Chapter 116: A Small Festival
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 116: A Small Festival
“For Blood Dagger!”
“For Blood Dagger!!”
As we arrived at the settlement, the first to greet us were, of course, the little ones. Kim Yoora and Nicole were the very first to welcome us. The human and Green Skin children, who had been clinging anxiously to our clan members, seemed to relax a little when they saw Nicole and Kim Yoora running energetically toward us.
They must have been terribly worried they were going to be eaten.
“It’s the little ones!”
“They’re little human kids!”
I wasn’t sure who they were calling “little,” given that they were kids themselves, but the unexpected welcome seemed to delight the newcomers. Orbo, in particular, who was even bigger than Nicole or Kim Yoora, looked thrilled to have made so many new friends.
“Orbo! Orbo!”
He slipped out of his father’s arms and ran ahead to greet Nicole himself.
I was concerned that the increase in young ones would create more work for the mother goblins, but I was somewhat relieved to remember that we had also rescued females from the underground facility. Amidst the chaos, I watched the Green Skins who had entered the settlement with Orbo. Some still had a dazed look, as if a fog still clouded their minds, but others seemed to be in better shape, perhaps due to the effects of the battle.
Just like Orbo, they would gradually return to normal with time. I left the cleanup to Mev and Ragia and headed straight for Storm Shadow’s tent. While it was proper etiquette not to interfere in each other’s clan affairs, we were indebted to him for his hospitality, and I felt it was best to inform him of what had happened, as it was an event that could send shockwaves through tribal society.
Tall trolls blocked my way in front of the tent. After a short wait, I was allowed to enter.
Inside, Storm Shadow was sitting quietly. He looked at me with a slight smile playing on his lips.
“Your family has grown.”
“My apologies. We will leave the settlement as soon as we are ready.”
“There is no need. Blood Dagger, what you have done is something we are grateful for as well… You may stay as long as you need to prepare.”
As I suspected, he already had a general idea of what had happened. He hadn’t shown his face at all since our arrival, so I’d assumed he was busy with other matters, but it seemed he had been watching us.
“If it’s not an imposition, I would like to hear the details…”
“Hmm…”
At Storm Shadow’s words, I nodded and slowly began to speak. I told him everything: about encountering and capturing the humans after arriving here, the battle against the warriors I fought alongside Ibar, the truth I learned in the process, my meeting with Orbo, and finally, receiving help from the Goff Clan in the battle.
At a glance, his expression seemed impassive as he listened, but I could gauge his emotions from the subtle changes—the corner of his mouth twitching, his blazing eyes staring into the air, or his ears drooping.
When I mentioned that the Goff Clan had come to our aid, he even perked up his ears. He seemed more engrossed in my story than I had expected.
However, once the story was over, the atmosphere grew heavy. It was clear that he was enraged.
“So the humans from the large settlement were involved as well…”
“That’s right, Storm Shadow…”
“I will officially bring this matter to the Great Tribe council. This incident will spread to all Green Skins, and many will shout your name. Perhaps the Great Tribe Leader will even bestow a weapon upon you…”
The idea of becoming a star in Green Skin society was less interesting to me than the weapon the Great Tribe Leader might grant. As I briefly imagined what kind of weapon I might receive, he looked at me and spoke again.
“I will be leaving the settlement for a while. Until then, you may use it as you wish.”
He vanished into his own shadow, as if in a hurry. It was undoubtedly a unique ability. I finally understood why Goff and I hadn't been able to find even a trace of him during the Tutorial. I couldn't tell if it was a movement skill or one that simply concealed his body, but seeing him disappear before my eyes, it was more likely the former.
‘Ha…’
It was a good thing I had evolved into a high-ranking demon. If I hadn't, I might not have even sensed him disappearing. I had heard that Storm Shadow’s public reputation was such that he was considered a candidate for the next Great Tribe Leader. His combat power was surely immeasurably high. He was stronger than Park Hyeri, who I had considered the strongest enemy I’d ever faced, and even stronger than the Green Goblin I had briefly served as a student. In a way, he was on the same level as the Sword Saint or the Queen of the North from my past.
The thought of wanting to test my own strength against his arose unbidden, and I couldn't help but laugh. I realized I had become completely steeped in the Green Skin way of thinking.
Letting out a sigh, I stepped out of the tent into the complete darkness outside. Seeing him depart at such a late hour made me realize just how seriously he was taking this incident.
As I walked a little further toward our tents, a flickering light came into view. I immediately knew what was happening.
The sound of large drums echoed, accompanied by the boisterous voices of Green Skins.
“Hey! Bring the ale! Bring it!”
“Let the victory festival begin!”
“A victory festival!!”
I could see the ogres of the Goff Clan pounding their chests as they danced around a large campfire, with Nicole and the other children riding on their shoulders. I also spotted Kim Yoora drinking an unidentifiable beverage with Hakajin—I couldn't tell if it was ale or water—and the trolls of the Black Spear Clan clapping and watching the ogres.
“Mirror Blade is my new name! A new name bestowed by Blood Dagger!”
“I am Half Blade!”
I hadn’t bestowed new names so much as taken their old ones away, but that detail seemed unimportant to Gark and Hark, who were already thoroughly drunk.
“Uwooooooooh!”
The sight of the Goblin Three Sisters continuously roasting the meat of a large monster over the bonfire was also impressive.
The beast being cooked looked like a bear. Since we hadn't caught anything like it, the food must have been provided by the Goff Clan. As I made my presence known, Goff immediately waved me over. He was laughing continuously, sharing some amusing story with Black Spear.
“Blood Dagger!”
His face was flushed red. It looked like he’d started drinking while I was talking in Storm Shadow’s tent.
“What are you two talking about that’s so amusing, Black Spear?” I asked, walking over to join them.
Black Spear answered at once.
“We were just talking about an Orc that Goff met in the West…”
“Oh?”
“Right, I met an interesting young fellow before coming here. He was wearing a wolf’s hide, but he was quite composed for a youngster… Seeing the young Green Skins here reminded me of him, so we were just talking.”
“Was he carrying a bow, by any chance?”
“You know him well, I see… Krk-krk.”
I smiled at Goff’s words. The young Orc he had met was undoubtedly Broken Bow. The clan had been so busy after the battle in the Forest Worm tunnels that I hadn't had time to say goodbye to him before coming here. It seemed he was doing well. Curious about his recent activities, I asked Goff again.
“How has he been?”
“I couldn’t find out, Blood Dagger. When I left the Green Goblin Clan and headed east, the young Orc was also setting out with his tribe. Hmm… I don’t remember clearly, but I think I heard they were heading south.”
“I see…”
I had a good idea of what he was thinking. The place he was leading his tribe to was surely the Land of Glory. The Land of Glory, where the Great Tribe Leader Agar awaited. I had expected him to wander from place to place to reclaim his honor, but surprisingly, he seemed to have chosen the most direct path.
In a way, it was a Warrior’s Exam they were imposing upon themselves. Without a guide, they would likely face far more hardships than we did, but I was certain that the Broken Bow I knew would pass the test and then come looking for me.
“It seems he’s heading to the Land of Glory…”
“The Land of Glory… a nostalgic name.”
The first voice was Black Spear’s, the second was my own murmur. Goff, who had been smiling, turned serious at our words and spoke.
“Have you ever heard the story of the Land of Glory?”
I shook my head. I thought I had spoken with the Green Goblin about many things, but I couldn’t recall ever discussing the Land of Glory. Seeing Black Spear nod, it seemed he knew the story. It was probably a tale that senior Green Skins were supposed to tell the newcomers, but since I was the first junior the Green Goblin had ever taken in, he must have forgotten to tell me.
Sensing my curious gaze, Goff slowly began to speak.
“It seems you haven’t heard… I’m not much of a storyteller, so I don’t know where to begin. It’s probably best to start from the beginning…”
“…”
“I’ve heard that in the beginning, only humans and monsters lived on this continent.”
And so, Goff slowly began his tale.
“I don’t know the exact details, but when Great Tribe Leader Agar’s tribe first arrived here, a great many humans had already settled.”
According to Goff, the humans were the first to settle this land, and we Green Skins arrived later. It was a somewhat tedious story, but it was also incredibly dramatic. He spoke of the Great Tribe Leader avoiding humans to secure a place for his tribe, and of those who broke away due to disagreements.
“Because of the powerful humans who had already settled, the Great Tribe Leader chose to lie low at the time. Many Green Skins who couldn’t understand his decision either left his side… or died…”
Then came the endless battles that erupted after they crossed the desert and discovered the fertile southern lands. It wasn’t a war fought out of instinct, but a war for survival, for the tribe, and ultimately, for the fate of the Green Skin race.
I began to picture the Great Tribe Leader of that time in my mind. I had only heard a fragmented story, but there must have been countless events beyond our imagination. Numerous comrades and subordinates must have died in the course of battle, and his children and the Green Skins from other clans who joined later would have lost their lives as well.
Only then did I understand why the Land of Glory was called what it was. It was undoubtedly a place where countless Green Skins had shed their blood and sweat. I understood why Agar was called the Great Tribe Leader, and why I had felt so overwhelmed when I first met him.
After finishing his story, Goff glanced over at me. I met his gaze without thinking, and after a brief silence, Goff bared his fangs and spoke.