After the Minotaur priest stabilized the situation, he took a crystal ball from the beast-hide pouch at his waist and gestured for the bunny girl standing nearby to operate it.
"Everyone, first watch several recordings sent back from the Ancestral Land. Once you've finished watching, I'll explain exactly what happened."
As the bunny girl installed the crystal ball onto a stone pillar engraved with magical runes on the platform, one video clip after another began to play. The orcs seated below watched in utter confusion.
At that moment, a Foxfolk representative seated near the front suddenly spoke up:
"Geush above, what is this? Is this real?"
"High Priest Mordor, is that rift continuously widening?"
The old Minotaur nodded at the Foxfolk representative.
"Jiafan, you are very perceptive. What the footage shows is indeed as Jiafan said."
"From the time Prince Kuraldo went to investigate until the footage received the day before yesterday, the rift in the images had widened by around a hundred meters from its initial size."
"And that isn't even the most terrifying part. I wonder if you noticed the dock shoreline in the footage. According to Coldwind City's report, White Ice Dock has been damaged. The cause was that it struck a massive rock that had originally been a hundred meters away from the dock."
At this point, some of the more quick-witted orcs had already understood what the High Priest meant. The great tent immediately filled with sharp gasps, but High Priest Mordor did not pause this time to wait for everyone's reaction. He continued speaking.
"Not only White Ice Dock. Prince Kuraldo dispatched multiple scout teams to investigate the coastline and found a great many signs of impact."
"So, I presume I need not explain further. You probably understand what has happened. Although we still do not know how long this rift is, we can basically confirm that part of the Terramia Continent, where the Ancestral Land is located, is drifting toward us."
At this, the old Minotaur signaled for attendants outside the tent to carry in a huge wooden box. Under the watchful eyes of the orcs, it was placed in the center of the tent. The box was filled with water, with a lump of earth placed on either side.
The old Minotaur rose from his seat, walked over to the wooden box, and drew the curved blade from the waist of a guard standing nearby. With a swift motion, he slashed at one of the earth blocks.
As he withdrew the blade, the cut earth block split apart along the slash. Half of it toppled toward the earth block on the other side and crashed into it. The resulting splash engulfed the entire block.
Once the old Minotaur finished his demonstration, the whole tent fell silent. It was so quiet that even a pin dropping could be heard. After a long while, the tent suddenly erupted like a kettle of boiling water, growing endlessly clamorous.
"Great Geush, are we going to perish?"
"Is the Orc Empire going to be destroyed?"
"Gusai Ke, Bage Chu, Yina Fu,"
"Save your people!"
"What are we supposed to do? Is heaven going to destroy us orcs?"
"..."
Mordor calmly watched the panicked orcs. Not the slightest expression could be seen on his dry, hairless bovine face. After quite some time, the orcs noticed that the five great Royal Families and the Great Elder seated in the places of honor had remained silent, merely watching them. Gradually, the orcs in the tent quieted down.
"Do you need more time? You may continue. I can wait a little longer."
Once the orcs stopped speaking, High Priest Mordor continued.
"I can understand your fear and panic. But we cannot become headless flies just because we are afraid, much less be left helpless by fear."
"We are the great Orc Empire!"
"We are the incarnations of the great Geush. Orcs shall endure forever!"
As the old Minotaur released Courage Aura to envelop everyone, he clenched his fist and slammed his right fist against his chest.
"Roar! Roar! Roar!"
"Long live the orcs! Geush shall endure forever!"
Inspired, the orcs all rose to their feet, beat their chests, and roared.
"Very well. Then let us proceed to the main matter of today's meeting."
"First, we must relocate all the tribes in the Ancestral Land back here and prepare to wage war."
"The second matter will proceed alongside the first. Once this meeting ends, return to your respective clans and prepare delegations. In twenty days, we will gather in Coldwinter City, where every tribe may conduct an on-site investigation to verify the truth."
"Third, the territories of all our tribes will be incorporated under the five great Royal Families for unified management."
"Finally, I have performed a sacrifice to the great Geush. We probably have five years remaining. In the second year, we will launch an invasion of the Aster Empire and the Ingis Empire."
After saying that, the old Minotaur swept his gaze over the expressions of the gathered orcs before continuing.
"That is roughly the situation. You must return to your tribes as quickly as possible and relay this information to your chiefs and leaders. If anyone has any questions, raise them now."
The orcs discussed among themselves for a long time. Then, a Boarfolk seated below asked the old Minotaur in the seat of honor,
"High Priest Mordor, our Steelmane Tribe has always lived in the southern part of the empire, near the human nations. May we choose not to participate in the war against the human empires? We do not need new territory. We are already satisfied with what we have."
The old Minotaur lowered his head from the seat of honor to look at the dark-red-skinned orc with a pig snout and pig ears, about to explain further. However, the Tigerfolk prince seated diagonally to the side rose to his feet and walked over to the Boarfolk, his glowing green eyes glaring viciously at the stupid pig.
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Some things the human empires say are truly correct."
"Pigs really are the stupidest creatures in this world. They only know how to eat and sleep."
"Sometimes, they don't even know what is happening when death is right at their doorstep."
The Boarfolk's already dark-red skin reddened further. Under the pressure of the Tigerfolk prince, he kept backing away.
"Your Highness Tarada, you know that our Steelmane Tribe has fought year after year. We truly... truly... urgh, Your Highness—"
The Tigerfolk prince struck like lightning. His sharp tiger claws pierced straight through the Boarfolk's chest. A torrent of blood sprayed from the Boarfolk's mouth, while his lips opened and closed, producing only voiceless choking sounds.
Tarada gave a light push with his left hand. The Boarfolk's fat body crashed to the ground, a hole the size of a bowl appearing in his chest. The Tigerfolk prince raised his right hand, a bright red heart still beating in his palm. With a hard squeeze, the heart instantly turned to pulp and slid through Tarada's fingers.
"Is there anyone else who thinks the same as him? Anyone who believes they should not participate in this operation of the empire may step forward. I can explain it to you properly."
The Tigerfolk prince's green pupils radiated chilling light. His golden hair drifted without wind, and his blood-soaked right hand was raised before his chest as he looked over the orcs.
"Tarada, do not be like this. We are doing this for the future of the Orc Empire. There is no need to be so bloody. I believe every orc present is willing to share the empire's hardships and fortunes."
The Tigerfolk prince shook the bloody pulp from his right hand, returned to his seat, and bowed to the old Minotaur.
"My apologies, Lord Mordor. I have made a spectacle of myself. Please continue."
"I was also at fault for not making it clear just now. Being incorporated under the five great Royal Families does not mean you will become vassals. You will still retain independent tribal sovereignty. We are merely carrying out effective management to prevent a lack of coordination in our cooperation."
"At the same time, the five great Royal Families solemnly promise that if conflicts or disputes arise between tribes, the Royal Family in charge will do its utmost to mediate. If responsibility truly cannot be determined, the managing Royal Family will provide compensation according to the circumstances."
"Finally, regarding the coming war against the human empires, the five great Royal Families jointly promise that future territory distribution will be based on military merit and contribution, guaranteed by all five great Royal Families."
"Everyone, we must now fight for the tomorrow of our great Orc Empire. Long live the orcs!"
Inspired, the orcs roared in unison.
"Long live the orcs! Long live the empire!"
"All right, everyone, we will end here today. Pick up your pace. Time is extremely precious to us."
Watching the rapidly departing orcs, the old Minotaur sat in his seat, lost in thought. Only the five great Royal Families remained. Seeing that the High Priest had nothing more to say, the princes also rose one after another.
"Lord Mordor, we shall take our leave as well."