"Sorry for showing you something this unsightly..."
Kali-Alexander mumbled, feeling a bit awkward. I simply shrugged my shoulders.
"It's okay. I've seen worse from other commanders of the Nightmare Legion."
"Ha! Are they all that nasty?"
"Are you saying you're not?"
"At least I don't look as bad as those lot, right? Might be funny hearing this from a goblin, though."
It was amusing, but to some extent, it felt true.
Compared to the bizarre and vicious behavior of the Nightmare Legion commanders I had encountered, Kali-Alexander seemed like an enemy leader with some manners.
"If you like poetry so much, why don't you write some yourself?"
I asked, suddenly curious.
He used quite a sophisticated vocabulary. Even if creating a renowned poem was difficult, it seemed like he could improve his skill enough to try.
"We who are resurrected here cannot create anything new."
Kali-Alexander replied with a bitter voice.
"We are merely 'shadows' of nightmares extracted from memories of the past."
"Extracted from memories? Shadows of nightmares?"
As I asked back in surprise, Kali-Alexander nodded slowly.
"Since you have recited a beautiful poem to me, though it's hardly a repayment, I'll explain our 'monstrosity.'"
The Goblin God-King explained slowly.
The monsters were extracted from the memories of the past nightmares of the residents of the Lake Kingdom.
All of them once threatened the existence of humanity but were ultimately defeated and discarded as failures.
The King of Kings, that is, the Demon King, resurrected them through a special process, and the resurrected nightmares pledged absolute loyalty to the Demon King.
"In the process of our resurrection, it seems the King of Kings interfered with our minds. We became instinctively obedient to him, and at the same time."
Kali-Alexander glanced at me.
"We developed a hostility towards humanity. Several times stronger than during our lifetimes."
I frowned.
The hatred I had felt every time I faced these monsters, it stemmed from the very core of their souls.
'Could that hatred have been... intentionally amplified by the Demon King?'
The hostility I faced was not of the monsters themselves... but the will of the Demon King.
"Your King of Kings must really hate humans."
"Indeed. He is determined to annihilate humanity. Perhaps that's why he tampered with our spirits."
"For someone involved in such schemes, you seem quite friendly towards humans."
"Ha... Even in life, I didn't hate humans. In fact, I rather liked them."
Was it because he had not harbored significant hatred, there was nothing to amplify?
Kali-Alexander let out a faint sigh and slowly lifted his head to look up at the dark sky.
"Anyway, that's how it is. We are doomed to wander under the darkness of this place, forever preserved in the state of centuries past... waiting only for the King of Kings' orders, nothing more than familiars."
"..."
"We exist only to dwell on the past forever. Creating something new is impossible. For me to write poetry is nonsensical."
"Have you ever tried writing poetry?"
I tossed the question lightly, and Kali-Alexander looked slightly flustered.
"To be honest, I never tried writing poetry in life. I was only good at destruction and burning, not at creating or nurturing."
"Why not give it a try later?"
Had he been dismissing it without even one attempt?
I couldn't help but chuckle and gesture with my chin.
"Who knows? Maybe you'll roll out a decent verse?"
"..."
As if struck on the head, Kali-Alexander chuckled with a carefree laugh.
"I'll give it a try. And, I keep asking, but sorry... could you perhaps... inform me how the outside world has changed in the meantime?"
I frowned for a moment but then quietly began to speak.
After all, the 30-minute conference must go on. There was no reason not to discuss a topic that would cause us no loss.
During the remaining time, I briefed him about the history of the outside world. I only knew it secondhand, but I had a rough understanding.
"...So, humans have become the hegemon of the world."
After my makeshift history lesson, Kali-Alexander nodded.
"The very race that once didn't possess a single Guardian Tree has become the ultimate victor. How astonishing."
"Guardian Tree?"
"It's also called the 'Protector Tree.' It's the tree that guards each race... A tree of grace bestowed by the race's deity. A spiritual conduit linking the deities of the spirit world and the races of the lower realm."
I blinked in confusion.
No, humanity does have one. It's called Everblack, a black thorn tree. There's one in the Imperial Capital...
'Was it originally... not supposed to exist?'
Come to think of it, when I was exploring the [Laboratory] dungeon in Sector 6 not long ago. I had found a branch of the Everblack there.
A branch of Everblack discovered in the Lake Kingdom, which perished 500 years ago.
And the Everblack Empire, which began to expand its territory after declaring itself an empire 500 years ago.
If all these things are connected...?
"Our goblin race, too, did not have a Guardian Tree."
Kali-Alexander's voice continued to reach my ears as I was lost in thought.
"Humans and goblins alike, neither received the blessings of a deity, but humans came to dominate the world while goblins lick the shadows of this place."
I asked, slightly puzzled.
"But aren't you the deity of the goblins? You could just bestow a blessing on your people, couldn't you?"
"...I am not a deity."
The Goblin God-King shook his head slowly.
"It was my kin who hoisted me up on a pedestal. They added 'Kali-' in front of my name and worshipped me as a deity... I had the chance to attain divinity, but I refused it."
"Why? For what reason?"
"Once I gained divinity, I could no longer be a leader to my kind. They still needed me."
Kali-Alexander smiled bitterly.
"I wanted to accomplish something with the strength of my race, without borrowing the power of a deity. I failed spectacularly, of course."
"..."
"So, I am not a deity but a mere failure. A goblin who was lucky to sit on the throne, nothing more."
His self-deprecating murmur ended our conversation momentarily.
I wanted to ask more, but Kali-Alexander slowly began to adjust his scabard.
And it struck me that almost 30 minutes had already passed.
"Today, I am grateful that you entertained my request. For the beautiful poetry and for enlightening me with history, I thank you."
"It's nothing."
I'm about to kill you anyway. Thirty minutes of chatter for a coin on your way to the afterlife is a steal.
"I hesitate to call it a reward, but let me teach you something."
Kali-Alexander, standing up from his seat, whispered.
"The 'grace' our race received from the Overking this time is... 'Breeding'."
"...?!"
I was momentarily confused by the different term, but quickly understood.
This stage's dark event.
It's about... proliferation?
"However, as I mentioned before, we are but shadows cloned from the nightmares of the past. Acts of reproduction are impossible for us."
Kali-Alexander slowly surveyed his legion.
"So the King of Kings is 'cloning' my legion... The one I will lead to invade Lake Kingdom will be much larger than usual."
"..."
"Guardians of Crossroad, if you can prepare, then do so. Before the tide of my kind overwhelms your ramparts."
I rose from my seat, grinding my teeth.
"Why are you disclosing this information?"
Is it because it doesn't matter if I know? Or is it that even with this knowledge, I won't be able to respond?
But the answer I received was unexpected.
"It's because I do not wish to attack you."
"What?"
"However, a leader cannot, and should not, guide their kind based on personal wishes alone."
Turning away, Kali-Alexander murmured quietly.
"...I wished to have been born human. Or if not that, perhaps a line of poetry, a verse of song, a paragraph of drama. Yet, I am a goblin. An unavoidable monster."
"..."
"We goblins make our living by invading, pillaging, and plundering. If this is the innate nature of our species, and I am their leader, then it's my duty to lead them from the front."
Kali-Alexander glanced at me and muttered bitterly.
"I refused divinity, and I did not take the throne by my own choice. However... if my kin treat me as both a god and a king, then I too have the obligation not to abandon that responsibility."
"..."
"O connoisseur of poetry's beauty."
Approaching his mount, Kali-Alexander took hold of the goat's reins.
"Return to Crossroad. And savor the splendor of your splendid culture to the very end."
"..."
"I shall go to annihilate and burn it down, as is my race's innate instinct."
I smirked, gritting my teeth and raising my hand.
"Did you think I'd just let you go peacefully, goblin?"
Immediately, Damien and Junior prepared for a long-range area attack from atop the walls, and my warriors readied to charge out from the opened gate.
Kali-Alexander is completely immune to ranged attacks and magic. But he's vulnerable in close combat.
According to the original plan, while Junior and Damien poured firepower into the goblin legion, the vanguard classes would charge in to kill this Goblin God-King...!
However, without a backward glance, Kali-Alexander muttered softly.
"You're under some misconception, human."
With that, he flicked his hand lightly.
"The one letting you go peacefully is me."
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Suddenly, the very earth trembled from all directions.
Shocked, I looked around and finally saw it.
Surrounding the coliseum, from a distance, was an advancing horde... an incredibly large swarm of goblins.
I thought the thousand goblins waiting in front were many, but I was mistaken.
The number of goblins slowly closing in, bows raised high, densely surrounding the coliseum, seemed... tenfold.
They wore well-tanned leather armor, held buffalo horn bows in hand, and short curved blades at their waists.
A fully armed goblin legion.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
With each orderly step they took, my breath caught.
Until now, I hadn't realized.
Numbers.
This was the first time I truly felt that numbers could be such a powerful weapon.
"What the... how can there be so many?!"
"There's... too many...!"
The cries of my bewildered party members reached my ears.
I clenched my teeth, glaring at Kali-Alexander's retreating figure. The Goblin God-King was just mounting the saddle of his goat.
Should I strike him down now?
Could I quickly kill him and flee with something like a teleport?
But if the battle was delayed even slightly, we'd be surrounded by over ten thousand goblins. There would be no chance of escape then...
Whoosh!
Kali-Alexander, mounted atop a mountain goat, swung his arm, and the advancing goblin horde came to a halt as if by magic.
And when Kali-Alexander swung his arm horizontally once more, the goblins began to slowly retreat, still aiming thousands of arrows at us.
"It's been a pleasant conversation. I'm thankful for your broad-mindedness, Ash."
Riding the goat back to his legion, Kali-Alexander left those final words.
"But commanders of opposing forces have their own kind of dialogue, suitable for them."
"..."
"We'll meet again on the battlefield, soon enough."
Clip-clop, clip-clop—
The mountain goat carrying the Goblin God-King moved away.
At the same time, the goblin legion receded from the coliseum like a tide going out.
In less than ten minutes, they had completely vanished into the darkness of the Lake Kingdom.
Ding!
A system notification popped up before my eyes: 'You have repelled the first wave of monsters in the siege.'
I swiped the notification away in annoyance. Repelled my foot.
'We didn't inflict any damage on each other...'
In other words, we failed to deal any damage to them.
The enemy leader had come within reach, and to miss a kill chance like this...!
'...No, it's a being that's even called the God-King.'
He would have taken care to ensure his own safety cleverly.
Besides the encirclement of the goblin legion, he would have prepared means to protect himself before requesting negotiations with me.
I ran a hand through my hair and flicked through the system windows rapidly. Still, I had gleaned several pieces of information, and above all, I had encountered the goblin legion.
This meant that the next stage's enemy information would be displayed...but...
"...?"
When I opened the enemy information window for the stage, I blinked in surprise.
"...What's this?"
Displayed there was,
[Enemy Information - STAGE 15]
- Lv.?? Goblin God-King: 1 unit
- Lv.?? Goblin Amir : 10 units (TL Note: Amirs are Chieftains)
- Lv.35 Goblin Janissary : 2,500 units (TL Note: Janissaries are the Chieftain's Guard)
- Lv.15 Goblin: 22,940 units
- Time until start: 21 days
Numbers that were hard to believe were densely packed on the screen.