Having witnessed the chaotic ends of countless Shenzhou dynasties, Fu Hua was well aware that these dieval nobles were no different from the entrenched aristocratic families, clans, and rchant guilds of Shenzhou’s waning days.
Without bloodshed, those decaying parasites would never willingly relinquish their privileges.
Their deep-rooted arrogance made them disdainful of any connection with commoners, let alone entertaining the notion of surrendering the power they considered their birthright.
Whether fertile land, grain, or weaponry—they would rather let them rot, decay, or rust than sell them at a lower price to farrs. Plunder and exploitation were the norms.
If sothing had no imdiate value to them, these nobles wouldn’t care in the slightest about the lives of the so-called "commoners."
In this otherworldly realm, life for the lower classes was far crueler and more precarious than one could imagine. Not only did they have to work tirelessly to avoid starvation, but they also needed to fend off various monsters, always on guard against losing their lives at any mont.
This was why Goblin Slayer, despite his peculiarities, was held in such high regard among the common folk. Wandering poets sang songs of his deeds, celebrating his tireless efforts to protect the defenseless.
For the downtrodden masses, Goblin Slayer was nothing less than a beacon of hope.
As for Kiana and her companions...
"Even though these nobles are so heartless, to go as far as massacring dissenters simply because of ideological disagreents—this is undoubtedly a difficult decision for them."
They didn’t have the ruthless heart of Her Majesty Selene.
From Fu Hua’s perspective, if it were the colder, more aloof Selene handling this situation, she would have likely replaced the entire ruling class of this world without a shred of hesitation.
Fu Hua sighed inwardly, realizing that Esdeath’s so-called trial was not ant to temper their bodies but to forge their hearts.
...
Thud, thud, thud...
The sound of heavy boots echoed through steel corridors as a squad of auxiliary stormtroopers from the Imperial Forge Departnt marched past the entrance of the governor’s sanctum. Their lightweight power armor clinked softly as they moved in perfect unison.
Inside the sanctum, a profound silence reigned. The stormtroopers’ synchronized steps barely disturbed the tranquility, blending seamlessly with the faint beeps of monitoring instrunts and the rhythmic tapping of keyboards by technicians.
"Oh, they’ve begun to engage, and it seems they’re quite furious," Esdeath remarked, sipping from her coffee cup as she cast a glance at the impassive governor seated at the command console.
Ahead, the central wall of the command center displayed a massive screen. The image showed a vibrant blue planet, zood in to reveal a small pastoral scene engulfed in flas. Scattered across the area were grotesque, sickly green goblins—so fleeing in panic, others being cut down by human adventurers.
Indeed, this was one of the two planets marked as Imperial territories.
Unlike the barren landscapes observed on Blue Star’s surface, beyond the massive cloaking fields lay an industrial marvel of the Imperial Forge.
...
Thanks to the efforts of the Forge Departnt, the twin planets—one green, one red—had been transford into sprawling steel jungles shrouded in industrial haze.
Colossal refineries, forge facilities, assembly plants, and massive warehouses stretched as far as the eye could see.
In low orbit above the twin planets, thousands of docks and shipyards ford an enormous "iron ring," encircling the celestial bodies entirely.
"Why hasn’t the approval for the Extermination Order co through yet?"
Esdeath’s gaze shifted to another screen.
The screen depicted a large orbital artillery station. Inside its expansive hangar, dozens of technicians bustled around a massive torpedo suspended by a crane. asuring over 30 ters in diater, it resembled a colossal submarine.
This was the Dual-Polar Cyclone Torpedo.
The Extermination Order could be executed through various ans: sustained orbital bombardnts by the Imperial Navy to obliterate the surface, or the deploynt of specialized biological or radiation warheads to annihilate the planet’s ecosystem.
The third thod was the deploynt of the Dual-Polar Cyclone Torpedo to obliterate the entire planet.
This specialized torpedo was equipped with a dual-stage warhead. The first-stage warhead generated a high-temperature plasma to penetrate the crust and mantle, allowing the remainder of the torpedo to drill through the freshly ford channel straight to the planet’s core.
The second-stage warhead was an enhanced Honkai nuclear fission device. Upon detonation, it destabilized the planetary core, which, under normal circumstances, would be sufficient to destroy the entire planet.
Of course, wiping out just the goblin species wouldn’t require a weapon of such catastrophic power. Esdeath was rely creating a threatening posture to push Kiana and her team to unleash more of their potential.
Once their first battle with the goblins concluded, Esdeath planned to send Kiana and her group footage of the torpedo being loaded into the launch chanism.
Her ssage would be direct and succinct:
"If you cannot eradicate the goblins within the stipulated ti, this will do it for you."
Setting down her coffee cup, Esdeath opened her hand. In a dazzling burst of light, a purple-red cube materialized in her palm.
"Your Majesty, I have sothing to report," she transmitted her ssage through a telepathic communication link.
Beep, beep—
A reply ca swiftly, but instead of Selene’s clear voice, it was a coarse and gruff old man’s voice that responded.
"Old man?" Esdeath stood up from her reclining chair, frowning slightly. "Where is Her Majesty?"
...
Honkai Dinsion – Imperial Capital – Fountain Palace
Inside Selene’s opulent study, a butler dressed in a pitch-black traditional uniform pressed his hand on the luxurious desk, his face darkened. It was Sebas who replied, his deep voice heavy with resignation:
"Her Majesty and Alyssa... have gone on vacation."
The final four words were practically growled through gritted teeth, and even across the vast distances, Esdeath could sense the bitter frustration in Sebas’s tone.
"Ah... My application for the extermination order then?" Esdeath inquired.
Sebas glanced at the stack of pending docunts piled in a corner of the desk. He responded curtly:
"Deferred."
"Deferred?" Esdeath was montarily stunned, then suppressed a chuckle and nodded.
"Understood... Oh, and Sebas, do keep an eye on Her Majesty for . Let know as soon as she’s back."
Without waiting for Sebas to respond, Esdeath cut off the communication link.
"...That girl dares to hang up on ? Outrageous," Sebas muttered with a faint smile. He then picked up a handwritten note left on the desk by Selene:
"Ahem... Sebas, I—uh, no, Alyssa—has perford exceptionally well. As promised, I’ve decided to extend her half-day break to three... maybe seven days (in other words, I feel like taking a break).
Alas... Alyssa begged to accompany her, and I just couldn’t refuse. I’ll leave the administrative duties in your capable hands. Notify directly if there’s anything urgent.
—Signed, Selene."
"Milady, Alyssa, enjoy your vacation." Sebas tucked the note away, shaking his head with a wry smile.
...
anwhile, near the woods surrounding the pasture...
Amidst the dense thickets on a low hillside, cloaked in shadow and obscured by chaotic shrubs, stood a Goblin King.
The massive, towering figure, crowned with a crude, makeshift crown, stared down at the faint glimrs of light coming from the ranch below.
He turned his attention further away, where another cluster of lights glimred faintly—that was the town.
And within that town, there were adventurers.
Adventurers!
What a hateful word.
The Goblin King’s bloated, frog-like yellow eyes glead with bloodlust. His foul, putrid maw stretched wide, revealing sharp, jagged teeth, as he licked his lips with a coarse, tumor-ridden tongue. Thick, viscous saliva dripped onto the ground.
"Gaaah! Ga-ga-ga-ga!"
His shrill, guttural voice filled the air with rage.
I’ll tear their limbs apart, cage them like animals, and burn their faces. I’ll impale them alive on stakes!
Let them feel the agony they’ve inflicted upon the goblins before they die!
Attack their ranch, devour their cattle and sheep, and capture their won to use for breeding goblin offspring.
Then use the ranch as a stronghold to assault the town, slaughter those detestable adventurers, and further multiply the goblin population.
Finally, march on the capital of the human kingdom, destroy it, and establish the Goblin Kingdom!
As the Goblin King envisioned his grand plan, his excitent grew, and his grotesque body trembled uncontrollably with exhilaration.
"Galaa! Galaa galaa!"
With a sharp, shrill voice, it began issuing commands to its goblin "army."
The piercing cacophony imdiately reached the ears of all the goblins. At the rear of the goblin ranks, the Goblin Heroes and larger Goblin Elites began advancing, erging slowly from the dense forest.
But just then—
BOOM—!
Was that fire? No—it was an explosion!
Kaboom...
It erupted, a blazing fireball exploding into the night sky like a falling teor. Waves of orange-red fire expanded outward in concentric circles, surging toward them. The temperature instantly spiked by several magnitudes, unleashing a scorching tide that swept across the battlefield.
The forest ignited into a raging inferno. The Goblin Wolf Riders, with their lush fur, were quickly set ablaze. The goblin grunts were scorched, their skin blistering and splitting apart as they writhed and rolled on the ground. The sound of crackling fat filled the air as sparks ignited their bodies, turning them into living fireballs.
"Galaa!"
Frantically tearing off his flaming cloak, the Goblin King swung his blistered arms and began retreating.
Damn it! It thought. I’ve hit a steel wall!
Had they encountered the kingdom’s elite army? Or perhaps the legendary Hero? In re monts, half of the goblin army it had sent out was wiped out.
"Galaa!" (You, stay behind and hold off the pursuers)
Without a second thought, after giving his final command, the Goblin King scrambled on all fours, retreating deeper into the forest.
...
Swish! Swish—Bang!
"I’ll cleanse all of you!"
A sharp, slicing sound echoed through the air, like countless blades cutting through flesh simultaneously. The explosions rippled outward.
While fleeing under the pale light of the two moons, one red and one green, the Goblin King dared to glance back.
His heart stopped.
Bathed in the soft lunar glow, within the roaring serpents of fla, sothing shimred—a glint like ripples over water.
It was a long-handled scythe, its blade reflecting the fiery light.
And then, it saw her.
At that mont, as the Goblin King gazed at the woman dressed in a maid’s uniform, he swore that he had never seen a more beautiful, enchanting creature in his entire life.
Her flowing, lustrous gray-gold hair fluttered gently in the wind. Her long, shapely brows frad a pair of captivating, flirtatious eyes. A straight, elegant nose and delicate, ruby-red lips. Her fair skin was flawless, and her figure was graceful and alluring, exuding an unmatched charm.
Deep within, a primal, breeding desire the Goblin King could not suppress burned hotter than ever before!
But—she was trouble!
...
Swish! Swish!
The woman moved with precision, effortlessly eting his elite subordinates head-on. As their bodies collided in mid-air, it was as if they were cutting through butter; droplets of blood sprayed outward, resembling blooming crimson roses.
She was like a dancer, her movents elegant and poised. With her legs drawn in, her body bent gracefully. She twirled mid-air like a spinning top, her enormous scythe gliding weightlessly as if carried by the wind. Her strikes were as ethereal as a crane in flight.
The entire sequence was fluid and breathtaking, showcasing her extraordinary agility.
Sharp blades filled the space within a hundred-square-ter radius, slicing through every goblin in her path.
Be they grunts or elite Goblin Heroes, none could so much as touch her. They didn’t even have the privilege of disturbing the air around her.
In re monts, they were all torn to pieces.
The Goblin King felt its soul leave its body as the crimson gaze swept over it. In a frenzy, it scrambled to flee, tumbling over itself to put as much distance as possible between itself and the battlefield.
How had it co to this? The reconnaissance at dawn reported fewer than five people!
This goblin horde was dood—completely dood! The lair was no longer an option; those damn adventurers wouldn’t spare it. Damn it all! That lair held its precious treasures accumulated over the years.
But it had to survive. As long as it survived, it could rise again! Just as it had in the beginning.
Back then, before it evolved into the Goblin King, it had been the sole survivor of a goblin lair wiped out by adventurers.
It had only survived because it was small and childlike, escaping notice and playing the innocent. A foolish female adventurer with a soft heart had spared it, turning her back to leave.
Ah, how kind and lovely she had been—so kind, so beautiful. And yet, it had smashed her skull in with a stone, over and over, until her kind face was no more.
This ti would be no different. It reassured itself of this fact.
It was a Goblin King, a creature favored by the heavens themselves. One day, that woman—her! I will—
The Goblin King filled its thoughts with every vile curse it could muster against the scythe-wielding woman.
Then, with a sudden "shhht", it felt its world tilt. Was that... its leg?
As it collapsed to the ground, it saw blood spurting from the severed stump of its knee, making a soft whistling sound. Oddly, it thought the sound was pleasant.
"Aaahhhhhh—!" A pig-like squeal ripped from its throat, its body consud by waves of searing pain. Blood, feces, urine, saliva, and tears poured from it simultaneously, mixing with the overpowering stench of its unwashed, festering body.
The sll assaulted the air as the Goblin King crumpled. Descending lightly from the air, Durandal wrinkled her nose in disgust.
The Goblin King’s grotesque and abhorrent appearance was a visual and olfactory assault, an unholy combination of chemical warfare and filth incarnate.
"You deserve to die," Durandal declared coldly.
This was a vile creature, so repugnant that its very existence nauseated her.
"Galaa! Galaa!?" The Goblin King’s bloodshot eyes widened in alarm at the commanding female voice.
Another woman?! It suppressed the stabbing agony in its lower half. A desperate thought flashed through its mind: another woman, just like before.
Heaven was on its side!
The Goblin King wept, forcing its battered body into a pathetic posture, and began to plead.
"Spare ! I’ll never do this again. It was our mistake—please, I swear! I’ll retreat deep into the forest and live peacefully. I’ll never harm anyone again!"
It whimpered in broken Common, choking on sobs as it tried to seem as pitiful as possible.
"I have children... I swear!"
Had its legs not been severed at the knees, it might have knelt to beg.
But it had chosen the wrong person. If it had been Kiana, she might have hesitated for a second. But Durandal?
She would not.
"Go repent in hell," she said flatly.
Before the Goblin King could react, Durandal, suspended in the air, made a simple slicing motion. Its neck was severed cleanly, the action as swift and effortless as slaughtering a chicken.
In that instant, disbelief filled the Goblin King’s toad-yellow eyes as it saw the red gleam of its own blood. The fetid liquid sprayed into the air, cascading in a grotesque arc.
"Shhht!"
"Hhh... hhh..." Its open mouth emitted only shallow, rasping breaths. The air whistled through the gash in its throat, making it painfully aware that it would never again form a coherent sound.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:
Patreon/DaoOfHeaven
User Comments
0 comments from readers