Chapter 53: Four Big Villages (End)

Sitting with his legs crossed on a big rock amidst the many trees, Dawn had his eyes closed.

---Aura...

Dawn's concentration was so high that he cut off his senses from the outside.

There was only one thing that he wanted to do ever since he fought with Womo and won.

That was to learn Aura!

---My wounds are being healed by it at a fast rate. This is...

The injury he had on his head, shoulder and body was being healed whenever Dawn directed his Aura on that place.

It wasn't exactly closing, but it prevented his wounds from worsening and helped him relieve the pain that he was feeling.

The flesh and muscles near the area are the reason for the wound's fast regeneration.

The Aura was just helping stimulate the wound to heal faster than it should, making Dawn think that Aura was the regeneration cause.

"Great. I'm done."

Dawn opened his eyes and released his senses to scan the surroundings. He didn't expect to be safe within this dangerous forest, but it seems that the wandering monsters didn't dare attack him.

"Karkas and the others aren't here yet. Now then, my body is..."

Taking a look over his whole body, Dawn found it now much better than before.

"Good. Aura's incredible. Just that one can make me do things that I couldn't before. Just what is it?"

Arousing his Aura sleeping in his body to his hands, Dawn could see its light being engraved to his hands.

"Power and defense, healing too. Goblins are much better than I thought."

Dawn never knew about Aura before. He just knew that they could evolve and become stronger. That was it.

He didn't even imagine that there was a weapon for their race that was so strong.

Although he doesn't know if other races have something like this, he could still say that his strength would increase exponentially if he could master Aura.

At least, his instincts were telling him so.

"Now then, how did that bastard slow time...?"

Womo slowed down the time and made everything to go slow; to be precise, he locked Dawn's senses to perceive.

And Dawn knows it too as he somewhat unraveled the mysteries of the Aura.

Being able to learn so many things in such a short amount of time, from Womo's words, Dawn was indeed a monster.

"It's not working..."

As Dawn kept trying to understand and using the Aura, time eventually passed. He tried hard, but it seems to be insufficient to acquire the same level of Womo's mastery over Aura.

Swish.

It was then.

As Dawn was about to stand up, he heard footsteps and the grasses being disturbed.

He only focused on learning and didn't use his senses as much as he did, so he didn't notice them.

He looked over the area where the intruders came from, and immediately, a smile crept up to his face.

"What's this? You did even better, Karkas."

"It was easier than expected, king."

At that moment, the goblins that were following behind Karkas and the Elder all kneeled.

It was the blessed goblins of the currently enemy village.

At the head of the group were two goblins that stand out from the rest, Wos and Mos.

Dawn just looked over the two with calm eyes as if he already knew what they were going to say.

Wos spoke with a calm voice. It seems he has decided with his whole heart.

"We pledge our loyalty."

While his brother, Mos, had some hesitation before finally speaking up.

"...We pledge our loyalty."

At that moment, Dawn could hear the voice of the Blessings of the Battlefield.

[Position: Great Chieftain will be changed to Big Village Chief.]

[Subordinate Didi has received the Blessings of the Battlefield, Imperial.

Imperial has made the enemy goblins Didi's subordinate, making them your subordinate.]

[One of the restrictions on ??? has been lifted due to meeting various conditions.]

[The restriction on Heavenly Dreams will be lifted.]

[One of the functions of the Heavenly Dreams, Sky Guide, will be unlocked.]

[The three remaining functions of ??? will remain restricted.]

"What?"

When the Blessings of the Battlefield's voice finally ended, a sharp question escaped Dawn's mouth.

"King?"

Karkas asked out of concern, seeing the scary look on Dawn's face. Dawn's mastery over Aura prevented it from leaking, but it was clear as day that Dawn didn't like something.

'What happened?' Karkas thought as he looked at the kneeling goblins.

Meanwhile, the two goblins were quivering in fear. After all, they thought that something displeased Dawn and would be executed instead.

They didn't know Dawn in the first place, so it's natural for them to be scared of him.

"Huuu."

A sigh escaped Dawn's mouth. His questioning face slowly returned to normal.

He never expected something like this to happen. He only got that '???' by chance, and now it was even giving a privilege for him.

What's more, the condition seems to be the lucky chance Didi gained by having the so-called Imperial Blessings.

"The Blessings of the Battlefield is getting weirder by the day."

Dawn thought of the Blessings of the Battlefield as someone who gives power. He wanted to find out who or what was behind it, but he never thought it would be like this.

"Anyway, I accept."

Dawn replied as he turned his gaze to the kneeling goblins. They didn't immediately stand up as they knew how rude that would be to their new lord.

Dawn didn't mind them any further and turned his head to look at the one he called. It was the high goblin who wanted to receive a name by the king.

"You. Come forward."

The high goblin, after the numerous battles and hunts that he underwent, naturally received blessings. His body was much taller than before, but he seems to be thinner.

The high goblin then kneeled in front of Dawn and spoke with a clear voice.

"Goblin Sorcerer. That is what the Blessings of the Battlefield has given me."

Even though the topic seems to be abrupt and sudden, Dawn knew all too well what he was talking about.

Although he was quite presumptuous by asking for it and not waiting, Dawn didn't mind it so much.

"Good! From now on, you shall be called..."

Dawn put his hand forward, his palm facing the goblin's lowered head and said with a powerful voice.

"Gragia."

Gragia lowered his head deeper and didn't answer. He wanted to savor this moment and engrave it into his mind as not to forget the time when the king gave him his name.

"Stand up, all of you."

The goblins who were kneeling all stood up at the same time. It was time to get to the real topic.

"Now then, Wos and Mos, you as well, Gragia, tell me what you know about the three remaining villages."

All of the goblins present here expected this question.

After all, one of the Four Big Villages attacked Dawn's village; there's no way a goblin chief, let alone Dawn, will let something like that go.

"What does the king want to know?"

Wos was the one who spoke up. He wanted to have this chance to at least consolidate their position in Dawn's village.

He even said things that he didn't mean just to curry favor with Dawn. If Wos wanted to save his remaining allies and himself, he needed to cling to a powerful figure.

Even though Wos evolved once, that is not enough to survive in the forest. There are still many undiscovered dangers and threats roaming in the forest.

And during this time where the monsters are increasing in the forest, there's no way they would be able to survive.

Of course, Dawn knows what Wos was thinking at the moment. Even though they offered their loyalty to Dawn 'willingly,' that doesn't mean it was sincere.

However, since the Blessings of the Battlefield has reacted, that means they can't go back to it now unless Dawn died.

It doesn't harm Dawn in any way, and this was actually his plan in conquering the Four Big Villages.

Using the Blessings of the Battlefield to hold the hostile goblins' ankles instead of the king's charm, Dawn was planning to utilize even the one who gives them power for his wants and ambitions.

"First, where are they located? I know it is in the south, but specifically, where?"

"They are not too far from here, to be honest. We can reach their place at night if we go now."

Dawn narrowed his eyes at the unexpected answer.

"Is your village located there too?"

"No. Our village is located southeast. The Four Big Villages was originally the Three Big Villages, but it changed when they accepted my previous chief in their ranks."

"So, they are crowded in one big place. Hmm, Karkas, is it possible?"

When Dawn mentioned Karkas, all turned their heads toward his way. If a village chief asked a goblin something like this, it means that the goblin was one of the chief's trusted aides.

Regardless of their stares, Karkas was most resolute to only answer to Dawn's expectations.

"We don't know their forces, but it should be possible. No, we can do it."

Dawn smiled...no, he showed off his fangs when he heard Karkas' confident reply.

His Aura leaked from his overexcitement, making him look much more threatening even to his subordinates.

"We conquer those three villages today!"