A natural disaster had struck, rendering life unbearable for the Orcs. Their food was gone, and even the bark of trees surrounding their territory had been gnawed bare.
One Orc stood amidst the suffering, watching his fellow tribesmen collapse one after another, their bodies wasted by starvation. The gnawing hunger in his belly left him utterly powerless.
Who can save us?
With only a faint glimmer of hope in his heart, the Orc made a choice. He left his tribe behind. He would rather die far from home than remain and witness their slow, pitiful demise.
"King, are you abandoning us?" one of the Orcs asked.
"No," he replied, his voice resolute. "I've decided to search for a paradise—someplace where we can survive."
The Orc's face twisted with despair, but his words carried belief.
"King, we believe in you. You can lead us out of this hell."
"We'll wait for your return."
And so, he stepped into the barren, desolate wasteland beyond.
He walked. And walked. Time slipped from his grasp until finally, he collapsed, unable to take another step. Starvation had brought him to the edge of death. He lay there, moments away from drawing his final breath.
Then—without a sound—a figure appeared like a phantom.
A demon, draped in strange garb and wearing a bird-like mask, emerged from the stillness.
"Heh heh~"
The strange laugh echoed through the air as the bird-masked demon stood silently, his gaze fixed on the fallen Orc. His eyes gleamed with an eerie, unreadable smile—a smile hiding countless secrets and unfathomable schemes.
"Do you crave immense power?"
"Do you truly wish to never again suffer the cruel torment of hunger?"
"I can give you a name… and flesh~"
The demon's low, hypnotic voice pierced directly into the Orc's mind. It carried a strange, enchanting power—capable of twisting the heart and clouding the will.
With tremendous effort, the Orc lifted his head. A burning desire flickered in his eyes—so intense it cut through the darkness like a blade. His voice was barely audible, broken and weak.
"I... I want..."
"Give me a name... and meat..."
The demon's smile widened, becoming even more unreadable. From within his robes, he slowly drew forth a book, ancient and crackling with a mysterious aura. He began to chant, a long and arcane incantation whose rhythm stirred something ancient in the air.
Placing one hand upon the Orc's head, the demon's voice rang out:
"Geld! Henceforth, that shall be your name."
"I shall be like a father to you…"
Darkness, thick and ink-like, surged outward like a tide and enveloped the Orc's body. He grabbed the slab of meat offered by the demon and devoured it savagely.
As the darkness engulfed him, Geld convulsed violently, his body twisting and warping in agony. The transformation was brutal—his very flesh rebelling against its former self.
But then, change.
His limbs grew stronger. A pair of sharp, gleaming fangs pushed forth from his jaws, capable of rending flesh with ease. His skin thickened and hardened until it resembled armor—unyielding, unbreakable.
The demon watched it all, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes, his smile now fully unrestrained.
"Geld! From this moment on, you are the Orc Lord."
"You will lead your kin to devour this vast forest… and your name will echo across the world."
The demon's seductive voice reverberated within Geld's mind, like a chorus celebrating his rebirth.
"Yes, my master...~"
Geld's eyes blazed red with hunger—filled with numb obedience and the instinct to consume.
In a desolate clearing, the bird-masked demon stood motionless, as if waiting.
From the distance, two figures slowly approached—clowns, clad in garish costumes, their arrival long anticipated.
"Gelmud," one asked, "has the ritual to awaken the Orc Lord been completed?"
Hearing this, the bird-masked demon's eyes immediately flashed with a gleam of excited red light.
"Lord Laplace, haha, it worked. I didn't expect such a unique individual to awaken successfully within that Orc."
Laplace and another slightly rotund demon exchanged surprised glances.
"Gelmud, you've done well. This marks the beginning of the adults' grand plan."
"It would be ideal if the Orc Lord devoured all the races in this region and evolved into a Demon Lord species. Once he unifies the Jura Forest, we can finally witness the birth of a true Demon Lord."
The speaker's crimson eyes pulsed with anticipation.
"Gelmud, make sure you keep that Orc Lord under control. If he goes rogue, it'll be hard to explain to your lord."
At the mention of that lord, Gelmud's entire body trembled.
"Y-Yes, my lord. I swear, the Orc Lord will not escape my control. I'm only concerned that, with his current strength, devouring the Ogre and Lizardman Clans may prove... challenging."
"I've already scattered several named monsters throughout the forest. Once he defeats them, they'll serve as nourishment to help him evolve into a Demon Lord species."
The two clown-like demons fell silent, their expressions turning contemplative at Gelmud's words.
"The Ogre Clan is indeed formidable. Let them be the first sacrifice. You focus on rallying the Orc army for an assault—we'll dispatch someone to deal with their leader."
"Still, these Orcs are only D-rank monsters. We'll also supply them with weapons and equipment. But Gelmud—" one of them added with a sly grin, "—after all we've invested, we'll be expecting something in return... haha."
Panic flickered across Gelmud's face. He quickly lowered himself in a deep bow.
"I will make sure the adults are fully credited for their contributions when I report back."
Laplace's grin widened, his tone laced with eerie amusement.
"Excellent. As for those named 'nutrients' you mentioned—I'll personally see to it that they're delivered. We must ensure the Orc Lord's evolution proceeds smoothly."
"With your assistance, sirs, the Demon Lords' plan will surely succeed this time. Then we can divide the Jura Forest as we see fit."
"Hehehe... now that sounds delightful."
Their sinister laughter echoed across the desolate landscape, reverberating like a grim omen through the empty plains.
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