“Scent in distance!” Khthju called over to me after several wargs yowled. “Will attack many-wargs. Form until then.”

“I got it~, I got it~.” I went over the same plan as you Red Leader. If anything, our roles should be reversed.

I commanded the undead into a four deep long line formation. About 50 units across, the first two were zombie layers while the second two were skeletons armed mostly with spears, longer clubs, and the occasional sword. It wasn't much of a phalanx, but I didn't have much of an empire either.

The warg riders rode behind the formation near the center, with myself and Vamp near the flanks. Given the simultaneous control I had over them, once we impacted the enemy army, I could smoothly order us into a circle formation as we were overrun. Vamp and I would work the sides to put off that moment, but it was more or less inevitable. The circle formation would minimize losses, and we would hold out until the elites of Kugu’s army were dealt with. Once they lost their tactical troop, we would be able to use what would normally be risky formations that regular goblins were unable to see the critical weak points of.

By which I mean once the threats had been eliminated we could just go wild. The undead were not impervious, but against lower level goblins they had a high level of resistance. So long as they stayed relatively clumped together in small teams, they could sweep away the enemy.

Staying in formation, our group moved forward even more slowly, moving alongside the slowest of the zombies. They made a low shuffling noise as dead feet landed heavily upon the ground. Then, a rumbling sounded in the distance.

This time we weren't just scavenging off the edge of a battlefield. Vamp and I would be on the front lines this time, and we eagerly strained our eyes through the forest for the approaching horde. Minutes passed as the roaring grew louder and louder. Shouts and screams, the clatter and clack of claws and weapons.

The warg riders bared their teeth in nervous anticipation, while Vamp showed his in hunger. Even Red Leader was on edge; though plans were made, this was supposed to be a suicide mission. They would not disobey tKlor’t’t, but neither did they wish to die. A thread of hope would only appear if they gave everything they had, putting their lives on the line.

Reading the mood, I too spoke a silent prayer. Though I could take off my shirt, my pants were probably in more danger than anyone else.

I could understand why the goblins were in tatters at least.

As the roaring of Kugu’s army approached, Red Leader gave an impassioned speech. In goblin, I could only assume it was effective from the way the warg riders began glowering and chanting. Shaking their weapons and raising them to the canopy, the warg riders set off.

“I hope you're feeling hungry, because I won't be able to eat this all myself.”

“Khill until blood sroaks the trees; I still hunger.” Vamp patted his belly.

Spear drawn and claws at the ready, the ground shook as the tide of filthy green came into sight. Innumerable is the best way to describe their ranks, once ten were in view, there would never be fewer; once there were 50, their numbers kept growing; hundreds filling every inch of the forest, from east to west.

I made sure the zombies would reinforce their position, and the skeletons with appropriate weapons readied them. The wave of goblins smashed mindlessly forward, but I caught a look of terror on a few of what I assume we're cleverer ones, realizing what it meant to be fighting the dead. Of course against the massive momentum of their fellows scrambling from behind, even if they tried stopping they would either be trampled to the ground, or picked up by the living current forward.

Where they were promptly macerated.

The starting impact resulted in a few of the weaker zombies instantly collapsing, however these weak points were easily closed. With no further momentum, other than the loss of a few zombies and their limbs, many goblins began attacking ineffectively. The flesh was tough and already dead, blunt impact and trying to bleed the opponent to death with numbers did not work.

The dead would not just stand there. As soon as the initial collision finished, the skeletons struck back. They began to fall by the dozen, even before Vamp and I got involved. The glorious sight of my minnies saturating the ground with bodies, being good little zombies and skellingtons, slaughtering one after the other.

“*HA! Like eggs against a rock, you throw yourselves at us, thinking we shall break! But it is you who is doomed to shatter, your innards leaking out to ground! Led around like the empty-headed lot you are, all that awaits you is a massacre!*”

Summoning Clavi and the Freshmen from my Inventory, I felt no need to keep any trump cards. What goblins could pose enough danger to me to warrant keeping anything back? Either way, it’s wholesale slaughter! Discount deaths! Bodies in bulk! Corpses in Costco-quantities!

I brought out the spear to use in combat due to its quick attack speed, but I realized that goblins were so weak, I might as well have had Great Cleave. Changing out my weapon to the banded iron club from a while back, had reached the point where I could use it to add to the power of my swings even further.

Their weak structures crumpled three to five at a time as they were swatted down like flies. Had it been like before, such a one sided slaughter would be rather droll, but the goblins worked hard to make up for it in quantity. I dare say they succeeded on that front.

It wasn’t a grand battle in terms of skill or tactics. No one was fighting for a greater ideology, there were no shows of patriotism. It wasn’t even for the preservation of their own lives, I spotted many goblins on the fringes starting to run after the battle dragged on. The only reason the fight was so enjoyable were the overbearing numbers present.

This was just one faction, yet there must have been over a hundred thousand goblins trampling down through the woods, trying to stampede over us. Before long I was laughing atop a literal mountain of corpses, looking down on those pitiful goblins who tried climbing to the top to face me.

“*What foolishness is it that makes you think you can face ME? Crawling over your brethren merely to reach my feet, you will join them shortly thereafter! Yet continue! I mind not your empty-headed delusions of victory, for it only means I need waste effort hunting down such worthless worms!*”

Batting another challenger off my plateau of bodies, the goblin liquified under the force of the blow. Unfortunately, after beating down hundreds of goblins, my club which had been developing splinters eventually fractured, sending the bulk flying and leaving me with nothing. I liked the club, but it wasn’t like I didn’t have access to spares. They weren’t the same quality, and deteriorated faster, but I had a great number of them.

For about twenty minutes, the undead and tore apart the waves of goblins, and yet their numbers never fell. I would have felt like a hot plate trying to evaporate an ocean, if not for how hot the blood coursing through my veins felt. I’d been cooped up for ages, I had a time where I could cut loose! So when the endless hordes began parting to reveal a goblin outfitted in proper chainmail and wielding a sword, nose spreading out to under his eyes, I could only grow more excited.

“So you have come Kugu! Show me the strength of a goblin Chief!” Taunting, I smacked my chest, sounding out a wet slap of goblin blood. Laughing as Broadnose growled at me, I widened my stance as he charged forward over his dead spawn.

He charged, sword raised. It would normally be a bad idea to do that, but I was much taller and on the high ground using a blunt weapon; I couldn’t stab him in the gut, the main disadvantage of the maneuver. What I could do was aim to disarm him.

Swinging my dozenth or so club at the flat of his blade, even if it didn’t have as much weight as my first club, I had become stronger over the course of the battle. Kugu far surpassed his lesser kin, however I still saw him beneath me and did not act with optimal efficiency. At the last moment, the chief twisted his blade and landed at a critical point on the club, snapping it.

Losing my balance momentarily, the same happened for the goblin, however he recovered faster than expected.

Fear Aura had been activated for the entire battle; its radius of effect infrequently leaping as I leveled up. It brought all but the most berserk goblins hesitation and fatal mistakes, not that it wasn’t a fatal mistake to get near me in the first place. All within about 10 meters of me suffered, though the effects looked more mild than when concentrating on a single individual. Though I could focus fear aura to make it more powerful, it seemed to be an unintentional effect of only having a single target available. I would either need more training or a perk to do so consciously.

As it stood, Kugu was unaffected and quickly struck at me again.

“*You think you are worthy to stand next to me? What are you!*” In a volcanic eruption, I swept out yet another club to bat away his weapon again, my feet squelching about on the bodies to quickly turn 360°, at the same time drawing another club. Items drawn from Inventory maintained my momentum, and the second club quickly became a projectile heading for Broadnose.

It only served as a slight delay for the chief, but it gave me time to cut down several other minions that were making their way up the pile of bodies to try and face me. Clearing out the area of the irritating insects, there was the chopping sound of a sword biting deeply into my cudgel repeatedly.

Wood bits flew out, and I burned through weapon after weapon. They were too small for a dance of unstoppable momentum, but the brutal power I exerted was sufficient. Kugu kept barking at me in goblin, and I barked back laughter. He was merely being suppressed at the moment, had the chief arrived earlier I would have needed to be more clever with my fighting style. That was not how events played out, and my level had gone up several times, and I was able to have an enjoyably simple minded fight. Broadnose’s endurance and stamina was impressive, but beginning to flag I landed more and more hits.

Chieftains really were a cut above the rest. A swing that could cleanly pulp a lesser goblin would barely manage to mangle muscle. It was more than an abrasion, but neither were his limbs instantly reduced to ooze and shards of bone. After more than a few exchanges, Kugu clearly showed regret at deciding to fight, and began trying to disengage. When some slightly tougher goblins appeared where my undead formed up, I needed to take a bit more control over them, and the chief took the moment to escape.

About to sprint after him, the goblin skull used as a stepping stone gave way under my foot. Unsteadily running down the slope a few meters, I ended up taking one or two hits, but neither did I cease striking out. A few more goblins were felled, but the path through the sea closed behind Moses. Well, I could definitely turn this from a green sea to a red one.

To catch up, I switched to dual wielding swords; slashing weapons are good for fighting in motion. Pursuing my quarry, the undead battalion reordered the density of the skeletons inside the circle of zombies to begin pressing forward. My range had increased, but the chase would separate us, and I wanted to keep them under control as long as I could. Their losses were not large, but though they did not tire, the meat shields were slowly being whittled down.

In order to shorten the time, my swords cut at vital points, instead of barbarically hacking away in a fearsome manner. I could slash and dash, moving through several goblins before the first realized its oncoming death. Like a guillotine, all ahead were severed as I closed in on Kugu.

If not for the several strikes made to his leg, I would have had to expend even more effort chasing him down. In my battle-frenzied state, carving a path of death was more valued than moving efficiently, each felled goblin slightly reinforcing the invigorating rush of power that came from leveling up. Had I not been discernibly gaining, I may have just forgotten the chief to reap souls elsewhere.

Those in my way were enough to sate me for the moment, and bearing down on Kugu, I hurled one of my swords and the cheap thing barely upset his balance, the entire tip breaking off as it struck his armor. Falling forward, he caught himself and scrambled forward on his hands, but I had neared to the point where the path he forced through the goblins didn’t have time to close fully.

Swinging and drawing out a crude axe with my other hand, Broadnose wormed his way through several goblins, putting them between us. Gathering time in this manner, he once again turned to stand his ground. Wondering why he did so, I spared a little thought to . It was an incredible blur of red, with a trail of blue and black where I had tread. In the white(red?) noise, I managed to pick out a more intense murderous aura closing in quickly. Kugu had been trying to get reinforcements, what a delusional hope.

The bright crimson mass was approaching, but was still almost 50 meters away. That’s not enough to save you, Broadnose.

Swinging as a feint with the sword, the strike was about to be blocked, but instead of following through I dropped my weapon. An icy snake latched onto Kugu’s arm, and the flesh turned pale and gelid. was admittedly something that was left by the wayside at times during training. Though in Underworld its damage output would be higher, due to how bodies functioned with damage to skin not causing much other than superficial damage—and pain—it would usually be even less useful than whose power was at least concentrated into a single bolt.

In this case, I had high hopes though. With the improvements of further levels, the damage output would increase, and hopefully the effects not present from Underworld of Armok would be amplified as well. Not disappointed, as I grasped Kugu’s wrist, went to work freezing and decaying his hand. It was likely only the outer surface, but up to a little past the wrist, it was clear that it entered a state between being frozen and rigor mortis.

Trying to move his hand, the deeper muscles not quite frozen created a shear against the static exterior, causing it to split in numerous places. This led to both a screech of fear and pain, but I didn’t give the goblin any time to finish it, sinking the axe from my other hand into his neck during the distraction.

It wasn’t a clean break, only wedging itself about an inch in, but that spelled his doom. The force twists the neck, tearing apart the muscle! An artery has been opened by the attack!

The goblin Kugu has been struck down. Kugu is dead. Grief? I feel nothing.

That wasn’t true, in fact I felt a huge rush. Compared to the other goblins, there was an incredible wave of power to be absorbed. The elation seemed to not only be limited to leveling, up, it was just the goblins I had been facing were too weak.

“Hehehe hahahaha HAHAHAAA!!” Then the feeling doubled down, and I began laughing even more. Turning to the approaching enemy, no matter how much stronger than Kugu, they were still worthless! What could match up to me? Necromancer or not, empowered or not, all goes according to my desire! I launched myself back through the fray towards the next sacrifice. “*You impotent FOOLS! Is there anything here that can be called a CHALLENGE? No matter how strong you are, or how weak I may be, you will ALL BOW BEFORE ME! Prostrate yourselves in the face of my WILL!*”