The Record of Orc Civilization

[Gorundra, Grand Alliance of the Elves Headquarters]

"Arion species?" said Ardan, furrowing his brow.

"I've never heard that name before either. It seems they are truly a secluded Mana Species that has never been discovered before," Zephyrion replied, shaking his head.

Everyone turned to Varun, who possessed the most knowledge among them, but even he shook his head. It appeared that the Arion species had never been recorded in elf history before.

"But I never expected Gundrid could unearth this information," Varun said, a faint smile on his lips.

Grimhammer snorted loudly, "As I said, despite Gundrid's stubbornness, he can be trusted when it comes to digging up information. Unlike other volcano elves, Gundrid doesn't have excessive arrogance and knows when to humble himself."

There was evident pride in Grimhammer's voice. Despite being of different races, he and Gundrid both hailed from Terramore.

No one paid much attention to Grimhammer's boasting; they were all focused on the information they had gathered. From the conversation between Gundrid and Ez, they learned some general details about the Arion species.

The Arion species resided within the Bog Forest, or more accurately, beneath it. They had only one kingdom called the Wilwatikta Kingdom, ruled by the strongest Arion as their king.

The Arion species comprised four races: Asura, Druid, Gloomkin, and Petalbloom. These three races used to live in separate tribes, but a few years ago, a powerful Asura tribal leader united all the tribes and established the Wilwatikta Kingdom.

To strengthen the unity among the tribes, the king introduced a policy called the New Family Structure. Each large family had to encompass all four races, leading to crossbreeding among the tribes and blurring the differences between them.

This made Ez, who originated from the Gloomkin race, part of the royal family and appointed as the Prime Minister, the head of all administration in Wilwatikta Kingdom. The head of the family was chosen from the strongest Arion member within the family, regardless of their race or tribe.

"But why is their kingdom located underground rather than on the surface?" Zephyrion asked.

"Perhaps it's to protect themselves from the attacks of the mutated animals on the surface," Varun replied.

"Hehehe... You're thinking too simply, Varun. The reason they did that is more than you can imagine," Silvius chuckled. 𝒊𝙣𝒏𝒓𝙚𝒂𝙙.𝒄𝒐𝙢

"What do you mean?"

"Hmm... Although this person named Ez always talks about etiquette and the like, did you not see how boldly he approached Gundrid alone?

"Ez and the spouse he brought with him couldn't possibly defeat Gundrid. I didn't sense him using any item to conceal his constellation level, so he truly is a non-mage.

"Yet, I didn't see any fear in his eyes; instead, his body was trembling.

"As a savage, I understand what he was thinking. At that moment, he seemed to be waiting for Gundrid to give him a reason to fight.

"Perhaps he was given the title 'The First Diplomat' to honor his intelligence and bearing, but if the calmest among them is already like this, imagine what happens to those with uncontrollable ferocity.

"So, I don't believe they're hiding underground just because of fear of mutated animals. In my opinion, there must be another reason why they dwell beneath the ground, and it's closely related to their unconventional mana manipulation techniques."

Upon hearing Silvius's explanation, all the kings nodded, understanding his point. However, discussing mana manipulation techniques was a sensitive matter at the moment. They feared that if they asked Gundrid to delve into it, Ez might become suspicious of them.

Thus, their main focus was to establish a positive impression with Gundrid first. After all, spell factions and mana manipulation techniques were not of utmost importance. What truly mattered was whether they could gain enough Recognition to become Level 9 Constellation Mages from the Arion species or not.

"But isn't there one more question that seems puzzling?" Varun suddenly interjected.

"What is it?" Zephyrion turned to him.

"We all know that a mana field requires a concentration of pure mana, so it's impossible for a mana field to persist if there is a mana species settlement nearby. If the Arion species indeed live in the Bog Forest, then why does that place still function as a mana field?"

All the elf kings furrowed their brows, feeling that this was a crucial question. Grimhammer immediately activated his mana stone communicator and contacted Gundrid. He asked Gundrid to inquire about this matter when there's an opportunity.

Of course, Gundrid couldn't ask directly, as it might touch upon sensitive or secret aspects of the Arion species. He merely requested to test whether Ez would be willing to answer. If Ez evaded or changed the subject, then Gundrid was instructed not to ask the same question again. All their questions would be answered when the bond between the Arion species and the elf species grew stronger in the future.

As time passed, the questions and answers between Gundrid and Ez flowed smoothly. They covered general information about both species, delving into their lives and cultures. Each passing second fueled the curiosity of the kings about the Arion species, leaning them forward in anticipation.

Eventually, the conversation shifted towards the governmental structure of the Wilwatikta Kingdom. Silence fell over the council room as each king listened intently. When information about the Arion king emerged, Gundrid attempted to pry into the ruler's strength. Ez hesitated to disclose the king's name, displaying reluctance in his response, but he still answered Gundrid's questions.

Some of the elf's kings speculated that the Gloomkin and Asura had been rivals in the past. To unify all the tribes, there might have been a war between the Asura and Gloomkin, in which the Asura emerged victorious. The Gloomkin's defeat likely resulted in their tribe leader's death at the hands of the Asura chieftain.

This was the origin of Ez's resentment towards their king. However, over time, that resentment remained a personal feeling. As Prime Minister, Ez prioritized the survival of their species over personal grievances.

But the elf kings were interested in something else. They wanted to know the Arion king's strength. If there was any discord between the king and Ez, perhaps they could aid Ez in overthrowing the ruler.

The crucial aspect was whether the king was a Level 9 Constellation Mage or not. If he was, there would be no chance for the elf kings to gain Recognition from the Arion species. They might still establish a cooperative relationship with this new mana species, but it wouldn't be as intimate as they had planned.

When they heard Ez describe the king's power, smiles filled the faces of all the elf kings in the council room. Joy and excitement were evident in their eyes. The Arion species' king was not a Level 9 Constellation Mage.

Although he is undoubtedly powerful, the Arion king most likely possesses the strength of a Level 8 Constellation Mage. That means he has not yet gained Recognition from the entire Arion species.

"Hahahaha... We are truly fortunate!" Grimhammer chuckled with joy.

"That's true, but it seems we have other competitors besides the six of us," Zephyrion pointed out.

"You're right. The Arion king seems to understand that he needs Recognition from all the species to become stronger. However, I don't think that will be a problem for us," Varun said with a triumphant smile.

"War is indeed the fastest way to unite separated tribes. But unfortunately, it also creates resentment. Just like Ez, other races surely have grievances towards their new king. We can easily capitalize on this to gain their Recognition," Ardan nodded.

"Hehehe... Wouldn't it be quick to resolve everything by killing the king?" Silvius chuckled.

Varun shook his head, "You're mistaken, Silvius. If we kill their king, they will see us as invaders. But if we help them rebel against their king, we will be viewed as allies instead."

Zephyrion nodded, "Varun is right. We need to fan the flames of hatred in the hearts of the defeated tribes of the Arion species until it ignites a massive rebellion. We only have to watch from afar while they turn against each other. And it seems Ez is the perfect person to be our agent of rebellion."

"If that's the plan, I agree. I quite like Ez's arrogance. Perhaps he didn't become a mage to protect himself from the king's scrutiny. We can train him and conceal his newfound powers with items," Silvius smirked cunningly, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Nice idea," Grimhammer gave a thumbs-up.

All the elf kings laughed loudly with joy. They could already envision a future where the entire Arion species would sing their praises as heroes. With that, the Recognition they needed would be sufficient, and the dream of becoming Level 9 Constellation Mages would no longer be just a fantasy.

*BAM!

Suddenly, a loud thud startled them. All eyes turned to Aquaenar, who had just struck the table in front of him. A large dent appeared on the table made of iron-hard wood.

"Have you all forgotten something?" Aquaenar spoke through gritted teeth.

"Aquaenar, what do you mean? Did we miss something?" Varun inquired.

Aquaenar stared at each of the elf kings before him, his eyes fierce. In a deep voice, he said, "Have you forgotten about Raiden The Necromancer's fate? Did you forget that he disappeared after being attacked by this green savage people?"

"Oh."

The elf kings flinched as they had indeed forgotten about it entirely.