Chapter 127: Clash of Wills
As the battle raged on, the Hobgoblins\' hope for victory turned into a desperate struggle for survival. The ground was littered with the bodies of the fallen, a testament to the brutal reality of the battlefield.
Each Hobgoblin who fell was a reminder of the grim fate that awaited the rest. The few who remained fought with a frantic, almost primal ferocity, but even their fiercest efforts were in vain against the shells of the Ebizo army.
Cracking those formidable shells would require immense force, far beyond the reach of exhausted strength of the weary Hobgoblins.
Kraggul\'s mind raced, seeking a way to turn the tide, but the reality was stark and undeniable. The Ebizo\'s shells were too hard, their spears too deadly, and their formation too disciplined.
The Hobgoblins were outmatched in every way, their strength and spirit crushed by the overwhelming might of the Ebizo soldiers.
"Give up, King Kraggul," Rain declared, his voice unsteady as he faced the Hobgoblin King. "You have been defeated. Surrender, and I will spare your lives."
Helliana, lying wounded nearby, wanted to protest, but she was too weak. Chin was tending to her wounds, but it wasn\'t helping her condition. Her injuries were serious and required thorough medical attention. She could barely move, let alone speak.
As much as she despised Kraggul and wished for his death, along with the destruction of all the Hobgoblins, it wasn\'t her call to make. The fate of their enemies now rested in the hands of this player who had just arrived.
She couldn\'t help but feel a flicker of gratitude that Rain was an ally and didn\'t seem to be a threat to the Orcs. Or at least, that was the impression she got from him. She really hoped he wasn\'t after the Orcs. They had the strength to smash the Ebizo\'s hard shells, but what was left of them couldn\'t fight anymore.
She couldn\'t fight anymore. They were sitting ducks for others to prey upon.
"Give up? Live?" King Kraggul laughed loudly, his mocking voice suggesting that he was far from giving up. "You mean to give up and become slaves to you?"
Rain was taken aback. "That\'s not what I mean––"
"I know what you meant!" Kraggul interjected, his voice booming with indignation. "Do you think I\'m naive enough to believe our fate would be anything less than slaves and servants after all that\'s happened here?"
Rain couldn\'t find the words. He wanted to say that Kraggul was wrong. That they could live as a citizen back in his village. But he couldn\'t. The burning anger radiating from the Hobgoblin king made the words stuck in his throat. It seemed whatever he said now would be pointless.
"Listen to me, you ignorant fool," Kraggul roared. "I, Kraggul, and the rest of my army would never go back to servitude. Death is more rewarding than being a slave again! We would rather die than become one of your servants!"
The Hobgoblins gave a rousing cry, their morale skyrocketing at King Kraggul\'s proclamation. The embers of defiance in their eyes flared into a roaring fire once more.
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Kraggul\'s words struck a deep chord within his troops. Each Hobgoblin remembered the pain and humiliation of their past, the chains that had bound them, and the whip scars on their backs. They had fought long and hard to rise above their oppressors, to forge a new destiny with their own hands. Surrender was not an option.
Rain saw the determination in their eyes, the unyielding spirit that refused to be broken. He realized then that this battle was more than just a clash of swords and strategies. It was a fight for their very souls, for their right to exist as free beings.
And for some reason, it made his goal looked puny and insignificant that he took a step back unknowingly.
Kraggul raised his halberd high, the blade glinting in the eerie light. "We are Hobgoblins!" he bellowed. "We are warriors! We have bled and suffered, but we have never bowed, and we never will! For freedom, for honor, for the future of our race, we fight!"
The Hobgoblins echoed his cry, their voices a thunderous chorus of resolve. They surged forward, their exhaustion forgotten in the face of their leader\'s unwavering conviction.
Rain sensed the shift in the battlefield\'s atmosphere, and knew that this fight was far from over. The Hobgoblins, driven by their indomitable will, would not go down easily.
Kraggul\'s declaration had reignited the flames of their rebellion. The Hobgoblins were ready to lay down their lives for the cause they believed in. They would fight to their last breath, not just for victory, but for the right to live free and unchained.
Rain\'s expression remained serious, hiding the uncertainty in his eyes. "I respect your struggle," he said, his voice measured. "But this path you\'ve chosen, the path of conquest and bloodshed — it will only lead to more suffering. There can be a better way."
Kraggul\'s eyes narrowed. "A better way?" he scoffed. "You speak of peace, but your presence here means war. We are warriors, forged in battle. Peace is a luxury we cannot afford."
". . ."
"You\'re a naive fool, young player," King Kraggul taunted, his voice dripping with disdain. "Throughout history, it\'s well known from the annals of war that people don\'t react to massive death tolls if they\'re too high to comprehend."
"W-what do you mean?"
But King Kraggul only continued. "One death can mobilize a community, even a nation. Hundreds of thousands can leave a lasting impression, used for good or ill. But millions of deaths? That\'s the ticket. Make it bloody enough, and everyone will keep eating their snacks and pouring their milk.
We aren\'t wired to cope with that level of devastation, so we shut down, like a safety mechanism.
"And thus my strategy is simple: ensure the death tolls is as high as possible. For the few who could still react, silence them with the fear of the \'enemy.\' Wicked fun. Worked every time. That\'s where true power lies — not in the grandiose numbers, but in the singular, heartbreaking stories that pierce through the apathy and ignite a fire in the hearts of those who still dare to care.
"We will slaughter millions, and our names will echo across the world, striking fear into the hearts of all who hear them. Nations will tremble, and all will bow before us!"