Chapter 72: Chapter : 72 : The War Had Begun!

Groth Fenish cracked his neck, red eyes glowing as he let out a grin. “Heh. Nothing like standing a sword’s length away from death to wake a man up.”

His second in command, spat to the side, resting his massive greataxe on his shoulder. “Death don’t wake me, sir. The only thing that does is the sound of bones breaking.”

Groth smirked. “Depends whose bones. You keep swinging that lump of iron, I might die of boredom before the enemy kills me.”

He barked a laugh, “Careful, Sir, your great beard might fall of with all that grinning.”

That earned a ripple of chuckles from the goblin soldiers nearby.

Lindash Madoka muttered from beneath his hood, voice low and strange. “All of you will be flat eventually. Flesh crushed, ash scattered. Nothing but whispers on the wind.”

Aurora Paledusk shifted uncomfortably but managed a small smile. “Ignore him. He’s always like this before a fight.”

Adrish Zenith chuckled. “Always gloomy, always weird. Guess it means he’s focused.” He leaned back, catching Aurora’s nervous glance and giving her a teasing grin. “Still not used to this kind of talk, huh, Aurora?”

Her face flushed bright as her voice stumbled. “N-no, Sir Zenith, I… I’m fine. Really.”

“Good,” he said, smirking wider, completely oblivious to the way she twisted her fingers together to hide the trembling.

Arisha, standing beside him, exhaled sharply. “Clueless,” she muttered under her breath ki

Aiden stood a few paces forward, white hair catching the wind as his gaze stayed locked on the hobgoblin line across the field. Luna hovered near him, quiet but firm.

Then Arisha Zenith walked up, long red hair whipping like frost in the breeze. The air shifted—soldiers tensed as her cold aura washed over them.

Aiden glanced at her, voice casual. “Nervous?”

Her answer was nervous yet sharp. “Never. I live for this.”

He chuckled, lips curling. “Good. ’Cause I’d hate to take someone out on a date only for them to die the next day.”

The words landed like an arrow through her chest. Arisha’s composure shattered instantly—her cheeks burned crimson as she jerked her head aside. “Y-you…” she stammered, biting her lip, “…you still remember that?”

“Of course,” Aiden said smoothly. “I don’t joke about that kind of thing. So after this, you’re still mine for the evening, right?”

Her throat tightened. Slowly, painfully, she forced herself to meet his gaze. “…Yes.” Her voice was softer than steel had ever allowed it. “After this war, I’ll go with you.”

Silence followed.

Groth second in actually blinked. Groth’s mouth opened, then shut. Lindash tilted his head slowly as if he’d misheard. Even King Kragg raised one thick brow.

“…Did the Ice Queen just blush?” Groth second in muttered.

“No damn way,” Groth rumbled. “She doesn’t blush. She doesn’t even laugh.”

But there she was, gripping her sword hilt too tight, crimson eyes burning but her face completely red—every inch a lovesick maiden.

Aiden just grinned. “Good. Then it’s settled.”

Her heartbeat thundered so loud she was sure the whole frontline could hear it.

—

Farther down the line, another pair lingered.

Adrish ran a hand through his red hair, glancing at Aurora, the healer, who was giving quick instructions to her medic team before the clash. “Oi, Aurora, you’re awfully serious today. What, nervous?”

She snapped her head toward him, her cheeks already warming. “N-Nervous? Of course not… I’ll be fine. Just take care of yourself, die.”

He smirked, leaning closer. “Heh, you sound like you actually care.”

Aurora’s face burned red, and she quickly turned away, clutching her staff tighter. “I-It’s my job. Don’t read into it.”

Adrish chuckled, shaking his head. “Sure, sure. Whatever you say.”

Aurora exhaled shakily, trying to steady her heartbeat. Every word, every teasing grin—he had no clue. He was healing wounds on the battlefield, while unknowingly cutting deeper into hers.

—

Meanwhile, Thristle tugged her hood into place, the fabric of her skin-tight combat gear hugging her toned frame. She bounced lightly on her toes, cracking her knuckles, itching to dive headfirst into the fight.

Luna’s sharp eyes slid toward her, a rare smirk tugging at her lips. “Try not to show off too much. This isn’t a playground.”

Thristle snorted, brushing back a strand of hair that slipped free from her hood. “”Pfft, says the wolf girl who’s gonna hog all the kills.”

“I’ll only be hogging my Master,” Luna said smoothly, her gaze cutting to Aiden with burning devotion.

Thristle groaned dramatically, throwing her hands up. “Yeah, yeah, we get it. You’re head over heels. Spare me the love story, wolf girl.”

“Mii~!” chirped Fluffynugget, the tiny puffball fluttering its little wings and landing on Aiden’s shoulder.

Instead of a growl, the creature puffed up like a cotton ball, wiggling with excitement.

Aiden reached up, giving the little ball a fond pat. “Good boy, Nugget. Save that energy. You’ll get your moment.”

“Mii~!” the puffball squeaked, tail flicking like a spark of joy.

—

King Kragg Grimclaw, the Goblin King himself, stood with his battle axe slung across his shoulder. His scarred jaw clenched as his crimson eyes swept over the generals. “Enough chatter. Hold your ground. No weakness. Today, the world remembers the Goblin Kingdom.”

Every general snapped straight. Even Groth’s grin softened into something more solemn as he pounded his chest.

—

The silence fractured.

A low, bone-deep rumble echoed across the battlefield—BWOOOOOOOOM!

The hobgoblin war horn.

The sound carved through the sky like a blade, followed almost instantly by a sharper, higher BWEEEEEHHHH from the goblin ranks. Both sides answered with a roar, soldiers slamming weapons against shields, stomping feet into earth until the field itself seemed to quake.

Aiden’s hand slid to the hilt at his hip, his white hair whipping in the cold gusts. His eyes, blazing with icy calm, fixed on the enemy line.

Luna stepped closer, golden eyes flashing. “Master… the moment’s here.”

“Yeah.” His lips curved, faint but sharp. “Let’s dance.”

With that, the front surged.

Steel rang. Arrows cut the sky. Magic flared like lightning across storm clouds.

Aiden’s twin dagger blurred in an arc—one hobgoblin’s head split clean from his shoulders before the soldier even registered the strike. Blood misted, caught by the wind.

Luna was already gone from his side, a black streak tearing into the enemy ranks. Her claws ripped through armor like parchment, golden eyes burning with devotion as she whispered, “For Master,” each time another fell.

Thristle darted forward low and fast, fists snapping with vicious precision. One hobgoblin’s jaw shattered beneath her strike, teeth flying, before she spun, heel cracking into another’s temple. She moved like a storm—lean, brutal, untouchable.

“Mii~!” Fluffynugget chirped from Aiden’s shoulder, puffing with excitement, tiny sparks of light crackling from its fur.

Across the field, Groth bellowed a war cry, cleaving through two hobgoblins with a single swing of his arm, laughter booming even over the chaos. Adrish’s spear pierced through enemies , while Aurora shouted healing incantations, her hands glowing as she pulled the wounded back from death’s edge.

The first clash thundered into a brutal rhythm—steel on steel, magic on flesh, blood on earth.

The war had begun.

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END OF Chapter : 72 : THE WAR HAD BEGUN!

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