King Milan crossed his arms over his chest, pondering aloud, "I think it's worth a try. Since their arrival is inevitable, why not see what happens two years from now? If they truly bring a large quantity of 'spring water,' this cooperation could be beneficial for both sides."
The other Saints remained silent for a moment before King Riem put away his longbow and thoughtfully said, "It sounds mutually beneficial, but I believe we should remain cautious. The beings from the Beast God World possess strange abilities! I'm sure everyone felt that earlier—how none of us could summon a single ounce of killing intent toward that white dove? A power that can affect emotions like that is truly terrifying."
"Hm... They can traverse the void, coming from distant worlds. Their true strength must be far superior to ours, and their methods more advanced," King Grey Lu said, his expression grave.
"That makes sense. It would be wise to collect this 'spring water' and test it thoroughly—using various samples, like magical beasts, wild beasts, and transcendents at different stages of cultivation. We need to observe it for a longer period to ensure it's harmless," suggested Hypast.
This final opinion was met with widespread approval among the Saints.
After further discussions on the details, they eventually reached a consensus.
The Ice Queen played with the strands of hair framing her face and softly said, "Now that the greatest threat to our world has been eliminated, there's still the matter of the tens of thousands of remaining orcs. What shall we do with them?"
"Given our upcoming cooperation with the Beast God World, I think we could show leniency toward the remaining orcs. We've already slaughtered billions of them, which should have settled the old grievances," suggested the burly man from the Ice Kingdom.
"Indeed, leaving a small number of orcs alive won't pose a threat to the elemental essence of our world. It could even help maintain the ability to summon those from the Beast God World later. If we completely wipe them out, no one would be left to sound the horn, and our cooperation plans would fall apart," King Riem agreed.
"But we must learn from history. We should strictly control the orc population and regularly purge their numbers to prevent the rise of another Orc King," another Saint proposed.
"I suggest eliminating the higher and mid-level orcs, leaving only the lower-level and ordinary orcs," said King Milan.
"Ahem, we can certainly wipe out all the high-level orcs, but it might be useful to keep some of the mid-level ones..." Rhett finally voiced his opinion.
The others fell silent, turning their attention to Rhett with thoughtful expressions.
There was no doubt that Rhett had contributed the most to this war. Not only had he single-handedly fought the Orc King, but he had also had the strength to take down other Saint-level orcs. His astonishing combat prowess left a lasting impression on everyone.
The title of the world's strongest truly belonged to him.
King Milan cast a complicated look at Rhett and said, "You're right. It was my oversight. Keeping some mid-level orcs to maintain control over the group might indeed be more practical. I didn't expect you, Rhett, to have such keen strategic awareness in addition to your unmatched combat skills."
King Grey Lu, a plump middle-aged man with a magic staff strapped to his back, chuckled and added, "Jealous, King Milan? I'd say even if you stepped aside for Rhett, it wouldn't make much difference, would it? Haha!"
King Milan shot Grey Lu a disdainful look but remained silent.
"There's no need for King Milan to step aside. With the orcs defeated, vast lands will soon be vacant. Humanity's living space will expand, restoring our territories to their former glory," the Ice Queen said with a smile. "Such a large, untouched region will need to be divided. And since Rhett is the Son of the World, it's only fair that he holds a special position in the allocation of those lands."
As her words fell, a brief silence settled over the group as everyone's faces lit up with joy.
Of course, the fall of the orcs meant their territory would double, which was great news for everyone.
King Riem rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I agree. Without Rhett, it's uncertain if we could have won this war against the orcs. Giving him priority in dividing the lands is perfectly reasonable."
"Yes... I see no problem with that."
"I agree!"
"I have no objections."
As more voices expressed support, a broad smile spread across Rhett's face.
He placed a hand on his chest in thanks. "Since everyone insists, I won't decline your kindness. But let's leave the matter of dividing the land for later. For now, let's focus on resolving the issue of the remaining orcs."
"Where should we relocate the orcs? Does anyone have suggestions?" King Grey Lu asked.
"Why not divide them up among the various kingdoms? That way, they won't be able to unite and grow strong again," King Milan proposed.
The other Saints nodded in agreement, finding this approach reasonable and effective.
However, the Ice Queen narrowed her eyes slightly, voicing her objection: "I don't think that's a perfect solution. Over time, no one can guarantee that nothing unexpected will happen. There might be orcs among them who will bide their time, waiting for an opportunity to rise again. If they manage to align themselves with human forces, they could increase the risk of rebellion!"
"That's impossible! No human would ever betray us to side with orcs..." King Milan snapped, only to notice the uncomfortable atmosphere his words had caused.
Following the strange elemental fluctuations in the air, he looked over to see King Grey Lu's face shifting from green to white in discomfort.
"Ahem." Realizing his blunder and recalling Sheman's betrayal, King Milan awkwardly cleared his throat and asked, "So, Ice Queen, what do you suggest we do?"
"Send them to the edges of the world!" the Ice Queen replied coldly. "I've calculated that the far southern lands are not only remote but also the smallest of the four polar regions. They could house no more than two hundred thousand orcs, which would be just the right number."
"And if any orcs escape back to the mainland?"
"Execute them on the spot."
"Hmm... That's a good plan. Relocating them to the far southern region would prevent them from coming into contact with most of the mainland population and keep them from growing too large," Rhett agreed with the plan and made the final decision: "Let's proceed with the Ice Queen's suggestion. I'll handle eliminating the high-level and some mid-level orcs. The task of relocating the orcs to the southern region will fall to you, Ice Queen. Since you've lived in the northern lands for so long, I'm sure you have experience with such environments."
"Leave it to me. As for dealing with the high-level and mid-level orcs, I can take care of that too. You don't need to trouble yourself," the Ice Queen replied with a nod.
"Um... I'll take care of the orcs myself," Rhett insisted.
"Hm?"
The Ice Queen paused, her surprise evident as she blinked. Did it matter who handled this task?
At that moment, Ankous stepped forward from the crowd, offering a cheerful explanation:
"Ice Queen, Rhett has a particular fondness for slaying orcs. Back during the Coldstream Line, he would always take it upon himself to do so after every battle. He even insists that his descendants do the same. It's something of a... well, a habit of theirs. You should let him have this one."
Rhett cast a sidelong glance at Ankous, feeling a bead of sweat form on his forehead. A habit? Really?
Facing the Ice Queen's inquisitive gaze, Rhett could only sigh and nod. "Yes, that's correct."
The Ice Queen's expression softened with understanding, and she gave Rhett a charming smile. "Impressive. I admire your attitude toward dealing with other races."
"Ahem, thank you. I'll head off now."
After a brief exchange, Rhett quickly descended to the ground.
At that moment, the battle between the humans and the orcs raged on, neither side aware of the events that had just transpired.
Since the departure of the Peace Dove, everyone had returned to their senses, and once again, hatred filled the eyes of each combatant.
Both sides were determined to fight to the death, wanting nothing more than to eliminate the other.
Buzz!
Suddenly, a wave of oppressive energy descended from above like a heavy mountain, pressing down on everyone.
The pressure was so intense that it became hard to breathe, and the rhythm of the battle faltered.
All eyes turned upward.
And then, when they saw a human standing unharmed, holding the blood-soaked corpse of the Bearman Chieftain, the battlefield froze in shock!
After a brief moment of disbelief, the wave of realization spread like an earthquake.
"My god, that's the Orc King! The Orc King has been slain!"
"Does that mean the scales of victory have completely tipped in our favor?"
"Haha, this is truly uplifting news! These orcs are about to meet their end!"
"Charge! Push forward and finish them off! The orcs are doomed today!"
"Kill!"
The cheers of the human soldiers rang out like crashing waves, each one louder than the last. Their morale surged to unprecedented heights.
As for the orcs, witnessing this scene was like watching their last hope die. With their king fallen, who would lead them to victory now? Who could rally their spirits?
With their mental pillar shattered, despair washed over every orc.
"All orcs, surrender, and you will not be killed!"
At that moment, Rhett's voice, carried by the wind element, reached every corner of the battlefield.
He looked down coldly at the orcs below. His tone shifted, becoming even sharper: "But if you resist, you will end up like your Orc King!"
The sight of the Orc King's corpse was a glaring reminder, and many of the orcs' eyes reddened. Despair spread across the battlefield.
In most of the orcs' minds, the same thought took root—The orcs' time has come to an end. A new era is dawning, and it no longer includes us.
"No! The orcs will never be slaves! Even in the face of death, we will spill our blood on the battlefield!"
"Brave orcs, charge with me!"
In the midst of the orc ranks, a Bearman with bloodshot eyes glared at the sky, at the fallen body of their chieftain. With a sweep of its brown-furred paw, it roared in fury.
The other orcs looked at this Bearman, a descendant of the Orc King, with mixed expressions—disappointment, sorrow, anger, despair…
"Hmph! Foolish creature."
As the orc ranks began to stir once more, with the fires of war threatening to reignite, Rhett's face turned cold. He summoned his earth element, and with three swift strikes, sliced off the limbs of the high-ranking Bearman.
Then, with another spell, he unleashed a rain of earthen spikes, wiping out tens of thousands of lower-ranked orcs.
The battlefield was soon soaked in blood, and the anguished cries of the orcs filled the air. Whatever fighting spirit the orcs had left was crushed by the sight of their comrades being slaughtered.
Thud, thud, thud
The sound of footsteps echoed like drumbeats.
But this time, it wasn't a call to arms. Rather, it was the sound of retreat.
One by one, the orcs began to flee, trying to escape the battlefield.
Seeing this, Rhett moved quickly, summoning more spikes to strike down the remaining high-level and most of the mid-level orcs, rendering them unable to move.
Then he snapped his fingers.
A frosty aura descended from the sky, forming a long, winding ice belt that rapidly slithered through the air, encircling the fleeing orcs.
The beautiful, dreamlike blue ice radiated deadly energy. The orcs at the outermost edges felt their blood begin to freeze, and they shivered in terror, coming to a halt.
A few reckless orcs tried to approach the ice, but before they could get close, the freezing aura overwhelmed them. Their bodies were quickly encased in thick layers of ice, transforming them into orc statues.
The rest of the orcs, already paralyzed by fear, recoiled even further, clustering together in the center.
Hypast's voice echoed through the air as he joined Rhett, grinning as he admired his handiwork. "What do you think? This trick is perfect for trapping people."
"Haha, impressive! My earth element certainly can't do that," Rhett laughed, praising him.
At that moment, the Ice Queen descended as well. Her icy aura gave her an almost holy presence, and her delicate features glowed in the cold light. With a glance at the captive orcs below, her voice rang out with undeniable authority:
"Intruders, your time is over!"
"Your fate should have ended with your king, but I have pleaded on your behalf and secured a place for you to live."
At her words, Hypast frowned. "Hmm? What does she mean by that? Is the Ice Queen planning to claim the orcs for herself?"
"That's not right! She didn't even consult us," another Saint added indignantly as they descended to join Rhett and Hypast.
King Grey Lu narrowed his eyes and added coldly, "Hmph, if the Ice Queen intends to take the orcs to her kingdom, I won't stand for it!"