Supreme BeastTamer: I Can Copy and Upgrade Skills 10x! - Chapter 476

Chapter 476: A Simple Deal
The orcs moved cautiously, their pace steady but controlled. They took winding paths, navigating through thick underbrush, crossing narrow streams, and slipping between thick trees.

Nox studied their movements with mild amusement. They were trying to throw him off, to make it difficult to memorize the way.

It was a clever attempt. But useless.

With his keen senses and intelligence, Nox had already mapped out the terrain. Even if they tried to deceive him, it wouldn’t work.

Solora slithered lazily beside him, clearly enjoying the growing unease among the orcs.

The group moved through the dense wilderness, a mix of towering trees and jagged cliffs surrounding them. Despite their outward wariness, the orcs were quick and efficient in navigating the terrain, their heavy footsteps barely making a sound. It was clear that they knew this land well.

Nox observed everything with mild interest. He had heard about orc tribes before—primitive, warlike, and territorial. Yet, this particular group had displayed an unusual level of restraint. If they had been typical bloodthirsty savages, they would have attacked blindly, even if it meant their own deaths.

Something’s different about them, he mused.

Solora, on the other hand, slithered beside him with complete ease, her body weaving through the trees with graceful fluidity. She occasionally shot the orcs a menacing smile, enjoying the way they stiffened at her presence.

Nox shook his head when he saw this. He couldn’t help but remember one of the shocking things Solora had said to Astralus when she first hatched.

[Come on, sister, let’s go scare some humans.]

He massaged his temple. The signs were there since the beginning… did she hit her head inside the egg or something?

It wasn’t far-fetched. After all, a certain panda had used that egg as his personal training partner for a long, long time.

After nearly half an hour, the thick forest gave way to a vast clearing. At its center lay the orc village.

Nox’s eyes flickered with intrigue.

It was nothing like the crude, filthy camps he had imagined. The village was fortified with towering wooden barricades reinforced with sharpened stakes. Large tents and wooden structures sprawled across the land, smoke rising from the many fire pits scattered throughout.

Orcish warriors patrolled the perimeter, their muscular frames clad in makeshift armor. Some bore heavy scars, evidence of past battles. They paused as the group approached, their expressions hardening when they saw Nox and Solora.

“A human!!!” one of the orcs exclaimed, gripping his weapon tightly.

The others also tensed, eyeing Nox warily, while a few stared at the high orc who had led them, their eyes burning with disappointment and anger.

“Fucking betrayer!”

“I knew he was up to no good!”

Nox observed everyone with a neutral expression, their attempts at intimidating him failing miserably.

So many of them. Nox’s eyes gleamed with malevolent intent as he noted the abundant number of orcs, along with a fair number of high orcs who seemed to be in positions of authority.

“A level 55 human. He’s pretty powerful,” some whispered. “Still, it shouldn’t be enough to easily defeat the squad.”

The orcs were murmuring among themselves when a deep, guttural growl rumbled through the air. A massive orc, at least a foot taller than the high orcs, stepped forward. His body was a mountain of muscle, his face covered with tribal markings, and his tusks slightly curved upward.

He carried an intimidating staff, similar to the one wielded by the high orc who had brought Nox here, only this one radiated far more power.

Nox tried to gauge what the weapon did, but no matter how he focused, he couldn’t detect even a single aura associated with magical items. This led him to believe that the staffs wielded by the high orcs were something else entirely.

Or perhaps their auras were just perfectly concealed.

No use trying to gauge my staff. The big orc thought. The person who made this ensured people like you would never see its information.

He briefly glanced toward the western side of the village before returning his gaze.

The high orc leading the group lowered his head and swallowed nervously.

“Chieftain Borok,” he said in the orcish tongue, not daring to meet the chieftain’s eyes, knowing that what he had done was worthy of execution.

“We have returned… and we bring an outsider.”

Borok’s dark eyes locked onto Nox, assessing him with silent intensity. The tension was palpable, thick like a storm on the horizon.

Nox, however, remained calm. He met the chieftain’s gaze without the slightest hint of fear.

“Why did the human… come alone?” Borok finally spoke, his deep voice carrying across the clearing. His eyes briefly flickered to Solora, but he didn’t pay the baby blue python much attention, a big blow to her ego.

Hehehe, don’t worry, she thought mischievously.

Meanwhile…

“He wishes to speak,” the high orc continued. “I had no other choice… he was too powerful.”

Borok’s eyes narrowed slightly, and the high orc sweated bullets, wondering why the powerful chieftain—whose strength was comparable to that of a level 60 Awakened—had yet to make a move.

He had expected Borok to attack Nox instantly, but the chieftain remained calm, which was even more unsettling. Does he have a hidden plan or something?

After several moments of tense silence, Borok finally spoke.

“…Then let us speak.”

—

Nox sat across from Borok inside a large tent at the heart of the village. The interior was dimly lit, the flickering flames casting shadows along the walls. Animal pelts and primitive weapons decorated the space, giving it a rugged yet commanding presence.

Solora coiled herself nearby, her body draped lazily across the ground, though her sharp eyes never left Borok.

The chieftain took a deep breath, exhaling slowly.

“I do not trust humans,” he said bluntly. “For centuries, your kind has hunted us, driven us to the edges of this land.”

Nox’s expression remained unreadable.

“But I can tell you are not like most humans,” Borok continued. “Despite your young age, your aura is strange. It’s as if you’re a hybrid. And you seem like the kind of person who doesn’t beat around the bush.”

He leaned forward slightly, his dark eyes burning with curiosity.

“So why have you come here?”

Nox’s lips curled into a small, knowing smile.

“I was simply passing through,” he admitted. “But now… I’m interested. Your people shouldn’t be this close to human territory. And yet, here you are.”

Borok’s expression darkened.

“…It was not by choice.”

A heavy silence filled the tent.

Nox’s eyes gleamed.

Interesting.

He could see it now—the flicker of frustration in Borok’s gaze, the unspoken tension that weighed heavily on his shoulders. Something had forced the orcs to move. Something had driven them away from the non-human continent.

“What happened?” Nox leaned forward slightly, his curiosity piqued.

Borok exhaled deeply, his next words sending a ripple of intrigue through the air.

“There is something… unnatural in the lands we once called home. A force we do not understand. It has driven my people out, slaughtered those who resisted.”

His gaze met Nox’s.

“If you wish to know more, then perhaps… we can strike a deal.”

Silence stretched between them once more, heavier than before.

And then—Nox smiled.

“Deal? I should be the one offering you a deal.”

“What do you mean?” The chieftain narrowed his eyes, unimpressed by Nox’s attitude.

“It’s rather simple.” Nox smiled. “Here is the deal.”