The Record of Orc Civilization

Chapter 475: The Vow of the Ku

"WHY DIDN’T YOU STOP THEM?! THIS IS A STUPID DECISION! THIS IS NOTHING SHORT OF SUICIDE!!" Boku roared. His voice, saturated with fury, thundered through every corner of the meeting hall.

Ez met Boku’s overflowing rage with a calm gaze. He knew exactly what the Asura was feeling. Not a single word from that outburst came from a place of logic; it was born of a raw, bleeding heart. The reason Boku was incensed was that Goku and the other Elders had gone to fight without waiting for his arrival. Yet, the moment he had intended to chase after them, not a single monster in the room had granted him permission. Now, he was venting all that frustration upon them.

"Boku, calm yourself. This is no time for sentimentality. You know the danger drawing near. We need your level head," Nevare’s voice came out hoarse.

The Progenitor Queen stared at the Asura with narrowed eyes. Everyone in this room knew that Goku and the Elders had marched to intercept Furfur’s legion fully prepared to die. Every monster mourned, yet none dared to say that Goku’s decision was wrong.

Perhaps there were better options, but at this moment, Goku’s instinct—the sacrifice of his life to buy them time—had to be honored. Boku’s words just now felt like spitting upon that sacred sacrifice.

Boku fell silent, his teeth clamped tight. His fists were clenched so hard that his nails bit into his palms, drawing blood. He realized this was not the time to point fingers, but he was powerless to dam the river of sorrow in his heart. For an Asura, death was merely a gate to the next world to reunite with old friends. However, losing brothers who had been by his side since the very dawn of their existence was a wound far too deep.

Ez took a long breath. "For now, our primary focus is the construction of defenses. We must withstand the onslaught of Furfur’s army until Moku emerges from his cultivation."

"I will lead the Valkyrie forces to protect the northern gate," Nevare declared firmly.

After successfully neutralizing Heles City, Nevare and her vanguard of valkyries were deployed to occupy the Old Battlefield, specifically at the boundary lines separating human territory from the elven nation. Their primary mission there was to maintain a state of absolute vigilance in case the elven forces launched a surprise assault, while simultaneously operating as a scavenger unit to harvest the corpses of human and demon warriors who fell in battle.

Although the dangers they bore were considerable, the risk was certainly far less lethal than facing the main armies of the human or demon factions head-on. The tactic they employed was simple enough: slip in, lie low until the bloody clash between the two factions subsided, and then move with lightning speed to seize all the corpses strewn across the ground.

The greatest risk in this mission actually stemmed from the human mages, who frequently flew into a blind rage and lost all semblance of sanity upon witnessing the bodies of their comrades or kin being plundered. On the other hand, although the demons lacked the emotional attachments of humans, those monsters remained inherently savage and refused to stand by while their "food" was forcibly snatched away.

Consequently, Nevare’s forces often had to weather the residual fury and onslaughts from both sides. Even so, every valkyrie warrior serving under Nevare’s command possessed a combat strength equivalent to a Level 5 Constellation Mage or higher. Thanks to this overwhelming dominance, casualties on their side were exceedingly rare.

In addition to the scarcity of lethal combat, there was another strict regulation binding them: the valkyries were required to immediately withdraw and return to the capital the moment their husbands returned from the front lines.

The combination of minimal threats and this mandatory withdrawal policy left Nevare deeply unsatisfied throughout the course of the war. She clicked her tongue in boredom; the last time she had truly been able to quench her bloodlust and revel in a worthy fight was during the battle to seize Heles City.

However, Ez immediately shook his head. "The Valkyries must not be the vanguard in this battle. Our goal is to endure and buy time. The Valkyries are vital for the kingdom’s restoration once this war ends. If too many of them fall, the kingdom will be crippled. The Valkyries must remain at the rear, in a secure position!"

"But—" Nevare tried to argue, but stopped short as her logic conceded to the truth of Ez’s words.

"Then, in your opinion, what strategy should we employ?" Mige asked.

Ez offered a bitter smile. "I do not know. I am not a military commander."

Every eye in the room shifted to Boku. But they found only the disappointment and bitterness still shrouding the Asura.

"BOKU, SNAP OUT OF IT!" Swa screamed. "We need you right now! Do not let Goku and the others’ sacrifice go to waste!"

Boku groaned, rubbing his face so roughly it looked as if he wanted to peel away his own skin. He kept his head bowed, driving Swa to the brink of rage. He rose from his seat, marching furiously toward the grief-stricken Asura.

SLAP!

Swa’s hand landed hard across Boku’s face, the sound echoing through the hall. He screamed directly into Boku’s face.

"BOKU! THIS IS NO TIME TO WALLOW IN GLOOM! WE MUST FORTIFY THE KINGDOM! DO YOU STILL NOT UNDERSTAND THE TASK GOKU ENTRUSTED TO YOU?!"

Boku flinched. His cheek flushed red, and a bit of skin even peeled from the force of Swa’s strike. Struggling to master the ache in his heart, Boku stood and bowed deeply to all the monsters present.

"Forgive me... I have just felt that... Goku has fallen."

The meeting room plunged into an instantaneous, chilling silence. The monsters clenched their fists, closing their eyes to hold back tears that were on the verge of breaking. Suddenly, a vibration of mana was felt from the distance, making the hair on their necks stand on end.

Boku, who had been bowing, now stood straight. He swallowed hard, forcing his mind into focus. That mana vibration was a sign that Furfur’s army was moving closer once again. They had no more time for grief. The defenses hadn’t even begun. They were utterly unprepared.

"Boku... what should we do?" Mige whispered, a sense of despair beginning to take hold.

"We must now exert every ounce of our strength to hold our ground. We have no more time for discussion. Deploy every—"

"You have no need to worry."

The voice did not resonate through their ears; instead, it permeated directly into the center of their consciousness—so calm, yet carrying an undeniable authority. Instantly, the storm of dragon prana and the overflowing emotions in the room froze.

Every pair of eyes turned simultaneously toward the closed doors of the hall. From behind them, the Asura they had been waiting for stepped inside.

Nevare froze, her breath caught in her throat; the sharp glint in her eyes that had been full of anger just moments ago softened into relief laced with longing. The same look appeared in the eyes of Nerphyl and Nedira. Meanwhile, Nezena fought a desperate internal battle to stop herself from cheering out loud and lunging to embrace him.

Boku, his cheek still red from Swa’s slap, looked up slowly. His eyes, bloodshot from grief, now caught sight of that figure, and his fists—which had been clenched until they bled—began to loosen, trembling as his emotions shifted from despair to hope. Swa and Mige’s eyes, previously filled with grey worry, flew wide. A profound relief replaced their anxiety, as if a pillar capable of holding up a falling sky had arrived before them.

Moku walked past them with long, constant strides. He did not run, yet every footfall seemed to sweep away the dark clouds of fear that had been suffocating the room. There were no grand robes trailing behind him, no glittering crown; he wore only simple clothing, yet the majesty radiating from his body made any golden armor seem dull.

Ez, the Prime Minister who was usually the picture of composure, could only exhale a long sigh while wearing a thin smile of immense relief. The heavy burden that had nearly snapped his shoulders seemed to evaporate into thin air.

Without a word, Moku ascended the dais and took his seat upon the throne that had sat empty until now.

The atmosphere became deathly silent—the kind of silence that usually only exists before a great storm hits. Moku leaned back casually, resting against the stone throne while propping his chin on one hand. His sharp eyes stared straight ahead, piercing through the walls of the room, as if he could already see Furfur’s army in the distance.

"We will not be defending, nor will we be building traps," Moku said. His tone was flat, yet it carried an absolute promise of death. "I will lead the counter-offensive personally. I will avenge the deaths of Goku and the Elders."

He paused for a moment, allowing each word to sink into the souls of every monster present.

"Tomorrow, Furfur and every Demon who dares to set foot in our territory will be annihilated. I will ensure that not a single speck of dust remains of their bodies. I swear it!"

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Bonus Chapter Event: Let’s Finish TROC This Year!

It looks like sticking to just one Chapter a day won’t be enough to hit my goal of completing TROC by the end of the year. But here is the good news: I currently have a stockpile of over 20 Chapters locked and loaded!

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