The armored dragon landed with a heavy thud, the impact sending vibrations through the stone walkway.

Hiiro narrowed his eyes as the rider dismounted, followed by another figure he hadn’t noticed at first.

His breath caught as he got a closer look at the ogre’s face. Recognition flickered in his golden eyes.

“It’s you,” Hiiro murmured. “You’re… from back then. The takeover.”

Shifu’s expression twisted into a snarl. “Good. You remember me.”

Behind him, Kaori opened a metal fan, partially covering her mouth as she observed the scene in silence.

Mobuji stepped forward, his voice sharp. “Who are you? How dare you trespass upon these lands?”

“Calm down, Shifu,” Kaori murmured, her tone measured.

But her words did little to quell the rising tension.

The air grew thick as Shifu’s killing intent seeped out, an oppressive force pressing down on everyone present. The sky darkened to a crimson hue, and a fierce purple wind howled through the walkway.

Before the queen and her entourage, a massive shadow took form, a towering specter with curled horns and blazing red eyes.

Mobuji’s face drained of color. His knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the ground with a strangled gasp. The demi-human advisor stumbled back, bracing himself against the wall, his breath coming in ragged pants.

Hiiro instinctively moved, stepping forward to shield the queen. His grip tightened around his sword as he planted his feet, gritting his teeth against the suffocating pressure.

Yet behind him, Queen Towa remained still.

Her posture did not waver, her gaze unwavering as she met the monstrous presence before her. If she felt the weight of Shifu’s killing intent, she showed no sign of it.

“Shifu.” Kaori’s voice rang out again, this time firmer.

The suffocating aura vanished in an instant.

The sky cleared, the eerie wind dissipated, and the heavy pressure lifted, allowing the air to flow freely once more.

Everyone exhaled as if they had been holding their breath.

Shifu took a deep breath, allowing the last remnants of his aura to dissipate before turning to Hiiro. His gaze was sharp, but his tone was steady.

“What happened to the ogre village?”

Hiiro’s eyes widened, his body tensing. A heartbeat later, his expression hardened, golden eyes blazing with barely contained fury.

“It was… those accursed Orcs!” he spat, his voice dripping with venom.

Shifu recoiled in shock, but it was Kaori who voiced their shared disbelief.

“Orcs?” she repeated, her brows furrowing. “That’s not even remotely possible. An orc couldn’t possibly best an ogre.”

“I don’t know how,” Hiiro admitted, his fists clenching at his sides. “But it was them. I know what I saw.”

Shifu exhaled, finally regaining full control over himself. He regarded the younger ogre carefully before speaking.

“Alright, kid. Take a deep breath and tell us everything, start from the beginning.”

Before Hiiro could respond, Queen Towa’s voice cut in, her tone warm yet authoritative.

“Perhaps we should continue this conversation inside?” She offered a gentle smile.

“Your Majesty!” Mobuji nearly shrieked in protest. “Surely you don’t intend to allow this… this person into our nation?” His voice trembled, both from lingering fear and disbelief.

Shifu turned his head slowly, pinning the prime minister with a cold, piercing stare.

Then, without looking away, he addressed Towa. “Thank you, Your Highness. I apologize for my earlier actions.”

Towa shook her head, dismissing the concern with a graceful wave of her hand.

“It’s not a problem,” she assured him. “I understand that your homeland has been attacked. Please accept my deepest condolences.”

With that, she turned and led the way toward the conference hall, her ministers falling into step behind her.

Shifu exchanged a brief glance with Kaori before walking beside Hiiro, both of them following in the queen’s wake.

The conference room was far simpler compared to the grand chambers designed for Kaede in Maple Tree. Modest yet dignified, it carried an air of formality suited for serious discussions.

Once everyone was seated, Queen Towa took the lead.

“So, Hiiro,” she began, her tone gentle but firm, “would you like to explain what really happened?”

Before Hiiro could respond, Shifu interjected, his brow furrowing as he turned to the red-haired ogre.

“Wait, Hiiro?” His voice carried a note of surprise. “You have a name.”

Hiiro nodded, his expression softening for a moment. “Yes. Queen Towa was kind enough to grant me one, at the expense of her own life force.”

Kaori’s gaze shifted toward the queen, her eyes glinting with newfound respect, while Shifu offered a small, knowing smile.

“I see,” Shifu murmured. “Well, you may call me Shifu. It seems we both found masters worthy of our loyalty.”

He gestured toward the woman beside him. “This here is my comrade, Kaori. From Maple Tree.”

Kaori offered a polite nod, her lips curving into a warm smile. The simple gesture was enough to make the two ministers seated nearby flush momentarily before quickly regaining their composure. Then, turning back to Towa, she spoke with measured concern.

“I hope your health is well, Your Highness. Naming another is no small matter, it carries the risk of shortening one’s own lifespan, after all.”

Towa shook her head, a wistful smile crossing her lips. “If it meant I could save a life, then it was worth it,” she said softly. “My only regret is that I couldn’t save his comrades.”

Shifu’s expression darkened. “Comrades?”

Hiiro inhaled sharply before nodding. “Yes. A lot happened after your banishment,” he said grimly. Then, after a brief pause, he began his story.

“I became a mercenary to earn money for the village. Ten others from the clan chose to follow me. At first, I thought I had found good employers, Lord Clayman ruled over the land we worked in. But then, I received word that Orcs were rallying to attack the village. I pleaded with my employers to send aid, but they refused.”

His fists clenched, voice tightening with bitterness. “So we deserted Clayman’s army. Of course, he didn’t take kindly to that. He sent his elite forces after us.”

Hiiro exhaled slowly, the weight of his words settling over the room. “All of my comrades fell that day.”

A tense silence followed.

“Apparently, Queen Towa barely managed to save me. She even granted me a name, hoping the evolution would aid in my recovery. It brought me back from the brink of death,” he finished, gesturing to the bandages still wrapped around his body.

Shifu nodded. “Do you know what spurred the Orcs?”

“Unfortunately, I do not,” Hiiro admitted honestly. “But I do know one thing, they’ll pay for everything they did.” His voice was laced with quiet fury.

“And they will,” Shifu assured him. Then, with a brief nod to Kaori, he reached into his belongings and tossed a sealed bottle toward Hiiro. The red-haired ogre caught it easily.

“Drink. It’s a health potion,” Shifu instructed.

Hiiro’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, but he nodded in gratitude before taking a large gulp of the shimmering green liquid.

Almost instantly, his body was enveloped in a faint glow. The remaining wounds on his body closed in mere seconds, leaving behind only smooth, unblemished skin.

“Incredible,” Hiiro murmured, flexing his hand. “My wounds… they’re all gone.”

The effect did not go unnoticed. Towa’s eyes twitched slightly, though she kept her reaction controlled, unlike her ministers, who gasped audibly.

“A potion that grants full recovery… Such a thing would cost a fortune,” one of them muttered in disbelief.

Towa, however, remained composed as she leaned forward slightly. “If I may, I’d like to ask a question.”

Kaori and Shifu exchanged a brief glance before Shifu nodded. “Go on.”

“You mentioned something called Maple Tree earlier. Do you mind explaining what that is?”

Shifu’s expression remained neutral as he answered. “Not something, Your Highness. The nation of Maple Tree is our home, a country established in the eastern part of Jura.”

“A country?” Mobuji gasped. “In the Forest of Jura? But that’s… that’s the Storm Dragon’s domain! That’s madness!”

Shifu met his shock with a steady gaze. “Regardless of what you think, our master, Lady Kaede, now rules over the entirety of Eastern Jura.” His voice was calm, yet firm. “And besides, Lord Veldora vanished without a trace months ago.”

“What?” Mobuji shouted in shock. “How could that be? Was he defeated? I thought he was sealed within the forest!”

“No one knows what happened,” Shifu replied calmly. “A few months ago, his presence simply vanished. However, that doesn’t concern me at the moment.”

“I see…” Towa closed her eyes for a brief moment, deep in thought. When she opened them again, her gaze was steady.

“Sir Shifu,” she addressed him formally. “I would like to make a request.”

Shifu observed her carefully as she spoke, waiting for her to continue.

“I would like to send a message to your master, Lady Kaede, the ruler of Maple Tree,” Towa stated with a resolute expression.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep