Chapter 227: The Clan's Flag
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 227: The Clan's Flag
Kim Yoora came into view, walking with considerable confidence. Not bad. The Blood Dagger Clan does not bow its head just because it lost a fight. The others followed her, entering with their heads held high. It seemed all their treatments were complete, as everyone looked unharmed. I had seen them from a distance and already received a report, but seeing them up close brought a sense of relief. The explosion had looked quite large from where I was standing.
After a deep sigh, I spoke to the young warriors, including Kim Yoora.
“I am disappointed.”
As expected, I saw them all flinch. The look on Kim Yoora’s face was quite a sight. Her eyes suddenly wavered, and she seemed to be fighting back tears with all her might. I hadn’t intended to reprimand her, but it was best to point out her mistake beforehand. It didn’t matter whether she already knew it or not. What was important was to review it one more time, so it could be carved into her heart.
“Kim Yoora, you nearly got all the brothers fighting alongside you killed.”
Her face turned a little pale.
“The clan’s flag is also in a sorry state.”
The flag they carried was burnt and bent, likely from the blast’s aftermath. The standard-bearer instinctively hunched over.
“I’m sorry. It was all my fault.”
Kim Yoora spoke from the front, her voice trembling. She looked so pitiful that Jung Hayeon and Baek Ahyeon, standing beside me, began to fidget nervously. Even Hakajin looked anxious, worried that his precious disciple might receive a harsh scolding.
“That is not all I am referring to. Anyone can show mercy, and it can be shown to anyone. However, you alone are responsible for the consequences. If you lacked the strength to fight, I could have accepted it. But the young brothers of our Blood Dagger Clan are by no means lacking in strength.”
“…”
“What you lack, Kim Yoora, is responsibility. When you stand on the battlefield, you must always think of the brothers behind you first. And young brothers, what you lack is resolve. Mercy is a right reserved for the victor. I will not rebuke you for this any further. You will grow stronger, you will advance, and you will strive forward. Carve the events of today into your hearts for the rest of your lives.”
As they nodded, I continued.
“Had any of you met with great harm, my own heart would have been in immense pain.”
Only then did I see their expressions soften. I wasn’t much of a wordsmith, but I hoped they would each take something meaningful from what I had said. I turned to Hakajin.
“Hakajin.”
“For Blood Dagger!”
“Give the flag to Kim Yoora.”
“Yes.”
He placed a hand over his chest. The standard-bearer handed the Blood Dagger Clan’s flag to Hakajin, who then slowly walked toward Kim Yoora, flag in hand. I could see the children’s eyes tremble.
This was not a flag for young warriors, but the true flag of the Blood Dagger Clan, meant for real warriors. It was one of the old flags drawn by Najin, Nicole’s father—a flag symbolizing victory and honor. For those who knew the history of the Blood Dagger Clan, it was impossible not to be shaken.
When Hakajin finally presented the flag, Kim Yoora took it with hands that trembled uncontrollably. A few of the more sentimental young warriors looked like they were trying their hardest to hold back tears, and I, too, felt a lump form in my throat. After all, these were people I had spent a long time with, like family.
“Th… Thank… Thank you.”
As the young warriors stared blankly from the flag to me, I spoke slowly.
“Do not break.”
Kim Yoora slammed the base of the flagpole hard onto the ground.
Thud.
The sound was loud enough to be heard clearly. Tears welled in her eyes, but they did not fall. The flag began to flutter continuously, whether from the magic she was emitting or a sudden gust of wind.
The other young ones were the same. As all eyes focused on Kim Yoora, she shouted at the top of her lungs.
“I will not break!”
No more words were needed. I gestured to Kim Yoora and the young warriors, and they began to file out, carrying their new flag. If they truly felt the weight of that flag, they would never make the same mistake again. I smiled, seeing that their shoulders seemed to have grown a little heavier.
Goff and Black Spear watched the entire scene unfold, smiling along with me.
“They are strong.”
“Strong indeed.”
They may have returned in a sorry state, but they ended things on a good note. I finally felt like I could stand tall after all the boasting I’d done earlier. Goff nodded as well and spoke.
“You are a wise chieftain.”
“As are you.”
It was now the turn of Goff’s son, Gogh, and it seemed Goff wanted to put on a similar display. The doors slowly opened, and a group of mixed Ogres and Orcs began to enter. The Goff Clan’s flag was absurdly broken, looking as if they had snapped it themselves in the heat of battle.
I glanced to my side and saw Goff clenching his trembling hands into tight fists as he stared at Gogh.
“Ahem… ahem…”
“I’m sorry. Krrrrr, Father.”
Gogh’s eyes darted around nervously. He looked quite pathetic, a stark contrast to Kim Yoora’s dignified demeanor. As much of a mess as Yoora had made, this kid had done something just as ridiculous.
His combat prowess was decent, but the problem was that he had lost his reason. Gogh, who should have been calming his young brothers, had been at the forefront of the chaos. It was no wonder Goff was a little angry.
“F-Father. Krrrrr.”
Worse, the battle frenzy hadn’t yet subsided, and his eyes were still slightly bloodshot. It felt as if I were watching a drunken son calling out to his father. It was only natural for a father to be furious when he calls his underage son home for drinking, only to find him still not in his right mind.
Finally, Goff slowly rose to his feet. He even picked up the Goff Clan’s flag as he stood. Gogh had surely seen Kim Yoora leave with the Blood Dagger Clan’s flag.
A look of intense nervousness flashed across his face, as if he were wondering if he, too, would be granted a flag.
“F-Father… Th-Thank you. Krrrrr… I am still a lacking son, but I will become a gr-great!”
His face was filled with emotion. However, contrary to his expectations, Goff began to beat him with the flag. Imbued with Goff’s magic, the flag would never break.
“Fath—Uwoooaaaargh! Krrrrr, uwoooaaaargh!”
It was like watching myself beat the daylights out of Giant Scream Apachi. Since he was an Ogre by birth, he was naturally large and tough. Thanks to that, I figured he would be able to enjoy this tender moment with his father for even longer.
“Uuuuugh-uwooooargh! I’m sorry, Father!”
“You worthless whelp!”
If he had suppressed his feral nature before entering, things might have ended on a warmer note. But I suspected the cause of this whole mess was the fact that he had come in here with bloodshot eyes, growling nonstop.
Thwack! Thwack!
The crisp sounds of impact echoed continuously. The other members of the Goff Clan, including Gara, simply nodded as they watched the Goff Clan’s flag in action. It seemed they had seen it used for this purpose many times before.
“Uwoooaaaargh! I-It hurts!”
His screams were quieter than Giant Scream’s. From that, I could tell that Goff was definitely holding back.
As Goff continued to beat Gogh, I felt like the boy’s face was slowly returning to normal. As if he, too, knew what the problem was, he was finally reining in his wildness. It seemed the realization that he might actually die if he didn’t had awakened him. He was Goff’s son, through and through.
“Uwoooargh… I-It hurts…”
A smile crept onto my face as I watched the boy writhe in pain.
“Hmph!”
Goff threw the flag he had been using to beat his son, who was now overwhelmed with pain. Gogh, who caught it by surprise, had an incredibly bright expression on his face.
“Take it.”
“Father…”
“If I ever see you like that again, I’ll beat you with that flag once more. This is your last warning.”
“I… I understand!”
With no time to savor the moment, Gogh and his group of young Ogres scrambled out of the room, their faces looking quite pleased. To be honest, this side of Goff was quite new to me, but it made me realize that he, too, was a father who cherished his clan and his Green Skin family.
Paternal love.
For some reason, it made me think of Laveua back at the settlement.
It felt like things were finally wrapping up, and the battle, too, was coming to a close. Black Spear was nodding again with a pleased look on his face. Though flags had been handed out, there was no denying that today’s ultimate victor was Black Spear.
A short while later, Black Spear’s son and daughter, Shakajin and Shakara, entered. They were the ones who had seen the battle through to the very end.
“You were truly magnificent, my son and daughter.”
Their faces were filled with pride. It was only natural. In truth, Shakajin and Shakara had never managed to defeat Kim Yoora on the children’s training grounds. They had lost in practice but had achieved great things in a real battle, bringing honor to their clan’s name. Of course they would hold their heads high.
Goff and I were looking at Black Spear’s children with considerable envy when my eyes met Shakara’s. She looked my way and smiled faintly, giving off the air of a confident warrior woman. She even gave me a slight wink, which made me freeze up a little.
“Ahem…”
It was obvious they had trained hard. Seeing me hand over my clan’s flag, Black Spear must have decided to do the same, as he began to gesture to one of his clan’s executives.
“Father!”
Shakajin’s face lit up as the executive moved to hand him the flag, but Shakara spoke slowly.
“Father… we are still far too lacking to receive the flag of the Black Spear Clan. We wish to inherit your flag when we are truly ready.”
“Hmm…”
Black Spear’s face beamed with pride. Goff and I looked at him with expressions that said we’d been one-upped. As expected, Black Spear was smiling, amazed by his daughter’s wisdom. He even glanced our way, the corners of his mouth turned up.
‘How about my daughter!’ he was taunting. It was a provocation unlike the usually reserved troll.
“No, my son, my daughter. Watching today’s battle, I realized. You are worthy. Of course, it is an undeniable fact that you must strive for more. But I want to believe in your potential a little longer. Thank you for growing up so well.”
Thinking that a second refusal would be inappropriate, Shakajin accepted the flag, his face showing immense relief that his older sister hadn’t turned it down again.
The result was a clean, complete defeat.
But it was a pleasant feeling.