66: Subdue

Aivi's eyes were filled with heartache and lingering fear as she gripped his arm tightly; on his other side, Elise appeared silently, supporting him with concern in her eyes.

"I'm fine..." Linn's voice was hoarse. He took a deep breath, using the last bit of strength restored by the potion to steady himself. It was not the time to fall yet.

His sharp gaze swept across the battlefield. After the consecutive falls of the Grom brothers, the remaining five or six hundred Orcs, though still fierce, had their morale broken, their eyes filled with confusion and terror.

The death of their leaders, especially the scene where Grom was instantly vaporized by that terrifying white light, completely shattered their will to fight.

Facing the coalition army, which remained battle-ready and superior in number, their movements grew sluggish, and their formations began to loosen.

Linn knew this was the decisive moment. He forced himself to muster his strength, and his voice, imbued with magic, though slightly weak, rang clearly across the battlefield:

"Orcs! Your leaders, Grom and Grommash, are dead! Drop your weapons and stop this pointless resistance! In the name of the Lord of Star Sea Territory, I promise that if you surrender, your lives will be spared! If you continue to resist, today will be the day the Orc tribe is erased from Shattered Star Island!"

His voice echoed across the silent battlefield. The lingering power of the Forbidden Spell pressed down like a physical weight on every Orc's heart, leaving them unable to breathe.

Watching the human and Sea God Clan armies, which were far superior in number and eyeing them menacingly, the remaining Orcs looked at each other.

Finally, someone dropped their battle-axe with a clang, and like a chain reaction, more and more weapons were discarded. They stood in silence, losing their previous ferocity and left only with the dejection of defeated troops.

Supported by Aivi and Elise, Linn walked slowly toward the center of the battlefield. Ocean Jack and Sebastian were escorting a captured, wounded Orc leader.

This Orc was still burly, his eyes filled with reluctance and anger, but more so with the humiliation of facing reality.

"What is your name?" Linn asked calmly, his voice quiet but carrying unquestionable authority.

The Orc leader gasped for air, staring fixedly at Linn, but upon seeing the battle Qi condensed by Ocean Jack, Sebastian, and the others, as well as the re-cocked Ballistae and the glowing Staffs, he finally lowered his head and muttered: "Batu, Warlord of the tribe."

"Batu," Linn repeated, cutting straight to the point, "Now, you and your tribe face a choice: submit to me and serve me, or choose to follow your leaders and let the Orc race end here?"

Batu looked up abruptly, anger burning in his eyes: "Submit? Hmph! That sounds nice! It's just like those stupid Minotaurs, being driven as cannon fodder by you humans until you all die! We Orcs are not livestock to be slaughtered!"

"You are wrong." Linn shook his head, his tone weary yet exceptionally firm, "The Minotaurs are ignorant, knowing only destruction and difficult to communicate with, so I used the most direct method to control them. But you Orcs are different; you possess wisdom, discipline, and courage no less than humans. What I want is not a group of mindless cannon fodder, but a true fighting force that can fight side by side!"

He paused and continued to offer terms: "As long as you sincerely submit, I will designate a specific area on Shattered Star Island for you to inhabit and multiply, enjoying the same status and rights as my subjects. You will no longer be Slaves, but a part of my territory and army. I promise to give you the respect and living space you deserve."

A flash of suspicion and hesitation crossed the eyes of Batu and the other Orcs who heard these words. Same status? This was completely different from the enslavement they had imagined.

"Empty words! Why should we believe you?!" Batu roared low; the terms were too good to be true.

Linn looked at him deeply, slowly raised his right hand, and spoke solemnly: "I, Linn of Star Sea Territory, swear in the name of the god of dawn! If the Orc tribe sincerely submits, I will fulfill my promise, govern the land, treat them as my subjects, and give them equal status. If I break this oath, may divine punishment descend, may my magic backfire, and may my body and Soul be destroyed!"

A faint, holy radiance seemed to flash with the oath. Swearing in the name of a deity had strong binding power in this world, especially for a mage like Linn.

Batu and the surrounding Orc leaders were completely moved. They could feel the sincerity in Linn's oath and the mysterious binding power. The last shred of doubt was dispelled, and the hope for survival and the continuation of the tribe outweighed pride and resentment.

However, Linn changed his tone, his voice becoming cold and hard again: "I have shown my sincerity; now, it is time for you to show yours. I can avoid completely enslaving your entire tribe like I did with the Minotaurs, but to ensure loyalty, your remaining high-ranking members must sign a Soul contract with me!"

He swept his gaze over Batu, another Gold Initial Rank Orc, and several High Silver Rank Orc leaders. "This contract is a constraint, but also a test. As long as you serve wholeheartedly and harbor no disloyalty, I promise that when the time is right, I will return your Soul contracts and grant you complete freedom. This is the bottom line."

The air froze instantly. A Soul contract meant handing over life and death completely to someone else. The leaders looked conflicted. But looking at the menacing coalition experts around them, thinking about the hope of the tribe's continuation, and Linn's promise sworn by the god and the possibility of returning the contract...

Aivi and High Priestess Sea Song and others watched quietly without intervening. The Grom brothers had been executed, and the blood feud of the Sea God Clan had been avenged; they understood that Linn needed to control this power to deal with future challenges.

After a long while, Batu let out a heavy sigh, as if he had exhausted all his strength. He knelt on one knee and lowered his defiant head: "... I, Batu, on behalf of the remaining Orc tribe, am willing to submit. Willing to... sign the contract."

With him leading, the other leaders also succumbed one after another, expressing their willingness to sign the Soul contract.

Linn nodded, enduring the dual fatigue of spirit and body, and began to cast the Soul contract Spell. Mysterious spiritual imprints flew out, merging into the foreheads of Batu and the other Orc leaders, establishing a master-servant connection.

When the last contract was completed, Linn swayed, leaning almost entirely on Aivi. But he knew the situation was settled.

"Batu, from now on you are a member of my Star Sea Territory. In the name of the Baron of Star Sea, I appoint you as the commander of the 4th Battalion of Star Sea Territory and the Clan Chief of the Orcs on Shattered Star Island. Augus shall be the deputy commander." Augus was the other Gold Initial Rank Orc.

Batu and Augus knelt respectfully. "Greetings, my Lord."

Everyone in Star Sea Territory rested and treated their wounds; all fallen soldiers were cremated, and their ashes were to be brought back.

At this mention, everyone couldn't help but feel sorrowful. In this battle, the Guard Army of Star Sea Territory lost 30 Apprentice Professionals, and the other battalions also suffered heavy losses, with over 300 soldiers killed.

Adding the previous battle against the Minotaurs, the total number of deaths reached nearly 500; one-third of Linn's army was gone.

Linn felt the faint fragrance on Aivi. Aivi also stroked the strand of white hair on Linn with heartache. Her heart gradually settled; she had finally settled down in the Shattered Star Archipelago.