God Agent: All Hail The Great Kobold

Ka’z and his team never left the farmlands of the Ashmork clan. Instead, they had moved away from the burnt fields and made camp among a stretch of uneven ground where the natural vegetation and rising terrain gave them a clear advantage. They remained hidden along a higher section of land, their bodies pressed low against the earth while they watched the farmlands below.

From their position, they could see the blackened remains of the wooden shack they had set alight earlier, smoke still drifting lazily from the ruins whenever the wind shifted.

"Are we really not leaving?" Mi’ya asked quietly as she stared at the charred structure.

Her voice carried a mixture of uncertainty and discomfort. They had already completed the attack, yet instead of retreating deeper into the wilderness, Ka’z had ordered them to remain close.

Ka’z nodded without hesitation. "We’re not leaving."

During the interrogation of Manny, Ka’z had learned far more than the location of the Ashmork village. The goblin had eventually revealed the location of their farmlands, their water source, and several other details about how the village sustained itself. The eastern region was rich beneath the ground but poor upon its surface. High mineral deposits and rocky terrain made most of the land unsuitable for farming, leaving the Ashmork clan with only a few fertile areas near the stream where crops could grow properly.

The stream was even more important than the farms. It served as their primary source of clean water.

Ka’z had spent the previous hours thinking about everything the Ashmork clan had lost since the conflict began. Their earlier campaign into Vaal’kor territory had required lots of food, and supplies, which they happily took from the enemy.

That was why he had not bothered stealing the harvested crops.

If they stole them, the Ashmork clan might eventually find a way to recover them. If they left the supplies untouched, another group could simply come and transport everything back to the village. Burning them was far more effective. Every bundle of grain that turned to ash was food the goblins would never recover.

Ka’z wanted to force them into a difficult position.

If they remained behind their walls, their supplies would continue shrinking. If they sent groups outside to search for the enemy, Ka’z and his team could pick them off one group at a time. Either way, the pressure would slowly build until the Ashmork clan was forced to act.

Thud!

Before anyone could respond to Mi’ya, a distant sound caught their attention. Several heads immediately turned toward the farmlands below, and Ka’z’s expression sharpened as figures began emerging from the distance. There were roughly ten goblins moving quickly across the uneven terrain, their weapons already in their hands. At the front of the group was a goblin with tightly braided cornrows, his posture noticeably more aggressive than the others as he led them toward the destroyed farms.

Ka’z immediately raised his hand, signaling everyone to remain where they were. The group froze without question, lowering themselves even further into the vegetation as they watched the goblins approach.

The newcomers rushed toward the burnt farmlands and slowed only when they reached the bodies and destruction scattered around the area. The apparent leader stared at the devastation for several seconds before violently driving his spear into the ground. His furious roar echoed across the empty landscape, causing several of the other goblins to stiffen as they gathered around the damaged fields and searched through the ruins.

"There is no shaman amongst them," Drak whispered to Ka’z after studying the group carefully.

Ka’z gave no immediate response. His attention had shifted toward the spear buried in the ground.

At first glance, it appeared to be an ordinary metal weapon, but Ka’z quickly noticed the small piece of aether shard attached near its lower end. His eyes narrowed as he studied it. The shard had clearly been incorporated into the weapon deliberately.

"A magic weapon..." Ka’z muttered under his breath.

Gruk slowly shifted closer while keeping his body low. "Don’t you think they arrived too soon? It’s not been long since we let those two go."

Ka’z’s expression became contemplative. The timing was strange. The two surviving goblins from their previous encounter should have needed time to reach the village, report what had happened, and allow the Ashmork clan to organize a response. Yet this group had appeared much sooner than expected.

"Could it be that they were already out looking for us and met the survivors on the way?" Luk whispered.

"It’s a possibility," Ka’z answered quietly. He continued watching the group below, trying to piece together the situation. "Or they could simply be another patrol that happened to be nearby. Either way, it doesn’t change what we need to do."

Drak slowly nodded. "We should strike them now before more arrive. The plan has always been to pick them off until they’re weak enough for us to launch an all-out assault on the village."

Ka’z considered his words for only a moment before nodding. Whoever these goblins were and whatever they had been doing before arriving at the farms no longer mattered. They were here now, and allowing them to return safely would only give the Ashmork clan more information about their movements.

"Fine," Ka’z said as he slowly rose from the ground. "I’ll handle these people. You guys should support with arrows and keep an eye out for enemy reinforcements."

The others nodded without hesitation.

They had seen Ka’z fight before. They had watched him face warriors who should have been far stronger than him and survive encounters that would have killed ordinary kobolds. Whatever doubts they once had about his strength had long since disappeared.

Ka’z reached down and grabbed the cloth wrapped around Ashin Grim before tearing it away. The weapon’s familiar weight settled into his hand, and for a brief moment, he looked down at it in silence. Then his eyes began glowing crimson.

"Blood Magic: Blood Empowerment!"

A violent rush of energy spread through his body. His blood surged faster through his veins as his muscles tightened and expanded, and crimson color gradually spread across his scales. The change was subtle at first, but within seconds, his entire body carried a dangerous red tint. Ka’z lifted the battle axe and rested it across his shoulder, his gaze fixed on the goblins below.

Bang!

Ka’z shot down the slope.

His sudden movement immediately drew the attention of the goblins below. Several warriors turned toward him in alarm, but the goblin with the braided hair reacted differently. His eyes narrowed as Ka’z approached, and his gaze quickly dropped toward the weapon in his hand.

The moment he recognized Ashin Grim, his entire expression changed. Shock flashed across his face before being replaced by fury.

"YOU FUCKING RAT!!!" Loki roared, his voice startling the other goblin warriors.

The warriors immediately grabbed their weapons and turned toward Ka’z, but Loki was already moving. He ripped his spear from the ground and charged forward with such force that the others instinctively stepped aside. Ka’z continued his descent without slowing down, his grip tightening around Ashin Grim as the distance between them disappeared.

The two warriors reached each other almost simultaneously and blue light enveloped their weapons as they swung.

Bang!

The clash sent a mild shockwave across the farmland, and violent sparks of energy escaped from the point of impact. Lightning bolts crawled across both weapons before striking the ground around them, leaving small cracks and scorched marks in the dry earth.

Ka’z’s eyes narrowed and Loki’s expression hardened as neither weapon moved.

"Strong..." they both thought almost simultaneously as the realization settled in.

For the first time since arriving in Ashmork territory, Ka’z had encountered someone who could meet his physical strength head-on.