Praise the Orc! Chapter 124:
Chapter 124 – Decisive Battle (2)
The earth shook as the world tree raised its body . The roots rose from the earth and the branches shook the atmosphere . The orcs stepped backward for the first time at the spectacle . The dark elves forgot their words and gazed blankly at the shocking sight . It was the wrath of the world tree .
“Kuhahahahahat!”
Calmahart laughed like he was enjoying the sight before him . He lifted his axe . The world tree was around the size as a mountain, but he didn’t care at all . Instead, the red energy around his body increased in intensity as he prepared to fight against the world tree .
“The day has come!”
Calmahart was emitting a dark red aura from his whole body . His voice was mixed with an insidious aura . It didn’t seem like Calmahart, but something else in his body .
“I have been waiting for today, Lulenka!”
Calmahart’s voice rang through the battlefield . The world tree waved its branches . The thick trunks moved like the tentacles of a creature . The dark elves and orcs withdrew . It was a fight between Calmahart and the world tree .
Huuuuuuong!
The world tree struck at Calmahart, scattering green energy . The branches caused blasts of winds to blow . The ground shook and debris was scattered . But Calmahart wasn’t in that place . Calmahart avoided all the branches and moved ahead, aiming his double-edged axe towards the body of the world tree . The bark of the tree was broken and the interior was revealed .
“Kuhahahahahat!”
Calmahart went after the rest of the world tree, which would tear every time the double-edged axe hit it . The world tree mourned . Just like a woodcutter, Calmahart hit the world tree with its double-edged axe .
The world tree angrily waved its branches . This time, Calmahart was unable to dodge and was hit .
Kwaaaaang!
His body was thrown and he slammed into the ground . He was in shock for a while . However, Calmahart rose again and wildly rushed the world tree again like he couldn’t feel any pain . The world tree tried to stop him several times, but Calmahart just received the blows with his double-edged axe . The branches were cut and sap flowed down .
“Kuaaahhhh!”
Calmahart roared .
Once again, the world tree and Calmahart confronted each other . The fight of transcendent beings!
The dark elves and orcs recovered from the sight and started to fight again . The battle of the world tree and the great chieftain . The melee between orcs and dark elves . Bodies piled on top of each other .
Crockta felt lost in the middle of this scenery . There were no more orcs running towards him . There were countless orc bodies around him . He turned his body . Orcs and dark elves wielded their weapons . Sometimes arrows flew . The arrows of the dark elves pierced the orcs while their weapons pierced other dark elves .
The chaos continued .
He could see the exhausted Tiyo in the distance . He was leaning against Anor due to the aftermath of General’s rampage . A weary face . It was the same for Anor . The necromancer was active in raising bodies but there was a limit to the power . Right now, he could only raise a handful of bodies to keep the nearby orcs in check .
Crockta shifted his foot .
He saw the dead among the dark elves . There were some familiar and unfamiliar faces . The guard he met at Spinoa, the captain those name he discovered in Nameragon . A dark elf with only one eye was grieving as he looked at a corpse on the battlefield .
Such a tragedy was continuing .
Suddenly, he found a familiar face . Crockta fell to his knees .
It was Caska . Her eyes stared at the distant sky without seeing anything, her stomach torn apart . All animation was drained from her body, making her seem like a doll . She always smiled like she was provoking him, and he never knew if her confession was a joke or not . Crockta forced this feeling down .
He couldn’t wallow in sentimentality on the battlefield . Crockta looked at her with burning eyes . She still had a tight grip on her bow . He laid her hand on her chest and closed her eyes .
He got up . He found Radet facing an orc with his **** sword . Crockta ran towards him . Just before Crockta arrived, the orc’s halberd broke one of his wrists and his hand flew through the air . Radet winced as blood flowed . The orc’s halberd didn’t stop and headed towards his neck .
Crockta ran and attacked the orc . Ogre Slayer pierced the orc’s body . The orc had moderate skills and survived Crockta’s attack, but lost his balance and fell down . Crockta’s greatsword descended towards his head .
There was no resistance . The opponent died without a sound . Radet grabbed the hand that he lost and gazed at Crockta . Crockta patted his shoulder instead of talking . The dark elves in charge of medical tasks ran to Radet .
Crockta passed through them and headed for Calmahart, who was fighting the world tree . He needed to cut Calmahart down . The world tree wielded its branches and struck Calmahart . Calmahart struck them . Every time the axe cut one of the branches, the sap dripped out .
Calmahart gradually became more overwhelming . The movements of the world tree became dull and more branches were cut off by Calmahart’s axe . The evil red energy springing from Calmahart’s body seemed to shatter the green vigor of the world tree .
“Crockta . ”
Caburak approached him and said, “Calmahart is strange . ”
Crockta turned to him and Caburak continued, “The spirit has taken over, with the help of Calmahart’s **** for power, and the spirit’s power has become his power . That is no longer Calmahart, it is just a devil wearing the mask of an orc . ”
Crockta nodded . He could feel it . He had felt it as Calmahart emitted a terrifying power . Behind him, there was always an unknown shaman .
Caburak stared at Crockta and said, “He will destroy the north . ”
“Yes, if it continues like this . ”
Crockta didn’t take his eyes of Calmahart . Calmahart was laughing madly as he aimed his axe at the mighty body of the world tree . Every time his axe moved, the surface of the world tree would burst . He would trample on everything himself .
“Yes, if this continues . Kyulkyulkyul . ” Caburak laughed, “Crockta . ”
“Caburak . ”
“Will we act?”
“Of course . ”
Caburak laughed and then led the way . “Then let’s go . ”
He didn’t know what Caburak, who lost his power, was capable of doing, but his back was resolute . Crockta followed him .
Calmahart continued to strike the world tree without being aware of the existence of Crockta and Caburak . Calmahart was on the offensive against the world tree . However, eventually, the world tree was damaged by the double-edged axe . The battle against the world tree was dominated by Calmahart’s power . In the first place, the nature of their powers was different .
Calmahart’s strength was the power of destruction .
“Get started . ”
Caburak started to chant a spell . He didn’t have much magic power left . But the atmosphere changed . Crockta’s eyes widened . It was obvious that magic power he shouldn’t have was continuously emerging .
“Caburak!”
Crockta realized something . Caburak was casting the magic with his remaining life force .
“The more you use your magic power…!”
Caburak grinned instead of answering . Crockta was silent . He couldn’t stop Caburak . It wasn’t just Caburak, Crockta himself would risk his life . In order to stop Calmahart, everyone had to put everything on the line .
This fight could only end in someone’s destruction .
Within a short period of time, Caburak’s mysterious magic power tangled up with the world tree . Calmahart’s gaze turned towards him . The presence inside Calmahart had finally noticed them . His expression changed upon finding Caburak .
“You──────!”
Caburak’s magic wound around Calmahart . Then it started to push at his red energy . The broken cross pattern flashed on Calmahart’s forehead . As if separating the two of them, the shape of the being inside Calmahart’s body started to rise above his head . It twisted and resisted the magic .
“Impossible──────!”
Crockta watched carefully .
The strange image of a demon was above Calmahart . This was a true darkness . The image of an ugly demon in the darkness . The captured demon glared at Caburak and Crockta . As if trying to be separated from Caburak’s power, the form repeatedly overlapped on Calmahart . It was like an out of focus blue as two shapes overlapped over one .
Caburak shouted, “We meet again!”
“Kuaaaah!”
“You are neither Calmahart or an orc!”
Calmahart grabbed his head . Caburak’s magic drove him .
“Reveal your identity!”
“Kuaaah!”
“Who are you?”
“I…!”
Calmahart’s eyes turned red . At the same time, the illusion of the demon above Calmahart disappeared . It became quiet . At the sudden situation, both the dark elves and orcs stopped fighting and watched Calmahart .
Calmahart stood tall and said, “I am a tribulation . ”
He took one step . The world tree, which had already been struck again and again by the axe, spilled its sap . The branches tried to attack him but when Calmahart raised his axe, it paused and stopped .
Calmahart laughed as he looked at Caburak and Crockta . Now the being had completely taken over Calmahart’s flesh .
“I am the one who makes the world starve, the one who cleanses the world with screams, the nightmares you have made yourself, the tribulation . ”
“The greedy and stupid Calmahart has accepted me; and with his body, I will fill this world with endless tribulation . ”
“I will kill you, remove the foolish Lulenka and drive the continent back into the flames of endless war . ”
“Scream . I am here to help you do that . ”
He held his axe . There was already a lot of fatigue .
“Now, kill . Orcs, follow me and throw the world into chaos . Repeat the endless tribulations . ”
Caburak flopped down . His hair had turned white . He had exhausted all his strength . Then he said, “Crockta . Stop the orcs . I know that it is huge…”
The war was already lost . There were many more orcs standing than dark elves . The dark elves were barely holding on, and if the fight continued, only the orcs would be left standing . It was flowing according to the will of the demonic existence .
Crockta looked around at the orcs . The orcs were perplexed by Calmahart’s strange attitude .
“Drop the futile hope . Crockta . ”
Calmahart approached . Crockta hurriedly retreated . Calmahart looked down at him with the axe on his shoulder . The image of the demon seemed to be reflected in Calmahart’s ugly face .
“The orcs follow the great chieftain . ”
As the wickedness in Calmahart’s eyes exploded, the red power around the orcs strengthened . The orcs growled . The madness that longed for blood was spreading once again . It wasn’t a normal appearance .
Calmahart roared loudly . The orcs raised their weapons and responded to him, “The great chieftain Calmahart commands you──────!”
Calmahart pointed to Crockta and Caburak as he commanded, “Kill those bastards!”
The orcs encircled them slowly . The dark elves no longer had the power to fight back . All support troops were killed or wounded . It was the orcs’ victory .
“Kuoh…”
Caburak closed his eyes . Calmahart’s true colors might’ve been revealed, but the orcs still didn’t give up their allegiance to him . To the orcs, the command of the great chieftain was absolute . Right now, their loyalty to the great chieftain was combined with the demon’s madness . No matter Calmahart’s identity, his commands were the top priority .
“There is no way,” Crockta muttered .
He couldn’t see a path . Calmahart was a monster and defeated the world tree . The dark elves were mostly wiped out . Strength and numbers, everything was lacking . The north would soon fall into the hands of the demon .
“It is up to here . ”
He couldn’t always win in wars . This was an extremely unfavorable war they had struggled to win, but there was nothing more he could do .
At that moment .
“Everyone stop──────!”
An orc from the Great Clan walked out . All eyes turned to him .
He lifted his axe towards Calmahart .
***
Surka couldn’t believe his eyes when the image of the demon appeared above the great chieftain’s body .
That was Calmahart . There was something above Calmahart’s head . It called itself the tribulation .
All his uneasy feelings and suspicions so far were true . One of the countless gods in the world, but it was one of the old villains that had been buried long ago and whose origins had been forgotten .
“Kill those bastards!”
The great chieftain commanded . He started moving . The Great Clan followed the great chieftain . It was a law that had kept for a long time .
At the same time, the red aura covered Surka’s head so that he could no longer think clearly . The combat instincts, the craving for blood and violence filled his head . He wanted to kill the enemy and drink their blood .
Surka desperately resisted . This was a battle between the fate of the north and the northern orcs . He had to stop this . He was the son of a great warrior, Shiktulla of the Steel Axe Tribe .
‘Where is your honor as a warrior?’
He remembered Crockta’s words that caused him to feel a thrill .
Honor . They had honor . But the demon was covering the eyes of the northern orcs .
Surka stepped forward and shouted with all his power, “Everyone stop──────!”
The orcs stopped for a moment, multiple red eyes turning towards him .
He couldn’t help laughing . It was a strange thing .
When he followed the words of the great chieftain, he kept doubting himself . Even though all the orcs of the Great Clan did the same thing, his mind continued to shake like they were making a terrible mistake .
Now he was going against the great chieftain and putting himself in danger . A strange confidence filled his mind . This wasn’t wrong, even if he ended up dying . He would never be ashamed . It was an emotion he hadn’t felt for a long time .
Self pride . He had confidence in his decisions . As he thought this, the madness disturbing his head faded .
Surka said to Calmahart . “I no longer recognize you as the great chieftain . ”
Calmahart laughed, “Surka, my stupid child . It doesn’t matter if one of you disappears . ”
“Don’t call yourself my father when you have already sold your soul! My father was a real warrior!”
Surka raised his axe and ran towards Calmahart . He used all his power . However, he was thrown back by Calmahart . It was the overwhelming power difference . Surka rolled to the ground . He barely managed to get up . It might be a single blow but the insides of his body were shaking and blood emerged from his mouth .
“That’s enough . ”
A monster . He looked around . The orcs of the Great Clan were still looking at him with red eyes filled with madness .
There was only one way to save them all . And it was something that he couldn’t do . Surka looked at Crockta .
“Crockta . ”
Surka had watched him from a distance, but this was the first time facing him directly . Crockta’s eyes turned to him . An orc with full body tattoos, a red headband, and a greatsword . An honorable warrior from the continent .
Surka called him over . Crockta narrowed his eyes and approached . Surka whispered to him .
“……”
Crockta’s eyes grew bigger as he heard Surka’s words . He looked down at Surka .
“Really . ” Surka smiled and spat out blood . “Crockta, we are orcs . ”
“……”
“The great chieftain has fallen to the wicked god, but we have our honor . We won’t forget our roots just because of the evil energy . It is true for all the orcs here . ”
Surka’s eyes shone .
“We will remember this much . ”
As Surka and Crockta talked, Calmahart raised a hand, as if he didn’t like it . It was an order for the orcs to exterminate them .
“Crockta . ”
Surka grinned . Then he grabbed Crockta’s arm .
“Please, save us . ”
Crockta nodded . Then he looked at the great chieftain . It was an intense gaze .
Calmahart laughed in an insulting manner . “Kuhuhu, the ones who will soon die are having a conversation among themselves . Watch the world fall into tribulations . ”
“Calmahart . ” Crockta ignored his taunts and raised his greatsword . “I came from Orcrox on the continent . ”
Calmahart cocked his head at Crockta’s words .
“What nonsense is this…?”
But that didn’t stop Crockta .
“My teacher is the great warrior Lenox . He taught me the laws of a warrior . I believe in that and won’t run away from a fight, even if it means my death . I know that honor is greater than death . ”
Crockta’s voice rang through the battlefield . He aimed the tip of Ogre Slayer at Calmahart’s heart .
“I am an orc, a warrior . ”
Calmahart’s face stiffened as he realized the situation . The most important law of the northern orcs . The sacred duel that no one could interfere with .
“My name is Crockta . ”
Killing intent flashed in Crockta’s eyes .
“Calmahart, I challenge you to the position of great chieftain . ”