LEVEL EVERYTHING UP in my Eldritch Tribe

The maze was eerily quiet now, as if the very air had stilled in the wake of Lyerin's unexpected triumph.

He stood confidently at the center of the Stonehooves Tribe, watching the newly tamed pig Orcs obediently disperse into the labyrinth, following his silent command.

They moved in packs of ten, lumbering through the narrow, twisting corridors like sentries.

Lyerin, still grinning, felt an odd sense of satisfaction as they obeyed him without question.

Corora, her curiosity overwhelming her, finally broke the silence as she approached Lyerin.

Her footsteps were slow, hesitant even, as if she still couldn't fully comprehend what had just happened.

"Lyerin," she started, her voice unusually soft, "did you... did you really tame them?"

At her words, the rest of the girls, who had been lingering just a few steps behind, suddenly crowded around him.

Their expressions were a mix of awe and disbelief, but they all had the same burning question in their eyes.

They looked from the pig Orcs—who had been rampaging beasts only moments ago—to Lyerin, trying to connect the dots.

Maria, her brows furrowed, stepped forward, glancing at Lyerin with a mix of hesitation and respect.

"How did you do that?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper. "I mean...those were Valley Orcs. Dangerous, savage... How could you...?"

The others quickly chimed in, their voices overlapping as they flooded Lyerin with questions.

"You tamed them just like that?"

"Was it some kind of magic?"

"Are they under your control now?"

"I thought they were supposed to be impossible to tame!"

"Did they...did they actually join our tribe?"

Their tones were cautious, still laced with respect for Lyerin's authority, but the sheer incredulity in their questions was palpable.

They were, after all, standing in the aftermath of something that defied every norm they had been taught about these creatures.

The pig Orcs had been fierce predators, but now they moved like docile beasts, their aggression seemingly vanished.

Lyerin, unbothered by their flood of inquiries, raised an eyebrow and teased them. "All of you still doubt me?" he asked with a mischievous smile.

His voice was light, but there was a glint of confidence in his eyes.

The casualness of his question made Corora and the other girls blush, realizing that despite everything they had been through together, they were still astonished by his abilities.

"I—It's not that we doubt you," Fiona stammered, her cheeks tinged with pink as she looked away, flustered. "It's just... we weren't expecting... this."

"You've surprised us before, but this...," Lydia began, her voice trailing off as she gestured toward the Orcs in the distance, "this is… this is..."

Even Elena, who often prided herself on keeping her emotions in check, couldn't hide the awe in her voice. "We knew you were powerful, sir Lyerin…"

Despite the tribe's loyal respect toward him, their astonishment remained clear.

Lyerin let their words linger for a moment before chuckling lightly.

"One of you doubts me, don't you?" Lyerin asked, turning his gaze toward the newest members of the tribe, the human survivors who had only recently joined their ranks.

They stood farther back, clearly overwhelmed by the situation.

One of the men—a tall, wiry figure named Malcolm—had opened his mouth as if to say something, but quickly shut it when Lyerin's eyes fell on him.

Malcolm hesitated before nervously asking, "Does that mean... we're safe now?"

He looked as if he regretted asking the question the second the words left his mouth, his face paling as though he feared he'd overstepped his boundaries with Lyerin.

The tribe leader's power was no secret to anyone, and the last thing any of the newcomers wanted was to anger him.

Malcolm's question was like a hanging obnect in the air for a moment, but instead of chastising him, Lyerin gave a surprising response.

"Yes," Lyerin said casually, as if the answer were the most obvious thing in the world. "We're safe. For now."

Relief washed over Malcolm's face, and some of the tension in the air dissipated.

The other tribe members visibly relaxed too, reassured by Lyerin's words.

But before the atmosphere could fully settle, a loud rumbling sound echoed through the clearing, cutting through the silence.

At first, everyone tensed, thinking it was another attack, but then they realized the noise was coming from Lyerin himself.

His stomach growled, loudly.

The entire group stared at him, wide-eyed. For a brief moment, the seriousness of the situation vanished, replaced by an awkward silence.

Lyerin blinked and then rubbed his stomach, an embarrassed grin spreading across his face.

"Ah," he muttered sheepishly, "I forgot to eat."

The girls and the rest of the tribe couldn't help but giggle, the tension from earlier dissolving as laughter rippled through the group.

Even Corora, who had been the most serious among them, couldn't stop herself from smiling.

But just as quickly as the lighthearted moment came, it was interrupted by an ominous sensation.

Lyerin's playful expression faded, replaced by one of intense focus. He turned his gaze skyward, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the heavens.

"Hmmm...," he muttered under his breath. "Just in time."

The others followed his gaze, confused. "What is it, Lyerin?" Maria asked, her brow furrowing as she searched the sky. "What do you see?"

Lyerin's eyes locked onto something far above, and after a moment, he gave a single, quiet word. "Birds."

---

Far away, back on Earth, the Asura girl stood in stunned silence, her hands trembling slightly as she stared at the monitor showing Lyerin and his tribe.

The sight of the Valley Orcs obeying him had shaken her to the core.

How?

How had he done it?

It defied everything she knew about the Orcs, about the rules of the survival games. She could scarcely believe her eyes.

"How...how did he tame them?" she whispered, more to herself than anyone else. But the question echoed in her mind, growing louder with every second.

The viewers watching from Earth were equally stunned, the shock spreading like wildfire across the audience.

The Borgias Family, one of Lyerin's most powerful enemies, had been monitoring the event closely, their expressions dark and filled with fear.

They had underestimated Lyerin once again.

"I knew he was dangerous," muttered one of the Borgias Family's elders, his voice shaking. "But this...this is beyond what we imagined."

"He's more than just a threat now," another family member added, his face pale. "If he can tame Valley Orcs, what else is he capable of?"

The Asura girl, now regaining her composure, quickly began to broadcast the latest development.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it seems that Lyerin's capabilities are far greater than any of us anticipated. Not only has he survived the maze... he has tamed the Valley Orcs, beasts that no one has ever been able to control before. We are witnessing something extraordinary here."

But just as she was about to continue her report, she noticed something strange on the monitor—a flock of large, ominous creatures flying toward the territory of the Stonehooves Tribe. Her eyes widened in alarm.

"Wait...what's that?" she exclaimed, pointing at the screen. "Do you see them? Those...those aren't ordinary birds. They're...they're heading straight for Lyerin!"

The screen zoomed in on the approaching creatures—large, dark-winged beasts with sharp talons and glowing eyes.

The tension that had just dissipated began to build again, thicker than before.

"Everyone, stay tuned," the Asura girl announced, her voice trembling with excitement and fear.

"It looks like the Stonehooves Tribe's trial isn't over yet. Something new is coming, and whatever it is... it's heading straight for them!"