The Record of Orc Civilization

Chapter 463: The Great Retreat

New Battlefield Command Center – Progenitor City

Boku listened to the orders and reports he had just received via the Pandava. He replayed the message in his mind repeatedly, yet his brain seemed to refuse to process the reality of it. He finished listening, and once again, he felt as if something were wrong with his own ears.

Although the Pandava was capable of linking all Asuras into one massive communication channel, its use was often less than ideal for precise combat coordination. The souls currently connected through the Pandava numbered in the millions—the entire Asura population of Wilwatikta. Consequently, any single message sent ran the risk of being overheard by the wrong unit due to the incredibly dense collective audio interference. This was why the command centers preferred direct, face-to-face reports from the captains on the front lines.

However, the Pandava remained the primary choice for urgent emergency instructions when time no longer permitted a courier to run with a report. The order Boku had just received was exactly that kind of command. It was so crucial that the seasoned general had to listen to it several times just to convince himself.

The order was: Withdraw all forces from the New Battlefield and evacuate Progenitor City.

Boku didn’t particularly care about the physical structures of Progenitor City, but the town—which had only recently been completed—held deep philosophical value for the kingdom. It was the first human settlement they had successfully conquered and brought under total control.

As a first-generation Asura who had once lived in the shadow of fear toward the Mana Species, Progenitor City was living proof to Boku that they had succeeded in breaking the shackles of that terror. Even so, he would not hesitate to abandon it. If they could seize it once, they could surely reclaim it a second time.

Yet, it was the reasoning behind the retreat order that made Boku reluctant to believe.

"Demon forces led by Furfur are moving to attack Bitter Maja. All frontline forces must immediately withdraw and reinforce the capital’s defenses."

That brief report carried consequences so horrific they made an experienced general like Boku shiver. He desperately wanted to ask for details; he wanted to know if the scouts there had truly smelled the brimstone of Demon skin or merely the sulfurous residue of fire magic.

But Boku realized he had no time to ask for clarification through the Pandava. Besides, there was no guarantee anyone would have the chance to answer amidst the chaos at the center. Ultimately, he sent back a brief reply: "Understood. Executing now!"

Boku took a long breath, attempting to steady his shaken emotions. He looked at the aides around him, who were still busy processing troop movements and newly arrived intelligence.

In a voice as calm as possible, Boku commanded, "Recall all forces in the New Battlefield. For units located too far from Progenitor City, order them to head straight for Capital via the subterranean routes."

Instantly, the frantic noise in the command room vanished. As if someone had hit a mute button, every Asura who had been focused on their task now turned, staring at Boku with eyes full of questions. They doubted whether their ears had correctly caught the instruction.

With a firmer, more deliberate tone, Boku repeated himself: "Recall all forces. We are conducting a total evacuation to Capital."

Instead of moving, his subordinates stared at Boku with profound confusion, as if their commander had just spoken in an alien tongue they didn’t recognize. Boku understood their feelings—he himself had needed time to digest the Pandava’s instructions. However, those bewildered faces began to incense him.

"Are you deaf?! Recall all troops to retreat, now!" he bellowed, his voice thundering through the room.

"Ah... Yes, Commander!" an Asura snapped to attention by reflex.

That shout triggered a wave of questions from the other officers.

"Wait, Sir. Why must we retreat now?"

"If we withdraw our forces, the enemy will reach the gates of Progenitor City within days!"

"Even with the casualties, the numbers aren’t high enough to trigger a total evacuation!"

"Besides, the captains’ reports state the Fire Shield Formation is highly effective against users of the Body-Eating... I mean, the Genesis Pill!"

Questions and objections came one after another. Boku listened calmly without interrupting. He understood their protests, for they were the same questions he had asked himself moments ago.

Boku knew the only way to silence their doubt was with a bitter fact.

"We are abandoning Progenitor City and retreating to Capital immediately."

"What?! But Sir, even if we’ve lost a few units—"

"Intelligence has confirmed: a Demon army led by Furfur is advancing toward Bitter Maja."

The command room fell silent once more. Faces that had been flushed with emotion now turned deathly pale. Gaping mouths snapped shut, their fangs clicking together as jaws tightened.

Boku had no time to let them settle. He had already wasted too much time debating. He didn’t know exactly when Furfur would reach the capital. Though he knew Mige was still there—a wise leader with strategic capabilities equal to his own—their opponent was Furfur. The Demon Volcano was not an enemy that could be faced with only the remnants of the capital’s defense force.

"Execute my orders immediately, and summon the Two Queens!" he shouted, issuing a final ultimatum.

"Yes, Commander!"

The Asuras moved instantly like clockwork, swallowing their questions whole. Boku knew that, given the sheer scale of the New Battlefield, it would take at least a full day for all units to assemble. Add to that the process of emptying Progenitor City; they could not leave behind intact infrastructure or logistics for the humans to use. Everything had to be taken or destroyed. At the earliest, they could only begin their move back in three days.

Boku realized this information must have originated from the Old Battlefield, which was closer to the Demons’ movements. If even the New Battlefield was being ordered to retreat, what was the fate of the command center at Bitter Maja?

"Goku, please... don’t do anything stupid," Boku whispered softly. "Or at least, wait until I can join you."