Goblin Kingdom

“At this rate, victory is impossible.”

Ryuus howled and guns roared. Thunder clouds covered the skies as lightning filled the world and poured down on the enemy. But the sky-conquering ships birthed by the God of Weapons fought for the humans. Yet even as bullets poured in the sky, Gi Za Zakuend calmly analyzed the battle down below.

The Kingdom of the Black Sun’s(Alrodena Kingdom’s) proud goblin army has survived many fierce battles. However, they were already breathe in the face of this massive human army that seemed straight out of the Age of the Gods.

Felduk has reached the limit of their offensive, and though Aransain continued to struggle, there was no telling how long they could maintain their almost acrobatic tactical maneuverings. Zeilduk has also used their reserve forces and have brought the battle up close.

They’ll keep fighting as long as they have the strength, but the difference in numbers was insurmountable. That held true for the other forces too. The Regiol, the remnants of Sazanorga, the special unit, the allied forces. Every one of them were at their limits.

Above all was the Goblin King.

The battle between the Goblin King and the hero was so spectacular that it could be seen even from up above. That’s why Gi Za could see just how stacked the odds were against him, and just how overwhelmingly disadvantaged he was.

“In that case──”

He had no choice but to create an opportunity.

Gawain, who he was riding, seemed to have heard his resolve, as he fearlessly smiled.

“Are you doing it?”

“Of course!”

“You’re going to die.”

“Just what I want!”

As Gi Za smile a fierce smile, Gawain laughed.

“Small one, I like your resolve! Be proud for I have taken a liking to you!”

The master of the thunderclouds, he who ruled over the dark clouds, laughed as he raised their speed.

“──This time for sure…!”

He would catch up to that back.

As Gi Za narrowed his eyes in the face of those ferocious winds, he held his staff.

◆◆◆

Gi Za Zakuend had distributed magic stones to every one of his elite druids. They were stones in which ether was sealed via Ether Transference. There were magic stones that were naturally made, and there were even those that were formed in the belly of certain monster beasts.

They were useful tools particularly popular among the adventurers. When crushed, ether would pour out, allowing powerful attacks to be used. Gi Za had distributed such tools among his druids in advance.

He had been saving up these things since they left the Forest of Darkness, and now, he was using them all.

Long-ranged attacks couldn’t penetrate the flying warships.

Not even the ryuus that have lived since the Age of the Gods could break through their anti-magic barriers. Ordinary attacks couldn’t even scratch them. But the wyvern knights would go in and out of those same flying ships.

If so, then perhaps a living body could get through those barriers.

It was nothing more than a theory he inferred, but it was worth trying. Besides, if they couldn’t change the situation here, the only thing that awaited them was a bad end.

Imbued within the magic stones were magic winds.

The druids looked suspiciously at Gi Za when they received it. They seemed to be asking for an explanation, and Gi Za indifferently explained.

“…These stones are catalysts that will allow us to accelerate.”

Gi Za could hear everyone gulp.

“That’s right. We’re going to fly into those flying warships and blow them up right from inside.”

It was an operation that would likely cost them their lives, and Gi Za was forcing it on them. Yet none of them so much as said a word against it.

To be honest, they must have been puzzled until right before they carried it out.

“This is an immoral plan. A plan wherein the odds of survival are so low, it would be a miracle for any one of us to come back alive.”

But their position would not allow that.

The scene below compelled them to act. There was no one else. If they didn’t do it, only defeat awaited them. The druids were generally smarter than the normal goblins. That’s why every one of them could easily imagine what the consequences of defeat were.

Despair and destruction.

They would lose the king that ruled over them, and their warriors would all perish. With no one to fight for them, they would return to mere beasts with no other fate than to be hunted. But this time the humans would be merciless. Behold the forces below. Why would those humans allow them to return alive?

No, even death was a blessing compared to the tragedy that would befall the people in their hometown.

The only ones who could prevent that were them, and that strong pride compelled them to act.

With arms trembling, they obeyed Gi Za’s signal, and executed this immoral plan.

Gi Za, who rode on Gawain’s back, became a signal, and the serpent wind raised its head, then the 500 ryuus split in half. Some flew higher, some flew lower, but already, their destination was set.

Each battleship would of course have its role to play. There were countless books and naturally one was related to ships.

The enemy fleet consisted of seven flying warships. The flagship of the flying fleet, the so-called ‘Ark’, leisurely took the lead and propelled itself in the skies. The three ships one size smaller acted as its escorts. They took the flanks and flew close by. Then there was the carrier that housed the wyvern knights. It was positioned at the very back, and the wyvern knights used it as their base before they would fly out like comets to challenge their enemies up close. The other two ships were battleships. They looked just like hedgehogs with how many guns they had sticking out.

That was likely the roles they played, but even that was nothing more than Gi Za’s conjecture. Truly, it was such a terrible bet, but Gawain dared to gamble.

Either way, if Gi Za’s druids failed to succeed, the only thing that awaited the ground troops was destruction.

“Attack!”

At the loud voice of the sky king, the ryuus simultaneously rushed out for the flying warships.