When I stepped out of the tent, the fight outside was already over. My goblins had won against the native goblins. The wolves had also paved their way into the village, most probably after killing many more goblins. We were assembled, and there were minimal losses. We could most probably leave this place on the back of our wolves - but is this what I desire? How can I become a leader if I only know how to run, if I only teach my people to run? But, to fight against at least a thousand with this many soldiers is an insane decision. Let alone that we are on their grounds - on the geography that they grew up in.

“Master!” The goblins noticed me stepping out and growled in harmony. A war scream echoed in the forest.

They want revenge - a tooth for a tooth, and a blood for blood. I shall give them what they want.

“Kill everyone who resists!”

I contemplated for a second before giving this order. Indeed, I most probably should have said ‘kill everyone’, ‘loot the village’. At the end of the day, they tricked us. Blood for blood. But, I cannot stop but think - what if not all of them are like this? This is a big village, what if it is not their nature to enslave other races, to trick people for the sake of wealth - shiny stones-?

My goblins certainly are not like this - to begin with, they are not infatuated with shiny stones. Certainly, this is not a good argument. But, what about the other goblin village? They accepted the trade, and gave us our goods? Was it simply because I summoned goblins in front of them? Or was it because their leaders are not like this?

I want to play it safe for now - only those who resist.

If I still could, I would have expanded my domain until it engulfed the entire village, but since my skills were sacrificed, dungeon borders are drawn not with magic but with political presence. That is, my dungeon is where my men reside - which means I cannot expand it by magic, but I only can do so by development and increasing the population in an area. So, expanding my dungeon now is also out of the question. This being said, because I lost my summoning skills, I would not be able to do anything after expanding it now anyway.

I jump on my wolf and lead the way into the village. My wolf knocks down enemies purely with its momentum while running as I swing my axe to decapitate some goblins running my way. With my men following behind me, and with me leading the way, we are cleaning the streets of the goblin village of scum.

As I keep swinging my axe, goblin blood splashes all over my face and clothes, as well as on my wolf’s fur. His fangs bite into goblin flesh, ripping apart their limbs one by one like a thunder running amok.

My eyes catch up on a group of goblins riding what look like big wild boars, undoubtedly taller and bigger than the wolves we are riding. It would be a mistake to say that the boars are looking right into our souls: instead, they are looking past us, as if they are ready to sweep over us any moment. After an abrupt breath that breaks the fume coming out of their snout short, they start running in our direction.

“Do not flinch! Jump and take down the riders!”

The wolves are agile, yet some are inevitably hurt by the huge body of wild boars and their tusks that stab into the bellies of the wolves. Some of our riders fall along with their wolves, trampled by the huge beasts the boars are. Yet we took down almost every rider.

“Tsch - boars are smarter than I thought.”

I have to admit that I was hoping the boars would lose some attention with their riders killed, yet they get ready to charge at us almost instantly after the first attack.

Wolves whose riders fell attack the boars in groups, ripping off their flesh like a flock of vultures, while the goblins who lost their wolves jump on the back of the boars to ride them. Some goblins are successful, and have boars charge into each other. We soon take advantage of the commotion.

“Cut their legs! Their skin is hard but their legs are weak!” I shout after seeing one goblin break one of the legs of the boar, making it toss into another one like a domino stone.

Soon, all the boars, as tall as me and as big as at least three wolves, are laying on the ground, dead, or waiting for their impending death. We will come back to collect their skin, tusks, and meat later.

Not all of us survived this bloodbath, but we still won. Half of my men, including the wolves, are dead. And almost everyone else is injured. Yet, we're not done with this village. They will pay back.

“Soldiers, charge forward!”