Chapter 22: New Boss. Naska's ambition.
Bozo's maniacal laugh generated enough fear within everyone present in the cell. Even Rumble was startled. He couldn't help but stop chewing his twig and stare at Bozo, only to look away the next instant.
Even the cells that were beside the one stopped their chatter due to the devilish laughter.
Bozo, on the other hand, simply didn't care. He was busy thinking on the matter.
'Is this village working with the humans?', a thought clouded his mind. With that, several thousand other questions flooded in, all of whose answers he couldn't find. It was like a riddle. He needed help.
Who would be better than Grub, Rumble, and the goblins in the cell? They would have probably been exposed to all this and might have some idea.
A deep voice erupted within the chamber, "Tell me Grub, why are we captured?"
Grub was startled when his name was called out. His throat went dry as his eyeballs trembled for a bit. With confusion etched on his face, he asked to himself, 'How did he know my name?'
'Is he someone who knows me? Have I met him?', he moved his gaze here and there and scanned Bozo's features again before commenting to himself, 'Impossible. I've never seen him in my life. Today is the first.'
'Then just how…?'
Shivers ran down his spine as Bozo stared right at Grub. He felt as if Bozo could look directly into his soul. With a stern and monotonous face, Bozo st with a glinted piercing gaze. He raised his left hand and with his index finger, gestured Grub to walk towards him.
Subconsciously Grub obeyed his command. He started to walk with minimal effort Nevertheless, he approached him and stood right in front of him.
'Is it alright for me to stand while he is sitting?', out of everything, this is what coursed into his mind.
Grub was filled with doubt about his presence. Fear overwhelmed him to the point where he tried his best not to offend Bozo in that moment.
He immediately knelt and then bowed in front of Bozo, not daring to raise his gaze any higher.
Gulping large chunks of saliva while making minimal sounds, Grub awaited Bozo's next command.
It came like roaring thunder, "What is the fate of those who are in the cells?" Bozo didn't pause; he further asked, "Explain the situation. Why was there a human here? How are goblins able to communicate with them?"
Grub heard the questions loud and clear. He took 2-3 seconds to understand the questions so that he doesn't make any mistakes.
Finally, with a calm and gentle tone that meant subordination, Grub answered, "We are going to be used as food for the goblin village led by Elder Naska."
He cleared his throat by cleansing it with his saliva swallowing technique after which he answered the rest, "Elder Naska has sided with a small group of humans. This is how they are able to obtain many goods and weapons in exchange for providing information about monsters and other goblin tribes."
Hearing that, Bozo's confusion started to ease. He nodded as he stared at the floor, but Grub's next words ignited a tenfold increase in Bozo's rage.
"And I believe, our villages... probably even yours sir, were destroyed because Elder Naska gave out the locations and much other information."
As these words left Grub's tiny mouth, Bozo instantly turned towards him.
Bozo's eyes fumed with flames of anger. The pupils turned red and the white sclera now showcased widened reddish blood vessels.
Adding to that, Bozo gritted his sharp canines and clenched his fist - the nails piercing the skin yet again and causing him to bleed.
Grub could see Bozo's eyeballs trembling. At the moment, Bozo appeared ten times more ferocious than before. Grub instantly averted his gaze while Bozo continued to stare at him.
'A goblin betrayed other goblins? He sold his race to humans?', Bozo lowered his trembling gaze.
No one spoke for another ten minutes. Bozo's rage never diminished as the scene of the massacre continuously repeated in his mind.
Grub, albeit fearful, looked at the situation as if it was an opportunity.
'He doesn't appear to be an ordinary goblin. His fighting spirit and the killing intent are the proof! It's as if he is a blessed one... my instincts are calling out to me.', Grub chuckled internally as the killing intent increased.
'If it's him then maybe... maybe we can-'
"Sir, actually, we-", Grub wanted to mention something, but it was so important that someone had to interrupt him in between.
"Grub, are you going to kneel in front of that weakling forever?", another deep voice echoed in the cell. It was Rumble.
The killing intent had surprised him, forcing him to stand up. He wanted to run away, but after seeing that it was Bozo, who seemed like a dried mushroom, the effect of killing intent decreased a bit.
With his gigantic steps, he walked forward, "Don't you dare reveal our plan."
"B-boss, he can help us. He-", Grub turned back as he tried to make Rumble understand the gravity of the situation.
'You fatass, top ruining the atmosphere.', thinking this to himself, Grub got up and rushed to Rumble's side.
After arriving by his side, he whispered in the lowest audible voice, "Boss, please don't ruin the situation. Just listen to me..."
"Look boss, just look how bulky and muscular you are."
Translation: 'Look at yourself, just what kind of fatty you are, fat pig.'
"Boss, you are intimidating."
Translation: 'You are an ugly ass bitch. You will never get any girls in your life.'
"All the goblins that see you, end up fearing or cowering and start trembling. But he didn't. Look at him, he is staring right in your eye. He can't be"
Grub tried to calm him. He wanted to make sure that Rumble understands that they need help, but no. He was not ready to listen.
"What are you staring at!?", Rumble asked in a hoarse voice that was aimed to intimidate him.
"Boss! Please, we need his help. He-"
"Ha!? Haha! His help? Look at that bastard. He can't even walk properly, and he will help us? Pfft, are you right in your head Grub? Did you even lose the one thing you had, your wit?!"
"...", Grub facepalmed himself. Now the mockery was aimed at him?
'What is he doing? He usually takes a back seat and lets me deal with it. Why-', Grub was confused, but for an instant, he noticed Rumble gulp down a large chunk of dry saliva. He also noticed how his knees trembled.
'Wait, could it be?'
"Hahaha! You bitch. Look at how scared you are.", Rumble walked towards Bozo and closed in. Bozo continued to stare but took no action.
Rumble placed his left hand on Bozo's right shoulder as he continued, "I bet, your entire village was massacred and you ran away with your tail in between your legs. Your poor parents must have raised you. Look at how you betrayed their feelings. Tsk tsk, what a-"
He crossed the line.
Bam!
A punch came straight to Rumble's abdomen. Bozo's fist seemingly penetrated the abdomen. It was the fat that made such an illusion possible.
Bozo's fist was sucked in right after which the impact was delivered, forcing Rumble to take three to five steps behind, immediately after which he fell to the ground... as if, he fainted!
Grub walked closer to Rumble and after checking confirmed it, "He is unconscious."
The onlookers couldn't help but stare in Bozo's direction and his outstretched arm that had the fist formed at the distal end. A smoky appearance engulfed the fist, making it look all the more powerful.
'He beat the Boss...', none opened their mouths. Internally, they had already accepted Bozo as their new boss - with awe, fear and respect at the same time.
A/N: Join the discord: https://discord.gg/BSU2UZT4s2
Just a simple comment like 'TFTC'/'Thank you for the chapter'/'Thanks' will also help. It keeps me motivated! Do comment!