Supreme BeastTamer: I Can Copy and Upgrade Skills 10x!

Naturally, he didn't give a damn about whatever history these orcs had in this borderland settlement. He already had enough weighing on his plate.

The reason he had approached them in the first place wasn't for diplomacy.

It was to recruit them.

To make them his subordinates.

The orcs were classified as a higher type of monster, one of the recognized races of Eos.

But in the grand scheme of things?

In his eyes?

They were still monsters.

And that meant—

A sharp glint flashed through Nox's gaze. His mind wandered back to a conversation he had once had with Terra when he had asked her about the beast taming class.

"Beast Taming," Terra had smiled as she thought back to the past. "A class so powerful that it could turn humans and mythical beasts alike into loyal pets. In fact, all of civilization wasn't safe from its wrath!"

That was the truth.

The absolute truth.

Which meant that even if High Orcs were considered a race, if their souls and instincts still leaned toward the primal—

They could be tamed.

Even Borok.

Nox exhaled, flexing his fingers.

Nox leaned forward, his dark eyes gleaming with confidence.

"The deal is simple," he said in a calm, authoritative voice. "You and your people will submit to me. In exchange, I will ensure your survival."

Borok's thick brows furrowed, his grip on the hilt of his battle-axe tightening. "Submit? You dare to think we orcs would bow to a human?"

Nox chuckled. "Would you prefer extinction then?"

A heavy silence followed. The warriors standing outside the tent bristled at the insult, some growling lowly, but Borok raised a hand, keeping them at bay.

Nox continued. "You and I both know your people are cornered. Whatever drove you from your lands is still out there, and humans encroach from the other side. You have no allies, no way forward. But under me, your tribe will thrive."

Borok scoffed. "And you expect me to believe a human will protect us?"

"No," Nox admitted. "I expect you to believe in power. And I have power beyond what you can comprehend."

The orc chieftain exhaled through his nose, considering the words. "You believe yourself strong enough to rule over orcs?" His voice carried a dangerous edge.

"I don't believe," Nox said, rising to his feet. "I know."

Borok grinned, his sharp teeth bared as crushing pressure began to pour out of his body. It caused the items placed around the tent to tremble and quake beneath the force of his aura. The warriors outside felt it too, shifting uneasily as the oppressive might of their chieftain filled the space.

But Nox? He remained seated even though he felt the slight strain on him.

Borok's grin faltered for a brief moment when he saw the nonchalant look on Nox's face, but it quickly disappeared—so fast that not even Nox noticed it.

At that moment, Nox got up from his seating position and locked eyes with Borok. A grin spread on the orc chieftain's face when he saw the defiance in the human's eyes.

"In truth, I'd have killed you anyway and gotten rid of that betrayal as well. I can't afford to let anything happen to my people. Thank you for not making me feel guilty," he said.

"You're welcome."

"On a scale of one to ten," Borok rumbled, his voice steady but laced with intrigue, "how confident are you that you would survive a battle against me?"

Nox's grin widened, still immersed in the intense staredown.

"Hundred," he stated, his voice oozing with a mixture of confidence and arrogance.

A deep, rumbling laughter erupted from the orc chieftain's chest, echoing throughout the tent. The warriors outside tensed, their hands tightening on their weapons, unsure whether their leader was amused or enraged.

Borok's laughter faded, replaced by a sharp gleam in his eyes. "Interesting. Then prove it."

"You'll not leave here alive!"

A deafening war cry that shook the air exploded out from Borok's maw, and instantly, an invisible array activated, flooding the entire orc settlement with raw, pulsing energy. The ground trembled as every orc in the village felt their bodies surge with newfound strength. The weaker ones stumbled from the sheer pressure. The stronger ones grinned in savage delight.

Borok's muscles bulged, his skin darkening slightly as veins pulsed with enhanced power. His already formidable presence grew monstrous.

The power pouring out of him was so intense that the tent was destroyed. Nox and the chieftain found themselves in the middle of the village, surrounded by orcs who were slamming their weapons together. He looked further and saw that a translucent barrier now enclosed the entire settlement.

It felt as if they'd planned everything from the beginning, but Nox didn't think that was the case.

"This array right here is called the Bloodforged Array," the chieftain spoke.

Nox looked at him and asked nonchalantly, "What about it?"

Borok's eyebrows twitched—he was pissed! Not only him but the rest of the warriors who had gathered here. Something about Nox's calm attitude rubbed them the wrong way.

"It has the ability to double the strength and skills of every orc within its range times two!" Borok declared in a booming voice filled with pride. Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire

For most, that would be an insurmountable advantage.

But Nox wasn't most.

He tilted his head, watching as the chieftain flexed his massive hands, his skin darkening as veins pulsed with newfound power. The orcs surrounding them grinned, their tusks bared in anticipation of the massacre to come.

At the edge of the crowd, the High Orc who had led Nox here smiled in satisfaction. This was what he had meant when he said that Nox wouldn't escape unscathed.

The orcs, emboldened by the array's blessing, had already begun pounding their weapons against the ground, awaiting their chieftain's signal to begin.

Borok stomped forward, his enhanced body towering over Nox like an unstoppable force of nature.

"This will be your grave," the orc chieftain thundered as he tightened the grip on his jewel-encrusted staff.

Nox only smirked.

"Big words for a soon-to-be pet."

"You—what did you say!??" A big vein throbbed on the chieftain's temple.

"Oh no, he's a goner!" The other orcs shuddered.

"The chief will kill him in the most brutal way ever!" Another whispered with glee in his eyes.