Chapter 5: The General's Judgment
"Since I can't kill you now..."
The adult goblin sneered as he stepped forward, eyes locked on the elf woman.
"...I'll just have some fun with your 'mother' instead."
The elf's body tensed. Kaito, still bound in the vines, felt her shiver. That faint movement snapped him back to focus. He turned and saw the goblin leering at his mother.
The rage inside him ignited once again.
"How dare you!"
"Hahaha!" The goblin laughed, noticing Kaito's furious expression. He glanced back at the shaman, who remained silent, uninterested.
Emboldened, the goblin's grin widened. "You'll watch while I—"
Whish!
A stone flew past his head, cutting him off mid-sentence.
"Say that again," Kaito growled, one arm now free from the vines.
"You... little...!" The goblin's face twisted with rage. He charged, fist swinging—
Bang!
His punch hit nothing but air. Kaito had already moved, twisting free from the vines and dodging to the side.
"What?!"
Kaito grabbed the goblin's outstretched arm. With a swift motion, he twisted and spun, leveraging his entire body weight.
Crack!
The goblin's arm snapped at the joint.
"Aaaahhh!" the goblin shrieked, collapsing to the floor and writhing in agony.
"Damn brat!" Another adult goblin rushed in, raising a stone axe above his head.
"Enough!"
A booming voice stopped him cold.
A massive goblin, larger than any Kaito had seen before, stepped into the room. Muscles bulged beneath crude armor, and a jagged scar ran down his face. His presence radiated authority.
"General!" the goblins cried, immediately kneeling.
The wounded goblin wailed, "General, you must kill this cub! He's a monster! He's slaughtered our kind!"
The general silenced him with a glare. "How dare you complain to me... after getting beaten by a newborn?"
"Shaman, explain," the general ordered.
The goblin shaman stepped forward and relayed the events that had unfolded.
"I see," the general muttered, turning his gaze toward Kaito. His sharp eyes narrowed as if searching for something — and then widened slightly in surprise. His expression hardened again just as quickly.
"Was it you who killed the cubs?" he asked.
Kaito stood protectively in front of his mother, muscles tense. He said nothing but refused to back down.
"Can't speak?" The general scowled.
"Hey!" One of the adult goblins sneered. "The general asked you a question!"
"How dare you ignore him?!"
"General, let me finish this brat right now!"
The goblins glared at Kaito, waiting for the order to strike.
"Well..." the shaman interrupted. "It's normal for newborns not to speak yet. He's still a cub."
The general's eyes flicked back to Kaito. "Ah... right. Then we'll wait."
"Wait?!" The goblins' jaws dropped in disbelief. "Are you serious, General? He's dangerous! We should kill him now!"
"How?" The general's gaze turned ice-cold. "Do you have a problem with my decision?"
"N-No, sir," the goblins stammered, lowering their heads.
Their furious glares returned to Kaito. The intent was clear — Just wait... the moment you grow stronger, we'll finish you.
Kaito ignored their hostility. His attention remained fixed on the general. Could he kill this one? His instincts warned him the goblin general was dangerous — more dangerous than anyone he'd faced before. And yet... his vision blurred, and his limbs weakened. Exhaustion and hunger gnawed at him. Had he been poisoned?
"What should we do with the cub?" the shaman asked.
The general studied Kaito again. Bloodied, weakened, and barely standing, yet still defiant.
"Let him be," the general said. "Everything is normal."
"Understood," the shaman replied.
The goblins left one by one, sneering back at Kaito as they went.
Once the room emptied, Kaito's strength gave out. His legs buckled, and his body collapsed.
Warm arms caught him before he hit the floor.
"I... I won't let you die," the elf whispered. Tears streaked down her face as she clutched Kaito tightly.
Instinctively, Kaito turned toward the warmth, his small jaws biting down as his body demanded nourishment.
"Please... don't leave me," she sobbed. "Don't leave me here... alone in this miserable nest."