Chapter 362: I Am the Loyal Follower of the Lady of the Black Moon, the Blessed of the Serpent of Fate
Charlot Mecklenburg was confident that the Bretagne family would support him.
He was equally certain that Senior Menielman Soumet would stand by his side.
Additionally, he had the friendship of Count Gallanord, the Minister of War, a connection whose influence could not be underestimated.
Charlot also had three Saint-rank subordinates, dozens of extraordinary followers, tens of thousands of troops, and the formidable West Wind Knight Order, which had become a significant military power.
Charlot believed that as long as he did not openly rebel, few major nobles in the Fars Empire would dare to oppose him to the end.
Charlot had been diligently promoting the Beast God Transformation technique, and for this mission, only Saint-rank individuals were participating. For everyone except him, learning this "minor spell" required almost no effort.
Antonio and his four Saint-rank knights transformed into Silverback Gorillas, as this orc type was most common in Red Cliff City and made it easier to explore the mysteries of their forms.
Grandma Saint Karen transformed into a Catwoman, though it was unclear how she became so familiar with feline physiology.
The Golden Ram Herolf deliberately transformed into a Leopardman, likely influenced by his frequent association with Leopardman Tumisan.
Sabastine made the same choice, as she had little experience with other orc forms.
Charlot himself transformed into a Redback Bear Warrior, appearing as a young Bearman.
If they could kill Lion King Amisfida, the hundreds of thousands of orc soldiers under his command would collapse into disarray. Thus, only Saint-rank individuals were dispatched for this operation, with no ordinary warriors accompanying them.
Of course, Charlot was just there to make up the numbers.
The group departed from Red Cliff City on foot, heading toward the orc encampment.
Because they had transformed into orcs, their original strengths were largely suppressed. Instead, Charlot found himself taking care of the team, as he had already awakened Bloodfire Combat Energy, making him an extraordinary individual even in his Bearman form.
The Bloodfire Combat Energy of orcs was no secret. Along the journey, Antonio, unwilling to remain "so weak," diligently trained for half a day and successfully awakened his Bloodfire Combat Energy, becoming the second extraordinary individual in their "orc" team.
Spurred on by Charlot and Antonio, Golden Ram Herolf also refused to lag behind. However, he was not the third to achieve extraordinary status—this honor went to a knight under Antonio named Sarongel, who beat him by over an hour.
By the time the team reached the outskirts of the orc camp, no one else had achieved a breakthrough.
It was evident that even among Saint-rank individuals, talent and aptitude varied greatly.
Antonio’s three other Saint-rank knights, Sabastine, and Grandma Saint Karen remained a step behind, unable to comprehend Bloodfire Combat Energy in such a short time.
Human cultivation systems came in diverse forms, originating from the Nine Major True Gods, human philosophers, evil gods, or various obscure sources. In contrast, all orc Bloodfire Combat Energy traced back to the Dragon God, though the results varied dramatically depending on the orc type. Lions and bears exhibited entirely different Bloodfire Combat Energy, as did leopards and elephants.
Out of curiosity, Charlot discussed Bloodfire Combat Energy with Antonio during the journey and gained some insights.
When they arrived near the orc camp, Charlot instructed the team to hide and wait for reinforcements from Black Dragon, Leopardman Tumisan, and Choudrou.
He prepared a meal, brewing a pot of hearty soup and distributing small bowls to everyone. Once everyone was fed, Charlot personally cleaned up.
As the only non-Saint-rank individual in the team, Charlot did not assign tasks to Golden Ram Herolf. Instead, he took on many responsibilities himself, using the opportunity to temper his impatience.
After tidying up, Charlot wandered the area for a while. It was time for his daily training. Though he hesitated, he chose not to revert to his human form and instead attempted to cultivate Bloodfire Combat Energy in his Bearman form. Antonio had explained in recent days that orc Bloodfire Combat Energy, unlike human combat energy, tempered both the body and the mind, resembling a blend of combat energy and the more ancient war energy.
However, while human war energy emphasized spiritual elevation, orc Bloodfire Combat Energy followed a path of berserk rage.
Antonio’s analysis had given Charlot much to ponder. During his training, he recalled the wars and carnage he had witnessed recently. A surge of ferocity arose within him, causing his Bloodfire Combat Energy to explode. His red fur stood on end, and a black rune appeared on his back.
With the emergence of the Blood Rune, Charlot broke through to the second tier of Bloodfire Combat Energy. A powerful surge of energy filled his body.
Charlot had previously consulted a Redback Bear Warrior and an elder Leopardman about the abilities that could arise from cultivating Bloodfire Combat Energy. The traits of this Blood Rune suggested that it was Bear Strength.
Whether Redback Bear Warriors or Mountain Yellow Bear Warriors, those who cultivated this ability gained the strength of "an additional bear." Such warriors were regarded as the elite of the Bear Tribe—unmatched in strength and ferocity.
Charlot stretched, feeling the endless energy coursing through his body, and smiled faintly.
He knew that his primary focus remained Blood Glory, which had already reached the fourteenth tier, marking him as a high-level extraordinary practitioner. There was no reason to change his path. Nevertheless, the breakthrough in Bloodfire Combat Energy left him feeling immensely satisfied.
Charlot mused silently, "Bloodfire Combat Energy is perfect for combat, but it’s rather crude for other purposes..."
An idea suddenly struck him. "Orcs seem born to be warriors. Even Black Dragon once said that the Dragon God grants orcs invincible commanders but refuses to bestow wise and visionary leaders. Could it be that the Eternal and Illusory Dragon intends for the orcs to dominate another realm?"
Following this line of thought, Charlot shivered and dared not delve further.
As a transmigrator, Charlot felt no reverence for the gods of this world. Even the Nine Major True Gods only earned his deference due to their immense power, not genuine faith.
If given the chance and sufficient strength, Charlot would not hesitate to slay a god and claim their position.
For now, however, he dared not entertain such thoughts, fearing that any deity might take notice of his blasphemy.
He muttered fervently, "I am the loyal follower of the Lady of the Black Moon, the blessed of the Serpent of Fate, I..."
"I’m just a damned double agent, aren’t I?"
"Wait, let me think this through. How did I end up in this mess?"
Suddenly, Charlot heard something swiftly approaching from the sky. He looked up and saw a figure descending—not Leopardman Tumisan, Black Dragon, or Choudrou.
His heart sank in alarm.