Goku watched the silhouette of the last Asura disappear into the underpass, then let out a long sigh of relief. His duty as the High Commander of the Old Battlefield was over. With the retreat of the final soldier, a heavy silence settled over the land. There is no general without an army, and at this mont, Goku had shed the crushing weight of leadership.
In truth, he had always preferred the role of a frontline warrior over soone issuing commands from behind a strategy table. He was well aware that his true strength lay in fighting at the vanguard alongside his soldiers. There, he could inspire his troops while simultaneously indulging in his greatest passion: combat.
However, Moku had commanded him to serve as General of the Old Battlefield, and Goku had no choice but to obey his King. While many Asuras did not understand why he had been chosen over Mige, the kingdom’s greatest thinkers understood Moku’s hidden intent.
The war against humanity was not their true stage. The greatest danger ca from the figure who had forced Wilwatikta to betray their forr allies: Lucifer. No one knew when Lucifer would return to impose an absurd whim, or worse, decide the Asura were no longer needed. Though Ez’s analysis suggested they had a one-year window, that was re speculation.
Moku recognized this risk and wanted soone who could act as a "danger alarm" for the worst-case scenario. That was why he had appointed the forr Ku (Chieftain) as one of the two High Generals. Goku might not be a strategist, but he was the only Asura with a danger instinct second only to Moku’s. It was that very instinct that had kept the remnants of the Orc race alive until Moku was ready to claim the title of Ku.
Back then, every adult Orc in their tribe had been slaughtered, leaving only small children unable to face the cruelty of the Bog Forest. Yet, against all odds, Goku had led them not only to survive but to birth a successor generation. Without Goku’s instinct; Moku, Swa, Mige, and the others would never have been born into this world.
"Goku, why the long sigh? Are you actually afraid?"
Suddenly, a voice erged from the underpass that was supposed to have been collapsed by the last soldier. Goku turned to find an Asura stepping out of the darkness.
"Yagnar! Why are you still here? My order was for all troops to retreat!" Goku growled. Disobedience was a grave offense in the military.
"Goku, at this mont, you are no longer a general. What kind of general stands alone without an army? We don’t have to follow your orders anymore!"
Another voice echoed from the tunnel, followed by three more Asura figures.
"Viggu, Gul, Cloc!" Goku exclaid in shock. The last remark had co from Viggu, a first-generation Asura currently eyeing him with displeasure. But the surprises weren’t over; more figures began to erge one by one.
"Maybe he still thinks he’s a Ku. Goku, stop dreaming. Decades have passed since Moku defeated you at the Palaka. But if Moku hadn’t beaten you then, I would have been the one to thrash you and take the title!"
For Moku, the title of Ku was a heavy burden. But for most Asuras, it was a title reserved for the strongest monster. Had being a Ku only ant being the strongest without the burden of leading a race’s future, Moku would likely have spent every day entertaining challenges at the Palaka. Monsters like Vakgar—whose brain was composed entirely of muscle—were not rare among the Asura.
"Olru, Xago, Vakgar... all of you..." Goku’s voice turned hoarse.
"Goku, why did you choose to fight alone? I knew you were going to do sothing stupid again. That’s why, for Boku’s sake, I brought our old friends to watch over you." The final figure finally appeared.
"Zalthu..."
Zalthu struck the air. Instantly, the underpass behind them collapsed, sealing the only way out.
"Goku... though you are no longer a Ku, your sacrifice for the entire monster species can never be repaid. I don’t want you alone in this place, facing the enemy just to buy ti for Wilwatikta," Yagnar said, looking Goku squarely in the eye.
"You all knew? Did Swa tell you?"
"Goku, you’re far too confident in those shallow secrets of yours. Do you think we need Swa to know what you’d do the mont you heard a Demon army was attacking? I can think with my ass and still know you’d face them alone!" Vakgar snapped.
"Ugh... in that case, does Boku know too?" Goku asked.
The eight Asuras nodded in unison. Goku went silent. He realized that if Boku hadn’t been busy in Progenitor City, they wouldn’t be numbering nine, but a full ten.
"Are you truly aware of what I’m about to do? And you’re still certain you want to follow ?"
The eight Asuras glanced at one another before focusing their gaze back on Goku. Zalthu, the eldest among them, took a step forward.
"Goku, when you were still the Ku leading us all, how many of your ridiculous decisions nearly got us all killed?"
"Zalthu is right," Yagnar nodded. "I’ve lost count of how many tis we nearly died. Stealing eggs from mutated birds, snatching food from mutated leopards, being chased by mutated pythons, raiding human slave caravans... the list is too long."
"The only reason we’re still breathing is the combination of Goku’s stupid instincts and Boku’s genius brain. Otherwise, the Orc race would have gone extinct before we could even evolve into Asuras," Xago added.
"More like only because of Boku’s genius. As for Goku, I cheered when Moku beat him senseless at the Palaka. It was truly a rcy from The One that Moku beca our Ku instead of you," Cloc quipped.
The Asuras erupted into boisterous laughter, clutching their stomachs. anwhile, Goku could only manage a sour expression. Yet, seeing his childhood friends standing there, ready to sacrifice their lives alongside him for the kingdom, moved him deeply.
They had been together long before Wilwatikta was ford, long before Moku turned them into the Dawnmist Tribe. Back then, they did everything together. They hunted together. They ate together. They even raped female captives together. There were only ten Orcs in their group in a cruel world that wanted them destroyed. Their warmth for one another was what kept them alive. Though each now held high positions in the kingdom, today they had gathered to fight together once more.
If Boku were here, their childhood circle would be complete. But Goku was also grateful Boku wasn’t. Wilwatikta still needed his brother’s genius.
Their laughter stopped abruptly as the air suddenly chilled. Dark clouds drifted in the distance, carrying a sulfuric scent of death. A cold wind bit at their faces. Everyone turned in the sa direction.
The Demon army had arrived.
"Everyone, forgive my selfishness. But once again, I want you to follow this crazy idea of mine. So of us might survive, but I know you’d rather not care about that," Goku said, looking at each of his childhood friends’ faces.
"May we battle together!" Goku shouted.
"In The One’s Heaven!" the eight Asuras answered loudly.
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