The first round had concluded without much difficulty, with a victory achieved effortlessly. The superior coordination compared to their opponents and the determination to start off strong in the tournament had played a decisive role in sealing their success.

Nevertheless, there was no room for complacency: it was clear to everyone that future battles would be progressively more challenging, and the team was fully aware of this. The tournament's tight schedule allowed no break between one clash and the next; immediately after each match, the alliances had to be ready to hit the battlefield again within just a few days. Ready to face another round against a formidable rival, the members of HOH were lined up on the battlefield, waiting to see who fate would put in their path.

Neik, one of the most determined members, couldn’t wait to start the new and exciting challenge. His eagerness to face ever-stronger rivals often took over. Taking advantage of the waiting time, leader Grombold decided to address his alliance members: “Today’s challenge will be on a whole different level compared to our first round against GCM. Both alliances will likely aim to win the match without holding back,” he reminded his allies. Accepting defeat against a clearly stronger or more prepared rival was a decision to be made with care, as they would only have one chance.

It was at that moment that the new opponents made their appearance...

DracaRYS

The defending champions from the previous edition of Ultimate Conquest faced numerous difficulties this season. After the departure of many crucial members, they struggled to fill the void it created. Nevertheless, the group made it to the Ultimate Conquest phase seemingly effortlessly. Did they have any winning strategies hidden up their sleeves? The alliance led by incredible leaders like QUEENY, Josehf, and Athena D God was certainly not an easy group to face; in fact, they were still an elite group, among the most powerful in the lands of Westeros!

Neik did not trust the rumors and was convinced that this would be no easy match. In fact, he took advantage of the moments before hearing the plan to address the group he was tasked with leading in his rallies: “We absolutely need to be careful. There are truly incredible opponents who, if faced one-on-one, could knock us out of the fight with ease,” he warned his allies. Today was going to be a tough battle for his group.

These words were echoed by the leadership of HOH in their speech to the alliance members after the brainstorming session: “Our opponent is the defending champion. We must approach them with the utmost concentration and be prepared to endure. Only in this way can we secure a positive result!” Grombold's words were chosen carefully.

Both alliances aimed to advance to the next round with a victory, as dark clouds covered the sky, making the air heavy. The cold wind carried the distant echo of howls, while the battlefield remained shrouded in eerie silence during the preparations for the impending clash. The sound of moving armor broke the silence, like a foreboding sign of what was to come.

Great start for HOH!

As usual during the Alliance Conquest season, the alliance led by Grombold quickly gained the upper hand against their rivals, securing three out of the four available buildings. However, surprises were always around the corner...

On their first attempt at a swap, DracaRYS managed to intercept it! A crucial building like Mother's Temple, with its 100% healing speed buff, was effectively handed over to the rival team. However, Tardis made up for this mistake by staying nearby and anticipating the rival’s swap, managing to attack at the right moment and restoring the score to three to one by the end of this first phase!

Before the Ports opened, Queeny ordered an assault on Lannister Outpost, which was under the secure control of Vernei. Its proximity to their own base made it an almost easy target, but when the offensive arrived, they had to rethink their strategy. Support from the defender’s allies arrived just in time to repel the attack!

“Well done,” Neik exclaimed to the teammate who skillfully managed the allied troops.

“Now, focus on the ports,” ordered Grombold. A great start for HOH against such a formidable opponent.

Both alliances managed to secure one building each!

DracaRYS showed they could compete by intercepting one of the racers heading towards Targaryen Port and taking possession of it. The two leaders decided almost simultaneously to make swaps to place their most reliable defenders in the buildings. HOH, slightly ahead, made their move first, which went smoothly without much difficulty. Following that, it was DracaRYS’s turn, but... they made a mistake!

Remaining hidden in the shadows, it was the HOH leader who seized the opportune moment to take possession of the port, giving his alliance a lead of five buildings to one!

The match was increasingly turning against DracaRYS with each passing minute. If they wanted to stay in the game, they had to come up with something quickly, as the score difference could turn into a chasm in a matter of moments. QUEENY ordered another attack on Lannister Outpost, which was definitely the easiest target compared to the other rival defenders, but speed was essential as the opening of Casterly Rock was imminent, and there was little time to waste.

The rapid succession of attacks from the rival rally leaders began to hit the walls defended by Vernei, but once again the defender managed to maintain control of his building, demonstrating great valor. His presence would certainly play a crucial role for HOH’s season.

However, during these attacks, a twist occurred!

Taking advantage of the rivals' intense focus on their attacks, a few strikes from HOH were enough to dislodge the walls defended by a DracaRYS member in their only remaining building. The final blow was delivered by Aidan Snow!

“I knew we’d catch them off guard,” said an enthusiastic Depravity, speaking in the absence of the leader who was defending Targaryen Port. “Now, on to CR,” he added.

As the match approached its central phase, HOH was ahead with all the available buildings under their control. The capture of the next one could either spark a comeback or end DracaRYS’s hopes; it was a crucial moment in the match.

Casterly Rock

DepravityXO was the one to capture it.

The former DracaRYS member, now with HOH and in its leadership for several seasons, was having a great match, showcasing the excellent personality he often displayed in SoW.

QUEENY immediately ordered an assault on Casterly Rock. With only a few arrows left in her quiver, if they could capture the most important building on the battlefield, they might have another chance to turn the match around.

However, the incoming siege seemed increasingly ineffective as time went on. Despite the strength of the rival rally leaders' attacks, the distance between the various groups gave HOH members time to send the necessary troops for solid defense. Therefore, Depravity’s walls held firm!

As time inexorably passed, it was now time for the assault on the rival bases. "Let’s finish off any remaining hopes," ordered leader Grombold. Without wasting a moment, the warriors not engaged in defending the various buildings, including Neik himself, launched an attack to put an end to the match.

The attacks were devastatingly effective.

The young fighter's first objective was to strike Targaryen Stronghold. His blow was devastating for the defender, who had no choice but to retreat. However, upon returning, a rival tried to catch him off guard with an attack, and… it was still not enough. The defense of the HOH member was far superior, thanks to his Weakness Spear formation against the rival’s Female Cav, which had been chosen too recklessly and without sufficient information.

After finishing the series of attacks on the bases with some troops still remaining, Neik was eager to prove his potential and decided to attempt a risky attack...

The rally on the walls defended by Athena D God, who had meanwhile taken possession of Lannister Stronghold by capitalizing on the distraction of his opponents, was a very risky move for him, as it involved facing one of the strongest rivals he could encounter. However, this had never deterred him before, so after a few moments of preparation and with the right amount of troops by his side, the HOH fighter set off for the attack.

Upon reaching the rival defenses, he noticed an unusually large number of troops waiting for him. When they clashed sword to sword... the attack prevailed! Certainly favored by his Weakness-Spear formation against the rival’s Female-Cav, Neik’s troops gave the DracaRYS member a hard time. Despite their efforts, the rival remained steadfast in defending the building.

“It’s time to focus on the mines,” reminded Grombold. Despite the gap between the two alliances, conquering them could cause some headaches, and to avoid this, it was crucial to reach them first.

And...

That wasn’t a problem for HOH’s racers.

Clearly, the opponents decided not to waste unnecessary energy. The match was heavily compromised, and the defending champions from the previous season, assessing the situation, chose to seize their second chance after the initial combat phases, effectively conceding the final outcome to their opponents.

Thus, the final victory went to... HOH!

MVP's

The best fighters of the match were:

QUEENY for DracaRYS: Despite the match starting poorly for them, her ambition did not waver. Attack after attack, she remained a constant thorn in the side of her opponents. She richly earned the title of best fighter of the match.

SukunA for HOH: His cavalry were always the first to reach the rival defenses and deliver devastating blows. He once again earned the title of best fighter among his team, as he often did throughout the season.

“Our rivals today did not fight at 100%. Once the match started to go badly for them, they clearly decided to conserve their strength. It was our strong start that led them to make this decision. We should be proud of the result achieved today,” said the members of HOH’s leadership before everyone left the battlefield.

Neik, also heading home, knew that if the rivals had decided to fight with their full strength, the match would have been very different from what was seen today. He had to be ready for such a scenario, and he would be!

Thus concluded the second round of Ultimate Conquest, almost unexpectedly, with another victory for HOH, propelling them directly to the third phase without any losses. DracaRYS seemed like an old acquaintance from the previous season for the alliance. Did they perhaps need time to readjust?

Who will be their next opponent, and will they continue their winning streak? We’ll find out together!