CHAPTER 224: CHAPTER 223: AT THE HEART OF THE STORM

Lumberling raised an eyebrow. "Not alone, though, right?"

"Exactly!" Jen continued. "He has plenty of strong subordinates too. The others are stationed at the second base..."

Liraeth’s eyes widened slightly, a flicker of curiosity crossing her face.

"I see. And they follow his orders well?"

Jen puffed her chest proudly. "Very well."

Lumberling’s lips twitched in a small smile, noting how her tone carried both pride and a hint of challenge, as if testing whether he really trusted her soldiers.

Liraeth’s gaze lingered on Jen for a moment, then she nodded subtly, a faint crease forming between her brows as she processed the information.

The two immediately fell into conversation. Liraeth, a viscount with years of leadership experience, spoke with calm confidence, while Jen, eager and curious, absorbed every word and eagerly shared her own perspective as someone just beginning to lead.

Their voices blended easily, their exchange flowing from soldiers to training, to the challenges of guiding others.

Watching them, Lumberling found himself smiling faintly. He shook his head. "I’ll come back tonight, Viscount Liraeth. Jen, accompany her for me."

"Alright, have fun," Jen said, waving him off without missing a beat. Then she turned back to Liraeth, her eyes sparkling. "Let’s go! I’ll introduce you to Aunt Celine and baby Evelyn, she’s the cutest baby girl you’ll ever see."

A small laugh escaped Liraeth, light and unguarded, surprising even herself. "I’d like that."

...

Lumberling sprinted across the forest, his body moving like a blur. Ever since his breakthrough into a True Knight, distance meant little. His strides devoured the ground, and the hours passed swiftly.

By the time he reached the second base, the sounds of battle were already rumbling through the air, shouts, steel clashing, and the guttural cries of monsters.

Before him stood the fortress, its tall walls braced against a tide of creatures. The monsters weren’t powerful on their own, but their numbers were overwhelming. Hundreds swarmed at once, clawing and gnashing against the defenses.

Lumberling’s eyes sharpened as he watched the organized resistance pushing them back.

The sub-captains barked orders, voices carrying over the battlefield. What struck him most was how much had changed since he last left them.

From a mere hundred troops, their number had increased by half again. And these weren’t the ragged mix of common goblins and kobolds anymore. Every soldier on the line was either an Elite Kobold or a Hobgoblin, their discipline and strength unmistakable.

On the other hand, the sub-captains Trask, Kelgroth, Tor, and Shen now stood taller and fiercer than before, each of them had become Kobold Warshapers, their forms radiating controlled power. At a single glance from Trask, they shifted in perfect unison.

Meanwhile, Zel, Zephar, and Ragza had transformed into Hobgoblin Warlords mirroring the motion across the line of Hobgoblins, letting out a synchronized roar that rolled across the battlefield like thunder. The soldiers behind them moved as one, spears thrusting and shields locking in a rhythm that spoke of countless hours drilled in formation.

All his sub-captains were now on the Knight Apprentice Level.

Lumberling’s gaze lingered on Trask, noting the steady pulse of his aura. ’Almost at the peak of his rank... he’s growing fast.’

The rest of the ranks had swelled as well. The three Hobgoblin Warriors who once guarded this place had doubled to six, and the trio of Kobold Berserkers had grown to five. Eleven in total now carried the weight of Knight Page-level strength.

And together, they moved like a machine. Warshapers reinforced the line with shifting stances, Warlords drove their squads with unyielding shouts, and the Berserkers carved bloody paths into the horde.

A monster lunged up the wall, screeching, only to be cleaved in two by Ragza’s massive blade. Trask’s booming command followed instantly.

"Hold steady! Don’t let them breach!"

From atop the walls, flaming oil rained down, while spears thrust outward in perfect rhythm.

Lumberling’s chest swelled, not just with pride, but with relief. What had once been a fragile experiment in loyalty and strength had become something real. They were thriving.

Then, a sharp, ear-splitting shriek cut through the battlefield.

"KUANGGGG!"

Lumberling’s eyes snapped toward the sound. Shade, the giant spider, was locked in combat with a massive Serpent Vine. The serpent’s green scales shimmered as it lashed out, coiling and striking, while Shade’s limbs clattered against the ground, fangs dripping venom. Each clash shook the earth, monster against monster in a brutal contest of strength.

Lumberling tightened his grip on his spear. He could feel the pull of the battle, his blood urging him forward. With a deep breath, he stepped into the fray.

A crushing pressure spread outward, heavy and suffocating. Monsters froze mid-charge, their snarls caught in their throats. Even his own soldiers halted, eyes wide as they turned toward him.

Lumberling felt the surge of his aura, a cold thrill running through his chest. The battlefield bent subtly to his will, he noted each pause, each faltering foe, a small smirk tugging at his lips. ’This is so cool’

"It’s our Lord!" Kelgroth’s voice broke the silence.

"It’s him! Lord Lumberling has returned!" others echoed, their cheers building like a wave.

The spark of hope ignited in their ranks.

Lumberling raised his spear high. Sparks began to dance across the shaft, snapping and cracking like a brewing storm. With a powerful stride, he lunged forward.

’Thundering Lunge!’

The ground burst beneath his feet as he shot forward, his body trailing sparks. At the same time, he focused his will, funneling everything into the sharp tip of his weapon.

’Spearheart Thrust!’

The combined force exploded outward. Monsters in his path were pierced clean through, their bodies thrown aside like rag dolls. The aura of fear he radiated crushed their will to fight, panic rippled through their ranks as many turned to flee.

But retreat was impossible.

Lumberling’s voice cut through the stillness.

"Advance."

The single word rang like steel on stone. In that instant, the pause shattered, and his army surged forward, a tide of fury unleashed by his command.

The carnage began not as chaos, but as inevitability.

"Don’t let a single one escape!" Zel roared.

"Kill them all!" Ragza bellowed.

The Sub-Captains and soldiers surged forward with renewed fury. Blades, claws, and spears cut down every monster they caught. The battlefield turned into a one-sided slaughter, the tide now fully in their favor.

And at the heart of it all, Lumberling stood tall, his spear dripping with sparks and blood, his aura unyielding.