The Wolf King's Gift of a Sword

As Fenrisian, Jorin's hunting party was the first to find the tribe attacked by the Ice Troll.

Two kilometers from the tribal camp, Jorin, riding on the back of Thunderwolf, angrily watched as the Ice Troll rampaged through the area.

With their thick right arms, they swung the large trees in their hands, smashing down houses; with their left arms, they lifted the Fenrisian and threw them into the gaping maw.

Jorin's eyes were filled with rage as he shouted to the hunting party members in the War-speak — Vogen.

"Fenris's hunters, the Wolf King's pack."

"The Ice Troll have invaded the Fenris tribe and are devouring our own kind."

"Today we will kill them and win the hunting contest."

The wolves banged their weapons against their shields and howled.

"Kill the Ice Troll and win the hunt."

Jorin squeezed his legs together forcefully, and the Thunderwolf leaped out.

The Thunderwolf charged out of the camp, took a running start, leaped up, and pounced on the back of an Ice Troll.

Jorin raised the axe and swung it with both hands gripping it tightly.

The axe blade sank deep, striking the Ice Troll's back, but was trapped by its keratinous, ice-armor-like skin.

Six Warrior followed closely behind, roaring as they attacked the sides and back of the Ice Troll's outstretched legs.

The steel sword struck the Ice Troll's leg with a clanging sound.

"Roar!"

The Ice Troll roared in fury, swinging its massive tree backward.

The "wolves" immediately rolled away to avoid it, while the six Fenrisian had circled around to the front of the Ice Troll launched a massive charge.

They attacked the Ice Troll from the sides and front, slamming their weapons around its knees.

The Ice Troll was Heavy Strike and swayed. It quickly used a large tree to support itself so as not to fall.

Jorin commanded the "wolves" to repeatedly charge at the Ice Troll.

The Ice Troll swung a tree and hurled it at the Fenrisian.

The cunning "pack of wolves" have distinct roles: either to lure the enemy or to attack.

After several rounds of attacks, no one was injured, but the Ice Troll's legs were covered in wounds, and blue, foul-smelling blood fell to the ground, freezing into icicles.

The Ice Troll, now possessing some intelligence, realized he was being toyed with and roared like a wild beast.

Upon hearing the summons, several nearby Ice Troll charged forward like bulls, smashing through the Fenrisian blocking their path.

Draw them away!

Jorin roared, and while the "wolf pack" lured the other Ice Troll away, he urged his Thunderwolf to leap high into the air.

He swung his battle axe, letting out a furious roar, and struck the Ice Troll in the back.

Rumble!

The massive ice troll smashed a large crater in the ice and landed on the ground. Yorin shouted to the Fenris.

"I have come to your rescue on the Wolf King. Follow me and slay these ogres."

The Fenrisian immediately gathered around Jorin, following the renowned warrior as they attacked the invading Ice Troll.

It took Sanchez a lot of effort to find the tribe that the Ice Troll had invaded.

He led the "hunters" to a high point near a neighboring tribe, overlooking the battle below.

The Reaper Lord discovered that the Fenrisian, led by Jorin, had the overall advantage, numbering over a hundred, while the Ice Troll were reduced to only nine.

He did not rush into action, but carefully observed the battle situation below, taking all factors into consideration.

The distribution of the Fenrisian, the combat strength of the Ice Troll...

The Shadow of Order quickly completed the battle simulation and conveyed his thoughts to the "Hunters".

"The Primarch told me that Ice Troll possess a certain level of intelligence, and they will flee if the battle turns against them."

"Jorin launched his attack from the southeast of the camp; his forces are the strongest. The most likely escape route for the Ice Troll King is the northwest of the camp."

"You, you..."

Sanchez selected six "hunters," saying, "You will follow me to the northwest to ambush them."

The Reaper Lord then said to the other six "hunters," "There's a small chance the Ice Troll will escape from the north and west sides of the camp. You two should ambush them in those directions."

[Jorin, you tried to steal my prey before, now it's my turn.]

The Shadow of Order immediately sprang into action, lying in ambush as Sanchez had instructed.

A moment later, another Ice Troll crashed to the ground.

The Ice Troll King was at least a head taller than all its kin. It took the lead, swinging its massive tree to sweep away two obstacles in its path.

Hearing their chieftain's howl, the other Ice Troll followed suit, fleeing in long strides.

The Fenrisian were blocking their escape route, hurriedly dodged, Jorin, seeing his prey about to escape, roared loudly.

"Stop them!"

The formidable Fenris Warrior, upon hearing Jorin's command, immediately turned and charged back.

Once the Ice Troll unleash their power and charge, they are like a rumbling train, unstoppable, and Fenrisian get in their way are thrown away by their violent force.

The Fenrisian corpses crashed heavily to the ground, rolling several times before coming to a stop.

Their sacrifice bought Jorin time, allowing the Thunderwolf to catch up with the Ice Troll King and leap high into the air.

Jorin knew he only had one chance.

With all his might, he raised his battle axe high, pouring all his anger and the shame of defeat into this strike, aiming the axe at the Ice Troll King's back.

The Ice Troll King felt a gust of wind behind him and instinctively shrank back.

As it dodged, Jorin's battle axe only managed to strike the edge of its heart.

The Ice Troll King, in pain, swung the giant tree back at him.

As Fenris's finest hunter besides the Wolf King, Jorin knew the moment his battleaxe struck the enemy that he had failed to kill the Ice Troll King in one blow.

Just as he was about to launch another attack, the giant tree was suddenly flung over.

Jorin twisted his waist with all his might to dodge, and swung his giant axe, striking the Ice Troll King on the back.

The tree grazed past Jorin's body, but even so, he was Heavy Strike and sent flying.

Jorin, who had crashed to the ground, looked as if his body was about to fall apart, and watched in despair as the Ice Troll King ran out of the camp.

The Ice Troll King charged out of the Fenris Horde camp and strode into the forest.

Just as it was about to rush into the forest, seven figures darted out from the woods.

When Sanchez saw the Fenrisian chasing after him out of the camp, he certainly wouldn't give them a chance to steal his prey.

The Shadow of Order turned its eyes, and "Warp Insight" detected the Ice Troll King's weakness.

The Reaper Lord pressed the Runic Rune, urging his mount to leap into the air and dodge the Ice Troll Lord's right fist, which came crashing down like a heavy hammer.

The Thunderwolf bit down on the Ice Troll King's chest, and Sanchez stomped his feet hard on his mount.

The Reaper Lord leaped into the air, dodging the Ice Troll King's smashing left fist, and did a somersault in mid-air.

As the Shadow of Order fell, the 17th move of "Osberh-Vaya" cleaved the wound in the heart of the Ice Troll King.

A blue Disruption Field bloomed at the wound inflicted by Jorin, shredding the heart of the Ice Troll King.

Staggering out of the camp, Jorin clenched his fists in resentment and said bitterly.

I lost again.

Sanchez and the Fenrisian returned to camp together, and the rescued tribe was just beginning to rejoice at their meeting with the Wolf King.

They learned from others that Jorin had fought three hunting contests against the outsiders and, like the other Fenrisian, had lost all three.

The Fenrisian, awaiting Jorin's return, saw the approaching army's low morale and already guessed the outcome.

Leman Russ frowned, his eyes deep.

After a moment, the Wolf King's brow relaxed, and he spoke to Jorin, who had come up to him.

"Congratulations on winning all three hunting matches! You have defeated Fenris's finest hunter."

I'm giving you this sword.

As Leman Russ spoke, he drew the shorter of the two swords from his waist.

"This sword was forged for me by the Adeptus Mechanicus, using the beak of the King of Gorgons I hunted as its material."

"It's yours now."

The "Provoker" took the longsword with both hands, and he felt something dissolving within his body.

Before he could even check, he heard the Wolf King speak.

"But this sword doesn't completely belong to you yet. How long you can wield it depends on your abilities."

"Once Jorin others have modified it, they will challenge you to a hunt in space and reclaim the sword."

The Fenrisian's low spirits instantly transformed into motivation.

Jorin shouted, "I will challenge you to another hunt, and I will be the victor next time!"

The Shadow of Order keenly sensed the heightened emotions of the Fenrisian around him, and he thought to himself.

Just as the Primarch predicted, the Wolf King used me as a whetstone to temper the Fenrisian.

Remembering what the Primarch had said, the "Provoker" could be bolder, so he raised his head and spoke.

"Since it's mine, no one can take it away."

"I will always be the winner!"

The Fenrisian's eyes were filled with rage, while the "Provoker" felt the stars within him shatter.

[I am now the real "Provoker".]

Five Fenris days after the hunting contest ended, Nimrod received news that Horus's fleet had arrived in the Fenris System, and he was summoned to the Bucephalus.