Huo Keduo ignored Magellan's complaints and turned his attention to Sokya.
As a warrior, Huo Keduo greatly admired this paladin. It was the mutual recognition shared between martial warriors. He considered Sokya the strongest warrior he had ever encountered—stronger even than himself. Huo Keduo had no qualms about admitting that.
Black Orcs were like that. They might be cruel, evil, and chaotic, but they never held back their praise and recognition for the strong.
If possible, Huo Keduo truly wished to face Sokya in a one-on-one, fair duel. Even if he died in battle, it would be a warrior's honor. Every Black Orc firmly believed that the finest death was to be slain by the strongest enemy, and Huo Keduo was no exception.
Unfortunately, Huo Keduo could not do that—at least, not now.
He was no longer merely a warrior. The moment he decided to shoulder the responsibility of the Black Orcs' rise, he was destined to lose the honor of dying in battle. At least until his dream was realized, he could not die.
This was not Huo Keduo being pretentious. It had always been a Black Orc custom.
Black Orcs revered strength and despised mediocrity. Their lifelong pursuit was to die spectacularly. Due to their longstanding chaos and belligerence, Black Orcs actually had very short lifespans. Reaching adulthood often meant death was not far away.
In such an environment, Black Orcs had never cared how long they lived. What mattered was how they died.
For example, when Huo Keduo and Sokya had fought earlier, according to orcish tradition, no one else would ever interfere in a duel between the strongest warriors of both sides. Doing so would mean forfeiting one's honor and insulting two great warriors.
If Huo Keduo had merely been an ordinary orc, and if Magellan