(Boku’s POV)

Battlefront Demon Headquarters

Boku rubbed his furrowed brow, attempting to chase away the persistent headache stabbing at his temples.

Despite massaging as if kneading his own brain, the pain refused to abate.

He glanced at his companions seated in a circle around him.

Their faces were equally grim, reflecting the same burdens, albeit with varied expressions.

Mige incessantly scratched his head as though something alive nested within his scalp, while Goku ground his teeth, producing a grating sound reminiscent of metal being sawed.

Swa, on the other hand, couldn’t sit still. He paced back and forth endlessly, until black marks began to streak across the stone floor.

Tension filled the room like a thick, suffocating fog. If even the people gathered here were this distraught, it was a clear sign that the fate of the Wilwatikta Kingdom was far from secure.

Sigh...

Boku exhaled deeply, his chest heavy. He closed his eyes briefly, letting memories of simpler times wash over him.

He still remembered the days before Moku became chieftain.

Back then, their greatest concern was finding women to ensure the birth of the next generation—a crisis that had seemed insurmountable.

The only solution had been to attack humans who dared venture into the Bog Forest. But that strategy carried immense risk.

If humanity discovered their existence, another massacre, like the one they had already endured, was inevitable.

Those memories still haunted Boku—screams, blood, and the stench of death enveloping their village.

Even after Moku took over as leader, the nightmares persisted, clawing at him every night.

But Moku brought new hope. He renamed their tribe the Dawnmist Tribe and tackled each problem head-on.

The arrival of Anna and other women provided a temporary solution for their generational crisis. Then came the next challenge—hunger.

Wisely, Moku introduced martial arts and breathing techniques to enhance their physical capabilities, enabling them to hunt more effectively and solve their food shortages.

When Ez delivered news of an approaching group of mages, fear once again gripped the tribe.

Boku could still recall how his body trembled uncontrollably.

Yet, Moku proved his resourcefulness once more. He forged alliances with the goblin and sylph tribes, uniting their strength to defeat the mages.

Moku even managed to take down one of the mages—a foe as powerful as the enemies who had once nearly wiped them out.

However, victory brought new dangers. The disappearance of the mage group would undoubtedly draw humanity’s attention.

Staying in their old camp had become too dangerous.

With heavy hearts, the tribe abandoned their ancestral lands and embarked on a journey to Bitter Maja, where they established the Wilwatikta Kingdom.

Boku could still feel the pride he’d experienced then.

Watching their tribe rise from the ashes and unite with three other monster races under Moku’s leadership, he knew that Moku’s Oath of Dawn was no empty promise.

But that happiness had been short-lived. A new threat emerged, this time in the form of a colony of mutated creatures they dubbed the Quadruple Arachnids.

Their numbers were so vast they seemed to blanket the sky and earth, turning the green expanse of Bog Forest into black and yellow hues.

It had been a war that seemed impossible to win. Yet, once again, they endured.

And then, at last, came peace—a time that felt both eternal and fleeting.

Boku stood, gazing upon their kingdom—Wilwatikta Kingdom—now a majestic realm, built from nothingness.

His eyes swept over the grand coliseum where the Palaka rituals were held, the bustling market teeming with the aroma of fresh meat, and the rows of houses spreading like mushrooms, some even burrowing deep into the ground.

He recalled the moments when his wives gave birth to healthy orc children, one after another. Watching them grow so quickly filled Boku’s heart with pride.

The orc population had exploded, far beyond anyone’s wildest imagination.

Once, there had been only twenty orcs in the entire world; now their numbers had swelled into the tens of thousands—and they continued to grow.

Orcs who had mastered the three stages of breathing techniques began undergoing the rituals to open the gates to their first evolution.

Soon after, the asuras emerged, sprouting like mushrooms after the rain, bringing new strength to the kingdom.

Boku knew that, at this pace, it would only be a few more years before they became the undisputed rulers of Bog Forest.

After that, they would expand their dominion, devouring the lands of the arrogant humans and the haughty elves.

"Every male enemy will be eliminated," Boku thought. "And their women... will become part of our families."

But he also understood that rapid growth like this never came without a price. Wilwatikta Kingdom required vast resources to sustain its greatness.

R-18, their research unit, had been experimenting with creating artificial meat to eliminate the need for hunting.

They had even started domestication efforts, but progress was too slow to meet their ever-increasing demands.

Ultimately, their largest source of food remained hunting.

However, the animals in Bitter Maja were dwindling. Many had fled beyond their territory, forcing hunting parties to venture farther, increasing the risk.

Eventually, hunting, once their lifeline, was no longer enough.

Only one option remained: humans.

Yet hunting humans carried its own risks. Bog Forest, with its frequent mana eruptions, had drawn the attention of humanity.

Human investigation teams had finally discovered the existence of demons invading the continent. Initially, Wilwatikta knew nothing about this new Mana Species, but their dire need for food forced them to act swiftly.

Moku devised a strategy to ambush human supply caravans passing through Bog Forest.

They made it appear as though these caravans had fallen victim to the forest’s natural dangers.

However, Boku knew this was not a long-term solution. Their insatiable demands could not be met by such methods alone.

Fortune smiled upon them when news of a massive war between humans and demons reached Moku’s ears.

This conflict, known as The Second Mana Species War, had occupied all the major powers of the continent.

From this opportunity, Moku and the leaders of Wilwatikta shifted their focus: from humans to elves.

Humans had designated Bog Forest as a buffer zone to protect themselves from demon incursions.

Their forces were now stationed in the northern part of the forest, right at the base of Wolf Slope Mountain.

Bog Forest had become a vital supply route to the front lines, making it a highly strategic area.

If Wilwatikta continued ambushing human supply lines, causing significant losses, two outcomes were possible: either humans would purge Bog Forest before resuming their war with the demons, or worse, they would retreat their front lines and turn Bog Forest into a new battlefield.

Boku knew the risks were too great. Wilwatikta lacked the strength to face humans directly, let alone deal with the foreign demon species attacking from behind.

In such a scenario, they would have no choice but to retreat and hide like rats underground.

Elves, however, were a different matter. The elven frontline did not directly touch Bog Forest. The forest bordered their territory but was only inhabited by small, isolated villages.

Under Nezena’s leadership, Wilwatikta exploited this weakness, pillaging the elven villages to temporarily meet their food needs.

But they understood that the great war consuming the continent could not be ignored.

Boku knew that sooner or later, Wilwatikta would be drawn into this vortex of conflict. The only question was how they would enter: as victims or as opportunists.

Wilwatikta chose its own path.

By constructing the West Fortress, they deceived Artur and his team into believing Wilwatikta was an ally aiding in the delivery of supplies to the front lines, rather than a threat.

Additionally, the relationship between Princess Seraphina and Moku enabled them to forge an alliance with the Water Elf Kingdom, Aquanorin.

These two strategic moves opened significant opportunities for Wilwatikta to join the war while reaping its benefits.

During the war, they discovered a new food source: the bodies of elves, humans, and demons left on the battlefield.

Without arousing suspicion, Wilwatikta capitalized on the war to gather as much meat as possible. Demons served as the perfect scapegoats—this species was known for leaving no corpses after battles, often consuming even their fallen comrades.

If bodies disappeared from the battlefield, no one would suspect Wilwatikta.

However, their plans unraveled when a dire threat emerged. Furfur, the demon volcano, and Lucifer, the Sin of Envy, came to them with an ultimatum they could not refuse:

"Attack the humans, or we will expose your secret to the world."

The ultimatum struck like lightning on a clear day, just as Wilwatikta was beginning to feel secure.

The annihilation of five squads in Eagle Sector served as a stark warning. Furfur himself appeared to finish the job, and the sole survivor—a hobgoblin—brought back a chilling message:

"Lucifer’s patience is wearing thin."

Boku let out a long sigh, attempting to ease the tension suffusing the room.

"Any news from Nevare?" he asked Swa.

Swa nodded. "She said the preparations aren’t a hundred percent complete, but they’re ready to take Heles City at any time."

"What about Moku?"

Before Swa could respond, Moku’s voice echoed through the Pandava.

"I’m ready. You can launch the assault at any time. Boku, I’m entrusting full command of this operation to you!"

Boku’s face didn’t light up with excitement. Instead, it grew even grimmer. He took a deep breath, his teeth grinding as he bore the immense pressure.

"Alright," he said finally. "In that case, let’s begin Operation Keris Jawa."

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