“Thank you for the help, Lord Pope.” Han Ling bowed deeply towards the old man. “Hahaha, it was nothing, thank you for exterminating that foul being.” The carefree smile was back on his face, waving Han Ling off. Han Ling looked up, then disappeared in purple light.

“Siegfried.”

“Yes, lord.”

“Do not make him our enemy.”

Siegfried’s eyes widened, “Why? Lord?”

The Pope turned to Siegfried, his expression solemn. “He is able to defeat a Lich King even with our help, he possesses knowledge that nobody knows of. And if I’m not wrong, he was also the one who predicted the disaster of the monster realm.”

“This kind of prediction far outstretches any kind of future seeing skill that I know of. Do not anger him.”

Siegfried nodded slowly, “Understood, Lord.”

“The skill that can see the future, and the power to wreak the world… what a terrifying person.”

>>>

[Blink]

“Hmm?” Han Ling found himself in the middle of a lake, the elites of the Alliance surrounded a single Goblin, his body covered in cuts and cruises, his chest heaving.

“You’re not done yet?”

Zenkibo and the Tengu Chieftains turned to Han Ling, eyes widening, “You’ve already dealt with the Lich King?”

Han Ling shrugged, “He wasn’t that difficult once you know his weakness.” The Chieftains could only chuckle weakly at that.

The young man walked towards Gobga, a look of absolute calmness. “The Goblin King, compared to the Lich King, you’re nothing much.”

Gobga’s eyes narrowed, growling with a look of black hatred. “You finished off the Lich King? Bullshit! He’s not someone you can even fight!”

“That’s something I should say to you.”

Gobga’s eyes turned red, a guttural roar exploded from his throat, swinging the giant great sword with vehement strength.

“Hmph, so easy to taunt.”

[Deafening Silence]

Gobga froze, a thin purple line forming on his chest, green blood oozing from the cut. “What is this?” He couldn’t move, nor could he use any of his skills or abilities. “For a king, you’re deftly dumb.”

“What?”

SHING!

Green blood exploded from his chest, a guttural scream of pain erupting from his throat.

[Sonic Clap]

[Energy Barrage]

Silenced yet again, Gobga coughed a mouthful of green blood, looking up to see a spinning orb of lightning descending on his chest. The orb slammed into his chest, embedding deep inside the Goblin King.

Gobga looked at the young man with wide eyes, fear written all over it.

[Exploding Spark]

KABOOM!

Green blood exploded, the body of the goblin king reduced to mere paint on the ground and walls. Han Ling stood straight, his body covered in green, yet he had a look of relaxation was on his face.

“I apologize for stealing your kill, but we have to finish them as fast as possible.”

Zenkibo waved his hand, “No worries, we’re glad you came to aid, we were barely able to hold him.”

“Sojobo should have killed Tomba by now.”

And sure enough, Sojobo appeared, slightly ruffled, but with the body of the Beast King next to him. “Hmm? You’re already done, Blood Mask?” “The Lich King had a fatal weakness, I just utilized it.” Han Ling said as he shrugged.

“Now we have to move to the next phase of the plan, the three empires will be paralyzed without their kings, we have to strike the Goblin Empire now.”

Han Ling then pulled out the communication crystal. “Narukami, are you in position?”

“Yes, the goblins just received news from the Plains of History, gotta say, it’s a crazy idea to drop the Behemoth on the armies.”

“Watch out for the Old Mage Halthla, he might still be alive, a mage doesn’t die that easily.”

“Got it, should we attack now?”

“No, wait for the Holy Empire and Kaisaris Dynasty to start first.”

“Why?”

Han Ling had a strange smile on his face. “An Empire isn’t that easy to conquer…”

>>>

Sure enough, the Holy Empire and Kaisaris Dynasty immediately attacked the Beast and Undead Empires, but both sides suffered major damages, the walls around the empires weren’t for show.

The Goblin Empire however, fell into a state of civil war.

As Han Ling predicted, Halthla was still alive, and he was the spark for the embers of the war.

Goblin politics.

The Goblin King had a son only at the age of 21, with the backing of the royal family. With the return of Halthla, a large number of chieftains sided with him, whereas the royals and other chieftains supported the son.

It went exactly as Han Ling thought it would.

“How did you even know Gobga had a son?” Sojobo asked Han Ling, his tone somber. “I didn’t, I guessed.”

“I’m starting to think your guessing is also a skill…”

“Think whatever you want.”

It was an entire week before Halthla took the throne as the new goblin ‘king’ despite his strength at peak of Lord level.

But little did they know of the damages already done to the defences of the empire.

At midday, Halthla will be sworn in as the new goblin king, with the death of Gobga’s son spreading around the empire.

He would be made king in the throne room of Zot, the most prominent Goblin city in the empire.

As Halthla walked up to the throne, his ugly face a beaming smile. Around him was the generals that respected him.

“Hehehe! The throne is finally mine! Now I’m king!”

“Too bad a king will die on his first day.”

Halthla whipped around, glaring wide eyed at the young man behind him, black wings pulsing like a heart. “It’s really a shame.”

“Y-You!”

“Human! How did he get here?”

One of the goblin chieftains lunged forward, a large fist scything down on Han Ling.

[Space Cleave]

The Goblin split into two halves, instantly killed by a single sword slash!

“W-What!?”

Halthla himself was trembling, because behind that young man was a large reptile.

Kapul the Void Drake.

RAWHHHH!!!

A cry that struck fear in the goblins. Halthla’s eyes trembled, with anger and with unconscious fear.

“How dare a human appear in our grand hall! Kill him!”

KABOOM!

A staccato of explosions sounded around the city, smoke billowing high into the air, screams of goblins echoed around. “What is going on?” Halthla looked outside eyes wide with confusion.

Then he saw it…

The Goblin King’s son, Gobio, was still alive…

“You!” Halthla pointed at Han Ling, “You were the one who dropped the Behemoth on us! You were the one who killed the king!”

Han Ling gave a dark chuckle, “The boy thinks you killed him, it’s a great fuel for hatred don’t you think?” Halthla flinched, “You monster!”

He shoved both hands forward, a jet of dark green mana blasting towards Han Ling.

Han Ling slashed and the jet of mana dispersed, the sword ray slicing through it like butter. Halthla screamed at the top of his lungs, “Kill him! Kill him!!!”

The chieftains roared, charging forward at the same time.

The young man stood still, gazing with a bored expression at the chieftains. His body blurred and a cloud of green mist exploded around the hall.

Halthla gazed wide eyed, his hands trembling uncontrollably. “H-How is this possible?”

He could not see even the afterimages Han Ling had created; his speed was extremely great.

“Hmph, at least Gobga put up more of a fight.”

SHING!

“Argh…”

Halthla’s arms were gone, green blood sprouting out like a fountain.

“ARGH!!!!”

He screamed, he screamed with fury, with pain and with despair.

“How noisy.”

[Tranquill Silence]

The hall became silent, save the small thumping of a head falling.

“That’s the end of the war I suppose…”

Han Ling stepped out the hall, unsurprised to find the royal goblins running up to him, attempting to aid Han Ling.

But they all froze when they glanced inside the hall. The head of Halthla on the ground, eyes wide with pure fear, the body parts of the chieftains sprawled all over the place.

Gobio nearly barfed at the sight, the other royal knights and chieftains looked at Han Ling in fear. “I have kept my side of the bargain, I hope you will keep yours, Goblin King Gobio.” Han Ling’s eyes glowed a deep purple as he spoke, an immense pressure crashing down on the group of goblins.

Gobio gulped, “O-O-Of course, benefactor. We would never be able to survive without your help. I shall ensure the humans will be rewarded.”

Over the past week, the Thunder Sword Alliance has been silently aiding Gobio’s side, providing items, weapons and sometimes their top combatants as mercenaries.

Han Ling himself stepped into the battlefield in the end just to gain more experience.

The price?

The riches of the Empire…