Chapter 259: New purpose

Volk's face darkened, and his voice lowered to a grim tone that sent shivers through the gathered crowd.

"However…" he began, his voice slow and deliberate, drawing their full attention, "they lost."

The Orcs froze, their expressions twisting from anger into disbelief and fear.

"Lost?" one Orc whispered, his voice barely audible, as if speaking the word might make it real.

"They lost?" another repeated, his hands gripping his weapon tightly. "How could they lose?!"

"That can't be!" an older Orc growled, his face pale despite his hardened features. "Our ancestors were the strongest warriors! How could they lose?"

The Ogres were slower to react, but even they exchanged uneasy glances, their growls fading into a tense silence.

"No… no lose," one Ogre muttered, shaking his massive head. "Ogre… no lose."

The murmurs grew louder, panic creeping into the voices of the horde.

"They lost? Then what chance do we have?"