The Golem Mage

Alec had sent Knight back to ask the other group to meet up with them, despite Knight's urge to complain.

He knew better than to anger Alec at that moment.

Additionally, Knight was the fastest of them all, making it easier for him to reach the other group than any other Mage in their group, so he grumpily accepted his new job

However, Alec had made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with Gabriel or Grace, even though they had reached the Mid Rank Mage Realm.

The only reason he was still tolerating their presence was because they were linked with James, who he deeply respected, and have been the one to bring them along in the first place.

Watching Knight run off with such speed piqued Gabriel and Grace's curiosity about what was happening, but Alec had taken on the job of guarding the cave entrance.

He showed no intention of allowing them inside as he summoned Legion, Titan, Axe Demon, Sword Saint, and the Hive Queen.
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Although he had kept many of his golems hidden, this was the first time he was truly giving his all since the fighting pavilion test.

While Lucas and Brandon continued their mining operations, Alec and his five golems became their bodyguards.

"I can't understand why he's defending that stupid entrance as if it holds some special treasure. I have no desire to go there,"

Gabriel snorted as he looked at Alec from his perch on a tree root.

He was truly frustrated by the way Alec had isolated them, but he didn't want to reveal his anger.

" keep quiet and let me think," Gabriel said.

" If Alec is guarding the entrance, it must mean that whatever they found inside is incredibly valuable for him to sacrifice himself and take on such a boring job."

"Now I'm even more eager to see what's inside that cave," Grace said, her smile widening as Alec glanced in their direction.

However, the moment Alec saw her face, he quickly averted his gaze.

"We really need to find a way to get inside, Gabriel. We need a plan,"

Grace said, turning towards his brother, only to find him struggling not to burst into laughter.

"How can you believe a guy like him would have the luck to find something good?"

" Look at him, He's even rummaging through the pockets of the dead Orcs he killed, He's so broke, like a pauper,"

Gabriel chuckled heartily as he observed Alec, who was meticulously searching each body in the hopes of finding something valuable to loot.

But after a few minutes it seemed to them that Alec had an uncanny ability to discover power stones hidden within the Orcs' remains.

Gabriel couldn't help but wonder just how lucky he must be to consistently find such loot with each search.

Even Grace, who initially had no interest in Alec's scavenging behavior, was now becoming increasingly tempted to abandon her pride and join in searching the bodies nearby.

The power stones may not have held much personal use for both of them, but accumulating such a substantial number of them presented a significant wealth that could fund their cultivation resources.

Given the high costs of Mid-Tier resources, it was clear they hadn't come across many of them, despite being highly regarded geniuses.

---

Two hours later, at the Orc villages,

The Orc leader had been waiting anxiously for the hunter team to return or at least send a signal explaining the delay.

But there was nothing of such and The fact that there was no movement or communication was greatly unsettling.

It was the leader's team that had stumbled upon the mine, which had elevated his status and power among the Orcs.

And after a result of luck had allow him advanced to the Tier 4 Orc realm, he gained the strength to maintain control over the growing power of his village.

No one dared to challenge his authority for the position of leader.

They had begun to view the mine as their private property, handling everything related to it with utmost care.

The Orc leader intended to seek revenge against a Mid-Tier Orc village that had acted against his family, in the past.

While his village had now acquired enough strength to confront a weaker Mid-Tier village, that was not his ultimate goal.

He sought to grow powerful enough to conquer and absorb the rival village into his own, turning them into his subjects.

This would grant him the strength necessary to bridge the gap between weak and strong Mid-Tier villages, earning recognition throughout the region.

Realizing that launching an attack on the village in his current state would not grant him enough power to fully absorb it,

the Orc leader understood that there were other mid-tier Orc villages that would be eager to share in the spoils or potentially even launch a direct assault against him.

And that was the reason of his restraints.

With his ambitions etched firmly in stone, the Orc leader's determination burned brightly.

As he noticed the absence of the returning Orc hunters and the lack of any communication from them, his first instinct was to suspect betrayal within the group.

However, when he attempted to recognise the faces of the thirty Orcs who had departed from the village, he was certain of their unwavering loyalty.

He promptly dismissed the thought from his mind.

"Gather five hundred warriors and summon the wolf riders. We need to investigate the situation at the mines," the Orc leader commanded,

descending from his wooden throne, He swiftly donned his fur armor, revealing his tribal tattoos that adorned the rear right side, where a portion of the armor had been intentionally cut away.

His hand instinctively grasped the massive axe that rested against a board, gently caressing the weapon.

"Old friend, it seems I may have to call upon you for aid once again," the Orc leader whispered to his battle axe, its deep red hue resembling the stains of blood it had earned from countless battles.

"Chief, the army has gathered, We have approximately five hundred Orcs and a hundred wolf riders awaiting your command,"

one of the leader's trusted warriors reported, The leader nodded, lifting a skull helmet from a nearby pedestal.

It appeared to be crafted from the skull of a formidable beast—a worthy opponent.

The Orcs love keeping such skulls of formidable opponents as trophies.

As the leader placed the helmet upon his head, his countenance transformed, exuding a more ferocious and intimidating presence.

"Let us proceed!" the Orc leader bellowed, his voice filled with determination.