Meanwhile, the archers of Ganra and the centaurs shot at them from afar. They shot their arrows simultaneously to be safe, but the eastern division army still managed to repel them three times.
Still, Gi Gu Verbena’s attacks did not slacken one bit.
His soldiers worked together to suppress the holy knight, Valdor, while select high-ranking goblins from every side wiped everyone else. On the fourth attack, the eastern division army were finally knelt before the goblins.
Valdor fought until the very end, and after receiving 18 spear wounds, he finally died in Gi Gu’s hands.
As for the remaining holy knight, Jize, he was unable to get out of his duel against Rashka, so he ended up watching the collapse of the southern army from the side.
“Damn you… I’ve had enough of this duel.”
With most of the eastern division army destroyed, Jize broke through the goblin horde by himself. He vanished from the battlefield to rendezvous with the crown prince.
In the end, the proud armies of Germion Kingdom: the eastern division army, the southern army, and the mage army and imperial guards directly under the royal family were all destroyed and scattered. The so-called elite soldiers and knights all died in battle. Just like that the military strength of Germion Kingdom was crushed in the Western Region.
◆◇◆
—The main force of Germion Kingdom has been successfully broken through. The centaurs and the fangs are in the middle of pursuing the imperial guards led by the crown prince.
That report came four days after the Goblin King and Pale departed the western capital. With them were the 300 soldiers of the cavalry directly under the king’s command and the 1,000 new goblin soldiers. They kept their pace to match the infantry. To the humans, their pace might still appear to be fast, but to the goblin forces, it was actually a little slower than normal.
“I suppose everything has gone as planned?” The Goblin King asked.
Pale nodded. “Unfortunately, not everything went without a hitch. Still, I would at least like to have the crown prince slain here. That would make everything much easier.”
“You mean for it to train the new soldiers as well, right? Don’t worry about it.”
“As you will.”
Pale had already given out orders to break through Germion Kingdom and how to pursue the remnants. Even reoccupying the camp facing the eight fortresses of the west was also a part of her plans. Especially, having Tanita the chief of the lizard man position his men beside one of the eight flags along the rivers.
Considering the fangs and the centaurs are chasing them from behind, Pale knew that they had no choice but to flee to the north.
Soon the day came to an end and evening took its place. The body of the God of Fire (Rodo) was now hidden by the arm of the Night God (Ya Jansu), painting a picture that made it look as if the northern borders of the western region were dyed in blood.
When the Goblin King spotted the shadow of enemies upon the horizon, he squinted his eyes a little.
“…Gi Be Slay. Take the new soldiers and surround the enemy.”
Gi Be turned to the direction the king had pointed his great sword at, then he bowed to the king from atop his steed and called out to the new soldiers and prompted them to advance.
“…Are you still hesitating?”
“No need to pry into me. I won’t change my decision.”
“As you will.”
The king and Pale spoke a little, then they followed after Gi Be as he went ahead. The enemy must have realized that they would be at a disadvantage were they to fight, as they immediately tried to run, but exhausted, even that wasn’t an option for them. Very quickly, the goblins caught up to them, and they were surrounded.
◆◆◇
To the imperial guards of the crown prince that were surrounded, the enemies were demons that spawned from the black the night. And behind the goblins mounted on their fiendish steeds was a conspicuously giant monster.
The picture of the monster riding upon his steed as his horns stood up as if in defiance against the heavens painted a heroic image. The eyes the monster looked at them with were red like that of blood. The fangs peeking from the monster’s mouth seemed as if they could easily tear apart the body of a human. It was a terrifying visage, almost as if the hate of the goblins had been given form.
Compared to this monster, even the goblins mounted upon their terrifying steeds looked adorable in comparison. There was an overwhelming power to the monster that could not help but suppress everything nearby even without doing anything. It was such that they would believe it if they were to be told that this very monster before them was sculpted by the Goddess of the Underworld (Altesia) herself.
“Humans.”
A heavy voice resounded, reverberating from the very pith of one’s stomach.
“All I seek is the head of Crown Prince Ishtar. Name yourself, and I shall send the rest back to the Western Region.”
“Your Majesty—!”
Beside the overwhelming monster was a beautiful elven girl who called out to the monster with a powerful gaze. But the monster silenced her with a stare.
“What will you do?”
As the monster looked at the soldiers, the soldiers turned to each other and exchanged glances.
“I am the crown prince!” An imperial guard named himself.
After him came another, and then another, and another…
“I see. I understand… Kill them… Kill them all!”
Although the king felt that the loyalty of the humans was a sacred thing, he had no choice but to give that order. If he were to let them go here, the plans they have been building until now would all be put to waste. Pale had already told him this beforehand. They had to kill the crown prince here.
