooden Spears pierced through the air to meet it head-on.
Under the tremendous impact, those sharp Wooden Spears pierced straight through its thick armored skin without any resistance.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
In a series of dull thuds, six or seven Wooden Spears crisscrossed, instantly piercing through its body, leaving it skewered through and through...