Ch. 591: Chapter 591-600
Chapter 591 Calm Before The Storm
"Everyone, please be in your best behavior," Lux said as he looked at his companions. "We will be dining with the Orc Chieftain. Our purpose for coming here in the Blackrock Clan's Main Stronghold is still not known to them.
"Baronar said that he already mentioned our goal of coming here to their Orc Chieftain. I don't know if they will become hostile or not, so be prepared to teleport to the Guild Headquarters at a moment's notice. Do I make myself clear?"
Everyone nodded their heads with the exception of Cethus, who would remain in the residence because of his injuries.
"... Are you just going to leave me here?" Cethus asked after hearing the Half-Elf's plan.
Lux shook his head. "I won't leave you behind. I will be taking you with us."
"How? I'm injured," Cethus replied.
Lux smirked before pointing at the Baby Slime that was perched on top of his head.
"Eiko can store you inside her body," Lux explained. "So, when she swallows you, make sure to not resist. This is the only way for you to accompany us back to the Guild Headquarters in case of an emergency."
Cethus frowned because the idea of being swallowed whole by the Baby Slime on Lux's head didn't sound like a good thing. However, being left behind in the Orc Encampment was worse.
"F-Fine." Cethus reluctantly agreed. "But, are you sure it is safe?"
"Yes," Lux replied. "We have done it once in the past."
When the red-headed teenager rescued the Dwarf Princess from the members of Twilight Rain, he made sure to bring the son of the Baron, Clyde, with him. Back then the Dwarf boy was unconscious so Eiko didn't have any problem storing him inside her body.
Of course, Lux didn't know what it was like to be inside Eiko's body because he never experienced it before. All he knew was that as long as Cethus was with his Baby Slime, they would be able to escape immediately if need be.
"Eiko, go eat him up."
"Pa!"
The Baby Slime jumped off the Half-Elf's head and landed beside Cethus. She then opened up her mouth widely, and sucked up the Dragon Born as if he was some kind of fruit juice.
"Ohhhhh!"
Laura and Livia were amazed after seeing such a scene. They didn't know that Eiko was capable of such a feat, and wondered if their own Baby Slimes could do the same thing.
"Cora, can you do that?" Laura asked her Baby Slime, and the latter shook her head firmly.
"Nora, can you?" Livia patted her Baby Slime's head, and Nora only shook her head as a reply.
After completing her mission, Eiko crawled back up to her Papa's head and hummed happily. Clearly, she was very happy whenever she helped Lux with something.
Five minutes after Cethus had been swallowed up by Eiko, Lux and his party heard a knock on the door of their residence.
"I have come to pick you all up," the Orc Shaman who had escorted Lux and the others to their residence said through the door. "Let's go. Her Excellency doesn't like to be kept waiting."
Lux exchanged glances with his comrades, and all of them nodded back at him. They had already made their preparations for the worst case scenario. Their only hope was that the Blackrock Clan wouldn't turn hostile, the moment they stated their purpose for coming to the Capital City of the Orcs.
—----------
Inside the Main Hall of the Stronghold…
"It is an honor to be invited to dine with you, Your Excellency," Lux said as he bowed respectfully to the Orc Chieftain of the Blackrock Clan. "My name is Lux Von Kaizer, and these are my companions. We thank you for your hospitality."
"Raise your head, Lux Von Kaizer," the Orc Chieftain replied. "You are a guest, and we don't want our guests to be bowing their heads excessively now do we?"
Lux did as he was told and gazed at the Orc Chieftain, who was looking back at him with a smile.
Barca sat on her right side, while Flamma sat on the left.
The Half-Orc was looking at Lux with a determined gaze as if he wanted to bite the red-headed teenager's head off.
The other Orc Warlords were also in the room, and sat at the sides. Just like their Orc Chieftain, all of them were eyeing the Half-Elf with critical gazes as if they wanted to dissect him from head to foot, with the exception of Baronar who seemed to be in a very good mood.
"Your performance earlier was noteworthy," the Orc Chieftain stated. "Although you still haven't become a Ranker, your future is quite promising. Oh, where are my manners? I am the Orc Chieftain of the Blackrock Clan. I will personally allow you to call me Lady Avyanna. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, young Lux."
Lux was about to offer another bow, but stopped himself in time because he remembered the Orc Chieftain's words earlier about bowing excessively.
"Lady Avyanna, thank you for allowing us to dine in your presence," Lux replied.
Lady Avyanna nodded and made a gesture for Lux and his friends to sit at the table that was prepared for them.
As soon as everyone was properly seated, the Orc Chieftain clapped her hands.
A few seconds later, several Orc Lady's entered the room carrying food platters, which they placed on each table. It didn't take long before everyone's tables were filled with many Orc delicacies.
There were several dishes that they had never seen before, but after using his Soul Book, the Half-Elf found out that all of them were safe to eat.
The Orc Chieftain was being considerate and only gave them food that could be eaten by Humans, which were roasted fowl, and wild boar stew. Several sliced fruits were also laid out for them, which made Laura and Livia very happy.
"Humans and Dwarves have this tradition of toasting others during special occasions," Lady Avyanna said as she raised her wine cup. "Since we rarely have guests, I call for a toast for everyone's good health. Cheers!"
"""Cheers!"""
Everyone also raised their cups and drank heartily. Naturally, Lux and the other youngsters didn't drink wine.
Only Randolph and Grandma Annie drank them because their tolerance for alcoholic beverages were quite high.
Lady Avyanna officially declared the feast to begin, so everyone just ate for the time being.
Lux felt as if this was the calm before the storm, so he made sure to enjoy the meal in front of him, as if it was his last.
Chapter 592 Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing
When the feast was halfway done, Lady Avyanna placed her wine cup on top of the table and asked Lux the question that had been on her mind since Baronar brought them to the Orc Capital of Ludrar Bragh.
"Tell me, Lux, was the duel between you and my son a setup that you made?" Lady Avyanna asked.
Flamma, who was seated beside her, suddenly stiffened after hearing his mother's question. The young Half-Orc then tried to recall the events after he appeared inside Lux's temporary residence.
His original goal for coming to see their guests was to find out what they were like. Of course, he had also intended to see how strong they were, but he didn't have a good excuse to have a sparring match with them.
However, when he heard Cethus' proposal of stealing the Twin Flames of their Clan, he thought that he found the right opportunity to make his appearance, and force them to fight him.
But, instead of him proposing the idea, it was the red-headed teenager who did it. Back then, he didn't think much about it because it was his plan all along.
Now that he was thinking properly, he suddenly realized that the Half-Elf might have already planned to use this as an opportunity to make him a stepping stone in order to gain influence in the Blackrock Clan.
The sound of something breaking reached everyone's ears as Flamma broke the wine cup in his hand due to the anger he felt after realizing that he had been used as a stepping stone by the Half-Elf, who was sitting across from him.
"Yes," Lux replied without batting an eye. "When Flamma entered our residence unannounced, I knew that he came looking for trouble. I just gave him what he wanted, so the fault lies with him."
"You basta–!" Flamma was about to smash his fist on the table to vent out his anger, but suddenly caught himself just in time. He had almost forgotten where he was, and the people around him.
Fortunately, he didn't smash the table because his parents were also eating at the same table.
If he weren't able to stop himself, the one who would get smashed next would definitely be him.
Because of this, he had no choice but to reign in his anger and glared hatefully at the shameless Half-Elf, who even winked in his direction.
"Baronar has already told me that you and your group have come here for the Twin Flames," Lady Avyanna stated. "Many have come before you, and all of them left empty handed. Some of them weren't even able to leave like that one arrogant Dragon Born that came here ten years ago.
"The fool called us Low-Landers, and demanded that we surrendered the Twin Flames to him or else the Dragons would come down from their floating Kingdom and tear us apart. The fool had it coming to him."
Lady Avyanna then gave the Half-Elf a devilish smile, as she lightly tapped the armrest of her chair.
"So, do you think you have what it takes to take our Twin Flames from us, Lux?" Lady Avyanna asked.
"As long as the possibility exists, we will strive to take the Twin Flames," Lux replied. "Lord Baronar already told us the conditions for acquiring the Transcendent Flames. The first one is to defeat His Excellency, Barca. However, it is impossible for any of us to accomplish such a thing."
Lady Avyanna nodded. "So, you plan to do the second option, am I right?"
"Yes, Lady Avyanna."
"Good luck with that."
The Orc Warlords, with the exception of Baronar all chuckled because they knew that it was impossible for Lux to gain an accomplishment that would make the entirety of the Blackrock Clan acknowledge him.
A feat that would be as amazing as the Twin Flames, which they had protected for more than half a century.
Even Flamme laughed at the Half-Elf because he, too, didn't believe that the one who defeated him was capable of doing such a thing.
It was at that moment when Baronar spoke up, making his companions look at him in a weird manner.
"If these were ordinary times then yes, it is impossible for our guests to accomplish such a task," Baronar stated. "But, these are not ordinary times."
The Great Orc Shaman paused as he twirled the wine inside his winecup, catching everyone's attention.
"We are at war, and I have a feeling that in this war, the humans have prepared adequately in order to bypass our defenses," the Great Orc Shaman continued. "Also, our allies may use this opportunity to weaken our Clan considerably before they come in to help us. Right now, we have our backs against the wall.
"On one side, we have the Haca Dynasty, on the other side, we have our allies, who didn't wish for our clan to grow stronger. Perhaps, they are afraid that we are going to expand our Domain in the Wanid kingdom when we reach a certain point."
The other Orc Warlords stopped laughing, and their expressions became solemn after hearing Baronar's words.
They knew that their Clan was strong, but right now, it was not enough to single handedly resist the upcoming Human invasion, who greatly outnumbered them by a hundred to one.
Barca and Lady Avyanna, who didn't join the Orc Warlords in their laughter, only smiled. They were not fools.
Both of them already made a contingency plan if things went south. Their plan was to evacuate the Orcs from the Western Border, and retreat deeper inside the Wanid Kingdom.
Once the Human armies penetrated deep inside their territory, the other Pillars could no longer watch idly from the side, and would be forced to unite and repel the invaders back to their homelands.
When everyone had quieted down, Lady Avyanna once again spoke in order to catch everyone's attention.
"Our Great Orc Shaman is right," Lady Avyanna commented. "We used to live in peaceful times, so there was no opportunity for outsiders to do anything that could impress the entirety of the Blackrock Clan. However, we are now at war. If he can do something that will earn everyone's recognition then it will be possible for us to 'Loan' them the Twin Flames."
Lux's ears perked up when he heard the word "Loan".
Clearly, the Orc Chieftain had no intention of fully relinquishing the Twin Flames to outsiders. Although this arrangement wasn't part of the plan he had in mind, the Half-Elf could tell that this was the best compromise that the Blackrock Clan would be willing to give them.
"We Orcs follow the Law of the Jungle," Barca stated. "Only the strong will prevail. If he can really do something in this war then we will consider his appeal. However, it must be truly something great. For example… kidnapping the King of the Haca Dynasty and dragging him back here to Ludrar Bragh."
"Wait! I have a better idea," the Orc Raider, Tanabur, said with a smirk. "If he can single-handedly wipe out the entirety of the Haca Dynasty's army then I will acknowledge it as a great feat."
"Oh! This is a good idea," Mogazar commented. "I will agree to this as well."
"If he is able to accomplish such a thing, he will get my acknowledgement," Oreg, the Orc Warlord Berserker, crossed his arms over his chest.
Back in the Dungeon of Dominion, Oreg had died. However, in the true history of the Blackrock Clan, he didn't die, which allowed the Blackrock Clan to retain the strength of its Orc Berserker Warriors.
"I, too, will recognize him if he manages to accomplish this grand undertaking," Flamma declared. "I will even call him Master and become his subordinate if that were to happen."
Lux's companions glanced at their leader with worried gazes because they didn't know how the Half-Elf would reply to the challenge given to him by the Orcs.
The red-headed teenager simply remained silent, and allowed the Higher-Ups of the Blackrock Clan to underestimate him.
The only one who knew of his true Profession was Baronar.
Everyone else just thought of the red-headed teenager as a Summoner that could summon slightly powerful creatures that allowed him to defeat Deimos-Ranked creatures and below.
What they didn't know was that the Half-Elf was laughing inside his heart.
This wasn't the first time that Lux fought in a large-scale war.
After his last battle in the Sacred Dungeon, the Half-Elf had fully understood what his Undead Legion was capable of doing. For now, he simply endured the ridicule that Flamma and the other Warlords were hurling in his direction.
Only Barca, and Lady Avyanna felt the silent confidence that was oozing out of the Half-Elf's body, which made them feel that they might have made the wrong decision, and unknowingly invited a wolf in sheep's clothing to join them for dinner.
Chapter 593 Asmodeus’ Proposal
"I thought the Half-Elf would be intimidated upon hearing the others say that they would only recognize him if he managed to wipe out the entire army of the Haca Dynasty," Barca said as he laid down on the huge bed. "But his reaction and his body language earlier made me feel like such a requirement wasn't a big deal to him."
Lady Avyanna nodded as she looked outside the window of their room with her arms crossed over her chest.
"That boy isn't simple. The storage ring he offered to me as a gift earlier contained 10 Draconium Ores," Lady Avyanna stated. "This alone proves that he has a strong backing.
"But I just can't imagine him accomplishing a feat that would make the entire Clan recognize his achievements. True, beating Flamma in the duel earned him some kind of recognition, as well as respect from the tribe.
"However, that alone will not suffice for them to have a unanimous decision of giving away the Twin Flames. I had a talk with Flamma earlier and asked him the real reason why he accepted Lux's proposal to the duel. He said that the Dragon Born, who suddenly disappeared this afternoon, had mentioned that they should just steal the Twin Flames while we were fighting on the front lines."
Barca arched an eyebrow after hearing his wife's explanation.
"The Draconium Ore is indeed a good thing. It can help us craft a few Legendary Items if the crafting process is successful." Barca replied. "About stealing the Twin Flames while we are on the front lines, even if they want to steal it, they will not be able to steal it. Many have tried and failed. All of them are now dead, and their remains have been burnt until only ashes were left."
Lady Avyanna smiled as she walked towards the bed where her husband was lying down.
Truth be told, Lady Avyanna was weaker than Barca. The only reason why she sat at the helm of the Blackrock Clan was due to her being an exceptional strategist. It was because of her that the invasion by the Haca Dynasty many years ago failed miserably.
It was then when the Blackrock Clan and Barca fell in love with her and Barca married her. With the blessing of the entire clan, they recognized her as the Orc Chieftain, which allowed her to attain her current position.
"Let's not talk about Lux for the time being," Lady Avyanna said. "We should just rest. We will depart for the front lines tomorrow before sunrise."
"Avyanna, what do you think? Are we going to lose this time around?"
"I won't be able to answer this question until I see their forces for myself. But I have a feeling that our clan will suffer a lot from this confrontation."
The Orc Chieftain laid beside her husband, and the latter hugged her close to him.
"Let's minimize the casualties to the bare minimum," Barca replied. "We can't let the Clan weaken too much."
"I understand." Lady Avyanna buried her head on her husband's chest to seek the sense of security that she needed during these troubled times. "Even if the first Fortress gets overrun, they will have to pay a heavy price for it."
While the husband and wife comforted each other, Lux and Baronar also finished their discussion.
"So, will you be going with us to the front lines, while your other companions stay here in the capital city?" Baronar inquired.
Lux nodded. "Yes, Your Excellency. Only I will go to the front lines with you tomorrow."
"I see…" Baronar frowned. "Is this because of what happened during dinner? Don't let their words get to you. They're just feeling anxious about the upcoming war, so they are venting their frustrations on you."
"Don't worry, Your Excellency, I am not bothered by what Flamma and the other Orc Warlords said earlier," Lux replied. "I am just curious to know how the wars between two Kingdoms are conducted. This will be a good opportunity to watch two armies in action."
Of course, Lux didn't tell Baronar that he had already witnessed large-scale battles between two Kingdoms. However, he didn't lie when he said that he wanted to watch how the Blackrock Clan and the Haca Dynasty would fight against each other.
He wanted to know what weapons of war they would mobilize, or what strategy they would use during the war.
He wanted to expand his knowledge when it came to warfare because with the forces he could summon right now, it was possible for him to completely subdue an entire village, and a small town, if he set his mind to it.
Of course, Lux had no intention of doing that. It was just that he had reached a certain level where he was capable enough to take over small territories if the need for it arose.
"Rest as soon as you can," Baronar stated. "We will leave before sunrise. That will give us enough time to reach the Stronghold of Vuddun Akh before the army of the Haca Dynasty arrives."
"Understood." Lux nodded. "Goodnight, Your Excellency, and thank you for the Beast Bones."
"No. It is I who should thank you," Baronar replied. "Getting Beast Bones is easy, but getting my hands on an Abyssal Core is a matter of pure luck. Well then, see you in a few hours."
The Great Orc Shaman left Lux's residence to return to his own quarters. His subordinates had already prepared everything he would need for the journey, so he had more free time to master the new skill he acquired from the Abyssal Core that he had absorbed earlier.
Lux, on the other hand, closed the door of his room and summoned Asmodeus. Earlier, they had paused the revival of the Undead Abyssal Creature due to lack of resources.
But after Baronar gave the Half-Elf a storage ring containing the Beast Bones he promised, the amount he received exceeded his expectations.
80 Rank 4 Beast Bones
50 Rank 5 Beast Bones
2 Deimos-Ranked Beast Bones
2 Argonaut-Ranked Beast Bones
That was the number of resources that Baronar had given Lux in exchange for the Abyssal Core in his possession.
"Master, let's store the 2 Deimos-Ranked Beast Bones and the 2 Argonaut-Ranked Beast Bones for the time being," Asmodeus proposed. "It will be best if you use the skill Animate Undead to revive them when you become a Ranker. That way, most of their Rank will be preserved."
"Sounds like a plan." Lux agreed with the Archlich's proposal.
"I have another proposal for you, Master."
"Speak."
Asmodeus smirked. "How about you just revive all the Rank 5 Beast Bones so that your Animate Undead Legion will finally have a sizable force that you can summon at any given time? As for the Shadow Lord… you can make him the newest member of your Covenant. How does that sound?"
Lux pondered a bit before nodding his head.
"This is also good. With this, we will truly have a sizable force under our command." Lux replied. "Right now, most of my Summons—like the Skeleton Gang Bangers—are Rank 4 Monsters. If we revive Rank 5 Monsters, their strength will degrade by a Rank, making them Rank 4 monsters as well.
"As for making the Shadow Lord a new member of the Covenant… I think this is good as well. Each member of the Covenant can have their own subordinates, and I have a feeling that our new ally would be able to demonstrate his true might if he can command his own forces in battle. Very well, I will follow your advice, Asmodeus."
Lux then once again summoned the corpse of the Grim Butcher Nightwalker in order to finish what he had started.
With the resources that he acquired, it was now possible to summon another Unique Creature that would open new options on how Lux, and his Undead Legion, would fight in large-scale battles.
Chapter 594 While We Live, None Shall Defeat You!
Lux stared at the option in front of him with a satisfied look on his face.
After using all the Rank 4 Beast Bones in his possession, he finally achieved the goal he had in mind.
In the past, he took a lot of chances. But now, he wanted a higher percentage rating to ensure that the chances of success were higher. This proved how serious Lux was into getting a Shadow Lord subordinate.
—----------
<[Possible transformations of your Animated Undead]>
Shadow Lord - 84%
< Do you wish to start the revival? >
< Yes / No >
—----------
Lux took a deep breath before choosing the Yes option in order to start the revival of his new ally. Although he had done this process a few times already, he couldn't help but feel anxious every time he did it.
Suddenly the corpse of the Abyssal Creature disintegrated and formed a dark mist that hovered in front of Lux.
—----------
< Revival progress… 1% >
< Revival progress… 23% >
< Revival progress… 48% >
< Revival progress… 62% >
< Revival progress… 88% >
< Revival progress… 100% >
< Congratulations! >
< You have made the Shadow Lord a new member of your Covenant! >
< Please give him a name. >
—----------
A two-meter tall creature, whose face was hidden by the hood covering its face, stood in front of Lux.
Dark mist oozed out of his body, making him look like one of those evil bosses in games that the hero encounters near the end of the story.
"Draven," Lux said as he stared at the Shadow Lord, who had knelt like a knight in front of him. "From now on, your name is Draven."
—----------
< Draven >
"Are you afraid of the Dark?"
– Shadow Lord
– Nightmare Personified
– Rating: SSS
Health: 216,000 / 216,000
Mana: 470,000 / 470,000
Strength: 1450
Intelligence: 2250
Vitality: 1360
Agility: 1200
Dexterity: 1200
Unique Skill: Summon Shadow Warriors [EX], One With Shadows [EX], Shadow Steal [EX], Life Sense [EX], Shadow Armaments [EX], Shadow Swap [EX], Summon Shadow Demon [EX], Walking Nightmare [EX], Abyss Touch [EX]
Active Skill: Summon Death Scythe, Shadow Blast, Shadow Bind, Armor of Shadows, Shadow Ray.
Passive Skill: Night Vision, Heat Vision, Shadow Body, Shadow Flight.
Unique Ability: Nightmare's Shadow
—------
< Shadow Bind >
– Once the Shadow Lord, a Shadow Warrior, or a Shadow Demon steps on a creature's shadow, that creature's movement and attack speed will decrease by 50%
– Once the Shadow Lord, a Shadow Warrior, or a Shadow Demon steps on a creature's shadow, that creature's Health, Mana, and Stamina Regeneration will decrease by 50%
—------
< Nightmare's Shadow >
– Draven's stats will always be a perfect replica of Lux Von Kaizer's stats.
– Draven can copy the appearance of Lux Von Kaizer.
—----------
< Summon Shadow Warriors [EX] >
– Summon Shadow Warriors that are two Ranks lower than Draven.
– Maximum number of shadows that can be summoned is 50
– Number of Shadows will increase by 50 each time Lux Von Kaizer's Rank increases.
—----------
< One With Shadows [EX] >
– Can travel through the shadows of allies and inanimate objects.
—----------
Shadow Steal [EX]
– Draven can steal the shadow of the creature he has personally killed, acquiring that person's memories and experiences.
– Draven can store up to 5 shadows at any given time.
– Draven can replace any of the shadows with a new one if he wishes.
– Draven will be able to transform into the appearance of the people or Creatures whose shadows he has in his possession.
—----------
Life Sense [EX]
– Draven will be able to detect any kind of lifeform in its surroundings, even if that creature has used a skill like invisibility or has transformed into an inanimate object.
—----------
Shadow Armaments [EX]
– Draven can use the power of Shadows to create any kind of weapon it wishes.
– This skill will be more effective when used alongside the skill, Shadow Steal [EX], allowing Draven to use the Weapon Mastery, and Weapon Expertise, of the Creatures whose shadows he has stolen.
—----------
Shadow Swap [EX]
– Exchange places with an Ally or Enemy within a range of 200 meters.
—----------
Summon Shadow Demon [EX]
– Merge all the Shadow Warriors together to create an Alpha Monster whose Rank would be equivalent to Draven.
– Only one Shadow Demon can be created at any given time.
—----------
< Walking Nightmare [EX] >
– has a 20% chance of inflicting Fear on any creature within a 300-meter radius around the Shadow Lord.
– Opponents under the effect of Fear will be unable to attack the Shadow Lord and his allies.
—------
"T-This…," Lux stuttered after seeing the information about Draven in his Soul Book.
Even Asmodeus was speechless after reading his new ally's abilities. What he saw made him think that Draven was very similar to him.
Asmodeus' Unique Ability was to replicate all of Lux's Skills, with the exception of using his Dragon War Arts.
Draven's, on the other hand, was to replicate Lux's stats, giving him the same strength as the Half-Elf.
Not only that, the Shadow Lord also possessed some amazing abilities that would make him perfect for espionage and spying missions.
The ability to copy the appearance, memory, and weapon mastery of the creature whom he managed to steal a shadow from was simply terrifying. It had so many uses that Asmodeus couldn't stop himself from formulating scenarios for how it would prove useful for their faction.
Draven, who had been bestowed a name by Lux, stood up and gave the Half-Elf a deep bow.
As if waiting for that moment, the other member of Lux's Covenant also appeared in front of him and bowed respectfully to their Master.
Bedivere, Zagan, ALL-MITE, and Draven, all bowed their heads and spoke in unison.
"""We of the Covenant swear to protect you. While we live, none shall defeat you!"""
Lux felt something warm spreading inside his chest because he could feel the intense determination of his Knights to carry out their sworn oath.
Because of this, he nodded his head in acknowledgement and asked them to raise their heads.
"My Knights, dark and difficult times lie ahead. Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy. I am not perfect, and I am bound to make mistakes along the way. Even so, I ask all of you to stand by me, and protect me at all costs."
"""By your will, Master."""
After making their Oaths, the members of Lux's Covenant all turned into particles of light, with the exception of Draven.
The Shadow Lord took a step forward and merged with Lux's shadow. His role was to serve as Lux's bodyguard 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"Pa!"
Eiko, who had been quiet the whole time, jumped off Lux's head and landed in front of him.
The Baby Slime then looked up at his Papa with a smile and reminded him of something that made the Half-Elf chuckle.
"Don't worry, you will be coming with me tomorrow," Lux said as he crouched down to pick up the baby slime, who started to giggle in his hands. "We will see just what kind of tricks the Haca Dynasty have under their sleeve."
"Un!" Eiko happily nodded her head.
The baby slime was afraid that Lux would leave her with Grandma Annie and the others and go to the battlefield alone.
As someone who was a battle junkie, Eiko didn't want to miss this opportunity to accompany her Papa on the frontlines, where a large-scale war was about to take place.
Chapter 595 Another Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s Treasure
Eiko hummed while perched on top of Lux's head.
The Half-Elf was currently following the procession of the Orc Army from the rear.
Before going, he asked Gerhart to look after Randolph, Grandma Annie, Laura, Livia, and Cethus at the capital city of the Orcs.
If the Blackrock Clan was able to repel the invaders, then that would be for the best. For the time being, his sole intention was to observe and learn a few things from large-scale wars.
Lux had also expected that the last gate of the Sacred Dungeon, the Gate of Famine, would revolve around wars.
Ever since he entered the Sacred Dungeon, it had always been Kingdoms fighting against each other. This gave everyone the impression that the last gate would throw them in the middle of another war, whose magnitude would be bigger than any that they had faced before.
In order to prepare for this upcoming battle, Lux wanted to learn different strategies in order to cope with the ever-changing battle between tens of thousands of warriors on the battlefield.
They had already been traveling for nearly four days, and according to his estimate, they would soon arrive at the location of the Stronghold of the Orcs, which served as their first line of defense against the Haca Dynasty.
Suddenly, the sound of a horn spread in the surroundings, making the Orcs hasten their advance. Lux didn't know the meaning behind it, but the Orcs who were in front of him suddenly started to jog and then run at full speed.
It was then that Lux saw it.
In the distance, black smoke was rising up the sky. It was so thick that it could only mean one thing.
Something was burning, and that something was something very big.
"Jed, let's fly!" Lux ordered his Thunder Warg King, and the latter obeyed his command.
After rising in the air, Lux saw in the distance that the Stronghold of the Orcs was burning.
Loud rumbling sounds of explosions reached his ears, proving that a battle was currently underway. Just based on the thick smoke that was rising from the fortress, the Half-Elf inferred that the battle had been going on for quite some time, and the one on the losing end was the Orcs.
While the entire Blackrock Clan was hurrying, several individuals had already charged up ahead in order to reach the Stronghold as quickly as possible.
Barca was at the lead, followed closely by Lady Avyanna.
The other Orc Warlords, namely Baronar (Great Orc Shaman), Tanabur (Orc Raider), Oreg (Orc Berserker), and Mogazar (Orc Hunter) were not far behind.
"Catch up to them, Jed," Lux commanded.
The Thunder Warg King growled in acknowledgment and activated its Lightning Steps, allowing it to travel faster.
Five minutes later, they arrived at their destination, and the sight that welcomed Lux's eyes was the intense battle that was happening inside the Orc Fortress.
The enemy had still not breached the gates, but they were fighting on the ramparts.
Fireballs rained down from the sky, burning everything they hit. Bodies that were burned to a crisp littered the interior of the Fortress, which made Barca roar in anger.
"Kill!" Barca ordered as soon as he entered the Fortress through the backdoor.
The Empyrean-Ranked Alpha Monster leaped through the air and landed on the ramparts. With one swing of his battle axe, all of those who were scaling the walls were instantly sliced in half, dropping down on the ground, crushing those who were unlucky enough to be along their way.
The other Orc Warlords also went on a killing spree and annihilated every enemy that they had set their eyes on.
Lux simply observed from the sky, but what he saw was enough to make him understand how strong Barca was.
"He's really different from the Barca I once knew," Lux thought as he looked at the Half-Orc, whose blood-shot eyes thirsted for the blood of his enemies.
As if waiting for that moment, several horns were blown, giving the signal for the Army of the Haca Dynasty to retreat.
However, Barca, who was enraged by the death of his kinsmen, jumped off the ramparts in order to follow the retreating soldiers.
However, as soon as he did that, several Battle Spirits wrapped their arms around his body and pulled him back to where he jumped off.
"Get a hold of yourself, Barca!" Lady Avyanna shouted. "This is not the time to fall into the enemy's trap!"
The Orc Chieftain's words stopped Barca from resisting and finally calmed him down. Only when she was sure that her husband was thinking straight did Lady Avyanna release him from her hold.
Barca looked at the Army in front of him and noticed something different. According to his estimate, the enemies in front of him only numbered around 50,000, which was a very small number for an invading army.
When the Haca Dynasty previously tried to invade the Wanid Kingdom, they had sent over a million troops. Seeing this small number made Barca suspect that he was just seeing things.
'What's going on here?' Barca thought as he glanced beside his wife, who also had a frown on her face.
"We are expecting their main army to arrive in two days' time," Lady Avyanna said softly. "If my assumption is correct, this is just the Vanguards, who are supposed to secure the location of their Main Camp. It seems that the one leading them is very eager to gain some merits, so he ordered them to attack the Fortress as soon as possible before their main army arrived."
Barca snorted after hearing his wife's explanation. "Wouldn't now be the best time to wipe them out before their main force arrives? Why did you stop me?"
"Calm down, Barca," Baronar said as soon as he arrived at the ramparts. "The years of peace have dulled your senses a bit. The one leading this force is also an Empyrean… and, there are helpers with them who have similar strengths to us as well."
"So you're saying that they didn't attack just because they felt like it, right?" Oreg, who had also climbed up the ramparts said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "If they really had an Empyrean and warriors as strong as us, why didn't they attack and take over the Fortress on their own?"
Just as the Orc Chieftain was about to reply, a loud, and confident voice reached their ears.
"Because that would be boring!"
Lady Avyanna, Barca, and the four Orc Warlords all shifted their gaze to the man standing in the very center of the enemy's battle formation.
He was wearing golden armor that really stood out from the rest as if he wanted people to see him among the masses of soldiers that were on the battlefield.
"What we did was just a warm-up," the Commander of the Vanguard replied. "We are just killing time while we wait for the main army to arrive."
"Killing time?" Barca scoffed. "Thousands of your soldiers died, and you call that killing time?"
"Yes," the Commander of the Vanguard crossed his arms over his chest. "The men you killed were merely criminals and slaves. Their purpose was to serve as cannon fodders. We promised them that if they were to perform well in the war, their crimes would be forgiven and they would become free again. Unfortunately, you killed them all, so the promise ended with their death. I guess I should thank you for cleaning up the trash. So, thank you?"
The Commander of the Vanguard roared in laughter. His laughter was filled with ridicule, which grated Barca's and the Orc Warlords' ears. However, they didn't bother to reply to the man's provocation and simply assessed the damages that their Stronghold had received.
"Tend to the wounded," Lady Avyanna ordered the Captain of the Orc Archers that had come to greet her. "Gather them all at the keep. Our Main Forces will arrive soon, so focus on helping our clansmen first."
"Yes, Great Chieftain!" the Orc Archer replied and hurriedly barked orders to his subordinates to carry out their Great Chieftain's orders.
Lady Avyanna eyed the enemy Commander in the distance before turning her back to walk away.
The enemy's current forces were smaller than theirs, but something was telling her that she shouldn't recklessly send Barca and the other Orc Warlords to wipe out their forces.
Chapter 596 Oh My God! They’re So Cheesy!
Although a portion of the Orc Fortress was destroyed during the clash, they could easily be fixed by the Earth Mages that would arrive soon.
"Mogazar, you keep watch over our enemies for now," Lady Avyanna ordered. "Oreg, replace him after four hours. Tanabur will be the third to keep watch, then Barca. As for you, Baronar, erect a defensive barrier around the Fortress."
Barca and the Four Orc Warlords nodded their heads and obeyed their Orc Chieftain's orders.
As Lady Avyanna walked away, the frown on her face deepened. The attack on the Stronghold wasn't part of her calculations, which meant that their enemies were either very confident in their strength or just very stupid.
'I'd better prepare for the worst,' Lady Avyanna thought. 'I'm afraid that our defenses will not hold for long.'
While the Orc Chieftain was busy thinking of the next strategy they would use for the upcoming battle with the Haca Dynasty's main army, a certain Half-Elf was looking at the dead bodies within the Fortress with a regretful look on his face.
'Maybe I can ask Baronar for help,' Lux thought as he looked at the Human soldiers who had died under Barca's and the Orc Warlord's hateful counterattack. 'Leaving these dead bodies here is just so wasteful!'
In the Orcs' eyes, the value of Human corpses was limited to their armor and weapons that could be recycled to create new armor and weapons.
For the Half-Elf, the dead bodies were precious resources that he could use to activate his Necromancer Skills
This was the perfect example of the saying, one man's trash is another man's treasure.
For Lux, gathering all the dead bodies on the battlefield was simply an opportunity that was too good to be true.
After making up his mind, Lux hurriedly looked for Baronar in order to ask permission to collect the dead soldiers on the battlefield.
Although he didn't plan to join the battle anytime soon, that didn't mean that he couldn't profit from the outcome of the clash between the Haca Dynasty, and the Blackrock Clan.
—-------------
Rowan Tribe's Camp…
"Fei Fei, look over there. Isn't that strange?"
"Wei~"
"Right? I've been with my little sister all my life, but this is the first time I've seen her like this!"
"Wei~"
Cai and Fei Fei were hiding in the shrubs as they looked at the unbelievable scene in the distance.
Cai's little sister, Rose, was busy reading a book with a smile on her face.
If the young beauty was just reading a book, then Cai wouldn't have reacted in this manner.
But her notorious little sister, who had been bullying her ever since she returned to the Rowan Tribe, was currently reading a book while leaning her body against a young man!
At that exact moment, the Second Priestess of the Rowan Tribe flipped the page of her book and sighed.
"You should eat more," Rose said as she adjusted her sitting position to make herself more comfortable. "You're almost all skin and bones."
The corner of Keane's lips rose as his arms wrapped around the young beauty's waist. He leaned down to whisper, "Alright. Let's eat together, okay? You're so light, a strong gust of wind could blow you away."
"That won't happen," Rose replied with a sweet smile as she flipped to the next page. "I know you won't let me get blown away."
"You're right." Keane's hold around her tightened. "Over my dead body.
Currently, the skinny swordsman was sitting on a tree stump, while Rose sat on his lap, with her head resting on his shoulder.
Cai wouldn't go as far as to call them a match made in heaven, but seeing the two together created a very peaceful and romantic scene that made Cai weep helplessly.
'Oh my God! They're so cheesy!' Cai squealed internally as she looked at the two important people in her life. 'My little sister has grown a lot. She now found a close friend she can talk to, while Little Swordy finally learned how to smile. I'm so proud of them!'
The more Cai looked at the two, the more she realized that Keane and Rose complimented each other.
Truth be told, Rose wasn't really a violent lady. She was strong-willed and did what she thought was right. Most of the time, she just wanted to read a good book in silence, letting the time fly past her.
Keane, on the other hand, was someone who was in pursuit of inner peace. He would often meditate alone and be one with his surroundings in the hope that he would attain enlightenment in order to be a step closer to the peace he was looking for.
Cai loved Rose very much, so she wanted to find the latter a good man.
This was why she was actively recruiting members for the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Her goal was to find a suitable groom for her sister, who would love and take care of her for the rest of her life.
'Oh, what should I do? Should I tell Grandpa?' Cai thought before shaking her head. 'No. This is a very sensitive topic. Gramps might kick Little Swordy out of the Rowan Tribe if he finds out. Um, I'll just keep quiet for now and watch how things play out. Wait, maybe I should ask a friend in the Guild Chat. I wonder how they are doing right now?'
After opening her Guild Chat, Cai immediately sent a message to Grandma Annie, asking her for advice.
The kind Grandma of Leaf Village listened to Cai's explanation and offered some suggestions to her.
"For now, simply observe them from afar" Grandma Annie replied after Cai finished her tale. "Sometimes, it is best to not intervene and let nature take its course."
"Okay," Cai agreed with Grandma Annie's advice. "How are you guys doing in the Wanid Kingdom? Last time, Laura and Livia told me that you got attacked by Insect Swarms. Are you guys really alright?"
"We're fine, Cai. Lux managed to create a miracle and saved us all. However, right now, we're in a bit of a pinch."
"What happened?"
Grandma Annie explained their current situation like a gossipy Auntie to Cai, who liked to listen to gossip.
"As expected of Lux," Cai commented after Grandma Annie finished her story. "Well, I just hope that you guys will be able to accomplish your mission in the Wanid Kingdom. We are preparing a birthday party for when Lux returns, so he better come home in one piece, or else, Iris will kill him even if he is already dead."
Truth be told, Cai had just celebrated her birthday a few days ago.
Rose was sixteen, and Cai was eighteen. The Boar celebrated her birthday surrounded by family and friends.
Iris even came to the Rowan Tribe in order to participate in the festivities. Cai had strictly forbidden everyone, especially the members of Lux's Guild, to tell the Half-Elf about her birthday.
The High Priestess of the Rowan Tribe understood that Lux had many things to do, and he simply didn't have time to celebrate her birthday with her. However, Cai was fine with that.
For some reason, she didn't want to tell the Half-Elf that she had gotten a year older. Lux's birthday was coming up, and he would become seventeen soon.
She planned to prepare a nice present for the red-headed teenager, which would make the other party feel touched. In order to do that, she collaborated with Iris and asked for the things that Lux liked.
After getting her answer, the Boar rummaged through her Grandpa's treasury to look for a gift for her Guild Master. Fortunately, her effort bore fruit and she got what she wanted.
All she needed to do was wait for Lux to return so that she could celebrate his birthday alongside Iris, who was waiting patiently for her beloved to return to her arms.
Chapter 597 My Worst Fears Have Come To Pass
"You want the human corpses?" Baronar arched an eyebrow.
"Yes!" Lux replied firmly. "I need them."
The Great Orc Shaman crossed his arms over his chest as he pondered Lux's request. Truth be told, the Orcs didn't care about the dead Humans.
There had been a time when the Blackrock Clan ate Human meat, but those days were long over. Now, they would only eat Human meat as a last resort.
They were much more interested in the armor and weapons that the humans were using versus their dead bodies.
"I'll ask the Orc Chieftain on your behalf," Baronar stated after pondering for a few minutes. "Until then, don't intervene in the retrieval operation of my brethren. They might think that you are after our dead bodies as well."
Lux nodded his head in understanding.
The thought of taking the dead bodies of the Orcs never crossed his mind. For him, the members of the Blackrock Clan were like old-time friends, and he had no intention of desecrating the bodies of his old-time friends.
An hour later, the Orc Chieftain approved of Lux's request once Baronar revealed Lux's real profession.
Naturally, the Great Orc Shaman only revealed this information to his Orc Chieftain because he knew that their leader was someone who could see the bigger picture.
Warriors like Barca, Tanabur, Oreg, and Mogazar would not be as accommodating once they learned of Lux's true profession.
Although they hadn't had the chance to fight against Necromancers in the past, they had plenty of opportunities to fight Undead Monsters in one of the Dungeons that was located within their territory.
Fighting against the Undead was not only unprofitable but also gave them losses. The Undead were one of the most annoying Monsters in existence because one didn't know if they were truly dead.
There had been more than one occasion when these Monsters played dead and killed those who had been fooled into lowering their guard around them.
Lux, who had gained the Orc Chieftain's approval, started to store the dead bodies in his Bounty Rings, which could store up to twenty dead bodies.
He even asked his Master, Randolph, to forge as many of these rings as possible so that his Skeleton Gangbangers could always carry as many corpses as possible with them at any given time.
As long as they had sufficient corpses at their disposal, Lux would be able to use his skill, Corpse Explosion [EX], from a safe distance.
"Take as many as you can," Lux ordered his Named Creatures to collect the dead bodies that had been stripped of their weapons and armor.
The Orcs only gave the Half-Elf weird looks and wondered why he was collecting the dead bodies of the Humans.
When one of them asked Lux what he was going to do with the dead bodies, the Half-Elf only said that he was going to give them a proper burial. This explanation was accepted by the Orcs, and although the Humans were their enemies, they didn't find anything wrong with giving warriors proper burials.
'I never thought I'd get to see the day when I would feel happy about collecting dead bodies,' Lux thought wryly. 'My past self would definitely not even have the guts to poke a corpse with a 12-foot pole. I guess the harshness of this world has rubbed off on me.'
It didn't take long for the hundred Bounty Rings to be filled to the brim. The remaining Human corpses were then placed in large wagons that ALL-MITE pulled out of the Fortress.
Asmodeus accompanied the strongest member of Lux's Covenant in order to put the extra corpses to good use.
What the Archlich was planning to do was to summon his Liches to revive the dead bodies to make them part of their army.
Of course, doing this inside the Orc Fortress would cause a commotion, so they intended to do it a good distance away from the watchful eyes of the Blackrock Clan.
Hours passed and the standoff between the Vanguard of the Haca Dynasty and the Blackrock Clan was still in effect.
The Warriors that had left the capital city of the Orcs were now all inside the Fortress and had taken their positions in preparation for the upcoming war.
Mogazar, who was keeping close watch on their enemies, narrowed his eyes as he saw flickering lights on the horizon.
The sun had just set, and darkness was slowly falling into the land. However, due to his ability to see great distances, the Orc Hunter of the Blackrock Clan noticed a line of torches at the end of his vision, making him take a deep breath.
"Call the Orc Chieftain!" Mogazar ordered. "The Main Army of the Haca Dynasty has arrived!"
As soon as he gave the order, the Fortress immediately went on high alert as Lady Avyanna, Barca, Tanabur, Oreg, and Baronar, all came to the ramparts to see the approach of the enemy's main force.
"T-This…," Tanabur couldn't help but stutter after seeing the countless lights in the distance, which made his face look grim.
"By Macha's name… are we fighting all able-bodied men and women of the Haca Dynasty?" Oreg couldn't help but call upon the name of their War God when he saw the sheer number of enemies they were going to face.
In the war fifty years ago, the Haca Dynasty had sent out a little over a million Human soldiers to invade their lands.
However, right now, he was seeing at least ten times that number.
Perhaps, even more.
"My worst fears have come to pass," Lady Avyanna sighed. "It is possible that the Haca Dynasty conquered other lands within that fifty years, and used the resources and people of those lands to expand their military might. Now I understand why they dared to attack our camp even though they were just the Vanguard of their main army."
The Orcs inside the Fortress all had grim expressions on their faces. They didn't mind dying in battle, but at least, they wanted their deaths to be meaningful.
Looking at the sheer number of enemies in front of them, they couldn't help but feel as if their clan was fighting alone against the entire world.
Lux, who had also joined the others in the ramparts, drew a deep breath as his vision, which could see past through the darkness landed on the invading army.
He once thought that the wars inside the Sacred Dungeon were bloody enough.
He thought that there would be no other war that could surpass that magnitude.
However, he was proven wrong.
'This is no longer a war,' Lux thought as he gave Lady Avyanna a side-long glance. 'This will only be a one-sided massacre, in which the Blackrock Clan will be wiped from the face of the Wanid Kingdom.'
He knew that the Orcs were strong. They even had an Empyrean-Ranked Alpha Monster like Barca and several Argonaut-Ranked Alpha Monsters like the Orc Warlords.
These Orcs could trample entire cities if they wished, but against a force who had similar high-ranking warriors of their own, the number of low-ranked fighters would play a more crucial role than their superiors.
That night, the Orcs had a high-level meeting as tensions inside the Fortress rose to unprecedented heights.
While this was happening, Lux summoned his Plague Wing Gargoyles and ordered them to scout the enemy's forces under the cover of darkness.
Chapter 598 I Will Carry Out The Will That You Have Left Behind
Haca Dynasty Army Camp...
"Commander, let me take my men to raid those Orcs in the middle of the night," a man with an eyepatch covering his left eye said with a smile. "I promise that their little Fortress will fall before sunrise."
"You? Oh, please. We all know that you will just mess this up," a middle-aged lady snorted in disdain. "It will be best if I lead the night raid. Those Orcs will have no idea what hit them."
"No! It will be me who will destroy their fortress and snap Barca's head off!" the Commander of the Vanguard, who had given the order to attack the Fortress a few hours ago, declared. "If not for the Great General's strict order that I could not personally attack the Fortress at that time, it might have already fallen by now."
Several men and women scoffed at the Vanguard Commander, but they couldn't refute his words. He was one of the High-Rankers of the Haca Dynasty and had proven his mettle through many campaigns over the past decade.
"Calm down, Ronan," the Great General of the Haca Dynasty, Garret Ousborne stated. "Our men have traveled non-stop for a few days and need to take proper rest.
"Besides, they need to see with their own eyes how the Orc Fortress will be destroyed. That way, our morale will increase as we head deeper inside the Wanid Kingdom."
The Great General, who was only in his early thirties, didn't look intimidating, but his calm demeanor was enough to make the arrogant Ronan, as well as the other Generals who wished to raze the Orc Fortress to the ground as soon as possible nod their heads in agreement.
"If it is what the Great General wishes, then we will definitely obey," Ronan laughed. "The Orcs are lucky. They get to have some rest before I bash their skulls in tomorrow after breakfast."
Garret smiled before he raised his hand to call one of his trusted subordinates to attend to him.
"Tell the Captains to order their men to eat, so they can rest early," Garret ordered. "You don't have to worry about the watch duty because my personal guards will handle that. We will wage war three days from now, so tell everyone to make necessary preparations for the upcoming battle."
"Yes, Sir!" Garret's trusted Aide bowed his head as he carried out the orders of their Great General.
Ronan eyed the blonde-haired man, who held the title of "Untouchable" in the Haca Dynasty.
There were rumors that Garret's eyes, which were as blue as the sky, could see several seconds into the future. Because of this, he could effectively dodge, block, and counter any attacks that were aimed in his direction.
Just like Ronan, Garret was also a High-Ranker.
They had dueled several times in the past, and Ronan had never won even once against the blonde-haired man, who was a few years younger than him. Because of this, he respected Garret very much and listened to whatever he said.
"What strategy are we going to use in three days?" Ronan asked. "Earlier, I bluffed Barca to attack me, but their Orc Chieftain pulled him back in time. Truth be told, I almost wet my pants when he jumped off the Ramparts. Fortunately, my confident expression made their Chieftain feel guarded, so Barca ended up returning inside the Fortress."
Garret gave Ronan a faint smile as he pointed at the emblem ring that was on Ronan's finger.
"Even if Barca attacked you, you could have protected yourself with our Kingdom's National Treasure," Garret replied. "That will give you enough time to escape, so you'll be fine. However, your troops would have been annihilated if Barca hadn't been held back by their leader.
"If that really happened, you would have been demoted for sure, and that treasure would be given away to someone else. You got lucky this time."
Ronan wasn't able to refute Garret's words and only chuckled due to how close he was to being demoted.
"You still didn't answer my question," Ronan said. "What is the strategy we are going to use tomorrow?"
This time, Garret didn't reply right away. Instead, he gazed at the Orc Fortress in the distance as if weighing his chances.
Several minutes passed as the Great General of the Haca Dynasty stared in the distance.
The High-Ranking Officers of the army didn't say anything and simply waited for his reply. They were already used to Garret's character, and they knew that their leader was thinking of ways to minimize the casualties of their army.
Finally, after ten minutes, Garret shifted his gaze back to Ronan, who was still waiting for his answer.
"This will be our first campaign against the Wanid Kingdom after fifty years, and we can't afford to lose many of our men in the clash against the Blackrock Clan," Garret stated. "In order to minimize our casualties, we will wait until our allies attack the North of the Wanid Kingdom.
"While the six other Pillars are busy dealing with that threat, we will mobilize our secret weapon and destroy the fortress without having to lose too many of our men."
Ronan arched an eyebrow after hearing their Great General's reply.
"Isn't using it now a bit too early?" Ronan asked. "That is one of our Trump Cards. Shouldn't we save it until we have entered deep into the Wanid Kingdom?"
Garret shook his head. "You are underestimating the Orcs. Although we greatly outnumber them, Barca and his Orc Warlords could still annihilate tens of thousands of our soldiers if they decide to go all out. Besides, we still have other trump cards, No?"
Ronan and the other High-Rankers of the Haca Dynasty grinned.
This war was something that they had planned for many years. Back then, they only wished to get the most valuable resources of the Blackrock Clan, which were the Transcendent Flames, as well as carve out a piece of the Wanid Kingdom for themselves.
However, the Pillars of the Wanid Kingdom weren't pushovers, so they had no choice but to make a hasty retreat after knowing that the war had been lost.
This time, they had prepared a massive army that would not only fight against the Orcs but the entirety of the Wanid kingdom.
The funny thing was that they were not the only Sovereign Nation that was planning to attack the mysterious lands of the Spirits.
With other nations supporting them from the North, the Pillars of the Wanid Kingdom would be too busy fighting on another front.
This would prevent them from sending most of their reinforcements to help the Blackrock Clan deal with the powerful army that threatened their entire race.
'Father, just you wait,' Garret thought as he shifted his gaze to the Orc Fortress in the distance again. 'I will carry out the will that you left behind.'
Fifty years ago, Garret's father was the commander of the Army that attacked the Blackrock Clan.
Although he had survived the war, he suffered grievous injuries and died a year after.
Since then, Garret vowed that he would avenge his father and personally kill the Orc Chieftain that had orchestrated his father's defeat and humiliation.
With his ability to see a few seconds in the future, Garret was confident that he would be able to counter any trick that the hateful Orc Chieftain had under her sleeve.
Chapter 599 Three-Pronged Attack
"What is he doing here?" Oreg asked as he looked at the Half-Elf, who Baronar had brought with him to participate in their high-level meeting. "Have you forgotten that this is a meeting for the upcoming battle against the Humans? This is not a place for a brat."
Baronar just smiled at his comrade as he made a gesture for Lux to sit in one of the corners of the room, which the red-headed teenager obeyed.
"Don't be like that," Baronar replied. "Didn't you make a deal with him that you will recognize him if he manages to subdue the enemy army? Since that is the case, I think it's good for him to know a little more about the enemies that we will be facing in battle. Who knows? He might even save your life one day."
Oreg snorted, but no longer said anything. He gave the Half-Elf a side-long glance before shifting his attention back on the table where the map of the battlefield was spread out.
Clearly, he didn't believe for a second that there would come a time when Lux would save him. How can a puny Initiate save a Peak-Argonaut Alpha Beast like him in battle?
Tanabur and Mogazar also gave the Half-Elf side-long glances before setting their sights on the map in front of them.
It was at that moment when Lady Avyanna cleared her throat and started their meeting.
"First, I have bad news to tell everyone," Lady Avyanna said with a solemn expression on her face. "According to my contracted Spirits, the Human Army comprises nearly ten million soldiers. Five thousand of them are Rankers, and among those five thousand, a hundred of them are High-Rankers."
The Orc Warlords' faces became grim after hearing the report of their Orc Chieftain. None of them doubted her words because there was no need for her to lie to them.
"We have brought almost all our able-bodied warriors to this battle, and we only number 200,000 in total," Barca stated. "Although we are stronger than the Humans, the number of their high-ranking warriors, as well as their lower-ranking warriors outnumber us fifty to one.
"It seems they are really serious about their conquest of the Wanid Kingdom. We alone will not be able to hold them back this time. If we don't get our reinforcements soon, I'm afraid…"
Suddenly, several Spirit Hawks entered the windows of their keep and landed beside Lady Avyanna.
The Orc Chieftain waved her hand, and several crystals floated in her direction. These crystals then transformed into projections, and soon, several men and women appeared inside their meeting room.
"We have received your news of the Haca Dynasty's movement, and we will send reinforcements, but I'm afraid the aid we can give you is very limited," a lady with jet-black hair, wearing a black robe said with a bitter smile. "The Zulia Empire in the North, and the Lathia Kingdom in the North East have also mobilized their army to invade our lands.
"It seems that all of them have collaborated to do a three-pronged attack in order to split our forces, preventing us from mounting a concentrated defense on one side."
Lady Avyanna's face became extremely pale after hearing the words of the Scarlet Witch, who was the leader of the Witches of Moonbright.
"The Druids from the Forest of the Beginnings have all moved to the North East in order to support the Templars of Cassemere in battle," a middle-aged man with sharp features said. "They brought an army numbering over five million. Because of this, the Guardian of the Forest, the Elemental Tempest will be joining the battle to assist us in defending our lands. I'm afraid that we can't send any help to the Blackrock Clan at this point in time."
It was then when a beautiful lady with green hair, and leaves covering her body spoke.
"The Dryads of Easthaven have started to mobilize and travel towards the Blackrock Clan's territory," the Dryad Queen said softly. "Our kind doesn't specialize in warfare, but we will do our best to help with the defense of your territories, as well as healing your wounded soldiers.
"However, since we are also supporting the other Pillars in their defense, we can only send over twenty thousand Dryads. I'm afraid that this is the best that we can do, we are simply stretched too thin at the moment"
Lady Avyanna gave the Dryad Queen a grateful bow. The Dryads could only fight in places with lush forests and greenery. Although the Blackrock Clan's valley was very rich in flora and fauna, it was still nothing compared to East Haven, which was the hometurf of the Dryads.
Suddenly, a creature with humanoid features, and blue skin spoke to tell his good friend some bad news.
"Avyanna, I'm sorry but the Djinns of Valefor will not be able to offer you our assistance. "We are facing the Zulia Empire, who have also mobilized over five million troops. The Harpies of Airedale will assist us in battle, and even then, we will be hard pressed on defending our lands. Because of this, I cannot help you, my dear friend, Avyanna."
The Orc Chieftain sighed as she gave her old friend a bitter smile.
"These are difficult times, Xepan," Lady Avyanna replied. "I know that everyone has their difficulties, and I understand that you will not be able to send us reinforcements. But, know this, the Blackrock Clan is facing an unprecedented army that numbers over ten million. I'm afraid that even with the help of the Dryads of East Haven we will not be able to hold them back for long."
All the rulers of the Pillars of the Wanid Kingdom cried out in alarm after hearing the Orc Chieftain's words.
"T-Ten million?!" The Scarlet Witch covered her lips with her delicate hand as she looked at Lady Avyanna in disbelief.
The expression of the other Heads of the different Pillars' also became grim after hearing the number of troops that the Haca Dynasty had mobilized to conquer their lands.
"Dammit!" Xepan, the head of the Djinns cursed. "How despicable! They really intend to wipe us off the map of the Arondight Territory!"
"This… is really bad news," the Champion of the Templars of Cassemere said through gritted teeth.
Although he and the other Pillars sometimes had conflicts with each other, none of them wanted one of the Pillars to be completely extinguished because they represented the stability of the Wanid Kingdom.
Now that the Blackrock Clan was facing an army, whose numbers were almost twice of what they were facing, all of them understood how dire the Blackrock Clan's situation really was.
"Can you hold them off?" the middle-aged man who was the Patriarch of the Druids of the Forest of Beginnings asked.
Lady Avyanna shook her head. "We might be able to delay their advance, but we can't hold them off. Our only chance of winning is if those ambitious clans, and families that were greedily eyeing our positions in the past, will extend their hand to help us. Aside from that, I'm afraid that our Western Borders will fall to the Haca Dynasty."
The Pillars of the Wanid Kingdom all quieted down as they digested the information that Lady Avyanna shared with them.
"I will send my representatives to talk to them," the Champion of the Templars of Cassemere said. "If they don't lend their aid then…"
The Champion's eyes glinted with killing intent, which all of his peers saw clearly.
Although all of the Pillars were strong, they all agreed that the strongest fighter in the Wanid Kingdom was the Champion of the Templars, whom even Barca couldn't defeat in a one-on-one battle.
"We will defend for as long as we can," Lady Avyanna said in a firm voice as he pressed her hands together. "So, use this time to send as many reinforcements to the West as possible. May the Spirits of the Wanid Kingdom watch over all of you."
The other Pillars also pressed their hands together as they repeated the custom of their Kingdom.
"""May the Spirits of the Wanid Kingdom watch over all of you."""
One by one, the projections disappeared, and the Spirit hawks screeched as the crystals returned to their possessions. They then soared out the window, and flew under the cover of darkness.
War had come, attacking them from all sides, and the only thing they could hope for was that they would be able to weather the storm that was about to make landfall on their kingdom.
Chapter 600 Accept Your Fate, Monsters! [Part 1]
"It seems that aside from the Dryads from East Haven, we are on our own," Lady Avyanna said softly as she looked down on the map on the table.
Barca, and the other Orc Warlords, also looked at the Map with critical eyes. This was a map that shows the entirety of the Western Region of the Wanid Kingdom.
They were now all looking for possible ambush points that they could use in order to thin out the Human army, as soon as their Fortress fell.
Yes, the Orcs were now planning how to decrease the manpower of their enemy as they made a strategic retreat deeper into the Wanid Kingdom.
"As expected, our last stand will be in our Capital City," Barca said as he rubbed his chin. "If it is going to fall, we will make them pay a heavy price for it."
"They will pay a very dear price for it!" Oreg said as he gnashed his teeth in anger.
Tanabur sighed as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I guess we should start preparing our plan for retreat after testing the abilities of our enemies. At the very least, we should kill several thousands of them before we abandon this fortress, right?"
Mogazar nodded his head. "Leave it to me."
As the Orc Warlord that specialized in long range attacks, Mogazar was confident that he could kill many enemies as soon as the battle started.
Baronar, whose main role in the upcoming battle was to help maintain the magical shield of the Fortress, closed his eyes as if he was forming a strategy inside his head.
The atmosphere inside the room was stifling, but Lux simply listened, and watched the reactions of the Orc Warlords as they discussed their strategy.
In the end, the meeting ended with all of them agreeing on using the Fortress as a way to better understand their opponents, which Lux thought was the best thing that they could do at the moment.
Although their enemies had the advantage in numbers, it would not be easy for them to scale the Orc Fortress, now that their strongest warriors were present.
—------
To their surprise, the Haca Dynasty's Army didn't launch an attack on the next day, or the day after that.
Even so, the Orcs remained vigilant as they observed the greatest threat that they had ever faced in their lifetime.
Finally on the third day, Mogazar noticed several war machines moving within their enemy's formation. This was the first time he was seeing such weapons of war, and he deemed that these weapons had arrived just a few hours ago.
'Is this why they didn't attack us right away?' Mogazar thought as he took one arrow from his quiver and nocked it on his bow. 'I better destroy them while I still can.'
Pulling back the string of his bow to the fullest, the Orc Hunter eyed one of the War Machines that were slowly making their way at the front of the enemy's army.
After making sure that his aim was true, the Orc Hunter released his arrow, creating a whistling sound.
Suddenly, the Commander of the Vanguard Army, Ronan, jumped up in the air and blocked the speeding arrow with a golden shield.
A metallic ring resounded in the surroundings as the metallic point of the arrow collided with the shield.
Ronan was blown away by the impact, but he was able to regain his balance mid-air before landing harmlessly on a floating silver shield that materialized out of nowhere.
Mogazar snorted, as he took three arrows from his quiver and nocked them on his bow simultaneously. A moment later, he unleashed these arrows, targeting three war machines that were out of Ronan's reach.
Unfortunately, just like what happened earlier. Several High-Rankers blocked his attack, preventing them from destroying their weapons of war.
Unfazed by his setbacks, Mogazar then chanted a few Orcish words, making a magical arrow appear in his hands.
He planned to use his strongest Area-Wide attack, which he was sure would devastate his enemies, who was preventing him from destroying their War Machines.
"Raining stars from the heavens above, Hit your mark now!" Mogazar channeled his magical energy as he shot his arrow high towards the sky.
"Starfall Mirage!"
The magical arrow exploded in the sky, and created countless rays of light that descended upon the Haca Dynasty's army.
The thousands or Rankers mobilized in order to block all the attacks, but the attack covered a very wide area, which made it impossible to block the attack completely.
Because of this, dozens of Rankers prioritized protecting their Magical Cannons, which they had prepared just for this battle.
The corner of Mogazar's lips curled up into a smile as hundreds of Human soldiers were annihilated by his strongest attack.
His only regret was that he was unable to destroy a single War Machine because the Rankers guarded them all with their lives.
Garret, who stood at the very center of the Human Army's formation, raised his hand.
One of his aides then issued an order, and several soldiers started to blow the horns they were carrying.
"Show these monsters that in the face of humanity, their only option is to submit," Garret stated as all the Magical Cannons started to gather energy.
Mogazar, who was standing on top of the Ramparts became alarmed because the Magical Cannons were still a mile away from their fortress.
No one, aside from him, had the ability to attack their enemy from this distance, and it made him realize why the Rankers prioritized defending their War Machines instead of their soldiers.
"Bastards!" Mogazar hatefully roared as a silhouette of bow and arrow appeared above his head.
If Starfall Mirage was his strongest AOE attack, he was about to unleash his strongest, single-target attack that would obliterate anything it hit.
"It's useless," Garret sneered as he saw Mogazar gather magical energy in order to power up the arrow in his hand. "Accept your fate, Monsters!"
The twenty Magical Canons of the Haca Dynasty all fired at the same time.
Mogazar's eyes became bloodshot as he unleashed his strongest attack in order to destroy one of the cannons, as well as kill as many soldiers as possible.
The Orc Hunter's arrow met the magical cannon ball mid-air and instantly obliterated it. It then continued its trajectory towards one of the Magical Cannons at the speed of sound.
Due to how fast it was, the Rankers failed to react in time, and the arrow hit the Magical Canon destroying it completely.
Mogazar's attack was so strong, that the explosion also killed the soldiers that were manning the cannon.
At that exact moment, the remaining 19 Magical Cannonballs collided with Baronar's barrier.
Before the Orc Hunter could even celebrate his success in destroying one of their enemy's weapon of war, the barrier protecting their Fortress cracked, which made Mogazar's body stiffen.
"Burst Fire!" Garret ordered, and the nineteen cannons fired another one of its magical cannonballs. However, instead of firing just once, the magical cannons fired twice in quick succession before the Beast Core that powered the artifact shattered into several fragments.
The moment the second batch of cannonballs hit Baronar's Barrier, the sound of countless crystal glasses breaking at the same time spread in the surroundings, which made Mogazar hastily order all Orc Hunters to jump off the ramparts to save their lives.
A moment later, the ramparts exploded as the third volley of Magical Cannonballs hit their targets, and destroyed a large chunk of the defensive walls, making Baronar, and the Orc Shamans who were maintaining the barrier, cough out blood due to the backlash they received from the enemy's bombardment.