Chapter 451: Invasion [17]
The weapon spun through the air before striking the orc directly in the forehead with a heavy, sickening thump.
The orc’s eyes widened for a brief moment.
Then the life drained from them.
Its body collapsed onto the ground, finally dead.
Dribb then burst into laughter, clearly pleased with himself as he looked around at the other goblins.
"Ha ha ha... I won! Did you all see that? Did you all witness my might?!"
Gobbo frowned when he saw Dribb celebrating in the middle of the battlefield.
"Stop messing around and go help the others."
"On it, Captain."
Dribb immediately picked up his axe and hurried toward the next target, his attention already shifting to another orc that was battling one of the goblins nearby.
Without bothering to slow down, he threw the axe.
The weapon spun through the air before striking the orc in the back with enough force to stagger it, giving the goblin it had been fighting a much needed opening.
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the battlefield, another orc was sent stumbling backward as several arrows struck its body in rapid succession.
But these weren’t ordinary arrows.
They were explosive arrows.
Veyra stood at a distance with her bow already drawn, calmly watching the orc struggle to regain its footing. She pulled the string back and focused her mana into the arrow, causing energy to gather around its tip as she steadily increased the amount she poured into the projectile.
Once she had gathered enough, she released the string.
The arrow shot forward with incredible speed and struck the orc squarely in the body.
BOOM!
The stored mana detonated on impact, engulfing the orc in an explosion that sent dust and debris flying through the air.
The orc staggered backward, panting heavily as it struggled to remain on its feet. It was exhausted, but that exhaustion wasn’t because it had been fighting for too long.
No.
It was because of the arrow that had pierced its arm earlier.
The area around the wound had already begun to darken, the discoloration spreading outward from where the arrow remained lodged in its flesh. There was only one explanation for it.
Poison.
The orc tried to move its arm, but the limb barely responded, while the poison continued spreading through its body and weakening its muscles. Its breathing became heavier as it struggled to keep itself upright.
It couldn’t move.
And with Verya already drawing another arrow, there was nothing it could do except accept its fate.
BOOM!
The explosive arrow struck the orc and detonated on impact, sending its body crashing onto the ground.
With the rest of the clan’s combatants working together, the remaining orcs were quickly overwhelmed, and the last one finally fell.
Dribb looked around at the battlefield, his eyes searching for another opponent.
"I need more."
Gobbo frowned at him before looking toward another part of the settlement.
"We should go to Flogga’s location. I saw a couple of orcs around that area."
Dribb’s expression immediately changed.
"Granny Flogga!"
"Alright, we head there. The rest of you, look for any survivors trapped in the rubble and get them to the shelter."
"Yes, Captain."
The goblins saluted before preparing to move, but they had barely taken a step when a strange shift in the air echoed through the area.
Everyone stopped.
The atmosphere suddenly felt heavier, and the mana around them began to fluctuate as the space ahead of them slowly distorted.
Then, a portal began to form.
Gobbo frowned as he stared at the growing rift, his hand tightening around his weapon as he watched the swirling mana gather into a dark opening.
"What is that?"
No one answered.
The portal continued to expand until it finally stabilized, its surface rippling with dark energy as an unfamiliar presence seeped into the surroundings.
Everyone stared at it.
Veyra slowly stepped forward, her expression becoming serious as she focused on the mana radiating from the portal.
Then her eyes widened slightly.
"I recognize that mana signature."
"What is it...?"
"Someone is coming."
A strange-looking goblin stepped out of the portal, and behind him, numerous other goblins followed, each one carrying the appearance of a seasoned warrior. Their bodies radiated powerful auras, yet despite the strength they possessed, their attention remained fixed on the goblin in front of them, their expressions filled with hostility.
But these goblins weren’t what most of Eli’s goblins were looking at.
Their focus was entirely on the one standing at the front.
The strange goblin held a staff in one hand, while numerous shamanic accessories hung from his body, swaying slightly with every movement. Strange tattoos covered his skin as well, their patterns seeming almost alive as they shifted subtly across his body.
There was something unsettling about him.
The air around the goblin felt noticeably colder, despite the distance separating them. It wasn’t simply the temperature that made the others uncomfortable, either. The aura he gave off was so oppressive that several goblins instinctively tensed, their skin crawling as an unfamiliar sense of danger settled over them.
Whoever this goblin was...He wasn’t ordinary.
Veyra took a step back, visibly shocked by the goblin standing before them, before raising a trembling hand and pointing toward him.
"That’s... that’s... Raghul."
"Raghul?"
Gobbo repeated the name, his expression immediately becoming more serious.
It was the infamous goblin he had heard about.
The same goblin Caius had warned them about.
The same goblin who had once served as Caius’s shaman before turning against him.
Could he be behind all of this?
Gobbo couldn’t help but wonder as he stared at the strange goblin standing on the other side of the battlefield.
Dribb, however, seemed far less concerned.
He licked his lips as he tightened his grip on his weapon, a strange excitement appearing in his eyes.
"Raghul, huh? Tell me, Raghul... do you bleed?"
"Don’t, Dribb. Do not make any rash moves."
Gobbo immediately warned him, knowing exactly what Dribb was thinking.
But Dribb only continued staring at him.
"Sorry....