VOLUME 2: CHAPTER 137 – SYLPH UNIFICATION WAR XII (1/2)
Status
Race Goblin
Level 59
Cla.s.s King; Ruler
Possessed Skills Ruler of the Demon Children of Chaos; Defiant Soul; World Devouring Howl; Sword Mastery A-; Dominator; King’s Soul; Ruler’s Wisdom III; Household of the G.o.ds; One-Eyed Snake’s Evil Eye; The King"s Dance at the Edge of Death; Magic Manipulation; Soul of the Berserk King; Third Impact (The Third Chant); Warrior"s Instinct; Blessing of the Underworld G.o.ddess; Guided One
Divine Protection G.o.ddess of the Underworld (Altesia)
Attributes Darkness; Death
Subordinate Beasts High Kobold Hasu (Lv77); Gastra (Lv20); Cynthia (Lv1); Orc King (Bui) (Lv82)
Abnormal Status Blessing of the One-Eyed Snake; Protection of the Twin-Headed Snake
“f.u.c.k! This is a waste of time!” Shumea cussed after cutting down the elves blocking their way.
Shumea and the elven escorts protected Selena as they ran away from the black smoke.
“Why are elves so stubborn!?” Shumea complained as she roughly wiped her cheeks of soot and blood.
“S-Sorry…” Selena found herself apologizing for some reason.
“I’m not blaming you. Anyway, let’s hurry. They know we’re here.” Shumea wryly smiled and rubbed Selena’s head.
After catching some elves to ascertain Pale’s location, they ran through the smokes and the flames.
“…What are you going to do once we find her? You have thought of it, right?”
From what they’ve gathered, Pale was currently leading an army of elite soldiers.
Shumea has already considered the worst possible scenario, but despite that, she didn’t have any intentions of dissuading Selena from meeting her.
“I don’t know, but I think I’ll know once I meet her. At that time, I don’t think I’ll regret it even if I end up as the king’s enemy.”
“I’ve always liked how gutsy you are,” Shumea said, then she turned around to the elven escorts given to them by Fei. “You can go back now. If you keep following us, you might end up drawing your bows against your master,” she said.
The elves looked at each other, then one of them stepped forward.
“Our duty is to protect you, Lord Shumea. We will accompany you until we have ascertained that you are indeed Forni’s enemy,” the elf said.
“Naive. Or maybe you’re stupid… Well, I don’t hate that though. I’m kinda like that myself after all.”
After running past the black smoke, Shumea looked around her.
“We’ve arrived at the eastern side. That way should be the north!” Shumea said.
“Can I ask you a question?” One of the elven escorts asked.
“Make it short,” Shumea said.
“Lord Pale is the enemy commander. Surely, she will be accompanied by many soldiers. What will you do about them?” The elven escort asked.
“We’ll break through,” Shumea matter-of-factly said.
The elven escorts were speechless.
“Do you have a plan?” The elven escort asked.
“Of course not! The only thing I’ve got is a girl’s guts! So if you’re going to tag along, you better make sure you don’t wet your pants!”
As they ran, the figure of the goblin king and the elves fighting came to view.
“Is everyone ready?” Shumea asked.
When they nodded, she narrowed her eyes.
“Let’s take happiness with our own hands. Even if it means prying it from fate’s mouth by force.”
Loved by a resident of the fire G.o.d’s household, the G.o.d of flame, Hektokrups, Shumea smiled fiercely in the face of battle as she cried out to foe and ally alike.
“Ora ora ora! Get out of the way! A human is pa.s.sing through!!”
◆◆◇
Rashka’s black light blew up on the tightly packed enemy formation. His speed didn’t slow down even a little as he charged toward the enemy. That valiant charge of his affected the other warriors, and we followed after him.
Rashka swung both of his clubs at every direction. Battle-wise, he was indeed one of the best among the goblins.
His great strength bore a hole in the armored elves’ line. As his rampage continued, the elves’ movement gradually became duller.
“Just a little more and we’ll be able to win! Don’t slow down even for a moment!” I said, causing the goblins to cry out in response along with the Fang Tribe and the elves.
But then a rain of arrows descended where Rashka was.
“Nu!?”
When I turned around, the enemy was there.
The light infantry that arrived aimed at Rashka. Their movements were like the turning of the waves. There was not even a single hint of hesitation in them as they attacked in turn. But what was most conspicuous of all was the great morale they had!
—So you’ve come, Pale Symphoria!”
The chiefs or the tactician. Whose head should I pluck?
For a moment, I wasn’t sure what to do, but in the end, I decided to go for the enemy chiefs.
I ordered Rashka to proceed while defending only as much as necessary.
Selena and Shumea couldn’t reach her in time, it seems.
Alas! I cannot hold back in battle! Especially, one so strong!
“Rashka, keep going like that and take the heads of the enemy chiefs! That will be the greatest achievement in this battle!” I said.
“Alright!” Rashka fearlessly smiled as he raised his clubs.
“Fei, Mido! We’re intercepting the new enemy! Follow!”
“Understood!” Mido said.
“As you wish,” Fei said.
I aimed my sword at the new enemy.
They could move quickly, but they had to sacrifice their armor to achieve that.
Wielding my sword by my side, I swung it from below.
—Pale Symphoria is up ahead. I should take her head myself. It is only courteous to do so.
As ether coursed through my legs, I lowered my body enough for Flamberge to touch the ground.
The main force was with Rashka. As for the rest: the remaining demihumans, the elves, and the rest of the goblins – they fought with me.
“My life is like dust!Accel”
◆◆◇
After confirming sighting of the chiefs’ army, Pale gave orders to the soldiers.
“Platoons, advance in line! Avoid the goblins as much as you can. Felbi second platoon, to the front!”
Pale ordered the second platoon that was protecting their rear to go to the front. In exchange, she ordered the third platoon to move to the rear.
When Pale sent a fleeting glance at the goblins, she immediately noticed their high morale, then she looked toward the front again. The giant black goblin was leading an army of demihumans, elves, and goblins. There was a leader for every group.
Could she really do this? She asked herself as she looked up.
“Everyone, give me strength.”
Suddenly, she closed her eyes and thought back to the days when she fought with the members of Clan Elks.
Pale’s quiet mutterings were drowned out by the sound of war.
“I can do this! I’m going to protect my family!” Pale opened her eyes and said that to herself.
Their aim was the three-headed beast of an army that was headed toward them.
“Archers, parallel volley! After me!”
Pale pulled an orichalc.u.m arrow from her quiver and filled it with ether.
“Second, fourth, fifth, and sixth platoon! Parry the enemy ahead! We’re going to graze past their nose and save the chiefs!”
She intentionally spoke like that. Normally, she preferred to speak with more formality, but that kind of language was unsuited during war.
The various platoons cried out in response to Pale’s commands.
As she released the string of her bow, the sound of wind cutting echoed alongside the cries of the orichalc.u.m arrow. It flew fiercely through the air as it shot forth toward the enemy.
“Winds, give me power!Wind Shot”
Her target was the Fang Tribe member leading the demihumans.
That was none other than the man who double-crossed them. If she recalled correctly, his name was Mido, a Fang Tribe chief.
The enemy’s vanguard was pursuing after the chiefs.
As she watched the rear guard be torn apart all at once, she followed after the arrow with her eyes. A fearsome scream resounded at its descent as Mido repelled it. But that one shot wasn’t enough to break the enemy’s formation. When the rest of the archers shot their arrows, the enemy forces finally stalled.
The second shot.
This time their aim was the elven army, which sought to stop them.
“Winds, give me your blessing!Barrel Shot”
But the enemy noticed what they were trying, and their arrows pa.s.sed by each other at roughly the same time. The wind pressure from their arrows altered each others’ course, leaving behind a streak of red blood across Pale’s temple.
Though they failed to follow-up that arrow, they still managed to hit the shoulder of the second head.
“Next!”
“GURUUuoOOOAaOA!”
As Pale drew her bow again, a world devouring howl bellowed. Its great pressure bore down on them as the Goblin King swung his black burning great sword to cut down the elves in half.
The light infantry wasn’t his match.
Pale immediately gave out orders.
“Third and fourth platoon, go to the chiefs! Second platoon, make two lines from the front to the rear!”
Pale ordered the second platoon to make several layers of walls between her and the black goblin.
“Over here, monster! I’ll be your opponent!” Pale said.
She mustered all of her ether and gathered it onto her arrow.
“In the name of the fierce winds!Storm Bullet”
The gathered winds blew behind the arrow, propelling it forward as they drew a helix shape on the air.
“GURUuuOOOAaAOO!”
But just when the arrow seemed like it was about to hit the Goblin King, the Goblin King swung his black burning great sword, causing the collision of two great ma.s.ses of ether.
The two ma.s.ses of ether sought to destroy each other. The black flames tried to devour the arrow of wind, white the latter tried to bore through the black flames.
Pale was already at her knees due to the great consumption of ether.
The Goblin King ground his teeth and put forth even more ether into his great sword.
Pale finally understood that a direct confrontation was disadvantageous, so she switched roles from a warrior back to a commander.
After receiving the charge of the elves, the goblin forces were in chaos. Forcing their way through the interim of the goblin forces and the chiefs’ forces was exactly Pale’s plan.
With her elven forces attacking the goblins from the flank, the battle had slightly swung to their favor. But at this rate, they will have no choice but to withdraw from the battle and run. She looked at the rear and the front.
The rear was being held well by Felbi, while in the front were wounded demihumans. Despite that the elven forces had slowed down their momentum.
Pale figured that it should be possible to make use of the time difference to cut their way through.
“GURUuuOOOAaA!”
—That’s if we can take down this monster, anyway.
The Goblin King, who could stop even Pale’s attack, was unstoppable. He was like a storm as he mowed his way through to Pale.
“Second platoon, move to the flanks!”
Pale was so spent that even her throat felt like it would burst from giving orders.
By moving the second platoon to the flanks, there would be no one to stop the Goblin King.
Hands shaking, she drew her bow once more.
“Come,” she said.
Her hands no longer shook when she held her arrows. Her focus, which she had sharpened all her life, allowed her to become as still as tranquil waters.
In her hands was a special Srilana (Blue-Silver Steel) arrow.
Her aim was the unstoppable Goblin King’s forehead.
Perfectly focused, she calmly aimed her bow.
VOLUME 2: CHAPTER 137 – SYLPH UNIFICATION WAR XII (2/2)
Status
Race Goblin
Level 59
Cla.s.s King; Ruler
Possessed Skills Ruler of the Demon Children of Chaos; Defiant Soul; World Devouring Howl; Sword Mastery A-; Dominator; King’s Soul; Ruler’s Wisdom III; Household of the G.o.ds; One-Eyed Snake’s Evil Eye; The King"s Dance at the Edge of Death; Magic Manipulation; Soul of the Berserk King; Third Impact (The Third Chant); Warrior"s Instinct; Blessing of the Underworld G.o.ddess; Guided One
Divine Protection G.o.ddess of the Underworld (Altesia)
Attributes Darkness; Death
Subordinate Beasts High Kobold Hasu (Lv77); Gastra (Lv20); Cynthia (Lv1); Orc King (Bui) (Lv82)
Abnormal Status Blessing of the One-Eyed Snake; Protection of the Twin-Headed Snake
I flicked the wind arrow and ran toward the enemy.
There was about a 50m distance between me and the enemy, a lone female elf with a bow in hand. That person was none other than Pale Symphoria, the elven warrior who has foiled our plans time and time again.
Standing in between us were several heavily armored elven warriors.
But did she think something like this would stop me? If I were the sort to stop because of something like this, I would never have said I would take her head in the first place!
“Second platoon, move to the flanks!”
A calm voice resounded throughout the battlefield, then the elven heavy infantry moved to the flanks.
With this there was no one standing in our way.
What is she thinking? I don’t understand.
—But that doesn’t matter!
Ether coursed through my legs as I wielded Flamberge in a low stance, then I bolted off. I leaped through the earth in a crawling fashion, closing our distance in the blink of an eye.
“Second platoon, close it!”
Suddenly, the heavy infantry that had moved to the flanks began to move back, closing the opening once more.
Were they aiming for me!?
With this I’ve been separated from the goblins.
d.a.m.n! The blood got to my head, and I lost sight of my surroundings. Now, I’m surrounded.
Well, then…
—In that case, I’ll just have to meet your expectations, won’t I!?
“GURUuOOAaOaOooO!”
When I invoked the Soul of the Berserk King, soldiers behind me stopped mattering. It’s not a one-on-one fight, so I can’t maximize my strength, but I’m still able to bolster my strength in exchange for some sanity.
—Defiant Soul!
If my path of escape has been cut, then I’ll just have to cut a new one!
If I’m surrounded, then I’ll just have to break through!
That’s all there is to it!
With the invocation of The Third Chant, the black flames surging from Flamberge became fiercer. In fact, they burned so fierce I had to suppress them a bit.
I don’t need a place to run!
—There is an enemy! An enemy, enemy, enemy, enemy, enemy in front!!!
After struggling to take back control of my crazed mind, I swung Flamberge at the soldiers around me.
The raging black flames tore through their shields and deflected their weapons.
The heavy infantry was different from the light infantry.
When I felt Flamberge stop, I turned, and there I saw three elven warriors.
I am going to pluck Pale Symphoria’s head!
After sweeping with Flamberge, I held it toward the front and rammed it along with my body into the enemy formation.
“My life is like a cloud of dust!Enchant”
Ether blew up behind me, propelling me forward as my black-flame clad sword tore through the air and penetrated the elven soldiers.
The complex invocations of ether coupled with the wall of air I pushed myself through left my vision covered in a layer of burning heat.
But I didn’t stop. I kept going with my great sword penetrated into the elven warriors, using them as a shield.
“—, GU— Ga—!”
Incomprehensible sounds leaked through my mouth, but I ignored them and continued to deflect the enemies in front.
After a while, I finally broke through the enemy formation.
I took the elven-branded corpse shield I had and threw it away, then I walked toward Pale Symphoria.
I’ve won!”
“GURUUuoOAOaAA!”
◆◆◇
The Goblin King was overwhelming.
Not even the wall of heavy infantry could stop him in his path as he swung that giant sword of his with terrifying strength.
Black flames clad his great sword, sharpening its blade. Srilana (Blue-Silver Steel) had a dispersing effect on ether, but the Goblin King still managed to cut through the soldiers with ease.
But it was also because of that that Pale Symphoria knew he could reach her.
Pale looked on at the majestic figure of the king.
She knew full well what the price of dragging this king who could lead so many out here.
From the start, Pale’s only goal was to kill the Goblin King.
Hordes of goblins she had never before seen followed him. The demihumans followed him. Even the elves…
At first, Pale couldn’t believe her eyes, but it didn’t take long for her to realize she wasn’t dreaming.
The elves under Shure Forni might indeed be the ones standing in their way, but the one that brought everything together, allowing this war to rage on, was actually this Goblin King.
The spectacular retreats during the battle on the highways, or the plan to sacrifice the village to overcome their lack of numbers. Chances were that this Goblin King was behind everything.
What a terrifying existence.
But that was precisely why she had to slay him.
The main pillar was the Goblin king; therefore, if he were to die, then the whole structure that was the enemy army would come tumbling down.
The vigorous, enthusiastic goblin army was all Pale needed to see through the Goblin King’s true nature: a crazed warrior.
To such a person, it didn’t matter how big the prey was. To him, there was nothing he couldn’t hunt.
So she laid out some bait and lured him into a trap.
“Second platoon, go after the third platoon! Once you’ve reached them, run to Symphoria without stopping!”
Rescue the chiefs and retreat to Symphoria. The light infantry had already received those orders beforehand. Even their path of retreat through the west.
Her last orders having been given, Pale prepared to face the strongest enemy.
Her bow was loaded with the Trich.e.l.la Arrow, which she had specially ordered from a koro dwarf. It was a powerful arrow that would split itself several times before burying itself into its target. An arrow that could instantly slay its target.
The Goblin King’s special trait was the enormous amount of ether he possessed.
Those black flames probably originated from Altesia, the G.o.ddess of the Underworld, or Ya Jansu, the Night G.o.d, either of which were detestable to the elves.
Pale would disperse the Goblin King’s ether, and then kill him.
Pale had previously learned from the east the method of sealing ether. That was her trump card.
To that end, Srilana (Blue-Silver Steel) and Trich.e.l.la Arrow were both necessary. In fact, she had asked for Trich.e.l.la Arrow to be made the moment she saw the Goblin King. Unfortunately, preparing it was so difficult that they could only prepare this single arrow.
She could not miss. If she missed, she was guaranteed to die.
The sounds deafened as her focus heightened. The Goblin King’s sword swung like a storm.
When Pale thought he had stopped, he suddenly accelerated with terrifying speed.
“…!?”
Pale panicked for a moment at the sudden increase in the Goblin King’s speed, but she quickly regained her calm.
The Goblin King was too fast.
As the Goblin King threw away the corpse of the skewered elven warrior, the warrior’s blood splattered onto Pale.
Despite that, Pale didn’t even twitch.
Pale needed just one moment, one moment where she was sure the Goblin King wouldn’t be able to dodge, so she decided to shoot the moment he swung his blade.
The Goblin King was too formidable, however. Even if she did manage to shoot the arrow, his sword would still surely cut her in half.
—Death.
Pale knew she was going to die, but despite that she did not falter.
—Sorry, Selena… It looks like I won’t be able to meet you after all.
In the silence, where all sounds were absent, Pale quietly apologized to Selena.
Then in a flash, a powerful wind erupted from the silent Pale.
From silence to movement.
Pale opened her eyes wide and glared at the Goblin King. The gaze shooting from her eyes threatened even the Goblin King, but the die had already been cast. His sword mid-flight, he could no longer retreat, so he mustered even more ether, causing his black flames to burn even fiercer.
“Pale!!”
It was then that a voice suddenly cried out.
“Huh?”
For just one moment, Pale forgot everything and turned toward that voice.
Because of that she shot the Trich.e.l.la Arrow a moment later than she’d intended.
“HiyaaaAAAa!!!”
“Nu!?
Shumea jumped in between Pale and the King, parrying the king’s attack with the spin of her spear.
The king had immediately noticed what was going on, so he changed the direction of his great sword.
Unfortunately, because of that, he couldn’t dodge the Trich.e.l.la Arrow in time, and he was forced to his knees.
“Shumea—” The king was about to say something, but after seeing Shumea’s current state, he swallowed his words.
On Shumea’s back were wounds incurred from magic, while the spear she’d used was cut in half, her hand bloodied.
Yet she still smiled fearlessly and said to Selena, “Go.”
After she saw Selena embrace Pale, she finally lost the last of her strength and she fell to her knees.
“Sorry, Boss…”
“Reckless girl.”
The Goblin King stood with his great sword as support.
◆◇◇
Behind Shumea were the elven escorts who had cast a spell on her.
She couldn’t make it in time with normal means, so it seems she had them cast their spell on her to propel her forward like a bullet. What a reckless plan.
Because of that though I don’t feel like killing Pale anymore.
“I hope you realize you’re being punished once this battle ends,” I said.
“Please be gentle— Ow!”
I tried to stand up with my great sword, but I couldn’t muster any strength and ended up on my knees again.
The ether that usually came welling was nowhere to be seen. When I looked down to my body, I noticed the three arrows stuck on my body.
“So you’re the reason.”
When I took an arrow out, my strength started coming back. After taking everything out, I could feel my strength return.
The heavy infantry Gi Jii had been suppressing was now heading here.
“It seems we don’t have the leisure to be lazing around.”
I still hadn’t fully recovered, but I still forced myself back up and tried to point my sword at Pale only to end up taking a step back.
This is bad. I still can’t gather my ether. If the enemy army arrives, I’ll be in trouble.
“Pale!” While I was trying to get my footing, the warriors Gi Jii had been suppressing arrived. They unsheathed their swords, wary of me, then after carrying Pale and Selena, retreated.
I thought of chasing them, but unfortunately, I couldn’t get any strength into my arms.
“We’re retreating! Go!!” An elven man commanded.
“My lord!!” Gi Jii said.
Looking around, there were no more elves left. Relieved, I thrust my sword into the ground and fell to my knees.
“Are you alright!?” Gi Jii asked.
I nodded. “Chase them, but don’t go too deep. Also, inform Rashka and Gi Ji to…”
—No.
I fought back the urge to fall asleep and forced myself up.
I am the king.
I must stay strong.
Gritting my teeth, I raised my voice and commanded Gi Jii. “Go, Gi Jii Yubu. Do not let them escape!”
“As you command!” Gi Jii said kneeling, then he ran after the enemy.
With this we’ve successfully taken back Symphoria.
—255 days until the battle with the humans.
◇◆◆◇◇◆◆◇
Level has risen.
59 => 71
Gi Do’s level has risen.
89 => 1 (Cla.s.s UP)
Gi Za Zakuend’s level has risen.
61 => 82
Gi Ji Arsil’s level has risen.
21 => 37
Gi Ba’s level has risen.
53 => 81
Gi Jii Yubu’s level has risen.
5 => 27
Gi Ah’s level has risen.
10 => 42
Gi Ii’s level has risen.
6 => 38
Gi Uu’s level has risen.
13 => 40
Hal’s level has risen.
95 => 5 (Cla.s.s UP)
Mido’s level has risen.
97 => 5 (Cla.s.s change!)
Cynthia’s level has risen.
1 => 36
Shumea’s level has risen.
67 => 89