Chapter 59: STIRRED

Race Goblin: Level 10

Class: Lord; Horde Chief Possessed Skills: Ruler of the Horde; Insurgent Will; Overpowering Howl; Swordsmanship B+; Insatiable Desire; King’s Soul; Ruler’s Wisdom I; Eyes of the Blue Snake; Dance at Death’s Border; Red Snake’s Eye; Magic Manipulation; Soul of a Crazed Warrior; Third Impact (The Third Chant); Instinct; Ruler’s Wisdom II;

Divine Protection: Goddess of the Underworld Altesia

Attributes: Darkness; Death

Suboridnate Beasts: High Kobold Hasu;(Lv1) Gastra (Lv20) Cynthia (Lv20) Orc King Bui; (Lv36)

“My king, there’s blood in the air.” Riding on the back of a double head with an axe in hand, Gi Gi led his wild dogs and their superior noses to my side.

“Is it the enemy?”

If things go well enough, it might be possible to capture them.

“No, it’s…” As Gi Gi’s voice grew weaker, a bad premonition came upon me.

“Is it our allies?”

This is a war we’re fighting, so of course, I came knowing that we wouldn’t come out unscathed. However, Gi Za was the one pursuing the enemy, so how could there possibly be blood in the air.

If it’s just a few men, then that’s still fine, but… wait, were they ambushed?

“Let’s follow the scent.”

Either way we can’t just leave them be. If we can still save them, then we should immediately bring them back to the Ganra Village to rest.

“…King!” The first one to discover them was of course the beast warrior, Gi Gi.

“Horrible.” Without intending to, that word came out of my mouth. What lay before me were my men, wounded and exhausted. They were downtrodden and weak, and not a hint of spirit could be seen about them.

“Apologies, my king.” Blood was flowing out of Gi Za’s left shoulder when he said those words. If it weren’t for the wind magician, Gi Do, supporting him, he might not have even been able to stand.

“But how? When you were the one leading the horde?”

“Anything else would just end up an excuse. I made the wrong call.”

Gi Za’s dejected figure left me speechless. The one who ordered him to pursue the enemy was me. I ordered him specifically not just because I trusted him, but also because he had the strength to crush them. Moreover, he was a quick thinker. With all these added up he was a terrifying existence that could almost be thought of as a horde chief.

And yet he lost.

“I see. In any case, bring the wounded back to Ganra’s Village first. Gilmi, you won’t mind, right?”

“Of course. I’ll have some people lead the way.”

After I nodded to Gilmi, I called out to the defeated warriors.

“You have all disappointed me!”

Startled, the rare goblins looked at me with fear.

“King, this is my…” Gi Za tried to cover for them, but I stopped him, and sent my gaze to the defeated goblins.

“How long are you planning to look down!”

As if jolted by electricity, the goblins looked up to me.

“So what if you lost once or twice? Is that a reason for you to be discouraged! If you lost once, then you should compensate for it with a greater victory!”

I need to snap them out of that defeatist attitude. If I just leave them alone like this, it’ll interfere in the battles to come.

“Gi Gi, Gi Ji, scout the surrounding area. Look for any traces of the enemy’s movement!”

“As you will.” The two goblins nodded, and I sent my gaze to the defeated goblins once more.

“If you are truly my warriors, then you will not remain seated in a place like this. Remember! Remember the battle with the orcs! When at that time, in that hopeless battle, you did not look down, why would you look down after losing once!?”

“Remember! You are warriors of the king! If you are truly warriors of the king, then take with yourselves the spirit of fortitude and follow me!”

As my voice echoed loudly to the point where it seemed I was yelling, the fearful gazes of the defeated goblins gradually vanished.

“Warriors! I give you a chance. Follow me and cleanse this shame from your honor!”

“…My king, it as you say. We were wrong.” The wide eyed Gi Jii bowed his head. When he looked up to me, I saw in his gaze, the will to fight, burning ablaze.

“I’ll leave the injured in your care, Gi Za. That’ll be your punishment for losing.” Gi Za looked like he wanted to come despite his injuries, so I gave him a few words. I saw him grimace, vexed, from the corner

of my eyes, but without saying anything more, I sent my gaze toward the now standing “warriors”.

“Gi Gu, you will be the vanguard. Gi Jii, Gi Zu, Gi Do, you three will support.”

Sorry, but those who stand in my way will die. Normally, I would think of taking prisoners, but this time will be different.

Nothing is more fearful than for this expedition to end in defeat.

“Go!”

“We run with the king!” Gi Gu Verbena drew his sword as his voice echoed, raising the morale of the horde.

At my command, the goblin horde moved out.

◇◆◇

After the battle with Gi Za, Aluhaliha met up with the chief of the Gaidga Goblins, Rashka. They decided to regroup themselves.

“They don’t look very good,” mumbled Rashka to no one in particular. With the help of the Paradua they were able to gather the scattered Gaidga

Rashka thought that the goblins would be fine even after being scattered, but unexpectedly, the goblins were actually scared to the point they looked like shivering deer.

Was the enemy that terrifying? He couldn’t believe that someone could actually strike so much fear into the Gaidga.

The Gaidga Goblins have already been dulled to fear. It’s true that they competed with the other tribes, the Ganra, the Paradua, and the Gordob, but despite that, it was common sense amongst them that the Gaidga were the most courageous and most brutal.

And yet that very same Gaidga was today, shivering in fear.

Just who was this enemy?

“Is this enough?” asked Aluhaliha of Paradua who’s been gathering the scattered goblins.

Rashka shook his head. “Not yet.”

“I know you already know this, but just to remind you, if we take too long, the enemy will get back on their feet.”

“I know.”

But although he knew, it was also true that he need to gather enough men to take back the village and conquer Ganra. If they were to move carelessly, this time around, they wouldn’t come out of it lightly.

“Let’s put that aside for now. How was Ganra’s backer?”

“Nothing special… is what I’d like to say, but if they can get back on their feet, then we won’t be able to look down on them. The subordinate goblins managed to dodge my spear and even fight back after all.”

“Hmm…”

Aluhaliha’s spear and Jirouou fighting together is by no means an easy combination to dodge. To be able to dodge that and even fight back is certainly not something that one could take lightly.

Moreover, that wasn’t their chief fighting. That speaks volumes of the quality of their warriors.

“I hear you once talked with their chief.”

“Yes, the East King of the Gi Village. He had gray skin and three horns, one of which was twisted. He even had a tail.”

“That should be the lord class spoken of in tales. The founders should’ve also been lord class.”

“Of course, that doesn’t mean he’s necessarily equal to the founders, but…”

“He’s definitely strong. But… why? Why would he come to Ganra now of all times?”

Who knows? Is what Aluhaliha seemed to say as he tilted his head and glared at Rashka.

“You’re not planning to try to pull him in as your ally are you?”

With a stern face like that of an unbreakable crag, Rashka nodded.

“If possible, but…”

Since Rashka couldn’t gather his subordinates as he pleased, he figured he could play some tricks.

In short, all that mattered was victory.

Facing Aluhaliha’s discontent, he admonished him. “Now isn’t the time for goblins to be fighting each other. It’s a race against time. You should know that too.”

“But still…” Aluhaliha was even more displeased, reluctantly, however, he still nodded.

For Rashka who rarely ever spoke to explain this much showed just how much he’s been driven to a corner. He’s lost his village. Half of his subordinates has been killed. But despite all that that deep aura about this goblin that was like an immovable boulder showed no signs of being swayed.

Without showing the admiration he felt for this goblin, Aluhaliha quietly stared at Rashka.

Truth be told, he wanted to see him fight.

The King of the Gi Village.

He even thought that if this mist lurking within his chest could be swept away, he would like to seriously fight with him in a straightforward battle to see his strength.

In that way, he could come to terms with it.

So that’s a king, he could say.

But he was the leader of a tribe. The skills he had been cultivating all this time in leading his fellow goblins could not permit that. He could not simply lie down and accept defeat.

Caught up between Rashka’s trust and the fierce longing toward the king, Aluhaliha’s heart wavered.