Superior Resources

Across the endless army-green grasslands, waist-high wormwood grass swayed with the Elemental Tide, rising into overlapping waves. Within those waves, the figures of Wolf, Rabbitfolk, and Ratfolk could vaguely be seen.

The grasslands' warm, moist tidal environment provided the creatures here with the most comfortable habitat. They did not have to fight tooth and nail for survival like the creatures of the Wasteland, and after their usual work, they could still spare time for reproduction.

Here, they could breed without worry. The grasslands' abundant resources could support plenty of offspring.

Yet precisely because of this, the place had become a paradise for Slave-Catching Groups. They could barge into ordinary tribes without restraint, take away newly born young, or mercilessly round up laborers.

Although the Rhine Clan had been doing its utmost to suppress the increasingly rampant slave trade, the results had been abysmal.

Even a fool knew that slave income was one of the Rhine Clan's most vital assets.

To avoid being hunted down in excessive numbers, some smaller tribes had no choice but to leave this richly blessed land and enter regions such as the Wasteland and the Ice Plains.

Rich resources never lacked contenders. The only ones who could survive on the Grasslands were Beast Races that moved in packs or powerful individuals with fangs.

And within this already privileged land stood an even more extravagant underground palace.

The palace was interlocked ring by ring and layered one upon another. Its walls were built from Black Iron Stone, while streets found only in city-states had been carved out within. Most conspicuous of all was a pointed, protruding castle with a jade-like dome, somewhat resembling Human Race architecture, though the palace's overall structure closely resembled a Dungeon.

The palace teemed with people. Orcs of every variety hurried through its