Moments later, Lysinthia and Thundar entered Orion's tent one after the other. Just as Orion was about to speak, Delilah slipped inside as well.
"Lysinthia, get ready. I'm sending Twilight Viper to guard Half-Moon Lake."
Hearing this, Lysinthia's pupils constricted, and her long black hair slithered like live snakes, clearly revealing her excitement. After all, Orion's order gave Twilight Viper both responsibilities and, by extension, gave her power as well.
"Master, Lysinthia and Twilight Viper stand ready at any time!"
Orion nodded, satisfied with her response. As his woman, Lysinthia hadn't refused a mission or a fight, and that attitude was certainly a point in his favor.
"Good. You can also bring along that contingent of Gorgons you converted. Let's see what they can do."
Taking the opportunity, he ordered Lysinthia to take the Gorgons she'd turned. Since Twilight Viper was being dispatched, it would need subordinates to back it up. Orion intended for those Gorgons, plus the swamp crocodiles and water pythons from Poison Dragon Swamp, to remain at Half-Moon Lake as a permanent presence.
"Thundar, you'll lead the cavalry and escort Twilight Viper to Half-Moon Lake. You have two objectives: first, intimidate all the various tribes that have migrated there and secure a sizable haul of resources for the Horde; second, test the results of the cavalry's recent training. Remember, if any tribe refuses to obey, don't bother letting them live. Wipe them out."
Orion's tone was cold, even merciless. Since his rise to Legendary level, such presence and authority radiated from him all the more.
Finally, Orion's gaze landed on Slagor, softening a fraction.
"Slagor, the swamp crocodiles and water pythons will be stationed at Half-Moon Lake to assist Twilight Viper. Make sure to handle that properly."
"Understood, my lord. Slagor will make it happen!"
Slagor nodded. He clearly recognized that Orion was reallocating power. Formerly, some of that power had belonged to him, but it was now being gradually stripped away. Although it stung, Slagor also felt strangely relieved.
As Orion's slave, he was among those Orion trusted most, so if he gave up certain privileges, he believed Orion would eventually grant him something else in return. Slagor was a clever lizardman.
"Go on and make your preparations. I'll give you three days to sort everything out."
With that, Lysinthia, Slagor, and Thundar left the tent to carry out their orders. Once the trio departed and Slagor's people had also moved on to settle in, Rendall headed out as well, wanting to handle arrangements for the latest arrivals from the Swamp. He had plenty to do.
That left only Orion and Delilah alone in the tent. Delilah sidled up behind Orion and began massaging his shoulders. After a moment of silence, Orion softly spoke.
"You stationed a number of scouts at Half-Moon Lake. Make sure they get any intel they need." Discover more content at
Delilah stopped kneading and leaned against Orion's shoulder, her chest pressed suggestively against him, letting out playful giggles.
Orion arched an eyebrow, his own desires piqued. Catching that subtle change, Delilah slipped smoothly into his lap, her clothes vanishing in the process.
"Rest assured, my dear lord," she murmured, hand sliding inside his underwear to grip his cock. "That's part of the Sentinel Corps' duties, after all."
…
Three days flew by.
During that time, Blackstone City underwent a flurry of construction and improvements. With the swamp folk joining in, the place grew livelier than ever. From Moonshadow Valley on out past the city walls, building crews could be seen everywhere, erecting fortifications and new structures.
Roar!
A middling roar echoed from Moonshadow Valley, adding an even more festive air to Blackstone City. Emerging from the Abyss gate came a mini–Abyss dragon, startling the bloodline warriors of various races who were hard at work.
"Another Abyss dragon?"
"And whose beast is it this time?"
Standing at the construction site, Onyx and Rendall frowned in surprise, along with everyone else who turned to look toward the Abyss. Once the small dragon fully emerged, they spotted someone seated on its back—Fergus, brimming with excitement.
"It's a giant!"
"Fergus!"
"…!"
Many of the bloodline warriors recognized him right away, and so did Rendall, who burst into a hearty laugh.
"You know that giant pretty well?" Onyx asked.
"Yes. Fergus may be adopted, but he's actually Orion's nephew," Rendall replied, full of pride.
Truthfully, Fergus's ability was only at the early Hero level, not enough to impress Onyx or Rendall on its own—but he'd somehow managed to tame an Abyss dragon as his ride in there, something they couldn't help but admire.
Though this small dragon wasn't as massive or terrifying as Orion's, it was still a formidable partner, suggesting Fergus had immense potential.
"Elder Rendall, our Horde is really blossoming!" Onyx remarked. He had been observing how Stoneheart Horde was thriving, thanks to the steady influx of different races.
Abundant resources meant that every child among those races could grow up stronger, leading to a surge of young talents. And with Orion's ascension to Legendary level, it felt like the final barrier restricting the Horde's development had snapped. Now each tribe and clan within the Horde was thriving, pulsing with new life.
"Haha! We never could've imagined days like these," Rendall agreed with a grin. "Oh, by the way—three days ago I saw a bunch of obsidian golems going through the Abyss gate, too. Prophet, you might keep your eyes peeled."
At this, Onyx's eyes brightened. He glanced back at the Abyss gate with newfound anticipation.
In the following days, Onyx supervised the Horde's building efforts while also monitoring the gate. He saw many tribespeople emerge, faces alight with pride, while others came out dejected, shoulders slumped in defeat.
"Prophet," came a voice—Dirtclaw, the deputy commander of the cannon fodder troops.
Nominally, that put him under Onyx's authority, and with no direct assignments from Delilah, he would usually hover near Onyx. "Is it possible for us gnolls to go into the Abyss too?"
"I'm not sure," Onyx replied. "Better ask the lord. For now, the gate's only open to the four main races: giants, succubi, buffalofolk, and obsidian golems. Maybe next year it'll open up to more."