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Tino City had just accomplished the impossible—a giant dragon had been shot down, and its rider captured alive. Yet Gavin Ward knew nothing of it.
At this moment, his focus was elsewhere. He was leading the Ross army forward, their black-booted columns pushing tirelessly across the maps of kingdoms. They had crossed the lands of Lot and Kiswell with startling speed, and now their banners fluttered on the edge of the Beastman Empire's territory.
For the Orc Empire, this was unthinkable.
A mortal army—those they considered weak, pitiful, and beneath contempt—had dared to march brazenly into their homeland.
"Is this… the grassland of the Orc Empire?" Gavin asked quietly, stepping down from his command vehicle.
It was not the kind of grassland he had once seen in the fertile central plains. This land was barren, scarred with cracks. The soil was dry, the grass brittle and colorless, the wind carrying with it the sting of yellow dust. Here, rain was a stranger.
The army marched on, passing through desolate fields until they reached a place where sandstorms blew ceaselessly, stinging their faces.
Gavin narrowed his eyes. The scene reminded him of the deserts of the Middle East from his former life on Earth.
Yes—this explained much. The Orc Empire's relentless raids into human kingdoms had reason. Living in such a wasteland, the orcs had grown harsh and violent. Like nomads from Earth's ancient history, they survived by pillaging richer neighbors.
"This…" Lina whispered, silver eyes shimmering as she gazed out from the carriage window, "…this used to be my hometown."
Her furry ears drooped, and sorrow clung to her voice.
Lina was a half-orc.
Her kind had suffered worse than most. Humans captured them to sell as slaves. The Orc Empire despised them as impure. They were born from atrocities—orc soldiers violating human women during raids—and for that cruel beginning, they were hated by both sides.
The orcs used them as slaves, or worse, traded them to humans for gold.
Lina had grown up in such a half-orc tribe. She had been captured, nearly sold like livestock, before fate delivered her into Gavin's hands.
And Gavin was the first man who had ever treated her as a person. With him, she had found warmth she had never known in her fifteen years of life.
The convoy halted. A short distance away, nestled between hills and a river, lay a small half-orc settlement. Smoke rose from cooking fires. Children ran barefoot in the dust. It was a fragile peace.
"Stop the convoy. We'll rest here," Gavin ordered.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" an officer replied at once.
The Ross army moved like clockwork. Vehicles halted. Soldiers poured out, their steel helmets gleaming, 98Ks slung across their backs, boots striking the earth in unison. Camps sprang up rapidly, tents unfolding, watchtowers being erected, trenches dug.
Lina tugged at Gavin's sleeve, excitement sparking in her eyes.
"Master, wait—this… this is my home!"
"Oh?" Gavin raised an eyebrow.
She pointed eagerly to the river nearby. "I used to catch fish there when I was little! I know this place!"
Gavin's gaze sharpened. If that was true, then the tribe by the river must be half-orcs.
On a hill above, two half-orc teenagers crouched low, spying on the armored soldiers below. Terror drained their faces pale.
"Humans… a human army is here!"
They turned and bolted, running down into their settlement. Their voices cracked with fear as they shouted:
"Humans! Humans are coming!"
Panic rippled through the tribe.
"We just want to live in peace… why must suffering always find us?"
A half-orc girl fell to her knees, despair clouding her face.
"The orcs raid us, the humans enslave us… are we cursed from birth? Do we deserve nothing but misery?"
Their fears hardened into anger.
"Damn it! If humans are here, then we fight!" shouted a youth, his fists clenched. His name was Watt, one of the few brave hearts of the tribe.
"You all know!" Watt roared. "Over the years, humans have plundered our villages, taken our brothers and sisters. Even my own sister Lena was captured two years ago! She was only a child!"
His voice trembled, but his rage gave it strength.
"Are we still going to live every day fearing humiliation? Living like prey for both humans and orcs? No! If we must die, then let us die with dignity!"
The tribe erupted.
"Yes! Watt is right!"
"We cannot outrun knights or cavalry. If death awaits, then let us meet it with weapons in our hands!"
"Let the humans see—half-orcs are not slaves to be trampled!"
Fear turned to fury. The villagers, young and old alike, armed themselves with whatever they could grasp—rusted blades, wooden spears, even farming tools sharpened into crude weapons.
Mothers, fathers, children, all stood together. They numbered more than two thousand. Weak in arms, yet bound by shared desperation.
Under Watt's leadership, the half-orcs rallied and surged toward the Ross encampment, shouting war cries that echoed across the plain.
Back in the camp, Gavin inspected the land. He inhaled deeply.
"Compared to the barren wastes, this region is almost… fertile," he mused. "A good place."
Lina, standing beside him, nodded. "Yes, master. My home is kinder than the rest of the Orc Empire. Here, people only wanted peace…" Her voice faltered, sorrow shadowing her smile.
"What is it? Do you miss your family?" Gavin asked softly.
Her ears twitched. She lowered her head, whispering, "I… I do."
Gavin chuckled gently, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "Then look for them. I give you my permission."
Her eyes widened. "Really?"
Her silver eyes glittered with hope, ears standing upright, tail swishing behind her. For the first time, joy displaced the sadness.
"Of course," Gavin said. "No soldier of mine should live with regrets."
But the moment was broken when an officer hurried over, saluting. His expression was grave.
"Your Majesty… a situation has arisen."
He bent close, whispering in Gavin's ear.
Gavin's expression shifted from calm to curious. His eyes flickered toward Lina, who stared back at him with confusion.
Her furry ears drooped, and she tilted her head, utterly unaware of the storm about to break.