The eight Orcs stood ramrod straight, like javelins, and Aiguleiya dared not be negligent, so he also stood obediently.
Grom Hellscream stood until his legs went numb before finally waking up. He grabbed a piece of meat and ate it in large bites, glancing casually at Aiguleiya.
"You are the Arena champion of Durnholde. Forget your glory. In our Warsong Clan, no one cares about birth or social status. As long as you are brave enough, you will surely rise to the top."
Grommash Hellscream finished his roast meat, casually tossed the bones on the ground, and said without even looking up:
"Come with me."
Aiguleiya followed behind Grommash Hellscream, while Iska stood behind him, keeping a close eye on him.
Grommash Hellscream, giving off a terrifying and intimidating aura.
Aiguleiya told himself he had to be brave; he had killed Ashkandi, who was stronger than Grommash Hellscream, so what was there to fear?
Once outside the cave, there were rolling hills covered with dense thickets.
In an open space, an oval-shaped Arena was enclosed by logs. Two Orcs were engaged in a fierce battle, surrounded by a large group of Orcs who clapped and cheered loudly.
Although it was a bare-handed fight, it was a life-or-death struggle with every punch landing hard. Before long, one of the Orcs was knocked to the ground, and the victor snapped his neck.
Aiguleiya shrank back in fright, which reminded him of the gladiatorial combat at the Durnholde Arena.
Grommash Hellscream proclaimed, "As Orcs, we must be brave. Our Warsong Clan needs to be baptized in blood. The weak have no right to live. If you kill three opponents in a duel, you will be one of us. If you can kill ten opponents, you will be an officer of the Warsong Clan."
Aiguleiya was pale and frail; he couldn't withstand such a fight and would probably collapse after just one round.
Iska proudly declared, "I have killed one hundred and thirty opponents to qualify as an advisor to Chief Grommash Hellscream."
One hundred and thirty members of the Warsong Clan, unimaginable bloodshed—compared to that, Karazhan is a merciful paradise.
Grommash Hellscream coldly said, "During famines, countless members of our clan starve to death. Therefore, our Warsong Clan established a rule long ago: to survive, we must fight. This ensures that all our members are elite. One Elite is far more useful than a hundred useless pieces of trash. Aiguleiya, let me see your strength."
Aiguleiya lowered her head deeply and muttered softly, "I'm sorry, I haven't been feeling well lately."
"A great warrior must always maintain a fighting spirit; how can he be defeated by a minor illness?"
Grommash Hellscream smirked, having tested Aiguleiya's strength, and was completely relieved.
"If you're not good at fighting, that's okay. As long as you're willing to work hard, you're welcome."
Grommash Hellscream led Aiguleiya to a mine where a large group of Orcs were working hard. Aiguleiya watched as one Orcs carried a ore boulder taller than himself, then collapsed to the ground and never got up again.
"Orcs possess unwavering perseverance," Grommash Hellscream said, clenching his fist.
"The miners here work more than twenty hours a day and know nothing of hardship. Aiguleiya, welcome to join them."
Aiguleiya felt his head buzzing. In Karazhan, although he was a lowly servant, he mostly did cleaning work and had never done any heavy physical labor.
Seeing the Orcs in the mine tortured to the point of being unrecognizable, like walking corpses, Aiguleiya felt a cold sweat pour down his face.
"I see you're wavering," Grommash Hellscream sneered. "I told you, trash has no right to join the Warsong Clan. You've visited my camp; I won't let you leave alive."
Aiguleiya was so frightened that she immediately knelt on the ground.
"You want to beg for your life? It's not impossible." Grommash Hellscream took a piece of meat from Iska's hand.
"Eat it, and I'll spare your life."
The meat was rotten and decaying, crawling with countless white maggots, making it nauseating.
"Eat it, or you'll die," Iska added in with a threat.
To survive, Aiguleiya had no choice but to accept the rotting flesh, close his eyes, put it in his mouth, and force himself to swallow it.
Grommash Hellscream loudly. "In the Warsong Clan, only dogs eat rotten meat, and I just happen to be missing an obedient dog by my side."
Iska took out a collar that she had prepared beforehand and put it around Aiguleiya's neck; the collar was connected to a chain.
They also broke Aiguleiya's lower leg, so he could only crawl on the ground.
From then on, Aiguleiya became Grommash Hellscream's dog, suffering endless humiliation and torment. Anyone in the Warsong Clan could bully him, as long as they didn't kill him on the spot.
The Durnholde Gladiator Champion became his dog, satisfying Grommash Hellscream's vanity and taking pleasure in torturing and humiliating Aiguleiya.
To survive, Aiguleiya had no choice but to endure it, forcing a smile every day, feeling like he was going crazy.
On this day, a guest arrived at the Warsong Clan. He was a human, frail and seemingly easily blown away by a gust of wind.
Unexpectedly, Grommash Hellscream knelt down to greet him.
It's important to know that Grommash Hellscream is the god of the Warsong Clan. His word is law, and he holds the power of life and death. If he's in a bad mood, he might suddenly fly into a rage and chop several Orcs to death with his axe.
But before this human, they were as lowly as slaves.
Aiguleiya buried her face in the ground, then secretly raised her head to peek, and was immediately taken aback.
The visitor appeared unremarkable, but his eyes were as deep as a starry sky, seemingly capable of drawing one's soul in.
Grommash Hellscream an extremely obsequious tone, said ingratiatingly, "My lord, as you instructed, all the goods are ready."
The so-called "cargo" consisted of fifty robust Orcs children, whom the Warsong Clan had managed to smuggle from the Internment Camp.
The frail human carefully inspected the "cargo," nodded, pointed to the Void, and a green vortex appeared, swallowing the "cargo" completely.
"This is a one-month quota."
The frail human handed over a small jar, Grommash Hellscream happily accepted. Inside, a green liquid boiled as if it were alive.
At this moment, Aiguleiya did not know that this was the famous Blood of Mannoroth. Although there was only a small jar, it was enough for the entire Warsong Clan to consume after dilution.
The thin human caught sight of Aiguleiya, a flash of surprise crossing his face, before calmly asking, "Quite an interesting dog. What's its name?"
Grommash Hellscream grinned. "This dog is from Durnholde, I heard it's some kind of champion."
The skinny human stroked his chin and said, "Interesting. I'll take this dog."
"It is his honor to be favored by the master," Grommash Hellscream said humbly.
The frail human took the chains, pulled Aiguleiya with astonishing strength, and stepped into a green vortex.
Aiguleiya felt a dizzying sensation, and after an unknown amount of time, her limbs finally touched the ground.
This is the top of a mountain peak, and not far away is a sturdy city, square and imposing with towering walls.
There are large tracts of farmland near the city, where a gentle breeze ripples through the wheat fields.
"I see boundless hatred in your heart." The human man stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the magnificent landscape. "You've hidden it very well."
Aiguleiya realized this was an opportunity to make Grommash Hellscream kneel in greeting; this man was no ordinary person.