Chapter Seventeen: The Greed of the Beastmen

Bang! “What else do these filthy orcs know besides taking advantage of chaos? A bunch of lowly, green-skinned vermin!” Governor Amaskia of Madrid hurled the battle report of Kalido’s fall onto his desk, his voice rising in angry helplessness.

Just two months ago, even if a million-strong orc horde had appeared, Amaskia would have been confident in leading his forces to teach those backward creatures the true meaning of war, letting them feel the power of civilization with their blood and flesh.

Alas, in less than two short months, the regular troops of Madrid’s southern continental colony had been battered and bruised by the more civilized English army. Now, fewer than six thousand veteran soldiers remained, the rest mere civilians hastily conscripted to make up the numbers.

Even though Amaskia had, with superhuman prowess, struck directly at the English command and turned a desperate battle into victory, his most formidable troops had already been lost in earlier engagements. Otherwise, why would Amaskia have risked his own life on the front lines, courting death?

Amaskia was the uncrowned king of the colony! If even the highest authority had to fight bare-chested, it spoke volumes about how far Madrid’s military strength had declined.

“It was that damned gold mine that drew the greedy, shameless English mongrels here, giving these brainless orcs the courage to attack!” Amaskia sighed.

“Governor, the million-strong orc army has already seized Kalido Fortress. Apart from the capital, Saint Tallen, there is no stronghold left to defend. The orcs will soon be at our gates—what are we to do?” The official of the Madrid colony’s administration could not conceal the fear in his eyes.

This meeting room was filled with the elite and administrators of the Saint Tallen region. No sooner had they finished celebrating a hard-won victory than news arrived that the orc horde would soon be upon them. Everyone knew that, while the English were formidable fighters, they were critically short on numbers! With Amaskia’s might, they had faith in executing a decapitation strike.

But the orcs, backward as they were, would not be so easily cowed. Their leader, Hammerfist, was a formidable warrior on par with a high-ranking knight—not some weakling like Gregor. Even getting close to him was a challenge, and even if, by some miracle, Amaskia managed to do so, Hammerfist was not without means of defense. If he held out for even a minute, Amaskia would be swallowed by a sea of green skins.

Madrid’s tru