"The lizardmen have arrived."
From their vantage point atop the cliff, Ogerpon and the others spotted the lizardmen's figures.
"They've walked right into the burial ground prepared by the orcs."
Hakurou's hand, stroking his beard, paused briefly. After a moment of hesitation, he steadied his emotions. "Let's keep things measured."
With a swish, a vertical eye appeared on Hakurou's forehead.
The Heavenly Eye, one of Hakurou's Extra Skills, granted super-speed cognition, appraisal, and the ability to pierce through illusions.
"The main force numbers 8,000, gathered around Gabiru."
"Those must be his loyalists."
Hakurou's gaze cut through the fog and darkness, landing on the straggling lizardmen at the rear. "The rest, around 20,000, are mostly poorly equipped."
"I see."
Hakurou continued, "Though Gabiru succeeded in his rebellion, he clearly hasn't earned his people's respect."
"The 8,000-strong main force doesn't need to be spared."
"As for the rest…"
Hakurou paused, his voice heavy. "I only hope our lord can quell his anger with this…"
"Bo-ne?"
"My apologies, Lady Ogerpon."
Hakurou chuckled. "Old age makes one sentimental."
"I've got a clear read on the situation."
Hakurou marked the targets for elimination for Ogerpon. "Once these 8,000 are mostly wiped out, you and Shion can move in."
As for how many of the remaining 20,000 lizardmen would survive?
That wasn't Hakurou's concern.
"Hakurou, you're too soft."
In Shion's view, at least two-thirds of the lizardmen here should die!
"Shion…"
Hakurou gave her a teasing look. "Who's the one Lord Damien appointed as overseer, hmm?"
"You!!"
"You old geezer!!"
"Hahaha…"
Ignoring Shion's indignant outburst, Hakurou laughed, stroking his beard.
They weren't worried about their voices being overheard.
With their strength, setting up a few magic barriers was effortless.
"They're here?"
In the wetlands, Gelmud received Gabiru's message. Suppressing his excitement, he quickly rendezvoused with him.
"Gabiru!"
"Lord Gelmud!"
Gabiru stepped forward and bowed. "As per your orders, I've brought most of my people here!"
"Ah, good, very good."
"You've done well, Gabiru!"
Gelmud patted Gabiru's head as one might praise a pet. "My investment of magicules in naming you wasn't wasted."
"Then…"
Gabiru asked, "What's our next step, Lord Gelmud?"
"Next step?"
"Heh…"
As Gelmud let out a mocking chuckle, a massive explosion echoed from the mountain pass they had entered.
"What?!"
Gabiru and the lizardmen turned to look back.
But the thick fog obscured everything, and they could only vaguely hear reports from the rear that the pass had been destroyed.
"Lord Gelmud?"
But it wasn't Gelmud who answered Gabiru's confusion.
Thud, thud, thud, thud…
With earth-shaking footsteps, a massive figure emerged from the fog.
Clad in full plate armor and wielding a great axe, the nearly four-meter-tall figure swung down at the unprepared Gabiru with mountain-cleaving force.
"What?!"
Gabiru hastily raised his trident to block.
But the terrifying strength that followed sent him flying.
"Ah!"
"Gabiru-sama!"
"Help!!"
The next moment, the figure tore through the lizardmen around Gabiru like a force of nature, cutting them down.
The sudden chaos threw the unaware lizardman army into disarray.
"Cough, cough…"
Gabiru struggled to his feet, staring at the rampaging figure. "How is this possible? A Orc Lord?"
The Orc Lord, an A-rank monster second only to the Ord Disaster.
Its strength was enough to match Gabiru one-on-one.
But now…
Seeing four or five Orc Lords appear in the fog, Gabiru's heart trembled.
And it wasn't over!
Rumble…
From silence to a full-speed charge, it happened so fast that Gabiru and the lizardmen couldn't react.
A black tide of orcs surged from the west, instantly engulfing the 8,000 elite lizardmen at the front.
"Why?!"
Trembling at the sight, Gabiru cried out, "Lord Gelmud! Why are you doing this?"
Even as foolish and arrogant as he was, Gabiru realized the lizardmen had been ambushed.
And considering it was Gelmud who had directed them to camp here, the truth was clear.
"How pathetic, Gabiru."
Gelmud's voice came from above. Gabiru looked up to see the bird-masked majin looking down at the slaughter below.
"You still don't get it?"
No longer hiding his true intentions, Gelmud declared, "You're sacrifices!"
"Sacrifices?"
"For my king, to devour all, to trample all!"
Suddenly, the orcs stopped chasing the fleeing lizardmen and began devouring the corpses of the fallen.
"What?!"
The surreal scene stunned countless lizardmen.
"They're… eating us…"
Not only that, as enough lizardmen were consumed, fine scales began to form on the orcs' bodies.
"Those are our lizardman scales!"
"How is this happening?"
"They've stolen our abilities!"
Soon, the lizardmen lost their last advantage... their wetland-adapted, armor-like defensive scales.
This was the power of the Ord Lord's Starved.
Any orc that consumed prey had a chance to gain its innate abilities.
And those abilities were shared with all orcs!
"Gabiru-sama!"
"Gabiru-sama, where are you?"
"Save us, Gabiru-sama…"
Wails of anguish came from his once-familiar comrades, and Gabiru's breathing grew ragged.
"Ah!!!"
Gripping his trident, he manipulated water currents to attack the surrounding orcs and ordered a retreat. "Have the rear clear the rubble and escape!"
***
If you want to read up to 50 chapters ahead, don't hesitate to visit our patron: pat reon . com / XElenea (remove space)