Praise the Orc

Chapter 129: The Law of the North (2)

The ceremony began. Crockta and Zelkyan shook hands on the podium. Although Crockta had come to Spinora to rescue the dark elves, he now stood there as the representative of the orcs. The future was truly unpredictable.

The World Tree that always looked over Spinora extended its branch to where Zelkyan’s shoulder was and waved. It seemed to be congratulating Crockta. Crockta looked back at the World Tree, and the World Tree curved its branch as if it was smiling.

The dark elves and orcs were watching them. Zelkyan and Crockta sought to make their intentions clear by agreeing to a treaty in front of everyone.

“The contents of the treaty are as follows.”

Shireuga and Zenadu each handed a stone tablet to their respective leader. They engraved the treaty into a stone tablet, so it wouldn’t wear out over time. The orcs and dark elves clapped at Crockta and Zelkyan as they stood on the podium. The orcs and dark elves were divided in the center.

The orcs refrained from provoking the dark elves per Crockta’s request. It was the same for the dark elves. Zelkyan tried to appease them by telling them the truth about the chieftain’s identity and how the orcs had been entranced by a demon lord named ‘Chaos.’ Thus, the conflict they were worried about didn’t happen.

Aside from the brief clapping, the plains were quiet. The treaty ended with the agreement that they would not infringe on each other’s territory after the war and that if anyone violated this law, they would be punished according to the district’s laws.

The orcs would help the dark elves rebuild their cities for some time, and the leader of the dark elves and the chieftain of the orcs would regularly convene to discuss matters. Although the dark elves and the orcs couldn’t suddenly become friends after trying to kill each other, the tension between them would lessen if they didn’t repeat what had happened in the past.

The ceremony finally ended. Zelkyan and Crockta engaged in a light embrace. They didn’t drag on the ceremony because they had just put on a show for the symbolic aspect of it. Now everyone had to get back to work to rebuild the cities.

Right then, Crockta raised his hand. “All of the orcs stay and gather.”

The orcs stopped in their tracks as they were about to disband. Was it the chieftain’s first convocation? The dark elves who had been planning to leave glanced over at them. Zelkyan warily observed the unexpected situation.

“I killed Calmahart, but not everyone can accept that I’m the chieftain when I was the enemy just yesterday,” said Crockta as he looked down at the orcs. Countless eyes were looking at him. “So I will give you an opportunity.”

Crockta pulled out his greatsword and rested it on his shoulder. “Anyone is fine. If anyone has the confidence to defeat me and become the chieftain, then come out and face me.”

He had just made a declaration that he was open to a duel for the position of the chieftain!

The orcs murmured among themselves. As Crockta had said, he was an outsider who had appeared out of nowhere, but he was also a powerful warrior who had defeated Calmahart. There were definitely warriors who didn’t want to let things slide.

“I will rise up to the challenge!”

Crockta didn’t recognize the orc who came forward, but he was in the attire of a Great Warrior.

“I’m the Great Warrior Carhak of the chiefdom from the Eagle Blade Tribe!”

Crockta came down from the podium and replied, “I’m Crockta, the chieftain of the north, who came from Orcrox in the continent.”

There was no need for further words. The two swung their weapons at the same time.

Carhak was a strong warrior. He knew how to effectively wield his halberd. Even when it appeared like the blade was charging toward the opponent, Carhak would instantly change his posture and strike the opponent with the steel shaft of his halberd.

Crockta was no longer swayed by such a technique. He had experienced countless battles in the world of the Pinnacle. His Heart and Soul Penetrating Eye was always analyzing the true nature of the enemy.

Crockta dodged all of Carhak’s attacks, then struck him in the abdomen with the flat of the Ogre Slayer’s blade.

“Ahhhhhhh!” Carkhak flew in the air and fell in the center of the crowd of orcs. The orcs around him carried him to the infirmary.

More challengers appeared. Each was the best warrior of their own tribe in the north, and they had all become Great Warriors of the chiefdom, but everyone ended up crumbling to the ground like Carhak before they could even exchange a few attacks. All of them attacked Crockta in diverse ways, but the result was always the same.

“Next,” said Crockta after defeating the challenger.

Crockta had evolved after defeating Calmahart and now had the power of a Hero.

[Status Window

Title: ‘Conqueror of the North’ Crockta, Orc Warrior

Level: 117

Achievement Score: 1924800

Assimilation: 89%

Skills

Herculean Strength (Hero)

Regeneration (Hero)

Heartblade (Hero)

Combative Spirit (Hero)

Spirit Vision (Hero)

Tattoo (Hero)

Roar (Hero)

Monster Annihilator (Pinnacle)

Ashen Eyes of God (Beyond Classification)

Fundamentals of Magic (Rare)]

The elaborate skill names became simpler once he reached the Hero tier. The narrative behind the names had vanished. Crockta preferred the simple, new names.

Then, the next challenger appeared. It was a familiar face.

“It’s been a while, Crockta.”

“You are...” It was the young orc warrior Rakuta, whom Crockta had met when he arrived at Kapur village when he first came to the north. Rakuta had endured the reign of the chief Kapur and had vowed to change the village. His presence here meant one thing.

“How is Kapur?” asked Crockta.

Rakuta grinned. “He died at my hands.”

Chief Kapur ended up being punished by a warrior of his tribe.

Crockta smiled. He had expected that Rakuta would kill Kapur one day. Rakuta was a young warrior with a strong will. He had done it faster than Crockta had expected.

“It was possible because I didn’t forget what you told me.”

Before Crockta left Kapur village, Rakuta had asked Crockta how to become strong like him. Crockta had responded with, “Never back down!”

Crockta nodded. “Good. Come on.”

Rakuta spiritedly charged at him, but he ended up in the same boat as other challengers. For a while, he coughed on the ground and then acknowledged his defeat. The difference in strength was evident.

There weren’t any more challengers. Crockta had now been completely acknowledged as the chieftain.

Crockta had something to declare in this position. “I’m sure there isn’t anyone who has complaints about me being the chieftain now.”

The orcs struck their chests once. The only way for northern orcs to become the chieftain was to become the strongest, and Crockta had proved his overwhelming power.

“I, the chieftain...”

The orc were all eyes and ears at him.

“...Will step down from the position of a chieftain and take leave.”

All of the orcs became speechless at Crockta’s words and stared at him in shock. Crockta had just defeated everyone and proved that he was truly qualified to be the chieftain, but he was leaving.

There had been instances in which the chieftain stepped down on his own, but most stepped down from the position only when they were unable to fight further due to old age or injuries. There had never been an instance in which a chieftain as overwhelmingly strong as Crockta voluntarily stepped down.

“I have to return to the continent. Thus, I..”

Crockta discovered Tiyo and Anor amid the audience. They grinned and nodded approvingly. Crockta also smiled. He still had a lot to do with them.

“I will appoint Shireuga as my successor.”

Shireuga, who had been standing on the podium with him, opened his eyes wide in utter shock. Crockta approached Shireuga and grabbed his shoulder and pushed him forward. “If you have any complaints, attack Shireuga!”

The orcs became quiet.

Shireuga was a Great Warrior whose strength had already been universally acknowledged by northern orcs. He was a true warrior who had proved his courage as the greatest warrior of the Iron Axe tribe through countless battles.

During the duel for the position of the chieftain with Calmahart, Calmahart had won only by a narrow margin. Although Calmahart later turned into a frightening monster after receiving the powers of chaos, Shireuga’s abilities used to be on par with Calmahart’s.

“What are you suddenly up to, Chieftain?” whispered Shireuga. “If you were going to step down, then why did you defeat them?”

Indeed, if he had been planning to do this, why had he gone out of his way to accept challengers and defeat them?

Crockta replied, “It’s because you northern orcs are arrogant.”

“Huh?”

“I wanted to defeat you guys because you guys think the chiefdom is the best. I will judge all of you as a warrior from Orcrox and not the chieftain. You guys are weak.”

All of the orcs’ faces crumpled at Crockta’s words. Being called weak was a great insult to them.

“If you guys had tried to invade the continent, then you would have been annihilated. The world is much larger than you think, and the strong are countless like the stars.”

Calmahart was definitely strong. The powers of chaos he had received would have made it difficult to find a worthy match even on the continent. But aside from him, the orcs of the north wouldn’t stand a chance against the countless powerful forces in the continent.

“You guys are lacking in strength and mindset.”

Crockta found it laughable that orcs as weak as them had thought that they could invade the continent.

The continent was the place where humans, gnomes, elves, dwarves, and all species had harnessed their best traits to build civilization. These orcs who had forgotten their traditions in the bleak wastelands of the north had no chance against them.

“Just keep that in mind.”

The orcs became quiet. They couldn’t object or tell him he was spewing nonsense because the one who was saying these things was none other than Crockta, the one who had defeated Chieftain Calmahart, who had been considered to be the strongest in history. There was not a single orc here who hadn’t witnessed the majesty of the greatsword that Crockta carried on his back.

Crockta stepped down from the podium. His footsteps loudly echoed over the silence of the orcs. He was about to take a step down from the podium when Shireuga interrupted him. “Crockta, you are so irresponsible.”

Crockta’s eyebrow twitched as he turned around to look at Shireuga. Shireuga looked back at him and said, “You can call us weak, but isn’t it irresponsible to just say that and leave? What if I terminated the treaty as the chieftain and started another war?”

“...”

“You can judge whether we are weak or not after the dark elves perish.”

Crockta furrowed his eyebrows. Shireuga continued, “If you don’t want that to happen, then teach us.”

“What?”

“How can we become strong like you!”

The orcs raised their heads with piqued interest. Shireuga pointed at them and said, “And teach us how we avoid corruption in case someone like Calmahart appears again. If you can convince us, then I will gladly become the chieftain according to your will.”

Shireuga grinned. Crockta realized his intent and couldn’t help but laugh. All of the numerous orcs watching were looking at him intently. They were eyeing his every glance, movement, step, and even the slightest quiver of his chest at every breath. But Crockta was not afraid of their gaze.

“The ancient commandments made me who I am.”

They could choose to follow or disobey the commandments. There was no absolute law in the world, but if they remembered the commandments, then they would be able to find the path they had to follow when they were lost.

“I will teach you the honorable seven commandments of ancient orcs that have been forgotten by the north.”

Shireuga cocked his ear to listen closely. He had heard from Crockta that such commandments existed, but he had never heard them before.

“Listen closely.” Crockta began slowly uttering the warrior’s commandments. The commandments that had been passed down from the ancient orcs to Lenox and the warriors of Orcrox, and eventually to Crockta, who was now passing them down to the northern orcs.

“A warrior does not give up on the faithful. A warrior does not persecute the weak. A warrior does not attack the unarmed. A warrior does not succumb to injustice. A warrior does not do anything shameful to God. A warrior pays back grace and vengeance. A warrior protects the weak. A warrior must prove their honor through these seven commandments.”

The orcs became quiet.

In the past, all orcs knew the commandments, but no one observed them anymore. After the continent and the north split, the law of the strong prevailed in the north. The strongest took everything, and the chieftain was the law. Thus, such values had been forgotten and become a thing of the past. But the law of ancient orcs returned to them today, after a long time.

Thud!

Shireuga stomped his feet, and everyone looked at him. “I, Shireuga, am the chieftain.”

He raised his axe, Blood Rain. All northern orcs knew what it was. It was a frightening axe that had created mountains of corpses and made blood flow like the sea in Shireuga’s hands.

Shireuga shouted, “And my chieftain is Crockta!”

All of the orcs murmured noisily among themselves. Shireuga continued. “I, Chieftain Shireuga, will always follow Crockta, the true chieftain of the north, and will rule in his place until he returns!”

Shireuga raised his Blood Rain. “The commandments that he taught us will be the law of the north, and anyone who disagrees...!”

Shireuga’s aura exploded, and his energy radiated all around him. His murderous intent sent chills down the orcs’ spines.

Everyone suddenly remembered that although Shireuga had been unable to become the chieftain, he had been the one closest to earning the title of the chieftain. His axe, Blood Rain, had received its name because it used to scatter blood all over the sky with each swing.

“...has to kill me first!” declared Shireuga.

“...!”

None of them opened their mouths to speak. Shireuga’s determination fiercely spread throughout the crowd.

After taking a moment to process what they had just heard, the orcs started pounding their chests.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

All of the orcs thumped their chests toward Shireuga and then placed their hands over their chests. Like a domino effect, the motion started in the lead and spread to all of the orcs.

It was a spectacle. Now, all the orcs were looking at Shireuga with their hands on their chests. In other words, the orcs of the north had acknowledged Shireuga as their new chieftain. Shireuga nodded approvingly at the scene and then turned around.

“We will be waiting.” Shireuga struck his chest as he looked at Crockta, the Conqueror of the North, the one who had brought peace to the region.

It was the birth of Chieftain Shireuga, the True Warchief and Crockta’s follower.