chapter 10.1

After the grueling battle that drained their strength and claimed many lives, Oldman took command with a voice full of authority, though his weary eyes reflected deep sorrow.

"Gather our fallen brothers. They deserve their final honor. We leave no one behind."

Despite their wounds and ragged breaths from the prolonged fight, the surviving Outcasts began lifting the bodies of their fallen comrades one by one. Each corpse was carefully collected, separated between novices and veterans, then arranged neatly inside The Wall, awaiting the final rites for those who had fought until their last breath.

Meanwhile, those who still had strength left began clearing the battlefield. The scattered corpses of mutated monsters were piled together, doused in oil, and set ablaze outside The Wall. Flames licked the night sky, casting a horrifying glow mixed with the stench of blood and death. This was not just to erase the traces of battle—but also to prevent the stench from attracting more monsters from the south.

From atop The Wall, Oldman stood in silence, his expression unreadable as he observed the grim scene below. But the weight in his gaze revealed the depth of his grief. This battle had cost them far more than he had anticipated. More than half of the Outcasts from the central headquarter had perished.

The novices suffered the greatest losses. Despite years of training, real battle against mutated monsters was something they could never fully prepare for. Even some veterans had fallen, slain by the unnaturally strong one-headed orge and mutated goblins.

A suffocating silence blanketed The Wall. There were no cheers of victory—only the heavy footsteps of survivors tending to the remnants of war, and the crackling of burning wood mixing with the stench of death in the air.

After ensuring that everything was proceeding as ordered, Oldman descended from the wall and approached Alcard, who stood near the massive corpse of the two-headed orge they had finally brought down. The creature's body was now being drenched in oil, prepared for the cleansing fire along with the other monster remains.

With a heavy voice, Oldman broke the silence. "Alcard, did you manage to retrieve the Folwestian Bloom and Rotrofila Root?"

Alcard, still looking exhausted, his clothes torn and dried blood covering his body, gave a slow nod. "The Bloom is sufficient, but the Root… we didn't gather enough. That thing chased us earlier than expected, and we had no choice but to run."

Oldman's eyes narrowed, tension growing in his expression. He glanced at the massive orge carcass, then back at Alcard.

"This thing chased you all the way from Mount Orcal?" His voice carried suspicion. "That's not normal. They're not supposed to leave their territory."

Alcard simply nodded. "And he wasn't alone. He brought an entire pack of monsters with him. If we had made even the slightest mistake, none of us would have survived."

Oldman took a deep breath, his mind racing to make sense of this strange occurrence. "If a two-headed mutated orge can leave Mount Orcal and lead other monsters in an attack… that means something is happening in the south. Something much bigger than we anticipated."

Alcard had come to the same conclusion. During their journey through the southern forest, an unnatural tension had lingered in the air. The monsters they encountered had been more aggressive, as if driven by an unseen force.

"I felt it too," Alcard admitted, his sharp gaze locking onto Oldman. "Something was off the entire way. And this creature… it didn't behave like a mindless beast. It moved with purpose."

Oldman remained silent for a moment, then swiftly turned and barked an order to the Outcast veterans standing nearby.

"Burn it. Now. We take no risks."

Several Outcasts lit their torches and hurled them onto the orge's body. The flames rapidly consumed the thick flesh, spreading with a roaring blaze. The acrid scent of burning flesh filled the air, merging with the lingering stench of death.

Turning back to Alcard, Oldman placed a heavy hand on his shoulder. "We'll discuss this later. You need rest. But I expect a full report when you're ready."

Alcard gave a brief nod before returning his gaze to the raging fire consuming the two-headed orge.

Deep inside, he knew this was far from over.

This was only the beginning of something much greater—and far more dangerous.

The threat from the south had not ended.

And he could feel it.

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