Dictator

In the clearing, the Goblin King and Andeno fought to a standstill, fists and a long staff colliding with crackling bursts of sound.

Though Andeno was a warrior, he fought more like a boxer. He layered all kinds of buffs onto his fists, each blow landing solidly.

The Goblin King, meanwhile, was a legendary melee mage. It infused its long staff with magic; once it struck, the combined magical and physical damage was more than enough to make anyone suffer.

After several exchanges, the higher-level Andeno was the first to lose ground.

As soon as the buffs on his body faded, his opening was exposed. The Goblin King slammed its staff into Andeno's chest.

Andeno spat out a mouthful of blood, seized the staff with one hand, yanked it forward, and punched the Goblin King in the face.

The Goblin King felt neither pain nor itch. It stared straight at Andeno and smiled disdainfully.

"Not bad."

Andeno was stunned. A talking Goblin was unheard of. Just how intelligent was it? What exactly was he fighting?

"What's so surprising, old man?" The Goblin King kicked Andeno in the stomach.

Stomach acid surged into his chest, and Andeno was sent flying. Fighting down the urge to vomit, he lowered his center of gravity, landed on all fours, and steadied himself.

"Oh-ho, you didn't fall. The next strike will take your worthless life. Become the stepping stone for the revival of our Goblin Empire!"

"Heh." Andeno laughed. "Arrogant. Even if all of us die here today, once you get out, you will still—"

"Once I get out, stronger adventurers will be waiting for me?" The Goblin King twirled its long staff and sneered. "I know very well that I'm a frog at the bottom of a well. Even with my current cultivation, I'm still far too weak. But in the end, you humans will lose. Think carefully—why are the ones who came all lowly D-Rank Adventurers, or adventurers who have only just reached C-Rank?"

Could everything have been part of its plan? If so, the entire Rescue Corps was likely in grave danger.

Andeno could scarcely believe it. He spoke to confirm his suspicion. "What exactly are you trying to say?"

"Goblins are weak monsters. There is no need for adventurers above B-Rank to deal with us. Or rather, adventurers above B-Rank are busy searching for dungeons full of treasure and have no interest in weak monsters like us. Even when disasters happen, those arrogant adventurers won't take them seriously. That gave me enough time—enough time to come here and grow stronger."

The Goblin King was far more intelligent than Andeno had imagined. The unease in his heart was gradually becoming reality, and he clenched his fists.

If they did not defeat the Goblin King here today, then given time, it would surely become a second Goblin Emperor.

But if he forced an assault, he would definitely be no match for it. All he could do now was stall until reinforcements arrived.

"I know what you're thinking. Your reinforcements are probably locked in a stalemate with my troops right now. What a pity—that force was meant to ambush you. Still, humans seem to have more courage than I expected, and I won't simply let you reach this place."

The Goblin King swung its long staff at Andeno. Every muscle in Andeno's body bulged as Destructive Breath gathered around his fist, and he unleashed Annihilation Strike.

Andeno's fist met the Goblin King's staff. The ground cracked apart, and the force that burst forth blew several nearby Goblin soldiers away.

"Even if they win, finding this place won't be easy. These are troops under my direct command, and there is more than one Goblin force in this forest. If they choose the wrong place and find a training ground instead, the time it takes them to reach here will multiply."

It was a pure clash of strength. Neither side gave way, but the Goblin King had the advantage. Magic clung to its staff, and the moment they collided, that magic invaded Andeno's body and corroded his flesh.

Andeno was sent flying by the staff. His injuries continued to pile up, and exhaustion had already seeped into his body. He did not know how much longer he could hold on.

"Damn it!"

"Face it! This is the cruelty of reality. If you surrender obediently and become my sacrifice, perhaps I'll kill you last." The Goblin's eyes were filled with mockery as it swung its staff with utter arrogance. "And don't expect the elite force you sent out to come save you. My assassination unit should have slaughtered your elite force long ago."

Elite force? What was it talking about?

Suddenly, confusion appeared on Andeno's face. In his mind, the scene of Yang Yu proposing reconnaissance first and the scene of Yang Yu bringing back Seka Mens flashed past one after another.

Could it be that after Yang Yu encountered Seka Mens's team, he had prepared for the worst and deliberately created the illusion that they had split into two teams?

"How laughable. Is it really that unbelievable? This king is far smarter than you lot. I saw through your little trick long ago!"

The Goblin King slowly walked toward Andeno. It intended to destroy the strongest member of this team—not only destroy his body, but also his heart, so these arrogant humans could properly taste defeat.

Standing before Andeno, the Goblin King spread its arms. "Look carefully! Your rescue team has already been drowned beneath my Goblin army, leaving no corpses behind! Listen carefully! Those miserable cries of despair—you were the one who led them into hopelessness!"

The Goblin proudly closed its eyes and listened to the sounds of the battlefield.

Yet unlike what it had imagined, all that reached its ears were the sounds of close combat and one small body after another falling in defeat.

It was normal for a few Goblins to die while attacking the Rescue Corps and meeting resistance. After a brief period of pain, they would ultimately reap the fruits of victory.

But—

Reality fell like a hammer from the heavens, shattering the Goblin King's dream.

The Goblin King abruptly turned toward the battlefield.

The Rescue Corps' defense was orderly, without the slightest sign of disorder. In contrast, its own Goblin army had suffered countless casualties. The Goblin army, which held an overwhelming advantage, had actually been cut down by half, while the other side seemed to have suffered no losses at all.

How was that possible?

Andeno raised his fist and charged at the stunned Goblin King. The Goblin King swept its long staff aside to block Andeno's attack, then flicked it upward into Andeno's stomach and sent him flying.

This time, Andeno had to scramble and roll before he could barely steady himself. Then he taunted it:

"Heh, didn't expect that, did you? Though you're impressive and predicted so many of our actions, it seems that neither you nor your subordinates know much about commanding an army.

Your army obeys your orders and rules completely, yet seems utterly incapable of adapting.

So this is the army you created through one-man dictatorship.

I don't think an army like this can truly take the battlefield."

"Shut! Your! Mouth!"

After many years, the Goblin King let out a furious roar for the first time in a long while.

It stood above every Goblin in this forest by relying on its unique intelligence. After becoming king, it had also realized that nearly all Goblins aside from itself lived by instinct.

It was not as though it had never tried to enlighten them, but it had always stopped short.

An army that was too intelligent was difficult to control. Ignorance was necessary.

Just as it had expected, its Goblin army obeyed its every word. No—every Goblin obeyed its every word. If it told them to die, they would die without complaint.

No Goblin resented its mistaken notion of using weak and elderly Goblins at the outskirts to cultivate humans; no Goblin had ever questioned any of its decisions; no Goblin refused to carry out its orders, even at the cost of its life.