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"It starts now," Void said with a smile. Linkir, tense and unsure of what was coming, watched in silence. Seconds passed, and then it happened. A giant pig emerged, snatched the leftover meat, and bolted away.
Linkir stood in stunned disbelief. "What… What is this?" she stammered.
Void burst into laughter, holding his stomach. "You should've seen your face!" His joy at teasing the young orc was unmistakable.
"Sigh… The way of the strong is unpredictable," he added with a smirk. Void had always imagined himself acting serious like the protagonists from novels he read back on Earth, but now, when the moment came, it all just felt too ridiculous.
Linkir, dazed, couldn't reconcile the playful, laughing Void with the cold figure she had seen before. He was like a carefree neighbor now. "What… What is this?" she repeated, too surprised to even feel anger.
"Life's short. You shouldn't frown all the time," Void replied with a soft chuckle before walking away. Linkir quickly followed, unsure of what else to do.
"Where… Where are we going?" she asked, catching up.
"Your village, of course," Void said with a grin.
Hearing this filled Linkir with fear. What was Void planning? Despite his lighthearted demeanor, she couldn't shake the dread gnawing at her. Was he still going to destroy her village?
"Lead the way," Void said with a smile. Hesitantly, Linkir picked up her pace and led him.
For minutes, they walked in silence, undisturbed by monsters along the path. Void, sensing her unease, slightly released his aura, keeping any beasts at bay. Slowly, Linkir began to talk more freely with him, and the tension between them eased—at least on the surface.
When they reached the village gates, Void eyed the towering 50-meter metal walls and the guards checking those who entered. To him, it seemed weak despite its fortress-like appearance.
The guards' expressions shifted when they saw their princess with a human. They rushed toward them, weapons raised.
"Wait! He's a friend!" Linkir shouted, terrified that the guards' actions could provoke Void. She still didn't fully understand him, and if he wanted to, he could kill them all without a second thought.
The guards frowned but bowed, stepping aside. As Void passed, he smiled brightly at them, but the guards' faces paled. To them, it was as if a 10-meter demon had grinned at them, and they became frozen in fear. Moments later, their bodies collapsed. They were now in a vegetative state, their minds shattered by Void's mere presence.
Void entered the village, marveling at the sights. Reading about an isekai world was one thing; experiencing it was another. Every turn revealed something new, but the tension in the air was palpable. He could feel the orcs' killer intent, though their bodies betrayed their cowardice.
"The human race really has these orcs cornered," Void mused, noting how they could do nothing even if their most beautiful were kidnapped by humans. It was a sad reality, but it was how the weak lived.
The village was vast, nearly the size of a small country. Walking from the gate to the center was impossible, so teleportation circles were used. Void and Linkir stepped into one and reappeared in the heart of the village, where the surroundings were far more luxurious, with guards and barracks spread everywhere.
They entered a large house, where the guards bowed, and Linkir nodded. Not long after, they met an old man—one of the village's two mages. His eyes narrowed when he saw Void, unable to gauge his strength. He wasn't sure if Void was stronger than him or just a normal human.
"Uncle, this is… a friend," Linkir said, lowering her head. She expected her uncle to reprimand her for bringing a human here, but no scolding came.
"Sit," the old man said, gesturing to the chairs. Void chuckled and sat down.
"And how did you meet? We've been searching for you, Linkir. We thought you were dead," the old man said sternly.
"It wasn't my fault, Uncle. It's like this…" Linkir hastily explained, having crafted a plausible lie during their journey.
The old man, who had raised Linkir, knew when she was lying. Just as he was about to challenge Void, he noticed something.
"Your level… Linkir, you've broken through to the knight level!" he exclaimed with joy. With this, their village would be protected by the church, and if she reached sainthood, they could even become a significant power in the future.
"It's thanks to my friend," Linkir said shyly, remembering the earlier incident.
The old man forced a smile. He didn't trust humans helping orcs unless there was a hidden agenda. Perhaps they knew Linkir's status as a saint of the God of Light and wanted to use her.
Void just smiled, reading the old man's thoughts easily.
As Linkir and her uncle continued talking, Void interrupted. "Remember what I told you," he said with a smile, causing Linkir to freeze.
"What… Are they coming?" she asked, her heart racing. If the church was on its way, she might finally escape Void's clutches, maybe even have them kill him.
Void sensed her tiny trace of murderous intent but kept his smile. It seemed he had a stubborn animal to train. "They're here," he said, looking off into the distance.
Before anyone could react, a loud shout rang out. "Beast tide!"
***
In a distant white space, the top ten human leaders gathered for a meeting about the impending war. Their forms appeared as glowing orbs.
"I believe you've all been informed about the upcoming war," Luke said with a frown.
"Yes. Today we need to discuss our strategy to survive and help the human race," Fang Yun replied.
Fireblade spoke up. "There are three possible scenarios. First, if our universe is stronger, we'll invade theirs. Second, if the universes are equally matched, a plane will form at the intersection, and that will be our battlefield. Third, if their universe is stronger, they will invade us. The first scenario is our best hope."
"In the end, we must prioritize ourselves. We won't have time to protect the weak," Leo added.
"Sad but true," Marcule agreed.
"Then it's decided. We'll gauge the situation before making any moves. If we're winning and can lend a hand, we will, but otherwise, we focus on our own survival," Mark concluded, and the meeting ended.
Far in space, two gigantic marbles—the universes—moved closer, causing turbulence.
***
In the divine plane, the gods sat on their thrones, their radiant might filling the realm.
"The two worlds will collide in ten days. What should we do?" a voice asked, and the gods began their discussions.
***
In the mortal realm, Ariya used teleportation circles to reach a country near the village. Her army of 100,000 paladins, along with a legendary commander, was on its way, marching with incredible speed. Ariya hoped it wasn't a trap.
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