CHAPTER 174: CHAPTER 173: THE CURSED FEAST

The first breath of open air brought with it the sight of the high priest’s body, still sprawled where it had fallen, the symbols of its goddess etched into its cracked scales.

Skitz lingered for a moment, his gaze fixed on the corpse. There was no grief in his eyes, no flicker of hesitation, only the unshakable loyalty of one who had already chosen his god. Whether that priest had been kin, comrade, or even brother in the blood of the so-called goddess no longer mattered. His allegiance belonged wholly to his Lord.

Skitz’s eyes gleamed as if a thought had just slithered into his mind.

He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "My Lord... what do you think about hunting cursed monsters?"

Lumberling tilted his head. "Cursed?"

Skitz grinned, fangs catching the firelight. "Remember what I told you before? The orc lord who drove us from our old territory."

The memory stirred, something Skitz had mentioned years ago, back when their alliance was young. An orc not just strong, but cursed, like him. A predator marked by some twisted fate or entity.

A slow, predatory smile tugged at Lumberling’s lips. "Hungry for another blessing?"

"Blessings should never be wasted," Skitz said, almost purring with anticipation.

But Lumberling’s smile faded into a measured calm. "Not now. We might be stepping on the toes of another strong force. They may never reach us here... but I’m not in the mood to add more enemies."

Skitz’s shoulders rose and fell in a reluctant sigh, but the gleam in his eyes didn’t die. "Tch. Shame... I was hoping for seconds."

That didn’t mean the thought would vanish. No, this was simply a meal to be hunted later, when their teeth were sharp enough to tear it apart. In his own mind, Lumberling had already mapped out the feast, it would be shared between himself... and his third-in-command, Krivex.

Such blessings were more than power, they were like chiseling raw stone into a masterpiece, elevating talent into something rare. Skitz was proof, cursed yet set apart from the common breed of monsters. And while dividing a blessing’s essence would weaken its potency, Lumberling would rather see his subordinates grow sharper and stronger than hoard every bite for himself.

.....

The road home was quiet, the party returned to the village after days of travel, burdened with spoils, the high priest’s corpse, and the crates of unhatched lizardman eggs.

From the shade of the forest, a massive silhouette emerged, Shade.

Lumberling’s eyes narrowed. ’Hm?’ Shade had grown again, not by much, but enough for him to notice. Its legs seemed thicker, its movements heavier, carrying a subtle, new weight. ’Is this part of an evolution process?’ he wondered.

Near the palisade walls, wolves padded in patrol formation, their eyes sharp and ears twitching at every sound. Beyond them, Jen was riding Lunira along the inner road, the pair moving with casual authority as villagers stepped aside to let them pass.

The village itself was changing.

Houses now rose taller than before, their upper floors lit by newly, installed street lamps. The steady hum of a small generator reached his ears, bringing electricity to several homes. Buildings were no longer only wood, they were now reinforced with cut stone, giving the place the look of a budding fortress, town. In time, Lumberling could see it growing into a true city.

"Krivex," he called, "give me the latest population and unit report."

Krivex gave a curt nod before heading off to retrieve his records. Returning moments later with a leather, bound ledger.

Lumberling took it, flipping through the carefully recorded numbers. His eyes scanned each page.

.....

Elite Squad: 64 total

Archer Units: 58 total

Hunter Units: 121 total

Militia Units: 59 total

Boar Cavalry Units: 102 total

Guard Units: 49 total

Scout Units: 42 total

Total Soldiers: 459

.....

Beasts

Wolves: 43 total

Boars: 103 total

Golden Eagles: 11 total

Total Beasts: 157

.....

Key Combatants

Grokk & Shade - Quasi-Knight Level

7 Captains - Peak Knight Apprentice Level

Lunira - Mid-Knight Apprentice Level

7 Vice-Captains - Peak Knight Page Level

Trask (Kobold Berserker) - Peak Knight Page Level

9 Kobold Berserkers - Early Knight Page Level

10 Hobgoblin Warriors - Early Knight Page Level

2 Bloodfang Wolves - Mid-Knight Page Level

1 Dire Tuskwrought Boar - Early Knight Page Level

43 Hobgoblins - Elite Soldier Level

60 Elite Kobolds - Elite Soldier Level

22 Ironback Boars - Elite Soldier Level

23 Dire Wolves - Elite Soldier Level

....

Villagers: 504 total

Kobolds & Goblins: 374

Humans: 130

Total Population: 1,134

They had grown. Larger and more organized. Yet for all that, their true high-end strength was still thin, only two Quasi-Knight Level fighters not counting them. With luck, the captains who had survived the battle against the lizardmen might soon evolve, swelling their upper ranks.

Still, with so many new units, there was another matter to address.

Lumberling closed the ledger and looked toward the central plaza where villagers bustled about their work. ’We’ve reached the point where a single chain of command won’t be enough. I’ll need to divide and assign more leadership... before the growth outruns the order.’

.....

Morning light spilled across the village, painting rooftops and training yards in gold. A new day had begun, and with it came fresh tasks.

Lumberling spotted Skitz and Krivex waiting near the storehouse.

"You two will handle the lizardman eggs," he said, stopping before them. "Keep them warm and secure."

Skitz gave a lazy salute, his grin sharp. "Yeah, yeah. I’ll make sure they don’t hatch into trouble."

Krivex straightened, posture crisp. "Understood, my Lord."

Lumberling adjusted his cloak, his gaze drifting toward the stables.

Krivex noticed. "Where are you headed?"

"The second base," Lumberling replied, voice even.

Krivex smirked. "Finally making the time to visit, huh?"

Lumberling didn’t answer, but the faint curve at the corner of his mouth gave him away. It was true, he hadn’t set foot there since its construction. Now, it was time to see it for himself.

He was fastening the last strap on his pack when the steady crunch of boots on packed dirt drew his attention.

Jen stood there, arms crossed, one brow arched. "You’re not going without me."

He gave her a long look. "You want to come?"

She replied, a hint of a grin tugging at her lips. "I can smell adventure a mile away."

Lumberling shook his head, but there was no real resistance in it. "Fine. But you keep up, or I’m leaving you behind."

Jen’s grin widened. "Hehe, finally joining you again. I’m strong now, aren’t I?"

"Yeah, yeah." He rolled one shoulder, unbothered.

Minutes later, Lunira, the great silver wolf, pawed impatiently at the ground, ears twitching in anticipation. Jen swung onto her back with the ease of someone born to the saddle, while Lumberling mounted a broad-shouldered warhorse, reins firm in hand.