214 Three skulls (2/2)

The weapon began to shatter.

While Helial was smiling satisfied at the giant in front of him, a voice rang in his mind: ”Pseudonym's talent not only grows day by day, but is also bigger than yours. The Goblin guy is in the Intermediate grade of the Fifth Phase and has put most of his Stat Points on Strength. Pseudonym is more powerful, considering that he is at the Late stage of the Third Phase.”

Iblis' words reminded Helial that, however extraordinary his talent was, there would always be someone stronger than him.

Beyond a sky there is always another.

”Let us pass, you've already lost enough reputation,” said Pseudonym.

Without giving the giant any chance to answer, he hit him in the chest and made him fly for several meters. Landing violently, the Goblin left a furrow in the shape of his face.

One of the soldiers standing nearby turned his body over with one foot, to make sure he was still alive. He regretted it almost immediately. His companion's face was a mask of blood and mud. His grotesque appearance would have terrified even his own mother.

Without deigning the crowd and the victim of a second glance, Helial continued his march towards the command tent, unperturbed.

If they had left such insubordination unpunished, the trip there would have been practically useless. Their plans would become useless even before they could be implemented.

Entering the tent, Helial was hit by the smell of sweat and stale air. It was clear from this and from the faces marked by the weariness turning towards him that the war was not going very well.

A Goblin with large purple irises looked the newcomers from head to toe. Shrugging and cursing loudly, he came out of the tent: ”I don't want to know anything more about this fucking war.” These were the only words he left behind.

The others looked at Helial and the others with hostility.

The only one to pay them attention was the Goblin in charge of the camp. ”Sit down,” he said, smiling, feeling sorry for himself. If even the brats thought they could come and play in their camp, after the loud defeat received that day, who was he to stop them? They would have been nothing but another mockery, the last grain of salt rubbed in their wounds to remind them of how incapable they had been.

Until then, the Goblins had never lost a war, whatever the Phases involved in the fighting.

However, now that Undead and Troll had joined forces, the difficulty had increased exponentially.

”How's the battle going?” asked Circe, sensing that the clash was not going well.

The general was Glaucus, a member of the Guild of Life and Death. He shook his head, disconsolate. ”The enemy army uses Trolls in the frontline to widen the battle. Thanks to the physical power of the Trolls, it is practically impossible not to lose men while the central rows clash. The three Troll Generals are in the Intermediate stage of the Sixth Phase. The Undead Generals are at the Late stage of the Sixth Phase.”

”You don't look very confident in victory”, said Circe, taking a seat around the table.

”Honestly, Miss, I don't want to offend you telling a lie,” said Glaucus.

Glaucus, besides being one of the generals in that division, was part of the same generation of Comodo and was not much weaker than him. Indeed, in an honest and fair fight, Glaucus would probably have been able to defeat him. However, Comodo's strength came from the poisons he created. During a fight against Comodo, a moment of distraction would have been enough to lose one's life.

Although the experts who cultivated poisons were not considered favourably, within their Phase they would have been almost invincible. It was also not uncommon to hear of experts killed by some poison expert of one or two Phases lower than them.

”Considering our conditions, even if we wanted to break the rules, we probably wouldn't even have enough men to help you. Also, considering that the legendary Circe and Pseudonym are on the battlefield, how can you need us?” Xen, a member of the Sect of the Worthy, had spoken. He too had thought the same as everyone else, that those boys had come to ask for help.

”It wasn't us who led the army in battle,” said Pseudonym, slowly moving his finger covered by the steel gauntlet towards the King's young disciple.

”That's why you're here,” laughed Xen with contempt. ”If it had been a Goblin who leading the army, the outcome would probably have been different.”

”Probably,” said Helial, throwing three skulls on the table, with seals nailed just on top.

The generals widened their eyes. They had already fought several times against the Undead, how could they not recognize their generals' seals?!