Meanwhile, in a ruined city on the western border.
In the city's central plaza, a grotesque blood altar had been erected, and human women were dragged in one after another, screaming. At the center of that place, where screams, blood, and pleasure mingled and soaked the ground... Gratz sat.
With a massive body easily twice a human's height, a mace stained with black blood slung over his back, he slowly clicked his tongue while gripping a human woman's belly.
"Tsk... weaklings. Is this the tenth one already?"
Just then, a hooded orc approached him. The orc, with a red symbol tattooed on its forearm, knelt and bowed its head.
"Father, the humans have begun to move."
"Hoo...."
Gratz slowly curled the corners of his lips. He brought a thick finger to his lips and muttered.
"So, where are these humans coming from?"
"They are crossing the river, centered around the human who appears to be the highest-ranking, and openly approaching this location."
Gratz slowly rose. With a bone-crushing tremor, he ascended the blood-soaked altar steps and looked up at the sky.
"Hehe, the festival is beginning. My son, prepare the children."
"I will obey your command."
Gratz lifted a trembling human woman, who was tied up in the plaza, with the tip of his foot.
"The humans are coming... I'll need more offspring."
Gratz flicked his blood-red tongue and laughed.
And a week later.
Rodian Barceno's army arrived before the city occupied by Gratz.
A gruesome warning hung atop the massive city walls.
Baron Erdo Schwarz, the city's lord, and his three sons.
Their necks, with spines still attached, were displayed as if hung for exhibition, and beneath their heads, a message was scrawled in blood.
【Welcome. My meat.】
Barceno's expression twisted as he gazed upon the sight.
"How dare... a mere monster..."
Barceno, gritting his teeth, turned to the knight commander standing beside him and spoke.
"The city gates have already fallen. Reorganize the ranks, then unleash a fire attack across the entire city and advance immediately."
A noble, riding a horse beside him, cautiously inquired.
"Perhaps... there might be an ambush laid in advance. How about we scout first?"
"You worry too much. How many years do you think I've fought monsters? Tactics, sieges, ambushes... those are things humans do. Those bastards are creatures loyal only to their instincts. It was like that 30 years ago, 20 years ago, and it's no different now."
Just then, a massive orc appeared atop the city wall.
It was Gratz.
He stood leisurely at the edge of the wall, looking down, his mace slung over his shoulder. A mocking smile spread across his lips.
"Kwahahaha! Can you hear me, humans!"
Gratz's booming voice echoed throughout the entire army, and Barceno's face hardened. A monster was speaking. And in perfect human language.
"An orc... speaking?"
"Impossible... How can a monster...."
Agitation began to spread among the soldiers. Gratz raised his mace high and continued to shout.
"We are no longer the foolish beasts you know! We possess wisdom, strategy, and above all...."
He brought his mace down on the city wall.
-Bang!
A portion of the wall crumbled.
"Power!"
At that moment, orcs and goblins began to appear from various parts of the castle. They were arranged in an orderly fashion, each armed and ready for battle.
"The age of humans is over! Your cities will burn, and all human females will become our broodmares, bearing our young!"
Barceno hardened his face and raised his hand, signaling the entire army.
"A mere orc... it's certainly strange that it can speak..."
He raised his hand.
"Even so, it's still just an orc."
The moment his hand dropped-
"All forces, attack!!"
The first attack began with a fire assault that engulfed the entire city. Following this, the sixty-thousand-strong army simultaneously roared and advanced towards the city walls. Thousands of hooves trampled the earth, and the clash of steel armor and weapons filled the battlefield. A massive cloud of dust obscured the sky, as if the very ground itself trembled in rage.
However, Gratz merely looked down silently, with the burning city as his backdrop.
His figure atop the wall was as still as a predator awaiting prey to fall into its own trap. Gratz slowly curled the corners of his lips and muttered as if whispering.
'Just a little more... Yes, come all the way in.'
As the humans reached just before the city gates, Gratz's eyes narrowed. And... the moment they stepped inside the castle, he slowly raised his hand.
-Boom!
A single red flame shot up into the sky and burst.
As if on cue, flames erupted one after another from various parts of the mountain ridge. Dozens of signal flares soared through the night sky, burning brightly and soon dyeing the heavens red like a raging inferno.
And simultaneously-
"Kuk... What is that?!"
"From behind... it's the enemy!! From the rear!!"
Murmurs and screams erupted from all directions. And soon, a large army of orcs and goblins, hidden beyond the hills, appeared in an orderly formation.
In their eyes gleamed the blood-lust of battle, in their hands, sharp spears and massive axes, and their footsteps were... a harbinger of despair.
"The, the rear is completely-!"
The sixty-thousand-strong army was instantly trapped within an encirclement. A pincer attack began from both the monsters inside the castle and the ambushing forces outside.
***
At the center of the blood-soaked battlefield, Gratz's entire body was etched with deep sword wounds. Red blood flowed, yet the corners of his lips were curved into a satisfied smile.
Wearing blood-soaked armor, he slowly opened his mouth, looking at Rodian Barceno, who was held aloft in the air.
"Human, what is your name?"
"Kkeueuk..."
Barceno couldn't answer. A massive hand gripped his throat, making it impossible to even breathe properly, and both his arms were already broken, hanging limply, unrecognizable. Bones were crushed, flesh torn, and blood flowed.
"Ah, can't you speak because your neck is being squeezed? My apologies."
Gratz sneered and continued.
"Still, you were quite something, human. Among the countless foes I've fought so far, you were the most useful."
Gratz lowered his head and looked at the deep wound etched into his chest. The wound, from which red blood dripped, was the mark of Barceno's final strike just moments ago.
"You are the first to... leave such a wound on my body. So, as a reward, I will specially-"
His sticky tongue flicked out between his teeth.
"-personally devour you."
Instantly, his massive mouth opened, and in Barceno's eyes, an unspeakable terror was reflected.
"Ugh... Uuugh...!"
"Consider it an honor, human."
The massive jaw bit off Barceno's head in one gulp and slowly chewed and swallowed it. Blood splattered everywhere, and his body was thrown limply to the ground.
Gratz wiped the corners of his mouth with a satisfied look and turned to the orc who had approached him.
"Father. Will you advance immediately into the humans' empty lands?"
Gratz looked at the sky once and quietly muttered.
"No... it's about time to carry out Mother's orders."
"Still, shouldn't we replenish our depleted forces?"
"There are troop losses, but it's not a problem. There are plenty of females along the way."
He surveyed the battlefield and rested his mace on his shoulder.
"We will encamp here for today. Feed the warriors plenty of flesh from the hunted humans to restore their strength. Tomorrow... we head south."
"I will obey your command."
He looked at the southern sky and flicked his tongue. Soon, he would meet the Hero.
***
Upon arriving in Rubernia, the capital of the Sivern Kingdom, we immediately headed to the Alcladion Marquisate's private mansion in the heart of the capital.
After briefly washing away the fatigue of the long journey, I changed into formal attire emblazoned with the Alcladion family crest and headed to the royal palace for an audience with the King.
And upon entering through the massive gates of the royal castle, a long corridor lined with golden tapestries and antique sculptures unfolded before my eyes.
The guards stationed throughout simultaneously raised their spears in salute, and servants guided me in perfect order. Soon, I arrived before the audience chamber of the Rubernia Royal Palace, the heart of the kingdom.
The gatekeeper blew a trumpet and announced.
"Marquis Jin Alcladion, Ruler of the South, requests an audience with His Majesty!"
Following the sound echoing from the high ceiling, the massive double doors slowly opened.
Inside stood Sivern Callios III, the King of the Sivern Kingdom, flanked by Duke Baran, ministers, and nobles representing various factions, all with solemn expressions.
Their gazes simultaneously turned to me.
Without a single tremor, I walked towards the center of the corridor. The sound of my footsteps echoing from the tips of my shoes resonated throughout the quiet audience chamber.
And the moment I reached the King and stopped, I respectfully knelt and bowed my head.
"Marquis Jin Alcladion, answering Your Majesty's summons for an audience."
At my words, the King nodded with a satisfied expression.
"Rise, Marquis. You've come a long way, well done."
Sivern Callios III was a dignified man in his mid-50s. His body exuded charisma, stemming from his graying hair, sharp eyes, and long years of rule.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
I rose, fixing my gaze on the King.
"More importantly, congratulations on reaching the realm of a Sword Master, Marquis. To achieve that realm at such a young age is truly remarkable."
"You flatter me."
"No, it is not. It is a joyous occasion, as the pillars of the Sivern Kingdom have become even stronger."
The King looked at Duke Baran, who stood beside him, and spoke.
"Does the Duke not think so as well?"
"Of course, Your Majesty. Marquis Alcladion's ascent to Sword Master is an honor for the entire kingdom."
"Haha, I'm glad to hear that, Marquis. But tell me... I've heard there have been various issues in the south recently."
No sooner had the King finished speaking than a noble stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, Marquis Alcladion executed a noble who was granted his title in the name of the Sivern Royal Family, without a trial. No matter that he is a Sword Master, if such a precedent of disregarding royal law is allowed to stand, other nobles and commoners will also cease to fear the law."
As he finished speaking, even the King glanced at me for a moment, and a long, chilling silence descended before the throne.
I slowly turned my gaze to that noble. Epaulets adorned with gold embroidery over his corpulent body, slit eyes, and a greasy smile.
Marquis Wright.
He was one of the individuals Alfred had specifically listed as nobles to be wary of before I departed from the Alcladion territory. And now, he was one of the central figures of the noble faction, opposing the King's faction.
At his statement, some nobles shook their heads in disbelief.
Even the faint murmur of one of those nobles reached my ears clearly.
"That pig... he's finally lost his mind. Picking a fight with a Sword Master, does he want to die...?"
It was a low sound that others likely couldn't hear.
As that noble said, I couldn't tell what ulterior motive he had for openly provoking me, but daring to confront a Sword Master was tantamount to suicide.
The King frowned and opened his mouth.
"Marquis Wright. I heard... that individual was accused of treason, and the Marquis executed him according to proper law. Is that correct?"
I nodded in affirmation.
"Yes, Your Majesty. We secured clear evidence of his collusion with the Kairosen Kingdom, as well as intentional tax embezzlement within the territory and incitement of public unrest. Documents found in his mansion and circumstantial testimonies also exist."
"Hmm... In that case, it was a justifiable execution."
The King nodded briefly, then looked at me again.
"Then, I will conclude this matter by acknowledging the Marquis's judgment."
The King leaned slightly back against his chair and continued.
"Our discussion for today ends here. All except the Marquis may withdraw."
At this, the nobles quietly bowed their heads and began to withdraw one by one.