Chapter 91: A Fight for Survival

"Damn it!"

The chieftain’s eyes widened in horror.

"MOVE!"

"MOVE, YOU DAMN BODY!"

He poured every last bit of strength into his muscles, desperately trying to break free.

But the wolves wouldn’t let go.

He was too late!

Or so it seemed...

"GET AWAY FROM HER!"

A goblin suddenly charged in from the side, gripping a long spear with both hands.

THRUST!

The spear pierced the wolf’s flank and drove deep into its body.

The creature yelped in pain, its attack interrupted just before its claws could reach the girl.

The goblin who had saved her was a young Hobgoblin. His face was pale with terror, but he held the spear firmly in both hands.

He was clearly frightened out of his mind.

Yet he’d still rushed forward.

"RUN!" he shouted at the girl. "GO!"

The girl didn’t hesitate.

She scrambled away, tears streaming down her face.

Unfortunately, the young Hobgoblin’s heroic moment didn’t last long.

Two more wolves immediately turned toward him.

Their crimson tongues hung from their jaws as they lowered their bodies, preparing to pounce on the foolish goblin who had dared to interfere.

The young Hobgoblin tightened his grip on his spear.

His hands were trembling.

Still, he didn’t retreat.

He had saved the chieftain’s daughter.

That was enough.

If he could buy her even a few more seconds...

Just then...

BOOM! BOOM!

Two explosions erupted almost simultaneously.

Flames burst across the rocky ground, engulfing the two approaching wolves in a violent blast.

The creatures were thrown backward, their fur scorched black as they tumbled across the ground. They rolled and writhed in agony, desperately trying to extinguish the flames burning across their bodies.

The young Hobgoblin stared in shock.

Then he turned toward the source of the explosions.

Several meters away stood the elderly shaman, skull-topped staff raised high. Smoke rose from his palm as faint red embers flickered around his fingers.

"Don’t just stand there!" the shaman shouted. "Keep moving!"

The young Hobgoblin snapped out of his daze and hurried after the others.

Meanwhile, the shaman planted the bottom of his staff firmly against the ground.

THUMP!

Then he raised it.

The staff floated high. more than five meters high.

The skull mounted atop the staff began to glow.

First, its eye sockets lit up with a dim crimson light. Then the glow intensified, turning into two blazing red flames that filled the empty sockets.

The skull’s jaw suddenly dropped open.

And from its mouth...

FWHOOOOOOOSH!

A torrent of fire erupted!

The flames roared across the battlefield like a living dragon, sweeping over the rocky ground and forcing the approaching wolves to scatter.

Several creatures yelped as the heat washed over them. Others leaped backward, their fur singed by the intense flames.

The shaman slowly controlled his floating staff two sweep from side to side, directing the fiery torrent across the battlefield.

For a few precious moments, the wolves were forced to retreat.

The path was finally clear.

"GO!" the shaman roared. "DON’T LOOK BACK!"

The remaining goblins hurried past him, helping the wounded as they fled toward the forest.

The shaman continued holding the wolves at bay.

But then...

His gaze shifted toward the chieftain.

The gigantic goblin was still on the ground, struggling against the three wolves clinging to his body.

For a moment, the old shaman hesitated.

The staff floated down to his hand as the powerful spell finally ended.

His grip tightened around the wood.

Suddenly, the shaman coughed up blood.

Apparently, that powerful spell had not only drawn out an incredible amount of mana, but some of his life force as well.

Still, he wanted to help the chieftain. Perhaps he could risk everything and cast another spell.

But... what would happen to the others if he did?

His eyes flickered toward the fleeing goblins.

Then toward the young girl among them.

The chieftain’s daughter...

His master’s final request....

The old shaman’s expression twisted with anguish. He didn’t want to leave the chieftain behind. Not after everything they’d been through together. Not after serving the tribe for so many years.

But he’d already made his choice.

He had promised to protect the tribe. And he wouldn’t break that promise.

"Chieftain..."

His voice was barely audible beneath the roar of the flames.

At that moment, the chieftain turned his head and met the shaman’s gaze. Despite the pain, despite the three wolves tearing at his body, he understood the old goblin’s hesitation.

And then...

He smiled.

It was a rough, weary smile that seemed strangely out of place amid all the bloodshed.

"GOOOO!"

His roar shook the battlefield.

"PROTECT THE TRIBE!"

The shaman bit his lip so hard that a trickle of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.

For a moment, he looked as though he wanted to say something. But in the end, he simply turned away.

He reached for the chieftain’s daughter’s hand and pulled her toward the forest.

"Come on!"

"Father!"

The girl desperately tried to resist, twisting around to look back at the enormous figure still fighting for his life.

"FATHER!"

But the shaman held her tightly and kept running.

He couldn’t let her turn back.

Not now.

Not after the chieftain had sacrificed everything to give them this chance...

****

Behind them, the flames gradually faded.

The shaman’s spell finally came to an end, and the remaining wolves began gathering themselves again.

The chieftain watched as the last of his people disappeared among the trees.

His daughter was safe.

The tribe would survive.

That was enough.

He slowly exhaled.

Then, with a sudden surge of fury, pushed himself up, then threw his enormous body sideways.

BOOOOM!

He deliberately slammed himself against a massive boulder protruding from the hillside.

The impact was so violent that the rock shattered.

Chunks of stone exploded outward, and the wolf biting his right arm was caught between the chieftain’s body and the collapsing boulder.

CRACK!

The wolf’s body was crushed beneath the tremendous force.

Its jaws finally released the chieftain’s arm as it slumped lifelessly among the broken stones.

But the chieftain wasn’t finished.

Not yet!

He twisted his battered body and changed his attention to the wolf clinging to his left leg.

With a furious roar, he drove his fist into its head.

BANG!

The impact crushed the wolf’s skull!

Its body went limp almost immediately.

The chieftain then reached down and seized the final wolf by its head.

The creature snarled and struggled, desperately trying to wrench itself free.

But the gigantic goblin’s grip only tightened. His fingers dug into the wolf’s skull.

Then...

SPURT!

Blood sprayed out as his five fingers pierced the wolf’s head!

CRACK!

The bone gave way beneath his monstrous strength.

The wolf’s struggles stopped.

And just like that... three wolves. All dead.

The chieftain slowly rose to his feet, his enormous body trembling beneath the strain.

Blood ran down his arms and legs. His breathing came in ragged gasps, and his remaining hand shook as he tried to steady himself.

Yet he still stood, still facing the enemy.

He turned toward the remaining Horned Gray Wolves and let out a thunderous roar.

"ROOOOOAAAAARRRR!"

"COME AT ME!!!"

"I WILL SLAUGHTER YOU ALL!!!"

For a moment, the entire battlefield fell silent.

The wolves froze. Their ears flattened against their heads, and several instinctively took a step backward.

Even these patient, intelligent predators couldn’t help but feel a flicker of fear as they stared at the monstrous goblin standing among the corpses of their fallen packmates.

This was the creature that had killed so many of them.

This was the beast that had fought through countless injuries and still refused to fall.

For a brief moment, it almost seemed as though the chieftain might actually drive them all away.

But then...

His knees buckled.

Thud!

The enormous goblin dropped back onto one knee.

His massive body trembled violently as the last traces of that overwhelming power faded away.

The red glow in his eyes dimmed.

His swollen muscles began to shrink, and the thick veins bulging beneath his skin gradually receded.

The twenty seconds were over. And the backlash had arrived.