"Y-you . . ."
"So, you have two choices: kill me here and now, or watch as I annihilate every last one of you until history remembers us — the Hobgoblins who defied the odds and shattered the myth of our weakness! We will be remembered as the ones who struck fear into the hearts of those who dared to underestimate us!"
Rain didn't know what to make of the situation. He knew that no matter how hard he tried to reason, Kraggul's mind was already made up.
It was either kill or be killed.
Still, Rain took one last shot at changing Kraggul's mind. "King Kraggul, I might be new here and not fully understand your struggles, but nothing is more important than your life! Your people's lives! You can't achieve anything if you're dead!"
Kraggul's voice broke no argument. "You have no idea what we've been through like you said," he replied, his tone heavy with emotion. "We've fought and bled for every inch of freedom we've gained. We were slaves once, treated like dirt by those who thought themselves superior. But we rose up. We fought back.
And we will not be brought down again."
Before Rain could respond, the sound of clashing steel drew their attention back to the battlefield. The fighting had resumed with renewed intensity. The Hobgoblins, seeing their king still standing, rallied with renewed ferocity, as if they had abandoned their lives to fulfill their king's dream.
Their eyes blazed with an unyielding determination, each strike fueled by an intense loyalty and conviction that left Rain awestruck.
Rain had never witnessed such unwavering resolve and loyalty. Something inside him stirred, and for a moment, he hesitated, taking a step back.
~Chi!~
'Stand your ground, my lord!" Chi's voice echoed in his mind, reading his feelings as if they were an open book. "Your goal might seem less grand than his, but it's no less important. You are fighting for lives and our future. Remember that.'
"Chi . . ." Rain's resolve slowly solidified. He might not be fighting to uplift the entire Hobgoblin race, but he was fighting for the lives and future of his people. There were still so many who depended on him back home. If he failed now, Kraggul would surely march back and annihilate everyone.
Kraggul barely managed to deflect the halberd and evade the arrows, but the sudden assault had thrown him off balance.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Kraggul found himself momentarily distracted, not realizing the true peril he was in as another attack plunged towards him. The next thing he knew, General Vargash was charging toward him. His body was riddled with injuries, yet he moved with a purpose that defied the mortal wounds.
The next thing he knew, Kraggul's eyes widened in shock as his comrade's head was severed, blood splattering across his face. Vargash's body fell, lifeless, to the ground, and a victorious yet pained smile lingered on his face.
Vargash had exhausted all his spirit energy countering the spells of the Ebizos, knowing his life was over. But there were no regrets in his final moments. He had fulfilled his purpose. He had protected his king.
My king . . . live on . . .
for our sake . . .
The words echoed in Kraggul's mind, a final, silent farewell from his loyal general.
King Kraggul's eyes turned to slit, and a guttural cry tore from his throat, filled with anguish and rage.
"VARGAaAasShH!"
His roar echoed across the battlefield, a sound of pure, unbridled fury. The death of Vargash ignited a fire within Kraggul, a blazing inferno of vengeance and grief.
A powerful force pulsated around King Kraggul, enveloping the space in a fiery red inferno of hazy menacing energy. Everyone within a hundred-meter radius felt an oppressive weight, their movements sluggish and labored.
Kraggul had unleashed his [Lord's Domain], draining his spirit energy in the process. But in his crazed thirst for vengeance, his own life was a trivial concern.
Within this domain, every adversary felt their bodies grow heavy, while Kraggul's stats surged, doubling in power.
Gripping his halberd tighter, his knuckles turned white. Kraggul's gaze locked onto Rain with deadly intensity, ready to unleash his wrath.