Black Forest, Moonshadow Valley
"Chieftainess, the new batch of prey has been brought in. They're stored in the cave behind the mountain," Earthshaker reported.
Lilith nodded in acknowledgnt.
"Elder Earthshaker, any news from the south?"
"None yet, Chieftainess."
Asking about Orion's whereabouts had beco part of Lilith's daily routine.
She didn't know how much longer the horde could hold out under her leadership.
The underground worms erging from the fissure were growing in number, and the defensive battles were becoming more frequent and intense.
"Little Lorelia, your children suffered heavy losses in this battle. Go replenish them."
"Yes, Mistress!"
Lilith patted Spider Queen Lorelia on the shoulder, instructing her to retrieve supplies from the cave where Earthshaker stored the prey.
Lilith was grateful that Orion had left Spider Queen Lorelia under her care before departing. Without the spider queen's assistance, the Stoneheart Horde, now in its vulnerable state, would have suffered catastrophic losses.
"Elder Earthshaker, take so of the tribe and retrieve the burning oils from the warehouse. We cannot let those underground worms break through!"
"Chieftainess, those burning oils were reserved for the dark beast tides this winter. Are you sure we should use them now?"
"Go. I'll take full responsibility for this decision!"
"Understood, Chieftainess!"
Earthshaker didn't argue further and imdiately set out to carry out Lilith's orders.
As Orion's slave, Earthshaker had been given a secret task before Orion left: to ensure Lilith's safety at all costs if Moonshadow Valley faced danger.
Earthshaker glanced at Lilith, who stood resolutely at the edge of the underground fissure. His respect for the succubus chieftainess deepened.
"Those damned underground worms… where did they even co from?"
"Orion, hurry back!"
"We can't hold out much longer!"
In recent days, both Earthshaker and Thundar, as well as Lilith herself, had felt an ominous sense of dread.
It was the kind of fear that only arose in the presence of an Alpha-level threat.
This could only an one thing: an Alpha-level worm had likely erged from the underground fissure.
None of them dared to voice this suspicion, fearing it would spark panic among the horde.
---
Thunderwood Forest, Gnoll Tribe
Orion decided to stay here for a day, as Dirtclaw needed ti to prepare for the tribe's relocation.
Moving an entire tribe, especially with families in tow, was no small task and required careful planning.
Inside Orion's tent, Delilah lay naked beside him, as passionate and eager as ever.
After their lovemaking, Delilah handed Orion a pouch.
"My dear Orion, these are high-grade magical plants we found in Stormrage City!"
"One of them is sothing I don't even recognize. It's a blood-red mushroom—I think it's very rare."
Orion reached into the pouch and pulled out the blood-red mushroom Delilah had ntioned.
"Blood Mushroom," said a voice.
It was Violet, the saintess of the Garland Tribe. Her people were skilled in cultivating magical plants, and her knowledge was vast. She imdiately recognized the mushroom in Orion's hand.
Orion tightened his arm around Violet, his tone calm as he asked, "Tell , what does it do?"
Saintess Violet cast a seductive glance at Orion before focusing on the mushroom.
"Master, the Blood Mushroom is incredibly rare. It doesn't enhance attributes or increase elental affinity."
"However, consuming it triggers a small elental tide around the body."
"This elental tide has one major benefit—it increases the chances of advancing to the next level."
Her explanation made Orion's eyes light up with interest.
He glanced at both Violet and Delilah, noticing the desire in their eyes.
After a mont of thought, he handed the Blood Mushroom to Delilah.
"Take it. Try your luck. Maybe you'll advance on the first attempt."
Delilah accepted the mushroom with gratitude, leaning down to kiss Orion's cock in thanks.
As Delilah expressed her appreciation, Orion turned to Violet, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"You want one too?"
"Yes! The Blood Mushroom is incredibly valuable. It's likely the reason Stormrage City produced three Alpha-level powerhouses."
"But your level hasn't reached a bottleneck yet. What would you do with it?"
"Master, I can cultivate Blood Mushrooms for you!"
Violet's words made Orion tighten his grip around her waist.
Even Delilah, who had been busy with her mouth, paused in shock and stared at Violet.
"Explain. How long would it take to cultivate one?"
Orion kept his tone calm, trying not to reveal his excitent.
"Master, if left to mature naturally, a Blood Mushroom takes at least fifteen years to grow."
Of course, it wasn't going to be that simple.
Orion sighed, feeling a twinge of disappointnt.
"However," Violet continued, "there's another way to cultivate them."
"You can use large quantities of beast blood to accelerate their growth. The more blood, the shorter the maturation period."
"If you bury high-grade crystal cores in the cultivation area, the process will speed up even more."
Orion didn't respond imdiately. Instead, he pulled Violet into a deep, lingering kiss.
The kiss lasted so long that Violet's face turned red, and she was nearly out of breath when he finally let her go.
"Take this. When you start cultivating Blood Mushrooms, I'll make sure you have all the beast blood you need."
Orion handed Violet one of the mushrooms, placing it gently in her palm.
"Orion, your saintess is full of sches!" Delilah teased as she leaned closer, joining in on the playful tornt of Violet.
Violet's cleverness was undeniable. Though she was a slave, in addition to providing sexual services for Orion, she also took every opportunity to showcase her talents and elevate her status in Orion's esteem.
Cultivating magical plants was her specialty, and she intended to use it to her advantage.
---
The next morning, a guard reported from outside the tent.
"Chieftain, Elder Dirtclaw requests an audience!"
Dirtclaw, still adjusting to his new title, felt both awkward and proud. Being addressed as "Elder" by the guards made him feel like he had beco an important figure.
Soon, Dirtclaw stood before Orion, who was already prepared to move out.
"Honorable Master, the Gnoll Tribe is ready. We can depart at any ti!"
Orion nodded. The Gnoll Tribe was a calculated addition to his forces, one he had carefully considered before accepting.
The cannon fodder troops included over 20,000 gnoll bloodline warriors, making them a core part of the army.
The gnoll settlent also housed over 10,000 won and children—non-combatants who represented a valuable resource for the future.
These non-combatants were a renewable asset, ensuring a steady supply of fresh recruits for the cannon fodder troops.
Orion's vision was long-term. He wouldn't exhaust his resources recklessly.
"Dirtclaw, I won't tolerate any mistakes on the road ahead. Do you understand?"
Before Dirtclaw could respond, Orion continued.
"You're the deputy commander of the cannon fodder troops. Keep them in line. If anything goes wrong, you'll answer to ."
"Honorable Master, Dirtclaw will ensure the captives are well-managed. They'll learn to fear my whip!"
"Good. Go."
---
Black Forest, Moonshadow Valley
Blazing flas ford a fiery barrier, blocking the underground worms from advancing and forcing them back into the depths.
At the edge of the fissure, Lilith stood with a weary expression. Her face was pale, her hair disheveled.
Another day and night of relentless defense had left her utterly exhausted. She alternated between casting illusions and firing arrows, her body pushed to its limits.
"Chieftainess, our burning oils will only last another day!" Thundar reported, his face etched with worry.
The strategic resource was nearly depleted, pushing the Stoneheart Horde closer to the brink.
Moonshadow Valley and Blackstone Town seed on the verge of falling.
Lilith said nothing, her gaze fixed on the underground fissure as she stood in silence.
No one knew how long she stood there before she finally spoke, her voice calm.
"How is Elder Earthshaker's progress?"
Thundar's spirits lifted slightly at the ntion of Earthshaker.
"Chieftainess, the temporary camp is nearly ready. Most of the food and supplies have already been moved there."
"Good."
Lilith wasn't stubborn. She had begun planning for a retreat as soon as she realized the situation was worsening.
With Moonshadow Valley in its vulnerable state, the horde couldn't afford to hold the valley at all costs.
She had instructed Earthshaker to establish a temporary camp at the old succubus settlent as a fallback.
Most of the horde's supplies had already been relocated.
Now, all that remained was to move the people. Once that was done, they could avoid total annihilation.
"Chieftainess, should we begin evacuating the tribe?"
Lilith didn't respond. She wasn't ready to abandon Moonshadow Valley just yet.
Before Orion left, he had entrusted her with protecting their ho.
Thundar seed to sense Lilith's determination. He stood beside her at the edge of the fissure, staring into the endless darkness below.
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