"Caw... screech..."
The vultures' cries shattered the tranquility of the grasslands.
The battle had already ended. Only wreckage strewn across the ground and scorched earth left by the flames remained, silently recounting the cruelty of war.
Another Beastfolk tribe had been wiped out. The Eaglefolk officer sent to investigate wore an expression as dark as thunder. This was already the thirteenth tribe to suffer disaster.
Fortunes changed with the times. Ever since the human cavalry entered the great grasslands, the slaughter of Beastfolk tribes had become commonplace.
To reduce losses, the royal court had ordered them to notify the various tribes as quickly as possible and have them relocate before the enemy's blades reached them.
Affected by the war, the Orc Empire's population had plummeted. The vassal races had suffered especially severe losses, leaving them with less than a quarter of their population from five years ago.
If the losses continued, the Orc Empire would be finished. Without the support of vast numbers of vassal races, the Five Great Royal Families alone could not sustain an empire.
"Commander, we arrived too late. Judging by the scene, the battle should have taken place yesterday. The enemy not only killed everyone in the Kagu Tribe, but also took away some of their livestock.
"We can follow the hoofprints to track them down. Finding where the enemy army is currently operating shouldn't be too difficult."
The soldier had barely finished when the middle-aged company commander rebuked him. "Gareth, don't try to be clever.
"Our task is to notify the nearby tribes to avoid the enemy's advance, not to locate the enemy.
"The Empire's rear is currently empty. We simply cannot gather an army capable of dealing with them in a short time. Finding their location would be useless."
All of those reasons were