The battle was brief, but decisive. With the fall of Quark, the formidable chief of the Kant tribe, their once-fierce resistance crumbled almost instantly.
One hour later...
The Kant tribe was under complete control of Kro and his warriors. What was once a proud and defiant people were now captives. Dozens of Kro's silver-maned warriors, fully armed and battle-worn, had marched back into the heart of the Kant settlement, dragging hundreds of confused Kant Beastmen with them.
These warriors, hardened by fire and blood, had expected a longer struggle, but the fight had evaporated as quickly as it had started.
The captured Kant Beastmen, stunned and weary, looked around in disbelief. Less than an hour ago, they had managed to extinguish the raging fire that threatened their northern wheat fields, only to find that in their absence, their tribe had fallen. How could it have happened so swiftly?
The Conquests Continue...
Silvermane's triumph over the Kant tribe was just the beginning. In the next five or six days, Kro led his forces through more than ten similar small-scale wars, each time sweeping through neighboring tribes with ease. Word of their relentless conquest spread quickly through the surrounding lands, reaching the ears of every chieftain, every tribe large and small.
The once overlooked Silvermane tribe had now become the center of attention, the subject of both fear and envy.
Twenty miles from the Silvermane Tribe...
A force of more than a thousand beastman warriors, clad in full battle armor, marched steadily toward the Silvermane homeland. At the head of this powerful army was Kro, his silver mane flowing like a banner of war. The past week of victories had made him feel unstoppable.
Six or seven small-scale battles had each ended in crushing victories for his warriors, and the thrill of those easy wins still coursed through his veins.
But today, something was off. Kro, usually brimming with confidence, was now fuming. It was the seventh day of their conquest, and for the first time, there was no target in sight. Twice that day, their scouts had led them to tribes that had vanished into thin air, their camps abandoned and silent.
The Thunderbird Air Cavalry had scouted the skies, confirming that any tribe with fewer than 3,000 Beastmen had fled before they could be attacked.
Kro's frustration was mounting when a new order came through from the tribe's chief, Logan: "Return to the Silvermane camp and rest."
An hour later, Kro's army returned, battle-worn but triumphant. As they marched into the Silvermane camp, they were greeted with thunderous applause. Orcs and Beastmen alike crowded the gates, cheering for their warriors, their voices echoing across the plains.
For the first time, the full weight of their accomplishments settled in, the Silvermane tribe had crushed more than a dozen tribes in less than a week. True, these tribes had been small, numbering only one or two thousand Beastmen each, but the sheer speed and intensity of Silvermane's rise had left everyone in awe.
Kro's soldiers could feel the admiration from their people, and the pride in their hearts swelled as they marched through the welcoming throngs, basking in the glory of their conquest.
He pulled out a rough scroll and Lots reading aloud, his voice filled with a mixture of pride and disbelief. "We annexed a total of seventeen Beastman tribes in just a matter of days. Nine of those tribes had fewer than 1,000 Beastmen, five had fewer than 2,000, and three had fewer than 3,000. All in all, we've added 25,367 people to the Silvermane Tribe."
Kro and Bagen exchanged glances, both silently acknowledging the enormity of the accomplishment. The rapid growth of the tribe was far beyond what they had expected.
"Impressive," Kro muttered under his breath.
Begon continued, "As for the chieftains of these tribes, Lord Bagen personally took down a fifth-level chieftain. Out of the sixteen others, four were fifth-level warriors, and the rest were fourth-level. And from those seventeen tribes, we also gained thirty-two fourth-level warriors. Adding that to our existing forces, we now have over seventy fourth-level warriors in the tribe."
The smile on Begon's face widened as he delivered this news, and why wouldn't it? These warriors were not ordinary soldiers. In any tribe, fourth-level warriors held significant authority, often serving as officers or elite fighters.
Even Kro and Bagen, seasoned warriors themselves, couldn't hide their surprise. "More than seventy fourth-level warriors..." Kro said, clearly impressed. "That's remarkable. In most tribes, they would be leaders in their own right."
Logan, however, didn't seem overly impressed. He gave a humble smile and waved his hand dismissively. "It's only natural, given the size we've grown to. After all, the Silvermane Tribe now numbers nearly 50,000 orcs. With such numbers, it's expected to have this many fourth-level warriors. In fact, we're probably still understrength."
His smile faded slightly as he continued, "We did lose several warriors in battle, including six or seven fourth-level warriors from those tribes we annexed. It's unfortunate, but war always has its costs."
His tone shifted, becoming more reflective. "In the chaos of battle, lives are lost. And while it's a pity, we cannot let that stop us. We fight for the survival of our people, and there's no room for hesitation."
Begon nodded solemnly. "Luckily, none of our own fourth-level warriors were killed. A few were seriously injured, but we lost more than ten third-level warriors in the fighting."
The room was quiet for a moment as the reality of the war's toll settled over them. But Lot, ever the practical one, quickly moved on to the next point in his report.
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"Now, to the spoils of war," he said, his tone lighter. "We seized over 15,000 pieces of weapons and armor. Most of the armor is in poor condition, but the weapons will be useful. We also gathered more than 370,000 kilograms of grain, mostly rye and white wheat, along with various other crops."
Kro, who had been listening intently, suddenly spoke up. "Chief, many of the tribes we annexed have large tracts of farmland, and some of the crops are nearly ripe. If we don't harvest them soon, they'll go to waste."
Logan nodded thoughtfully. "That's a good point. We can't let valuable resources slip through our fingers. Have the Thunderbird Air Cavalry scout the farmlands and pinpoint the locations where the crops are ready for harvest. We'll send people to gather everything that's ripe."
Kro grinned at his chief's decisiveness. "Even the smallest bit of meat is still worth the effort," he said, his tone light but meaningful. "Besides, if we don't claim the harvest, smaller tribes nearby might sneak in and take advantage. We can't afford to let them benefit from what's rightfully ours."
Logan smiled at Kro's enthusiasm. "Exactly. We'll act quickly. Let no opportunity slip by us."
As the meeting drew to a close, there was a shared sense of accomplishment in the air. The Silvermane Tribe had grown in power and strength faster than anyone could have predicted, but the path ahead was still fraught with challenges. They had won battles, claimed territory, and seized resources, but they knew the true test was still to come.