The Beast Tamer Clan's Monster Overlord

Crow's large wings beat one final time before landing softly in the middle of a wide, dry field that smelled of smoke and blood. The moment his talons touched the earth, he shrank into his small form with a gentle shimmer of mana, hopping to Axelius's shoulder.

Dozens of heavy thuds echoed around them.

One after another, the wyverns landed, wings folding as orcs jumped down from their backs, each of them tall and broad, their muscles bulging like tree trunks, their weapons as large as logs.

Thick axes, iron clubs, and jagged swords gleamed under the orange light of torches planted in the ground. More orcs began to close in from the treeline behind, until Axelius, Gob, and Nyx were standing right in the center of a wide circle of snarling enemies.

Axelius calmly patted Crow, then pointed to the woods. "Go find me a sword, Crow. Something with a bit of bite."

Crow cawed and leapt from his shoulder, flying fast and low into the shadows, disappearing from view.

Axelius turned his gaze back to the orcs, eyes sharp and golden but his mouth curled into a crooked grin as he took a step forward.

"Hey," he called out, his voice loud enough to echo. "Your food is here… but don't think you can eat me that easily."

One of the orcs roared in response, lifting a giant axe and slamming it on the ground, making the earth tremble beneath Axelius's boots.

Gob was at his side now, her metal knuckles shining as she cracked them together. Her small frame trembled slightly, but her stance was firm.

"Master," she said, "can we handle this? There's too many of them…"

Beside her, Nyx growled, a deep, low sound that made the nearby orcs pause for a brief moment. His eyes glowed in the dark, tail stiff and bristled as he stood between Axelius and the horde.

But Axelius didn't answer.

He just stared at the orcs one hand in his pocket, the other resting lazily at his side.

And all around them, the orcs slowly began to inch forward, their teeth bared, the sound of growls mixing with the heavy breathing of monsters who thought their victory was already in hand.

Just when the tension was rising and the circle of orcs was about to close in completely, a thunderous sound echoed across the battlefield a heavy, deep boom that seemed to shake even the air around them.

It was as if something massive had just landed or stomped down with such force that the very ground groaned in pain.

All at once, the growling and shouting of the orcs stopped.

The creatures began to move aside, one by one, each stepping back and lowering their heads as a wide path opened from the far edge of the circle.

Even the fiercest-looking orcs, those with red war paint and metal-studded clubs, moved quickly and quietly, giving way like frightened animals.

Axelius narrowed his eyes.

Then, through the flickering firelight, a figure emerged.

At first glance, it looked like a tall man taller than even the tallest orc, with a body lean and strong, wrapped in black armor that seemed to pulse with mana.

His skin was pale green but smooth like a human's, his eyes glowing gold with intelligence, not just rage.

Long white hair flowed behind him, tied in a rough warrior's tail, and across his back was a massive blade, larger than anything a man should carry, but it rested there like a feather.

He walked calmly, confidently, with a kind of presence that made even Gob and Nyx step back, their bodies tense and alert.

Axelius's gaze sharpened.

"So," he muttered under his breath, "an Orc Lord… Highborne Orc. A Vargosh."

A Vargosh wasn't just a leader it was the final stage of an orc's evolution, a rare and dangerous transformation that only happened when an orc had lived too long, killed too many, and consumed more mana than its body should hold.

It was an orc that had crossed the line between monster and man.

They were known in some texts as The Ones Who Walk Like Men orcs who had gained intelligence, speech, and sometimes even their own twisted kingdoms.

The Vargosh stopped a few meters from Axelius.

"You're the one they call Axelius," the orc lord said, voice deep and smooth, almost too perfect.

He tilted his head slightly. "You're smaller than I expected."

Axelius gave a dry chuckle, shaking his head.

"Hah… seems like my name really is starting to spread," he said, eyes half-lidded but sharp. "You knew who I was the moment you stepped in."

The orc lord didn't reply with words, only a slight nod acknowledging the name like it was a title.

"That's what I thought," Axelius muttered. "Fame sure travels fast these days… even to monsters."

"Started back when the sky burned with wyverns… when goblins never returned from the south. You caused that." The Vargosh muttered.

"Looks like monsters are aware of what I did four years ago," he said, voice sharp with amusement. "Didn't think I'd get famous just for turning a few monsters into ashes."

"I am Vargosh," he declared, raising one hand and slamming the bottom of his axe and sword into the ground, shaking the soil. "The Orc Lord. The war chief who commands this region. And I make this clear—"

He raised his chin, tusks catching the light.

"Those who threaten my throne shall end their life here."

"I was expecting more drooling and roaring,"

Axelius replied calmly. "Not a talking ogre in fancy armor."

A few of the nearby orcs growled in protest, gripping their weapons tighter, but the Vargosh raised a hand, and they all stopped.

"I came to see you with my own eyes," the Vargosh said. "You stink like a Lord," he growled.

Axelius didn't blink. His hand slowly went to his side, fingers curling.

He smirked.

"And you're not like the others either," he said. "Too bad I still have to kill you."