Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

However, if it was Belgarious the Or King confronting him, it would be a different case entirely. Belgarious was someone who was already a disaster class being and was slowly inching closer to becoming a calamity class.

There was a huge gap in levels that was as big as a chasm between them. No matter how powerful the magic of Berigard was, it would be foolish to think that he can take down the orc King.

Belgarious stood up from his throne and observed the giant carcass behind him. The carcass once belonged to a very powerful beast that took refuge inside this underground space thousands of years ago after being gravely hurt.

However, it looked like the injury it suffered was too much for it to recover from and thus it succumbed to its fate and died.

Their race of high orcs later found this carcass and due to some mutation for absorbing some of the power inside it, they evolved up to become Diluvian high orcs. Thus it could be said that the carcass behind him was the source of power behind the Diluvian High orcs.

Besides that, the bones of the carcass were also used to make those powerful weapons of the Orc generals and orc commanders. Even after thousands of years, the remaining energy inside that carcass was vastly powerful.

'If I can fully assimilate with the powers left inside those bones, I might be able to break the chains shackling the race of orcs and take a new step towards evolution' Belgarious muttered internally.

"My King, I don't see Berimal… is he not here?" Berirock asked looking around.

Out of all the orc generals, Berimal was the one who was the most loyal to the orc King. He was like a dog faithful enough to kill anyone for its master. Usually, the guy would not leave the Orc King's side easily and would always be around like a bodyguard. Thus it was unusual to not see Berimal near the orc King.

"Ahh… him— I sent Berimal on a mission, I guess he would be arriving soon with good news" Belgarious laughed.

The mission that he was talking about, was to convince if not capture the demon of a certain dungeon located in the eastern region of the forest.

'Although I don't know why, but that person is interested in that dungeon. If not for his order, I wouldn't have sent Berimal at this important point in time' Belgarious muttered in annoyance.

He had no interest in a dungeon created by a demon but because that person asked him to scout out the dungeon and if possible bring the demon into submission, he had no choice but to send one of his generals to the eastern region of the forest.

Needless to say, other than him and Berimal's faction, no other Diluvian High Orcs knew about the existence of the dungeon and why Berimal was absent.

Come to think of it, it's been a while since Berimal contacted me. Did he forget to send a sound transmission today? Or was he too busy killing those humans living in that town? I hope he wouldn't go too wild and bring trouble for me.

In any case, if it's him, he should be able to capture that dungeon. Haaah… everything is such a pain in the ass, if only I can become a calamity class soon, then even that person wouldn't be able to order me around.

The orc king sighed, he did not know how may times he had sighed already—it might be over a hundred counting this one today.

In the ghastly winding forest, might reigned supreme. If you are weak, you end up becoming another's prey. You need strength to live by every day and to assert your dominance in the food chain or else you would just end up becoming a pawn for somebody.

'Just a little bit more, if I can gain that kind of power and evolve, I wouldn't have to fear anyone. Plus I wouldn't have to keep this charade of trafficking orcs to those humans' the orc king clenched his burly fists and sighed for the umpteenth time.

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East of the High orcs territory, at the centre of the barren land, was a tall dark mountain, about a thousand meters big and filled with dead trees.

It was odd-shaped and in the middle of nowhere that it stuck out like a sore thumb. No matter who looked at the mountain, they would all say that it was unnatural and man-made.

However, today it looked even more irregular with thousands of orc gathering at the foot of the mountain.

At the top of the steep stairs of the mountain, were four individuals with varying strengths. The highest level amongst them, was leaner in build unlike the normal diluvian High orc and carried a staff that had many bones and core stones inlaid in it.

That individual was also standing a few steps above the three and was releasing a commanding aura that made all the other orcs submissive to it.

"Lord Berigard, I have received news that one of the orc generals, the dog Berimal had left the side of the orc king to march towards the eastern region of the forest with his army. Given that it would take time for an army that big to return back, I believe that it is our one and only chance to overthrow the evil orc king while one of his generals is absent" the orc commander Bellock stated.

"I concur my lord. This is the best chance we will get to take down the orc king when a part of his strength is missing" the next to speak was Belmarch another orc commander under Berigard.

"I see.. No, you guys are probably right. What do you think Belsea?" Berigard turned towards the last of the commander who had recently joined his faction after he was made aware of the atrocities committed by the orc king in the dark.

"Hmm… my lord—if I may be blunt enough, can I ask you what is the probability of us winning against the orc king even while one of his generals is absent" unlike the others, Belsea was much more rational when it came to going against the orc king.

Berigard couldn't blame the latter for being apprehensive after all, the orc king had been a disaster class being for a while. Which goes to say that he was one of the stronger beasts inside the ghastly winding forest.

Even if there was somebody else in place of Belsea, they too would be a little unsettled to go against an opponent like that.

Berigard closed his eyes and answered truthfully "I would say our chances of defeating him are pretty low. I was lucky and have progressed a lot since then, but the same can also be said for Belgarious. It is and will always be an unfavourable matchup for us".

"Nevertheless, it is not like we are going against an enemy we have no chance against. If all goes well and the condition favours us, we might be able to bring him down. It is very unlikely that all those conditions will work in our favour and truthfully our chances of losing is pretty high".

"But even then I want to take this chance and revolt against the orc king. I'm sick and tired of losing my comrades by his hands, it is time that I take the wind out of his sail and show him the resolve of our Diluvian High Orc tribe".

Every time that he thought about the heinous crimes that the orc king which all of the orc look up to committed, his blood boiled and rage filled his body. Especially after knowing what kinds of things were done to the orcs and his comrades by those humans after they were trafficked away.

The reason Berigard knew all of this was because he was one of the orcs that managed to survive the experiment and escape the clutches of the humans of that kingdom.

Berigard clenched the bone fragments tied to his locket and appeased the fury burning in his eyes.  'Soon, just wait a little more. The time for our revenge will come soon'.

"GUGAGA… So lord Berigard is asking us to lay our lives down? GUGAGA—be it so, we won't get another chance like this. This Belsea will do his best, I will never let another of my brothers be trafficked away by the orc king again" Belsea thumped his chest and declared in a warlike manner.

Seeing that all three of his commanders had made up their minds, Berigard nodded and turned his gaze toward the thousands of Diluvian High Orcs, High Orcs and ordinary orcs down below. Their numbers were so high that it was enough to take down a fortified city.

"That is a pretty big line-up, did you bring all of your soldiers?" the orc general asked.

"Yes my lord—as you can see, I have around a thousand diluvian High orcs around level 320-360 under me. About three thousand High orcs working as foot soldiers and around seven thousand orcs as simple labours" Belsea reported.

The eleven thousand strong army down at the base of the mountain was under him.

Berigard hummed "With the addition of your army, we have about thirty-five thousand orcs in our numbers. Although numbers mean nothing in front of the orc king, as long as they can whittle away at his army it will be plenty".

"I feel sorry for those orcs who would die without knowing the truth. However, it is necessary for us to overthrow the orc king if we want the race of our Diluvian High Orcs to live inside this forest safely".