The Lord’s Raids

A soft, ethereal glow erupted from Akumu's body, swiftly enveloping the length of his blade. He had just infused his sword with his aura.

With a swift swing of his odashi, a group of nearby goblins found themselves cleaved in two. As the voice of the announcement echoed in his mind, he charged onto the battlefield.

Mixing strength and flexibility, he twisted his arm and deftly rotated his saber, claiming a few more lives in the process. The seemingly endless wave of goblins was visibly thinning.

"You see, I won't let myself be outdone again!" he shouted as he moved closer to where Rakahn was fighting.

"Is that what you're thinking about right now?" a voice suddenly called from behind him.

A thunderous boom echoed, and Akumu turned his head just in time to witness a sight that widened his eyes in shock.

A young woman with brown skin, appearing to be around twenty-two or twenty-three, stood before him. Her short silver-white hair danced in the wind created by the force of her weapon striking the ground. She looked furious.

With a deft twirl, she spun her halberd above her head, then swung it violently into the crowd of primates rushing to attack her. The simple gesture sliced through them, severing their lower halves from their bodies.

"Scary!"

"I think your soldiers have recovered enough, right? Shouldn't they join the fight?" Dahlia asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"You're absolutely right! If I just stand here and watch, there won't be enough essence stones left for us," he replied.

Even with their strength and the support of the archers from the elven clan, their stamina would eventually wear thin against such a relentless horde.

"Cross the barricade! Let's put an end to these creatures who dare to defile our territory!" he barked to his soldiers.

The soldiers erupted in a cacophony of war cries, as if they had been waiting for this very moment.

With a simple nod, Dahlia turned and headed toward Cliff. A faint smile twisted Akumu's lips as he watched her tear through the hideous abominations that relentlessly attacked her.

Perhaps this was an order from her master.

As his gaze wandered among the tide of goblins, his brow furrowed toward the edge of the trees. Though faint, he sensed energy emanating from behind the bushes.

Something is hiding there!

Just as Akumu was about to report the intruder, an explosion resonated behind him. He quickly turned and dropped into a defensive stance.

It didn't take long for him to pinpoint the source of the explosion. His eyes widened in shock as he recognized the creature responsible.

A hobgoblin mage stood before him—one of the rarest variants among hobgoblins. These creatures were known for awakening their elemental affinities even before reaching the mutant rank.

Could it be that their use of magic relies more on imagination than instinct? Akumu pondered, realizing that these grotesque beings were more intelligent than their counterparts, capable of making wiser decisions.

A look of disdain crossed Akumu's face.

The mere presence of a hobgoblin mage on the battlefield was concerning enough. But the fact that there were two of them filled him with unease.