Chapter 160: All Hail The Great Kobold

It was a cold night in the southern region, with a mild wind sweeping through the trees and carrying the crisp scent of the forest across the newly established settlement.

The moon hung high above the village, casting pale light over the wooden walls and the twelve watchtowers that surrounded the developing settlement.

Inside the circular compound stood the newly completed temple, a sizable stone and wooden structure that had taken considerable effort to construct. Its circular courtyard had clearly been designed as an assembly ground, large enough to accommodate the entire population of Vaal’kor, and at the very front of the temple stood a massive statue that immediately drew the attention of anyone who entered.

The four meter tall sculpture depicted a long bearded kobold with one hand resting against his chin as he rubbed his long mustache, a thick cloak draped over his body and a staff held firmly in his other hand.

At the top of the staff rested a carved dragon skull, giving the statue an imposing and almost mysterious appearance.

Ka’z stood among the tightly packed crowd gathered within the compound, his golden eyes fixed on the statue towering over everyone. In front of it was an elevated podium where Tong’a stood with O’nil and several other elders nearby, preparing to address the entire settlement.

The kobolds were unusually quiet, their attention focused entirely on the old priest and the enormous statue behind him.

’Back on earth I have never really been religious but considering the way I got to this world, I can’t help but feel a bit different.’ Ka’z muttered inwardly as he stared at the statue.

His thoughts drifted toward the Greater Kobold.

Nobody here had ever seen him except Ka’z. He had seen the deity’s concern for the kobold race and the desperation behind his decision to send Ka’z into this world.

The Greater Kobold was not some distant deity who simply watched his people suffer without caring. He had been worried enough about their extinction to interfere directly and search for someone capable of changing their fate.

He was disappointingly weak compared to what Ka’z had originally expected from a deity, but that did not make him any less worthy of respect.

If anything, knowing what the Greater Kobold had sacrificed and why he had brought Ka’z to Athedal made the statue feel strangely meaningful.

Such a God was actually worthy of recognition.

Tong’a eventually stepped toward the front of the podium, and the murmuring crowd gradually fell silent. The old kobold looked across the faces gathered before him, his eyes lingering on the young and old alike before he finally began speaking.

"Two hundred years ago, our ancestors found this prosperous land in the Evergreen forest and decided that cave would be our new home. In this small cave, our people suffered terrible tragedies and losses but somehow we made it through it all..." Tong’a paused, his gaze becoming distant as memories of the stories passed down through generations crossed his mind.

He glanced around the crowd and sighed before continuing, "Just nearly a century ago, we lost everything and our population was cut in half. We became even more secluded and honestly, I never dreamed of a day where we would leave the cave. At least not in my lifetime... That was until the child of prophecy came along."

Tong’a’s gaze shifted toward Ka’z. The moment he did, the entire crowd followed his eyes.

Dozens of kobolds turned toward Ka’z almost simultaneously, and for a moment he simply stood there staring back at them. He could feel the attention settling on him from every direction, making his ears twitch uncomfortably.

He had never been particularly fond of being the center of attention, and despite everything he had accomplished, receiving praise from an entire crowd was still something he had no idea how to handle.

Tong’a smiled faintly before continuing. "As a child he always complained about stuffy caves and not getting enough sunlight and how we lived in cramped spaces and didn’t get to eat proper food... At first even I thought it was ramblings of a madman but here we are in our own very temple, with the statue of the Greater Kobold, within the walls of our very own village, all located outside that small cave, I never dreamed of leaving... Ka’z... Thank you for not letting our short-sightedness kill your dreams."

The words struck Ka’z far harder than he expected.

"Thank you!" the entire crowd chorused, their voices echoing throughout the circular compound as every kobold lowered their head.

Buzz!

Ka’z’s body stiffened slightly.

His crimson eyes widened as he stared at the bowed heads surrounding him, and a strange warmth spread through his chest. His face slowly flushed red with embarrassment, and before he could stop himself, his eyes began watering.

He quickly lowered his gaze, hoping nobody would notice, but there were simply too many people around him for him to hide his reaction completely.

This was probably the first time someone had genuinely thanked him.

Ka’z swallowed quietly as the warmth in his heart continued spreading through him, and a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He lowered his head even further, allowing himself to simply enjoy the moment.

It felt almost like he was dreaming.

Tong’a waited until the crowd had settled down before continuing his speech. His expression had become noticeably brighter, and there was a peacefulness in his eyes that Ka’z had rarely seen before.

"Today I stand here with nothing but a heart full of joy, knowing that even if tonight is my final day on Athedal, that Vaal’kor will rise and prosper under the leadership of this young kobold and his friends... And that is why O’nil and I would love to use this opportunity to announce our retirement."

Buzz!

The words immediately shattered the peaceful atmosphere.

Ka’z and nearly everyone around him raised their heads at once, their expressions filled with confusion and surprise. Several kobolds exchanged startled glances while others began whispering among themselves. Even those who had been smiling moments earlier now looked toward Tong’a with concern.

Nobody had expected the ceremony to take such a drastic turn.

Tong’a allowed the murmurs to continue for a few moments before raising one hand. Gradually, the crowd became quiet again. The old kobold then turned his body toward O’nil, who gave him a small nod, before facing everyone once more.

"We are old and we can feel death closer than ever... We can no longer serve you all properly.... It is the time for the new generation to take over, so that we, the older ones, can live out the remainder of our lives in peace. Yes... This will be my last time addressing you all as Chief priest, from here on out. Lady Zira will be taking over that role."

Buzz!

The reaction was immediate.

Murmurs erupted throughout the courtyard, with worried expressions spreading among the crowd. Some kobolds looked toward Tong’a as if hoping he would take back his announcement, while others turned toward Lady Zira, who stood among the elders with an equally surprised expression.

Even Ka’z remained frozen for several seconds, trying to process what he had just heard.

Tong’a and O’nil had been among the pillars of their community for as long as most of these kobolds could remember. They had guided the colony through its darkest years, watched generations grow and die, and carried the responsibility of preserving their people when the future of the entire race seemed uncertain.

Their retirement was not simply the replacement of two old leaders. It marked the end of an era.

Yet Tong’a did not appear afraid.

Instead, he slowly turned toward the statue of the Greater Kobold and raised both hands in praise. His voice carried across the courtyard with renewed strength as he declared,

"To you, we owe all thanks for our victory over the Ashmork clan, the riches we gained from that conquest and finally the village we are finally building... ALL HAIL THE GREAT KOBOLD!"

"ALL HAIL THE GREAT KOBOLD!!!!" everyone chorused.

The sound reverberated through the compound and seemed to linger against the walls of the temple.

Ka’z stared at the statue for several seconds before slowly lowering his head in reverence.

"All hail the great Kobold," he whispered, his voice quieter than the others but carrying genuine sincerity.

The service continued for some time afterward, with prayers and words of gratitude filling the temple grounds. Ka’z remained for a while, but eventually the gathering became too crowded for his liking. Once the attention shifted away from him, he quietly slipped out of the temple compound and walked toward the distant walls of Vaal’kor.

The settlement looked completely different at night.

Small torches illuminated portions of the streets while the silhouettes of houses stood beneath the moonlight.

The walls surrounding the settlement were massive with twelve watchtowers standing firmly around the perimeter, their wooden structures casting long shadows across the ground. The distant sounds of the ceremony gradually faded behind him as Ka’z approached one of the towers and climbed the ladder leading toward the battlement.

Once he reached the top, he stepped onto the wall and stared across the vast forest ahead.

The Evergreen Forest stretched endlessly beneath the moonlight, its enormous trees forming a dark sea of foliage that seemed to continue all the way toward the horizon. A gentle breeze passed over the battlements and brushed against his scales, carrying the scent of leaves and damp earth with it.

Ka’z smiled.

For the first time since he had started all of this, he felt genuinely good about himself and what he had accomplished.

He had spent so long thinking about what still needed to be done that he had almost forgotten to look back and appreciate how far they had already come.

"Didn’t think you would be the kind to sneak off during prayer sessions."

Tu’ka’s voice came from somewhere to his side.

Ka’z did not even turn immediately.

He already knew someone had been hiding inside one of the twelve watchtowers. His Divine Perception had picked up the presence long before Tu’ka spoke, and considering the darkness surrounding them, there was only one person who would be comfortable enough to hide in a watchtower during a crowded religious ceremony.

Ka’z lazily glanced at Tu’ka before returning his attention to the forest. "It felt a bit stuffy. I needed fresh air. You?" he asked with an indifferent shrug.

Tu’ka nodded, his expression as dull as ever. "I just hate crowds."

Ka’z chuckled softly. "You haven’t changed."

"Neither have you," Tu’ka countered.

The two kobolds fell silent after that, standing side by side atop the battlement while staring into the distance. Neither seemed particularly interested in returning to the temple, and for several moments they simply listened to the wind moving through the forest. Eventually, almost at the same time, they sighed.

Tu’ka was the first to break the silence. "You have finished reading that red scripture.... Did you find everything that we need?"

Ka’z nodded without hesitation, but his expression gradually became more serious. His smile disappeared completely as he stared into the darkness.

"After reading it I realized something..." Ka’z shifted his attention to Tu’ka. "If we don’t get stronger as quickly as possible, our clan will cease to exist..."

Buzz!

Tu’ka’s eyes widened slightly.

For once, genuine shock appeared on his normally emotionless face. He studied Ka’z carefully, searching for any indication that he was exaggerating or joking, but the stern expression on Ka’z’s face made it clear that he was completely serious.

Ka’z proceeded to tell him everything he had learned about the Kingdom of Lanthor, its desire for Evergreen Forest and the human empire standing above it. He explained how the existence of an empire changed the balance of power entirely and why simply defeating Lanthor would not necessarily guarantee their safety.

He also explained that the current invasion occupying the attention of the major powers was only a temporary reprieve and that sooner or later, those powers would turn their attention back toward the resources hidden within Evergreen Forest.

Tu’ka listened without interrupting.

The longer Ka’z spoke, the more troubled his expression became. By the time Ka’z finished, Tu’ka was staring into the distance with his mouth slightly open. He closed it after a moment and released a heavy sigh, allowing the information to settle in his mind.

For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then Tu’ka finally said, "Running is not an option. We can’t keep running forever."

Ka’z’s expression softened slightly.

Running had been the first thought that entered his own mind when he had learned about the human problem. He had considered abandoning the region, moving deeper out of the forest and finding somewhere humans would have difficulty reaching.

But he had quickly realized the flaw in that idea. There would always be somewhere more dangerous behind them, and there would always be another enemy capable of forcing them farther away.

Running resolves nothing.

He chuckled quietly. "We can only build ourselves up and prepare to defend our home. We will not lose everything we have built to those greedy humans again... Never again!"

Ka’z clenched his fists tightly, his teeth grinding together as memories of the stories surrounding their ancestors and the destruction caused by humans resurfaced in his mind.

Tu’ka slowly nodded as he continued staring into the forest. There was no fear in his expression now, only a growing determination. "Does anyone else know of this?" he asked.

Ka’z shook his head.

"I don’t think any of them can handle the news. I can’t have anyone panicking now... You are the only person I can talk to about things like this," Ka’z admitted.

A small smile slowly bloomed across Tu’ka’s face as he stared ahead.

For some reason, knowing that he was the only person Ka’z could share this kind of news with made him feel strangely proud. He had always considered himself someone who stood apart from everyone else, someone who preferred silence and solitude because trusting others had never come naturally to him. Yet Ka’z had trusted him with information that could change the fate of their entire clan.

Tu’ka’s smile remained as he looked toward the vast forest beyond the walls.

"We will figure it out. I’m certain of it." Tu’ka said.