Shiga stood on the wall of the fortress, leaning on his battle axe, gazing at the distant Alliance military camp.
Five years ago, the continent where his tribe, the Thunderfang Clan, resided faced a terrifying disaster. Volcanoes erupted continuously, lava flowed everywhere, and the earth split apart.
They were forced to sail across the seas, migrating to the southern part of this new continent, where they settled and began to cultivate the land.
Although the Orcs chose the wilderness in the south of the continent, it still made the other races, including humans and elves, who had already established nations on this land, feel threatened.
Several unpleasant exchanges escalated to the point of war.
The elves and humans formed a coalition army, with some dwarven support and even dark elves joining, trying to expel the Orcs who had set up a nation in the south.
Though the Orcs' newly established settlement was weak, they fought back fiercely.
The outer walls of the fortress were already scarred, with several areas showing signs of heavy repairs.
As the strongest warrior of the tribe, Shiga had held the strategic Bloodstone Fortress for half a year. During this time, he had repelled the strongest elf mage and her contracted dragon, led the charge to defeat the human empire's most elite paladin order, and even launched a counterattack at one point, pushing the Alliance forces all the way to the border of the Elven Kingdom.
The elves even sent a legendary assassin to attempt to kill him, but failed, with the assassin barely escaping with their life.
Now, after a year of stalemate, both sides' national strength had been worn down by the war, and even Shiga, a warrior born for battle, began to grow weary.
Finally, a month ago, the Alliance initiated peace talks, and now Shiga and his warriors were waiting for the outcome.
Shiga heard a long cry, and a falcon appeared in the sky.
He picked up a horn made from animal bone and blew into it. The well-trained falcon immediately flew down, carrying the letter Shiga had been waiting for.
As the falcon landed on his arm, Shiga took the letter and scanned it. He turned around, and his troops were still lined up below the fortress wall, eagerly awaiting the result.
"The negotiations are over. With the current ceasefire lines as the boundary, the Alliance will recognize our tribe's territory," Shiga said, raising his battle axe high. "We have won!"
All the Orcs raised their arms and cheered, their voices shattering the sky.
"War God Shiga!" someone suddenly shouted.
"War God Shiga!!"
"War God Shiga!!"
More people joined in the chant, and the synchronized slogan swept through the fortress like a storm. The warriors raised their weapons in waves, their eyes filled with respect and fervor as they focused on Shiga atop the walls.
Shiga Thunder Roar, the War God, was the one who had repelled the Alliance's tidal waves of attacks. He stood firm on the battlefield, like a banner guiding his warriors to fight for the tribe. He was the War God of the Thunderfang Tribe, a hero among heroes!
Faced with the fervor of his people, Shiga simply raised his head and gazed at the setting sun, softly saying, "The war... is over."
The tribe had been saved, and they had secured land to survive.
But now that the battle was over, where would he go next?
...
A few days later, in the council hall of the Thunderfang Clan's central settlement, the old chieftain sat in a chair, stroking his graying beard as he looked at Shiga walking into the tent, smiling.
"Did you feel the warmth of the people, our great hero?"
"The streets are crowded; I almost couldn't find my way through. I've returned with victory and glory, Chieftain!" Shiga saluted him in a warrior's way.
Shiga had been away for three years, and his heroic tales had spread through the tribe for three years.
On the day of his return, the Thunderfang Clan's people filled the streets with food and drink, welcoming their hero and gathering to witness the return of the War God.
Had it not been for the chieftain sending some warriors to act as an honor guard to maintain order, Shiga wasn't sure when he would have reached this place.
"Orok's son Shiga, you have paved the way for the survival of our tribe with your battle axe. On behalf of the entire tribe…" The old chieftain rose, but Shiga raised his hand and interrupted him.
"No need for such formalities, Chieftain. I've just done my duty, nothing more."
"You truly live up to the name 'hero'," the old chieftain laughed and sat back down. "Now, what are your plans? The elves and humans have withdrawn their forces from the border, and it seems they can't continue this war. You no longer need to remain on the frontier. Why not stay by my side and work here? Also, you should settle down and get married. I'm sure the young women of the tribe are lining up to marry you."
With Shiga's current prestige, the chieftain had already considered grooming him as his successor, but there was still much for this young warrior to learn before that could happen.
"Chieftain, you know I have no interest in politics," Shiga sighed. "I had considered traveling across the new continent, but now that the war is over, the tribe might still need me. So I'm thinking… maybe I could become a trainer in the warrior camp, teach the younger warriors. After all, the new era should be led by the younger generation."
"Oh, a teacher, huh…" The chieftain blinked thoughtfully.
"Do you think I'm not suited for it, Chieftain?" Shiga sensed the chieftain had something else in mind.
"No, you'd make a fine teacher. You're our most skilled warrior, and your achievements in the shamanic path are notable. Your battle experience could be invaluable to the young. Not to mention, your popularity alone could inspire countless young warriors to follow you. I was just… reminded of something," the chieftain said, offering a bitter smile.
"Is something bothering you?" Shiga noticed something and asked.
"It's nothing serious," the chieftain said, searching through his desk and handing Shiga a parchment. "This is part of the agreement we signed with the Three-Nation Alliance. You'll understand when you read it."
Shiga glanced at it and looked surprised. "What? Exchange of teaching staff?"
He knew that the Thunderfang Tribe and the Three-Nation Alliance had agreed to ceasefire and release prisoners, and included many clauses to lay the groundwork for future peace. But this exchange of teaching staff was a first for him.
"It's exactly what it sounds like. We, along with the Silvermoon Kingdom of the Elves, will send one educator each to the designated schools to teach. The goal is to… well, use teaching as a way to spread each other's culture.
You know, our territories are nearly bordering the Silvermoon Kingdom. But we have so many differences with the elves. So to achieve lasting peace, we need cultural exchange. This is just a small part of it. It's an attempt to feel our way forward."
"Chieftain, are you considering me for this task?" Shiga put down the parchment.
"No, no. I just thought of this when you mentioned being a teacher," the chieftain waved his hand.
"But you're worried about the choice of candidate, aren't you?" Shiga observed the chieftain's reaction.
He knew that although the chieftain appeared gentle, he was decisive when it came to decision-making. If there was already a suitable candidate, the matter would have been resolved.
"Oh, this is indeed a tough one. Right now, we don't have many people who are fluent in the common languages of the Three-Nation Alliance. Besides, sending a teacher on top of sending an envoy complicates things. We don't know how difficult the situation will be… I've spoken to a few people, but they're all reluctant."
The chieftain sighed deeply.
Years of war had heavily burdened both the Thunderfang Tribe and the Three-Nation Alliance. Now, both sides were exhausted, and neither could continue the fight.
But the hatred between the people still lingered. In some ways, these grassroots exchanges were more difficult to manage than official diplomacy. A small misstep could lead to trouble.
Without a certain willingness and sense of responsibility, such a task wouldn't be easy to handle.
After a moment's thought, Shiga clenched the parchment: "In that case, let me go."
"Our hero, you don't need to carry this burden. You've already given so much to the tribe," the chieftain said, placing a hand on Shiga's shoulder. "Don't worry. This matter isn't as heavy as it seems in the agreement. I'll handle it."
"No, Chieftain, I want to go," Shiga replied seriously. "I'm actually a little interested in this matter."
At first, his plan to travel across the continent was mainly to learn more about these unfamiliar races.
Sometimes, fighting is a way to understand others.
Through combat, he had witnessed the magic of the elves, the holy light power of humans, and the alchemical techniques of dwarves… From this, he could see the vast cultural differences between them and the Orcs, sparking his curiosity to learn more.
Learning their techniques and powers might help him break through the limits of his own strength and make his tribe more prosperous.
Now, here was the perfect opportunity.
Not only would it be an eye-opening journey, but it could also contribute to the tribe's future. It was a win-win.
At that moment, Shiga had made up his mind.
"Well, I'll say it bluntly. I don't doubt your ability, but you're not the most suitable candidate. You're our tribe's top warrior, and sending someone like you to another nation is risky. They might not be happy about it!" The chieftain said seriously.
"If both sides aren't willing to take even this level of risk, we'll never build lasting peace and trust. Chieftain, both you and their queen came to the front lines to sign the agreement. What's wrong with me going as an envoy to the Elven Kingdom? We are the victors in this war. What do we have to fear?" Shiga slapped his leg firmly. "Just indulge my stubbornness. Let me go, Chieftain!"
The chieftain looked into Shiga's determined eyes and felt the resolve in his words.
"Alright, since you've made up your mind." The chieftain stood up and raised his hand solemnly, pointing at Shiga.
"To maintain peace between the Thunderfang Tribe and the Three-Nation Alliance, we will send a representative to the Silvermoon Kingdom's highest academy to teach and spread our culture. You, our War God, Shiga Thunder Roar, can you take on this important task?"
"A small matter!" Shiga saluted seriously, pounding his chest. "Leave it to me!"