Chương 89: Chapter 88 The Orc Who Built Walls

"After fleeing to Bloodclaw and seeing its wall, Orga wondered what might have happened if Bearclaw had continued improving its own instead of feeling satisfied with a thoughtlessly constructed defence. Perhaps our people would not have died as they did." Karath remained silent.

"Since then, Orga has continued thinking about how to create the strongest possible wall, one that will never allow such a disaster to happen again." A sense of purpose burned within Orga's eyes. He was a warrior who had failed to protect his tribe. The memory of that day seemed branded permanently into his mind. Karath placed a hand upon Orga's shoulder.

"Then will you take responsibility for constructing the walls of the new settlement?"

"W-what do you mean, Grand Chief?"

"Did you not say you wanted to build a wall that would never collapse, so no tribespeople would ever be lost again? Then build that wall here, for Karath and for all our people."

"How could Orga possibly..." Orga displayed uncertainty uncharacteristic of an orc warrior. Karath pointed toward Kaden and Parker. The two were still engaged in something that looked less like construction and more like reshaping stone through violence.

"Ahem. They are courageous warriors, but they do not appear particularly skilled at this work."

"Krahahaha! Karath appreciates your honesty. Even so, they eventually created a stone that fit the gap, did they not?"

"They did." The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Chief Parker said nothing is impossible with determination." Karath turned back toward Orga.

"Then show Karath your determination."

"Determination?"

"Yes. Show the same determination you displayed for Bearclaw during the contest to select the Grand Chief." During that contest, Orga had lacked the fighting ability of Parker or Dagon. Even so, he had continued attacking Karath with extraordinary persistence. He had fought as the representative of the destroyed Bearclaw Tribe, desperate to demonstrate that his people still possessed strength. The determination he showed that day had been no weaker than Parker's or Dagon's.

"Do you still lack confidence? Then perhaps Karath misunderstood the warrior named Orga and the man who carries the Bearclaw name."

"No, Grand Chief!" The moment Karath appeared to disparage Bearclaw, Orga cried out urgently.

"Orga will do it! He will build a wall that will never collapse, Grand Chief!" The uncertainty vanished from his eyes and was replaced by fire. Perhaps it was competitive spirit. Perhaps it was the resolve to protect the tribespeople with a wall built by his own hands. Perhaps he hoped to erase the scar left within him by the fall of Bearclaw.

"Krahahaha! Good! Karath will trust you with it!" Karath laughed heartily and struck Orga's shoulder. Thus, the construction foreman responsible for the walls of the Five-Tribe Alliance was appointed. The pace of construction accelerated after Orga Bearclaw received complete authority over the wall.

"We will use that large tree as a supporting pillar! Place the broadest and flattest stones possible along the foundation beside it!"

"Mud can fill the remaining gaps, but find stones whose shapes match as closely as possible!"

"Chief Parker, that stone is the wrong size! Forcing it inside will destroy the wall's balance! The same applies to you, Brother Kaden!" Once given control of the project, Orga managed every detail with astonishing care. A meticulous orc supervising construction was something Karath had never seen since reincarnating. Even though he had appointed Orga himself, the sight remained disorienting. Despite that surprise, a smile appeared on Karath's face.

It was not only because the hundred workers were rapidly creating the foundation of the new settlement. Many changes had followed the unification of the tribes. When Karath was young, nearly every orc in Bloodclaw had seemed identical. Now the differences between them were becoming increasingly clear. Krog had spent so long beside Karath that he had begun thinking almost like a human. Kaden had spent just as much time beside him and somehow matured into an orc warrior of absolute purity.

Parker had been born an orc warrior and raised entirely according to the values of orc warriors. Dagon had also lived as a traditional warrior, but recently he had begun following Karath everywhere and attempting to imitate his methods. Now there was Orga, an orc demonstrating something remarkably close to a craftsman's pride. They were all called orcs, yet increasingly diverse individuals were emerging among them. That was why Karath continued smiling.

He had the feeling that the newly formed Five-Tribe Alliance would become a remarkably entertaining place.