The Horde charged forward with their newly crafted gadgets strapped to their backs, their formations breaking into an uncoordinated mess as they prepared to confront the bat creatures. The ogres were the first to leap, their large gliders straining under their bulk as they launched themselves awkwardly into the air.

Fwoosh! The wings of their contraptions flapped with a mechanical groan, sending them lurching upward in an uneven arc. One of the ogres tilted too far to the right, spinning uncontrollably before slamming into a tree with a thunderous CRASH!.

“Ughh!” he groaned, pulling himself up as branches rained down around him.

The orcs were no better. Their smaller frames made the gliders easier to maneuver, but they were erratic in their movements, zigzagging through the air with no sense of direction. One soared too low, clipping the edge of a rock, while another spiraled upward, only to stall and plummet to the ground in a heap.

The goblins—small and nimble—had better luck getting airborne, but their enthusiasm was their undoing. They flitted about like oversized dragonflies, colliding with each other mid-air or forgetting entirely how to land.

Volk stood at the center of the chaos, his crimson eyes narrowing as he observed the pandemonium. His fingers twitched at his sides, and his jaw tightened as he fought back the urge to shout. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, he cupped his hands around his mouth and roared, his voice booming like thunder across the battlefield.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! ORC, YOU’RE NOT A DRUNK BIRD, STOP SWERVING!” he bellowed, pointing at a particularly clumsy warrior.

The orc in question flailed, his glider tilting dangerously to one side before he managed to straighten it out.

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“Ogre! Stop trying to crush the air! Fly! Your weight isn’t the problem—it’s your lack of balance! Keep your arms steady!”

An ogre growled in frustration but followed Volk’s advice, his massive frame stabilizing slightly as his glider began to level out.

“And you, goblins!” Volk turned his fiery gaze toward the smaller creatures buzzing around like chaotic bees. “STOP FLYING INTO EACH OTHER! Space yourselves out or I’ll toss you all into the trees myself!”

The goblins squeaked in terror but quickly began to spread out, their movements becoming less erratic as they adjusted their flight paths.

One of the bat creatures took notice of the disorganized Horde and launched itself toward a goblin, its claws outstretched and its jaws snapping with a feral screech.

“LEFT! DODGE LEFT!” Volk shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.

The goblin barely managed to veer to the side, the bat creature’s claws missing him by inches. The little goblin squealed in fright, his glider wobbling precariously before he managed to regain control.

Volk growled under his breath, his hands tightening into fists. “This is a mess. We’ll be picked off one by one at this rate. Focus, you fools!”

Another bat creature swooped low, aiming for an orc who was struggling to ascend. The orc raised his weapon to block but overcompensated, his glider pitching backward as he flailed helplessly.

“STOP SWINGING WILDLY! Stabilize first, then strike!” Volk shouted, his voice carrying over the screeches of the bat creatures.

The orc gritted his teeth, adjusting his grip on the glider’s controls before steadying himself. With a sharp, focused swing, he brought his weapon down on the bat creature’s wing, severing it with a sickening SNAP!. The creature shrieked in agony, spiraling to the ground in a flurry of leathery wings and blood.

“Yes! That’s it!” Volk roared, a fierce grin spreading across his face. “That’s how it’s done! Pay attention to your movements, and don’t panic!”

He turned his gaze upward, scanning the chaos for more errors to correct. His sharp eyes caught sight of an ogre who was struggling to climb higher, his glider straining under his weight.

“OGRE! Push your weight forward, not back! You’re too heavy to rely on the wings alone—use momentum to your advantage!”

The ogre grunted in acknowledgment, leaning forward as he flapped his glider’s wings with renewed vigor. Slowly but surely, he began to ascend, his massive frame cutting through the air with surprising grace.

Meanwhile, one of the goblins managed to outmaneuver a bat creature, darting around its claws and landing a precise strike on its side with a small dagger. The bat creature screeched, retreating as the goblin let out a triumphant cheer.

Volk’s eyes gleamed with approval as he watched the goblin dart away, his movements fluid and confident.

“Finally,” Volk muttered under his breath, his lips curling into a small, satisfied smile. “One of them is improving.”

Volk’s sharp eyes darted from one struggling Horde member to another, his jaw set in frustration. Though some had begun to adapt, the battlefield was still rife with mistakes that grated on his nerves. With the cacophony of clashing weapons, screeching bat creatures, and the occasional THUD of a clumsy ogre or orc crashing to the ground, Volk’s booming voice cut through the chaos like a war drum.

“NO! Not like that! You’re flying sideways, idiot!” he roared, pointing furiously at a wobbling goblin whose glider spun in a slow, pathetic spiral toward a cluster of trees. “Do you want to impale yourself on a branch?! Adjust the left wing, NOW!”

The goblin squeaked in terror, fumbling with the controls. He managed to level out at the last second, his tiny legs flailing wildly as he regained altitude.

“Orc! Stop flapping like a dying fish!” Volk snapped, his voice full of exasperation. He jabbed a finger at a stout orc whose massive glider was struggling against the air. “It’s not about brute strength! Match the rhythm of your wings with your speed! You’re not smashing rocks; you’re gliding! Use finesse, not force!”

The orc growled but complied, his movements becoming more controlled as he started to gain some semblance of balance.

Volk’s attention shifted to an ogre who was floundering near the treetops, his massive frame swinging back and forth like a pendulum. “OGRE! What did I just say about balance?!” Volk bellowed, his voice raw from shouting. “You’re not a wrecking ball! Keep your center of gravity steady! Lean forward, not backward!”

The ogre grunted, his face twisted in concentration as he adjusted his posture. Slowly, he began to stabilize, his glider no longer swaying wildly.

Another goblin zipped past, his small glider wobbling dangerously as he weaved between bat creatures. Volk watched as the goblin barely avoided a swipe from one of the monsters, his glider tilting so far to one side that he was practically hanging by a thread.

“GOBLIN! What are you doing?! That’s not dodging; that’s falling!” Volk roared, his crimson eyes blazing. “Use the air currents to your advantage! Tilt the wings properly, and you won’t have to risk your neck every time something swings at you!”

The goblin nodded frantically, adjusting his controls. He managed a sharp turn that sent him soaring upward, narrowly avoiding another attack.

But Volk wasn’t satisfied yet. His gaze swept across the battlefield, catching sight of another orc who was swinging wildly at a bat creature, his glider jerking with every strike. “ORC! Have you learned nothing?!” Volk shouted, his voice practically shaking the leaves from the trees. “Your glider isn’t a toy! Stabilize before you attack, or you’ll just end up feeding yourself to those things!”

The orc growled in frustration but took a deep breath, steadying his glider before lunging at the bat creature. His blade sliced cleanly through the monster’s wing, sending it plummeting to the ground with a guttural screech.

“Better!” Volk barked, nodding in approval. “But next time, aim for the throat. We’re not here to make them suffer; we’re here to win!”

Despite the progress, there were still too many errors for Volk’s liking. His voice rose again, cutting through the din like a whip. “ALL OF YOU, LISTEN UP! STOP MOVING LIKE HEADLESS CHICKENS! Watch your surroundings! Coordinate with each other! If one of you falls, it’s your fault for not covering each other’s backs!”

The Horde began to respond to his commands, their movements gradually becoming more cohesive. Orcs and goblins paired up, covering each other as they maneuvered through the air. Ogres, though slower, used their size to block incoming bat creatures, giving the smaller fighters room to strike.

Volk’s eyes narrowed as he caught sight of another ogre struggling to ascend. “OGRE! What did I say about momentum?! Stop flapping like you’re drowning and use your weight to your advantage! Push forward, not upward!”

The ogre grunted in acknowledgment, his massive glider tilting forward as he gained speed. His movements became more fluid, his bulk cutting through the air like a boulder rolling downhill.

Volk allowed himself a brief moment of satisfaction before his attention snapped to another goblin who was hesitating mid-air, his small hands trembling as a bat creature closed in on him.

“GOBLIN!” Volk roared, his voice sharp with urgency. “DON’T JUST SIT THERE! If you freeze, you die! Move, or strike—do something! Your life depends on it!”

The goblin squeaked, his eyes wide with fear. But Volk’s words seemed to spark something in him. With a shaky breath, the goblin tightened his grip on his dagger and lunged at the bat creature, driving the blade into its chest. The monster let out a piercing screech before tumbling to the ground.

“Good!” Volk shouted, his lips curling into a grin. “Now do it again! And this time, don’t look like you’re about to piss yourself!”

Slowly but surely, the Horde’s movements began to improve. The goblins became more agile, darting through the air with surprising precision. The orcs started to find their rhythm, their gliders slicing through the sky with increasing control. Even the ogres, cumbersome as they were, began to move with a certain grace, their massive wings propelling them forward with steady power.

Volk’s voice softened slightly as he observed the changes, though it still carried the weight of authority. “Yes… that’s it,” he muttered under his breath. “You’re finally starting to understand.”

He stepped back, his sharp gaze scanning the battlefield. The Horde was no longer a chaotic mess of flailing limbs and crashing bodies. They were fighters now—rough around the edges, but fighters nonetheless.

A faint smirk played across Volk’s lips as he crossed his arms, his crimson eyes gleaming with pride. “Finally,” he muttered, his voice low but filled with satisfaction. “They’re grasping it.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep