Chapter 860: The Army’s First War (Patreon)

Luke and Charlie left the spectral beast among the trees and walked the rest of the way to the cave. She was back in her Royal Guard uniform, and after a few minutes of waiting at the entrance, a human servant emerged.

“Lady Rukhara is expecting you.”

The servant led them through a tunnel into an enormous cavern, large enough to house an entire mansion. From there, they were shown into a reception room, where Rukhara sat comfortably in an armchair, enjoying a cup of tea.

“You're a hard man to find.”

“Hello, Rukhara.”

“Please, have a seat.”

Luke took the armchair across from her, and another servant appeared to pour him some tea.

“The Orc Lord is dead.”

“So I've heard. Quite the celebration going on.” Rukhara took a sip. “Though I must say, I'm disappointed you didn't wait for me. We were supposed to kill him together.”

“The opportunity came up, so I took it.”

“Of course you did. Still, that calls for a proper celebration. How does dinner sound?”

“Doesn't it bother you that I killed your brother?”

“Why would it? I told you I was going to kill him myself. You knew I wanted him dead. What difference does it make who did it?”

He set his cup aside. “Maybe it does matter. If you'd landed the killing blow, you could've claimed Rokhan's title as Orc Lord.”

Rukhara stopped with her cup halfway to her mouth, though her smile never slipped.

“I'd have preferred that, obviously. But he's dead, and that's what matters. Now there's only Gurgal left.”

Most of the orcs Luke had dealt with in Marlow would've snarled at an accusation like that. Rukhara had barely reacted. Rokhan had probably been every bit as calculating as his sister. As an Ascended Orc, he would've been smarter than most, but intelligence alone wouldn't have kept his followers in line. Luke had commanded enough orcs to know that every so often, they needed a reminder of who was stronger.

“There's something I've been meaning to ask you. What happened to the Royal Guards?”

“They're under my protection.”

“Then I suppose it's only a matter of time before they find the orc heirs. Unless they already have.”

“Who knows?”

“We're allies, Luke. We shouldn't be keeping secrets from each other.”

“Agreed. Speaking of which, you promised to tell me where the teleportation array was once Rokhan was dead. I'm still waiting.”

“That's what I like about you.”

“What?”

“Talking to you is like a sword dance.”

She rang a small bell, and a servant appeared shortly afterward carrying a scroll, which he handed to Luke.

“The array's location is marked on that map,” Rukhara said.

Luke unrolled the scroll and found a remarkably detailed map of the coast, complete with the surrounding forests and mountains.

“You work for Gurgal. So he knows about the array too, doesn't he?”

“Of course. That's where things get complicated.” She pointed to a spot on the map. “He's stationed several of his War Generals there. They won't even let me near the place.”

“I see.”

“We'll need to plan our next move carefully.”

Luke rolled up the map. “So if I take the place, you won't object? Nobody there you'd rather keep alive?”

“Not a single one. Why?”

“Good. Because I've already started.”

“Started what?”

“The attack. My army's moving on the array right now. I only came to let you know.”

Her gaze dropped to the map in his hand. She said nothing. Luke tucked the scroll away, and Charlie moved to follow him.

“Thanks for the tea, Rukhara.”

He headed for the exit without waiting for a response. Angie had found the array long ago. Luke had only needed to keep Rukhara talking while his troops moved into position.

Outside, he summoned the spectral beast and climbed onto its back. “Let's go, Charlie.”

She joined him, and they took off. As the cave disappeared behind them, she glanced back. “That place of hers is weird.”

“Yeah.”

“And she talked about her own brother dying like it was nothing.”

“Didn't seem to bother her.”

“Kobi and Rheera... You don't think they'll end up like her, do you? They don't have parents to raise them.”

“They have the Royal Guards. They won't turn out like her. They've got us, too.”

Charlie looked at him, then gave a small nod. Before long, they spotted a stone fortress on the beach below, its defensive towers crowded with orc soldiers. Luke surveyed the place for a few seconds, then rose to his feet on the spectral beast's back and jumped, leaving Charlie aboard.

He landed in the courtyard, sending the nearest soldiers stumbling backward.

“Human!”

“Intruder! Sound the alarm!”

The soldiers recovered quickly. Some moved to surround Luke while the others hurried to their posts. He let them.

“My name is Luke Moon. You might know me as the Orc Slayer.”

Several orcs backed away. Their officers shouted them back into formation while archers took positions along the walls and warning horns sounded throughout the fortress.

“I've come to claim the teleportation array.”

A massive War General shoved his way through the soldiers. “You think we're just going to hand it over?!”

The general leaped into the air and swung a fist down at Luke's head. Luke didn't move. Storm emerged from his shadow and caught the blow inches from Luke's face. The orc tried to pull away, but she held him fast.

“And who said I was asking?” Luke said.

Storm smashed her warhammer into the orc's face without releasing his fist. She let go as he staggered backward, then activated a skill and lunged after him. Her hammer struck his ribs, doubling him over. The backswing caught him under the jaw, and before he could regain his balance, she drove the weapon into his chest. He fell, but she kept hammering away until his body stopped moving.

She turned toward the surrounding soldiers and raised her bloodied warhammer. “Who's next?!”

More troops poured into the courtyard from every direction, including several War Generals. Within moments, Luke and Storm were completely surrounded.

“Two of you against an army?!” one of the officers shouted.

Luke smiled. “I brought my army too.”

Another set of horns sounded, but these weren't coming from inside the fortress. The soldiers exchanged confused looks. Then they heard the roars.

“Let's see who's stronger.”

He had drawn most of the garrison into the courtyard. By the time the lookouts spotted movement beyond the walls, the first blue-cloaked orcs were already leaping over the battlements. Hundreds more followed.

“FOR OUR LORD!” the orcs roared.

They activated their Berserker skills in midair. Some landed on the towers while others crashed down among the defenders in the courtyard, tearing through their ranks.

“Rokhan's troops?! Reinforcements! Call for reinforcements!” a defender shouted.

Maximoff landed with his two phantom wolves already charging ahead. When one of the defenders tried to reach him, a cloud of plague erupted from his staff and swallowed the orc. Victor was already punching his way through the courtyard, dropping one enemy after another without using any magic.

Near the center of the courtyard, a rank of spearmen managed to halt part of Luke's advance. Their weapons kept his front line at bay, forcing the attackers to give ground. Then flasks of oil sailed over the retreating soldiers and shattered among the spearmen. A volley of arrows followed from the captured walls, igniting in midflight. The oil caught fire, and flames swept through the enemy formation.

As the spearmen scattered, Victor charged into the opening, knocking down anyone who tried to stop him.

Luke left most of the fighting to his orcs, using his telekinesis whenever an enemy threatened to disrupt their advance. When an officer tried to rally a group of scattered spearmen, one of Luke's knives shot across the courtyard and buried itself in the orc's throat. The blade pulled free and flew back toward Luke, leaving the soldiers without anyone to organize them.

“You're killing your own kind for that human?! You should be fighting for Gurgal!” one of the defenders shouted at Storm.

“I SERVE ONLY MY MASTER!”

Her hammer smashed into his face before he could say anything else. She ignored the rank and file whenever she spotted an officer giving orders. She went straight for him, smashing through anyone who got in her way. She caught one of the enemy captains, tore his head off, and devoured part of it before tossing the remains aside. The officers nearby fell silent. Of Luke's five generals, Storm was easily the most ferocious.

Angie was tearing through Gurgal's toughest defenders from above while her lightning clone wreaked havoc among the soldiers below. Behind Luke's advancing orcs, two enormous golden hands towered over the battlefield, palms pressed together in prayer. Light from her [Monument of Radiance] reached all the way to the front line.

Now that's useful.

[Monument of Radiance (Legendary)]: The Cleric of the Radiant Dawn raises two enormous golden hands from the ground, bringing them together in prayer to form a monument of [Light]. Its radiance spreads healing and protection across a vast area. [Greater Healing Circle] continuously restores allies, while [Healer's Analysis] assesses their wounds and guides [Greater Ranged Heal] to where it will do the most good. [Guardian Dome] stabilizes the monument and reinforces its protective field. Its light weakens negative effects and repels undead and other creatures vulnerable to holy mana, burning those that remain within the field.

“For Lord Moon!” one of the orcs shouted, then blew his war horn.

Gurgal's soldiers still landed blows, but the wounds they inflicted on the blue-cloaked orcs closed even as they fought. The attackers kept pushing forward, driving the defenders back across the courtyard. Luke headed for the main building without bothering to draw his kukris.

One defender rushed him from the left but was cut down before getting close. Another came charging down a staircase with his weapon raised, only to run straight into two Moonlight Kingdom figfhters.

A furious roar came from the building ahead, and another War General emerged to block his path. The orc had barely taken a few steps when Angie swooped down and drove her spear through him, pinning him to the ground. The general thrashed against the spear. Logan slashed across his chest while Maximoff bombarded him with mana missiles, and Storm ended the fight with a single blow from her hammer. Luke walked past the body without breaking stride.

Along the captured walls, his archers fired coordinated volleys, picking off defenders who tried to regroup. Some of their arrows ignited in midflight, setting their targets ablaze before the soldiers below could close in. Above the fighting, the [Cloud Tyrant] beat its wings, unleashing violent gusts that sent entire groups of enemies flying.

Soon, he's soldiers held the walls, the courtyard, and every entrance to the fortress. This was the kind of performance Luke had wanted from his army. His orcs still didn't have classes, but those empowered by [Dark Lord's Army] had each gained a soldier skill that made them proficient with a particular type of weapon. With their superior equipment and his generals leading the charge, they'd overwhelmed a force three times their size.

Near the main building, Logan dragged an orc prisoner away from the fighting. With the battle over, wounded soldiers began helping one another across the courtyard. Some carried broken weapons, while others could barely remain on their feet. Bishop was already organizing them.

“Anyone who can still move, help the wounded!”

Not far away, Maximoff raised his staff. “Initiating healing!”

The Shaman summoned a wooden totem that struck the ground and released a translucent dome of green energy, healing the soldiers inside. Luke left the aftermath to his generals and headed toward the Kingdom Core. Storm joined him carrying the Moonlight Kingdom's flag.

“We took the fortress for you, my lord.”

She tore down Gurgal's banner and raised Luke's flag in its place. He approached the Core and rested a hand against its surface.

[Kingdom Core Detected]

[Noble Title Recognized: Dark Lord]

[Would you like to claim the Kingdom Core: Human Continent Array?]

Real creative name.

He selected “Yes,” and two options appeared.

[Method 1: Tyrant’s Claim]

- Kill the current Monarch and seize the Kingdom Core by right of conquest.

- Upon success, the Core will be claimed as yours. All territory, resources, and citizens under its influence will be transferred to your authority.

[Method 2: Assimilation]

- Use [Core Assimilation] to convert the target Kingdom Core into a Vassal Core bound to your primary Core.

- The conquered Core will remain in its original territory and become subordinate to your domain. Its territory, resources, and citizens will contribute to the growth of your primary Core.

- The former Monarch may be integrated into the nobility of your Kingdom Core if they agree to become a Vassal.

Unlike with Marlow's Core, I don't mind taking this one by force.

Luke chose [Tyrant's Claim].

[Begin Kingdom Core Claim Quest?]

He confirmed.

[Quest Started: You have seized another noble's Kingdom Core through Tyrant's Claim. The former owner has up to 100 days to complete a quest to hunt you down. Retain control of this Core until the time limit expires, or kill its former owner to complete the claim.]

The message disappeared, and Luke turned toward the orc Logan had captured earlier. The prisoner lay facedown nearby, pinned beneath the general's boot.

“So you're a Marquis?”

The prisoner growled. “I am...”

“And you're the current owner of this Core?”

“...Yes.”

Luke drew a kukri and stepped closer. “Not anymore.”

He drove the blade into the orc's face.

[You have slain an Orc - Lvl 109]

[+336 Soul Energy absorbed]

The Kingdom Core immediately began to glow.

[Kingdom Core Claim Quest Complete!]

[Transferring authority over territory to Luke Moon...]

[Human Continent Array is now part of the Moonlight Kingdom]

[Citizens: 0]

The fortress was his, but the real prize was still waiting in the tower ahead: the Teleportation Array.

“Time to get back to Maine.”

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