Goblin Kingdom (Part 1)

Chapter 66: An Arrow in Return

"Are you telling us to forgive the Gaidga who murdered our brethren!?" Gilmi asked in a voice so low it seemed to come from hell.

"Right," I replied.

Sorry, but I have no intention of changing this. I've already made up my mind.

Gilmi exuded an overbearing pressure as he protested, causing the Gaidga goblins huddled together uncomfortably to shake.

It would appear that the first amongst the Ganra, The First ArcherGadieta, truly does have something that makes him special.

"Why? Why would you..."

Madness uncoiled within the eyes of the goblin before me who's longed for nothing but vengeance.

There is no denying it, this goblin is definitely amazing. But could it be that even with that knowledge of his equal to that of the druid chief, Gi Za, he is still unable to let go of his anger?

"Their strength as the vanguard will be necessary in the days to come."
"But!"
"What I seek is the ends of the world, Gilmi."

The goblins lined up looked at each other as they broke out into a commotion. Ganra, Paradua, Gaidga, and even my own goblin subordinates.

"Are you saying our power is not enough!?"
"That's not it, but—"
"...If I may be allowed to speak."

As Gilmi and I were talking, the person himself, Rashka, interjected.

"You!"

Gilmi snapped, enraged, but Rashka only quietly approached him.

"I tried to become king."

With a calm tone, his voice naturally reverberated, and the surrounding goblins' commotion grew louder.

"But I failed."

Every time Rashka opened his mouth, the surrounding goblins would grow a little quieter as they reflexively tried to listen.

"I'm prepared to lose everything. So I would like to request my tribe to be spared."
"You're saying that now!?"
"Shoot that arrow of yours into my eye."

At those words, everyone's eyes opened wide.

Even Gilmi who was clearly furious was shocked.

"I will receive that arrow without blinking once. If I fail, even a little, then I shall hand to you my life. If I don't blink, then I would like for us to leave our respective enmity to rest."

All eyes gathered on Gilmi. It was an unreasonable request. None of the options presented were what Gilmi asked for. But all that was forgotten before Rashka's foolhardiness, and everyone waited for Gilmi's reply.

If Gilmi were to reject this, then he would be accused of being so poor at archery that he didn't have the confidence to hit Rashka's eye. Refusing was the obvious answer, but Rashka's foolhardiness blocked that option.

As expected of one of the four tribes' chiefs.

He knew when to show his courage. It seems Gilmi was still unable to win against him in a battle of negotiations.

"...Very well. Prepare yourself."

But one step wrong, and Gilmi's arrow will pierce through Rashka's brain. So I signaled with my eyes to the blessed of the Sword God, Gi Go Amatsuki.

Gi Go nodded to show his agreement.

Rashka and Gilmi faced each other from roughly 20 meters apart. In Gilmi's hand was his favorite bow. Around him were his tribesmen. They called out to him, asking, "Are you really going to do it?" Gilmi's expression was a lot closer to confusion than anger.